hung down her head, and began to have dim perceptions that she
might have been doing mischief with the best possible intentions.

"I only tell't Mistress Forbes hoo ill they war to Alec."

After a moment's reflection, Mrs Constable turned with a subdued manner
to Mrs Forbes.

"The bairn's a curious bairn, mem," she said. "And she's owerheard her
father and me speakin' thegither as gin't had been only ae body
thinkin'. For gin ever twa was ane, that twa and that ane is Andrew
Constable and mysel'."

"But what right had you to talk about my son?"

"Weel, mem, that queston gangs raither far. What's already procleemed
frae the hoose-taps may surely be spoken i' the ear in closets--for oor
back-room is but a closet. Gin ye think that fowk'll haud their tongues
about your bairn mair nor ony ither body's bairn ye're mista'en, mem.
But never ane heard o' 't frae me, and I can tak' my bodily aith for my
man, for he's jist by ordinar' for haudin' his tongue. I cud hardly
worm it oot o' 'm mysel'."

Mrs Forbes saw that she had been too hasty.

"What does it all mean, Mrs Constable?" she said, "for I am quite
ignorant."

"Ye may weel be that, mem. And maybe there's no a word o' trouth i' the
story, for I'm doobtin' the win' that brocht it blew frae an ill airt."

"I really don't understand you, Mrs Constable. What do they say about
him?"

"Ow, jist that he's consortin' wi' the warst o' ill company, mem. But
as I said to Anerew, maybe he'll come oot o' their cluiks no that
muckle the waur, efter a'."

Mrs Forbes sank on the sofa, and hid her face in her hands. Annie
turned white as death, and left the room. When Mrs Forbes lifted her
head, Mrs Constable and her strange child had vanished.

Mrs Forbes and Annie wept together bitterly, in the shadow of death
which the loved one cast upon them across the white plains and hills.
Then the mother sat down and wrote, begging him to deny the terrible
charge; after which they both felt easier. But when the return of post
had brought no reply, and the next day was likewise barren of tidings,
Mrs Forbes resolved to go to the hateful city at once.

CHAPTER LXXVI.

When Alec woke in the morning, it rushed upon his mind that he had had
a terrible dream; and he reproached himself that even in a dream he
should be capable of striking to the earth the friend who had just
saved him from disgrace, and wanted to save him from more. But as his
headache began to yield to col