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had found her husband good enough not to be followed by another； and
marriage hard enough to favour the same result。 When she sat down；
smoothing her apron on her lap； and looking him in the face with
clear blue eyes； he must have been either a suspicious or an
unfortunate man who would not trust her。 She was a general softener
of shocks； foiler of encounters； and soother of angers。 She was not
one of those housekeepers always in black silk and lace； but was
mostly to be seen in a cotton gownvery clean； but by no means
imposing。 She would put her hands to anythingshow a young servant
how a thing ought to be done； or relieve cook or housemaid who was
ill or had a holiday。 Donal had taken to her； as like does to like。
He did not hurry her； but waited。
〃I may as weel gie ye the haill story； sir！〃 she recommenced。 〃Syne
ye'll be whaur I am mysel'。
〃I was oot i' the yard to luik efter my hensI never lat onybody
but mysel' meddle wi' them； for they're jist as easy sp'ilt as ither
fowk's bairns； an' the twa doors o' the barn stan'in open； I took
the straucht ro'd throuw the same to win the easier at my feathert
fowk； as my auld minnie used to ca' them。 I'm but a saft kin' o' a
bein'； as my faither used to tell me； an' mak but little din whaur I
gang； sae they couldna hae h'ard my fut as I gaed； but what sud I
hearbut I maun tell ye it was i' the gloamin' last nicht； an' I
wad hae tellt ye the same this mornin'； sir； seekin' yer fair
coonsel； but ye was awa' 'afore I kenned； an' I was resolvt no to
lat anither gloamin' come ohn ta'en precautionswhat sud I hear； I
say； as I was sayin'； but a laich tshetshetshe； somewhaur； I
couldna tell whaur； as gien some had mair to say nor wud be spoken
oot！ Weel； ye see； bein' ane accoontable tae ithers for them 'at's
accoontable to me； I stude still an' hearkent： gien a' was richt；
nane wad be the waur for me； an' gien a' wasna richt； a' sud be
wrang gien I could make it sae！ Weel； as I say； I hearkentbut eh；
sir！ jist gie a keek oot at that door； an' see gein there bena
somebody there hearkin'； for that EppyI wudna lippen til her ae
hair！ she's as sly as an edder！ Naebody there？ Weel； steek ye the
door； sir； an' I s' gang on wi' my tale。 I stude an' hearkent； as I
was sayin'； an' what sud I hear but a twasome toot…moot； as my auld
auntie frae Ebberdeen wud hae ca'd itae v'ice that o' a man； an'
the ither that o' a wuman； for it's strange the differ even whan
baith speyks their laichest！ I was aye gleg i' the hearin'； an' hae
reason for the same to be thankfu；' but I couldna； for a' my
sharpness； mak oot what they war sayin'。 So； whan I saw 'at I wasna
to hear； I jist set aboot seein'； an' as quaietly as my saft
fitit's safter nor it's lichtwud carry me； I gaed aboot the
barnflure； luikin' whaur onybody could be hidden awa'。
〃There was a great heap o' strae in ae corner； no hard again' the
wa'； an' 'atween the wa' an' that heap o' thrashen strae； sat the
twa。 Up gat my lord wi' a spang； as gien he had been ta'en
stealin'。 Eppy wud hae bidden； an' creepit oot like a moose ahint
my back； but I was ower sharp for her： 'Come oot o' that； my lass；'
says I。 'Oh； mistress Brookes！' says my lord； unco ceevil； 'for my
sake don't be hard upon her。' Noo that angert me！ For though I say
the lass is mair to blame nor the lad； it's no for the lad； be he
lord or labourer； to lea' himsel' oot whan the blame comes。 An'
says I； 'My lord；' says I； 'ye oucht to ken better！ I s' say nae
mair i' the noo； for I'm ower angry。 Gang yer waysbut na！ no
thegither； my lord！ I s' luik weel to that！Gang up til yer ain
room； Eppy！' I said； 'an' gien I dinna see ye there whan I come in；
it's awa' to your grannie I gang this varra nicht！'
〃Eppy she gaed； an' my lord he stude there； wi' a face 'at glowert
white throuw the gloamin'。 I turned upon him like a wild beast； an'
says I； 'I winna speir what ye 're up til； my lord； but ye ken weel
eneuch what it luiks like！ an' I wud never hae expeckit it o' ye！'
He began an' he stammert； an' he beggit me to believe there was
naething 'atween them； an' he wudna harm the lassie to save his
life； an' a' the lave o' 't； 'at I couldna i' my hert but pity them
baithtwa sic bairns； doobtless drawn thegither wi' nae thoucht o'
ill； ilk ane by the bonny face o' the ither； as is but nait'ral；
though it canna be allooed！ He beseekit me sae sair 'at I foolishly
promised no to tell his faither gien he on his side wud promise no
to hae mair to du wi' Eppy。 An' that he did。 Noo I never had reason
to doobt my yoong lord's word； but in a case o' this kin' it's aye
better no to lippen。 Ony gait； the thing canna be left this wise；
for gien ill cam o' 't； whaur wud we a' be！ I didna promise no to
tell onybody； I'm free to tell yersel；' maister Grant； an' ye maun
contrive what's to be dune。〃
〃I will speak to him；〃 said Donal； 〃and see what humour he is in。
That will help to clear the thing up。 We will try to do right； and
trust to be kept from doing wrong。〃
Donal left her to go to his room； but had not reached the top of the
stair when he saw clearly that he must speak to lord Forgue at once：
he turned and went down to a room that was called his。
When he reached it； only Davie was there； turning over the leaves of
a folio worn by fingers that had been dust for centuries。 He said
Percy went out； and would not let him go with him。
Knowing mistress Brookes was looking after Eppy； Donal put off
seeking farther for Forgue till the morrow。
CHAPTER XXV。
EVASION。
The next day he could find him nowhere； and in the evening went to
see the Comins。 It was pretty dark； but the moon would be up by and
by。
When he reached the cobbler's house； he found him working as usual；
only in…doors now that the weather was colder； and the light sooner
gone。 He looked innocent； bright； and contented as usual。 〃If God
be at peace；〃 he would say to himself； 〃why should not I？〃 Once he
said this aloud； almost unconsciously； and was overheard： it
strengthened the regard with which worldly church…goers regarded
him： he was to them an irreverent yea； blasphemous man！ They did
not know God enough to understand the cobbler's words； and all the
interpretation they could give them was after their kind。 Their
long Sunday faces indicated their reward； the cobbler's cheery；
expectant look indicated his。
The two were just wondering a little when he entered； that young
Eppy had not made her appearance； but then； as her grandmother said；
she had often； especially during the last few weeks； been later
still！ As she spoke； however； they heard her light； hurried foot on
the stair。
〃Here she comes at last！〃 said her grandmother； and she entered。
She said she could not get away so easily now。 Donal feared she had
begun to lie。 After sitting a quarter of an hour； she rose
suddenly； and said she must go； for she was wanted at home。 Donal
rose also and said； as the night was dark； and the moon not yet up；
it would be better to go together。 Her face flushed： she had to go
into the town first； she said； to get something she wanted！ Donal
replied he was in no hurry； and would go