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on which he too had seated himself。
'Na； na；' whispered the manufacturer； laying； like the Ancient
Mariner； a brown skinny hand of restraint upon Robert's arm'na；
na； never heed her。 Ye maunna speyk to ilka lass 'at ye ken。Poor
thing！ she's been doin' something wrang； to gang slinkin' aboot i'
the gloamin' like a baukie （bat）； wi' her plaid ower her heid。
Dinna fash wi' her。'
'Nonsense！' returned Robert； with indignation。 'What for shouldna I
speik till her？ She's a decent lassiea dochter o' James Hewson；
the cottar at Bodyfauld。 I ken her fine。'
He said this in a whisper； but the girl seemed to hear it； for she
left the shop with a perturbation which the dimness of the late
twilight could not conceal。 Robert hesitated no longer； but
followed her； heedless of the louder expostulations of MacGregor。
She was speeding away down the street； but he took longer strides
than she； and was almost up with her； when she drew her shawl closer
about her head； and increased her pace。
'Jessie！' said Robert； in a tone of expostulation。 But she made no
answer。 Her head sunk lower on her bosom； and she hurried yet
faster。 He gave a long stride or two and laid his hand on her
shoulder。 She stood still； trembling。
'Jessie； dinna ye ken meRobert Faukner？ Dinna be feart at me。
What's the maitter wi' ye； 'at ye winna speik till a body？ Hoo's
a' the fowk at hame？'
She burst out crying； cast one look into Robert's face； and fled。
What a change was in that face？ The peach…colour was gone from her
cheek； it was pale and thin。 Her eyes were hollow； with dark
shadows under them； the shadows of a sad sunset。 A foreboding of
the truth arose in his heart； and the tears rushed up into his eyes。
The next moment the eidolon of Mary St。 John； moving gracious and
strong； clothed in worship and the dignity which is its own defence；
appeared beside that of Jessie Hewson； her bowed head shaken with
sobs； and her weak limbs urged to ungraceful flight。 As if walking
in the vision of an eternal truth； he went straight to Captain
Forsyth's door。
'I want to speak to Miss St。 John； Isie；' said Robert。
'She'll be doon in a minit。'
'But isna yer mistress i' the drawin'…room？I dinna want to see
her。'
'Ow； weel；' said the girl； who was almost fresh from the country；
'jist rin up the stair； an' chap at the door o' her room。'
With the simplicity of a child； for what a girl told him to do must
be right； Robert sped up the stair； his heart going like a
fire…engine。 He had never approached Mary's room from this side；
but instinct or something else led him straight to her door。 He
knocked。
'Come in；' she said； never doubting it was the maid； and Robert
entered。
She was brushing her hair by the light of a chamber candle。 Robert
was seized with awe； and his limbs trembled。 He could have kneeled
before hernot to beg forgiveness； he did not think of thatbut to
worship； as a man may worship a woman。 It is only a strong； pure
heart like Robert's that ever can feel all the inroad of the divine
mystery of womanhood。 But he did not kneel。 He had a duty to
perform。 A flush rose in Miss St。 John's face； and sank away；
leaving it pale。 It was not that she thought once of her own
condition； with her hair loose on her shoulders； but； able only to
conjecture what had brought him thither； she could not but regard
Robert's presence with dismay。 She stood with her ivory brush in
her right hand uplifted； and a great handful of hair in her left。
She was soon relieved； however； although what with his contemplated
intercession； the dim vision of Mary's lovely face between the
masses of her hair； and the lavender odour that filled the
roomperhaps also a faint suspicion of impropriety sufficient to
give force to the restRobert was thrown back into the abyss of his
mother…tongue； and out of this abyss talked like a Behemoth。
'Robert！' said Mary； in a tone which； had he not been so eager after
his end； he might have interpreted as one of displeasure。
'Ye maun hearken till me； mem。Whan I was oot at Bodyfauld；' he
began methodically； and Mary； bewildered； gave one hasty brush to
her handful of hair and again stood still： she could imagine no
connection between this meeting and their late parting'Whan I was
was oot at Bodyfauld ae simmer； I grew acquant wi' a bonnie lassie
there； the dochter o' Jeames Hewson； an honest cottar； wi'
Shakspeare an' the Arabian Nichts upo' a skelf i' the hoose wi' 'im。
I gaed in ae day whan I wasna weel； an' she jist ministert to me；
as nane ever did but yersel'； mem。 An' she was that kin' an'
mither…like to the wee bit greitin' bairnie 'at she had to tak care
o' 'cause her mither was oot wi' the lave shearin'！ Her face was
jist like a simmer day； an' weel I likit the luik o' the lassie！I
met her again the nicht。 Ye never saw sic a change。 A white face；
an' nothing but greitin' to come oot o' her。 She ran frae me as gin
I had been the de'il himsel'。 An' the thocht o' you； sae bonnie an'
straucht an' gran'； cam ower me。'
Yielding to a masterful impulse； Robert did kneel now。 As if
sinner； and not mediator； he pressed the hem of her garment to his
lips。
'Dinna be angry at me； Miss St。 John；' he pleaded； 'but be mercifu'
to the lassie。 Wha's to help her that can no more luik a man i' the
face； but the clear…e'ed lass that wad luik the sun himsel' oot o'
the lift gin he daured to say a word against her。 It's ae woman
that can uphaud anither。 Ye ken what I mean； an' I needna say
mair。'
He rose and turned to leave the room。
Bewildered and doubtful； Miss St。 John did not know what to answer；
but felt that she must make some reply。
'You haven't told me where to find the girl； or what you want me to
do with her。'
'I'll fin' oot whaur she bides；' he said； moving again towards the
door。
'But what am I to do with her； Robert？'
'That's your pairt。 Ye maun fin' oot what to do wi' her。 I canna
tell ye that。 But gin I was you； I wad gie her a kiss to begin wi'。
She's nane o' yer brazen…faced hizzies； yon。 A kiss wad be the
savin' o' her。'
'But you may be。 But I have nothing to go upon。 She would resent
my interference。'
'She's past resentin' onything。 She was gaein' aboot the toon like
ane o' the deid 'at hae naething to say to onybody； an' naebody
onything to say to them。 Gin she gangs on like that she'll no be
alive lang。'
That night Jessie Hewson disappeared。 A mile or two up the river
under a high bank； from which the main current had receded； lay an
awful； swampy placefull of reeds； except in the middle where was
one round space full of dark water and mud。 Near this Jessie Hewson
was seen about an hour after Robert had thus pled for her with his
angel。
The event made a deep impression upon Robert。 The last time that he
saw them； James and his wife were as cheerful as usual； and gave him
a hear