The second course was on the table, and McCray was busy handing the wine
to the various guests, when a footman, who had just entered the room,
pulled him by the sleeve.

"Gude-sake, man!" he exclaimed, testily, "ye'll make that wine as thick
as mood!" when, hearing the man's whisper, he set the decanter down upon
the floor, and ran out.

Isa had sent to excuse herself, for she was, indeed, too ill with
excitement; and, at Jane's earnest solicitation, she had gone to lie
down, to fall into a broken slumber, filled with troubled dreams, and
all connected with the coming day. Again and again she was being led to
the church, when Brace seemed to snatch her away and hold her to his
breast: but when she tried to clasp him in return, he faded, as it were,
away, and there was nothing there: then they were wandering together by
the marsh, picking the true-blue forget-me-nots; but each flower seemed
weeping for their sorrows; and at last the soft, treacherous earth
seemed to give way, and they were plunged together in the black,
strangling water, to sink lower, lower, lower, till all was blinding and
dark; but his arms were tightly round her now, his lips were to hers,
and he was breathing words of love--of love, and holy love--to her,
telling her that they would part no more; that there should be no more
misery, no more watching and weeping; but that their parents' sorrows
should be succeeded by the sunshine of their joy; and, returning his
caresses from the depth of her heart, she shrieked aloud, for she was
rudely awakened to the misery of the present; for, apparently wild with
excitement, Jane rushed into the room, caught her for a moment in her
arms, to kiss her, almost fiercely, and then throwing her rudely back
upon the couch--

"Lie there, my child--lie there!" she exclaimed. "She gave you into my
charge, and I have been faithful. Sleep, if you like, but let it be in
peace, for there will be no wedding to-morrow!"

Was she mad? Was she crazy? Isa asked herself those questions, as she
heard the door closed and locked upon her; then, unable to restrain her
tears, she sank back weakly weeping.

Book 2, Chapter XXIX.

"THEY'RE BRINGING MY LADY HAME."

Alexander McCray, in his excitement at being told that Brace Norton was
in the hall, set down the decanter upon the carpet, where it was
directly after kicked over by the under-butler. But McCray hurried out,
lest Sir Murray should hear who had arrived--his dre