n ignorant man like me, to put sae mony
questions at a time; but it's my wish to serve ye, an' I'll do my best
to answer them. Jessie Warriston lives wi' the idiot cratur Geordie
Willison's mither, and she has lived wi' her for seventeen years, that
is, since she was a bit bairn. I'm thinking she'll be a granddochter o'
Widow Willison's--dinna ye think sae yersel'?"

"De brute!" muttered the woman to herself--"de brute is begun, like all
de rest of his countrymen, to put de interrogation ven he should give de
respond. You do not know den de girl's history, do you not?"

"No, but maybe I may be able to get it for ye," answered Geordie,
unwilling to be dismissed _simpliciter_.

"Very vell, anoter time--I vish you, in de meantime, to carry dis letter
to Ludovic Brodie, Esq. of Birkiehaugh. Do you know vere he lives?"

"I will carry it wi' the greatest o' pleasure, madam," answered Geordie.

The woman handed him the letter, with some more money, and departed.

Geordie got the letter speedily read to him by a person in his
confidence. It was in these terms:--

"Mon cher Ludovic,--Jessie Varriston lives vit de idiot, Geordie
Villison, in Leit Vynd. De bearer of dis knows her very vell, and vill
assist you in de abduction. My Lady Maitland and I both tink we know her
too; bot we do not vish at present to let any von know dis, for certain
reasons, vich we cannot explain to you. Ven you arrange vit de bearer to
carry her off, let me know, and I vill do every ting in my power to
assist you, as my lady has a grand vish for de abduction of de vench
vithout procrastination. My lady does not know of my having given you
intelligence of her being up to de affair.--Yours till death.

"LOUISE GRECOURT."

From this letter, Geordie saw plainly that Lady Maitland and Louise had,
at last, got some information regarding Jessie, which had led them to
suspect that she was the child they had supposed to be dead. It was
clear, however, that Brodie knew nothing of their suspicions, and the
two parties were, undoubtedly, after the same game, with different
objects and for different reasons. Having folded the letter and sealed
it, so as to avoid suspicion, Geordie went out and delivered it into the
hands of Birkiehaugh.

Brodie, having read the letter, examined Geordie from head to
heel--"Canst thou be trusted, man, in an affair requiring secrecy and
ability to execute it?" asked he.

"Do you see ony thing aboot me to produce ony doubt o