ty
was so much less to him than a lord up in London. And this lord was
a lord of Parliament, and a government lord, and might probably have
the power of hanging such a one as Andy Gowran were he to commit
perjury, or say anything which the lord might choose to call perjury.
What it was that Lord Fawn wished him to say, he could not make
himself sure. That the lord's sister wished him to prove Lady Eustace
to be all that was bad, he knew very well. But he thought that he was
able to perceive that the brother and sister were not at one, and
more than once during his journey up to London he had almost made up
his mind that he would turn tail and go back to Portray. No doubt
there was enmity between him and his mistress; but then his mistress
did not attempt to hurt him even though he had insulted her grossly;
and were she to tell him to leave her service, it would be from Mr.
John Eustace, and not from Mrs. Hittaway, that he must look for
the continuation of his employment. Nevertheless he had taken Mrs.
Hittaway's money and there he was.

At half-past seven Lord Fawn was brought into the room by his sister,
and Andy Gowran, rising from his chair, three times ducked his head.
"Mr. Gowran," said Mrs. Hittaway, "my brother is desirous that you
should tell him exactly what you have seen of Lady Eustace's conduct
down at Portray. You may speak quite freely, and I know you will
speak truly." Andy again ducked his head. "Frederic," continued the
lady, "I am sure that you may implicitly believe all that Mr. Gowran
will say to you." Then Mrs. Hittaway left the room,--as her brother
had expressly stipulated that she should do.

Lord Fawn was quite at a loss how to begin, and Andy was by no means
prepared to help him. "If I am rightly informed," said the lord, "you
have been for many years employed on the Portray property?"

"A' my life,--so please your lairdship."

"Just so;--just so. And, of course, interested in the welfare of the
Eustace family?"

"Nae doobt, my laird,--nae doobt; vera interasted indeed."

"And being an honest man, have felt sorrow that the Portray property
should--should--should--; that anything bad should happen to it."
Andy nodded his head, and Lord Fawn perceived that he was nowhere
near the beginning of his matter. "Lady Eustace is at present your
mistress?"

"Just in a fawshion, my laird,--as a mon may say. That is she
is,--and she is nae. There's a mony things at Portray as ha' to be
lookit afte