idge to supply the place
of that which had been swept away. But although very uneasy at the
obstruction of her projects, she took good care to keep her own
counsel.--The snow was very obstinate to go. At length, after many
days, she was allowed to go out with stockings over her shoes, and play
in the garden. No sooner was she alone, than she darted out of the
garden by the back-gate, and before her mother missed her, was crossing
the Glamour. She had never been so far alone, and felt frightened; but
she pushed bravely forward.

Mrs Forbes and Annie Anderson were sitting together when Mary put her
head in at the door and told her mistress that the daughter of Mr
Constable, the clothier, wanted to see her.

"Why, she's a mere infant, Mary!" exclaimed Mrs Forbes.

"'Deed is she, mem; but she's nane the less doon the stair i' the
kitchie. Ye wad hae seen her come yersel' but she's ower wee. Ye cudna
get a glimp o' her ower the edge o' the snaw i' the cuttin' doon to the
yett. Hoo her fowk cud lat her oot! She's a puir wee white-faced elf o'
a crater, but she's byous auld-farrand and wise-like, and naething will
do but she maun see yersel', mem."

"Bring her up, Mary. Poor little thing! What can she want?"

Presently Isie entered the room, looking timidly about her.

"Well, my dear, what do you want?"

"It's aboot Alec, mem," said Isie, glancing towards Annie.

"Well, what about him?" asked Mrs Forbes, considerably bewildered, but
not fearing bad news from the mouth of such a messenger.

"Hae ye heard naething aboot him, mem?"

"Nothing particular. I haven't heard from him for a fortnight."

"That's easy accoontit for, mem."

"What do you mean, my dear? Speak out."

"Weel, mem, the way I heard it was raither particlar, and I wadna like
a'body to ken."

Here she glanced again at Annie.

"You needn't be afraid of Annie Anderson," said Mrs Forbes smiling.
"What is it?"

"Weel, mem, I didna richtly ken. But they hae ta'en him intil a
dreidfu' place, and whether they hae left a haill inch o' skin upon's
body, is mair nor I can tell; but they hae rackit him, and pu'd o' 's
nails aff, maybe them a', and--"

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mrs Forbes, with a most unusual inclination
to hysterics, seeing something terrible peep from behind the grotesque
report of Isie, "what _do_ you mean, child?"

"I'm tellin' ye't as I heard it, mem. I houp they haena brunt him yet.
Ye maun gang and tak' him oot o' their han's."