rn. I'll pay off that
black-hearted brute this day afore I leave Lowwood an' then my
conscience will be easier."

Mr. Rundell sat stupefied and amazed at the story just told him by
Robertson, and just as both men sat staring at each other and before
another word could be said, a miner burst into the room, almost
exploding with excitement, crying:--

"Oh, Mr. Rundell, you've to come to the pit at once. A woman has flung
herself doon the shaft."

"Guid God! That'll be oor Mag," cried Sanny, starting up and out at the
door, running in the direction of the pit and stumbling every few yards
in his excitement.

When Sanny had left the house that morning to go and interview Mr.
Rundell, Mag, with the insane decision she had made overnight still
holding her mind, dressed herself in her best clothes, and without
hesitation set off to the pit.

On her way down the row she stepped into Leebie Granger's house very
excited though she had been fairly quiet all morning; so quiet in fact
that Phemie Grey and Annie Watson could not help remarking upon it.

"She's been awfu' quate a' mornin', Phemie," said Annie, going into her
neighbor's house. "She has worked away there as if she was gaun to clean
the hale place, scrubbing oot the floor, although she washed yesterday;
an' noo, she has on her Sunday best, wi' her new hat on too, an' she's
awa' into Leebie Granger's. I wonner what'll hae ta'en her noo."

"Guid kens," replied Phemie, "but she's fair off her heid. Dae ye ken
she's just like a daft body. Did you see the look in her e'en?" and so
they discussed poor Mag, who had drawn their attention by the
strangeness of her behavior.

"Oh, dinna be feart, Leebie," began Mag as she saw Leebie's apprehensive
look. "I'm no' gaun to meddle wi' you, although I swore yesterday that I
would. You've only done what I did before you. You are young, an' mair
pleasin' than I am noo, an', as he said, I hae had a good innins. But,
Leebie, you'll hae to look for another fancy man. He'll no' be lang
yours. I'll see to that. Him an' me will gang oot thegither, if I can
manage it. We've baith been rotten, an' it's richt that we should gang
baith at once, an' rid the place o' a dam'd bad sore. Guid day, Leebie.
It's a dam'd puir life to leave, an' while it maybe is a woman's lot in
life to sell hersel' for ease and comfort, it's a' bad for her when she
does it in a way that the world says is a wrang way; for she soon finds
that her life isna worth