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nicht。'
'Is it you； Robert？' she said； gladly recognizing his voice。
'Ay； it's me； and Mr。 Ericson。 We'll tak care o' ye； mem。'
'But surely we shall get home！'
Robert had heard the crack of the breaking pole。
''Deed； I doobt no。'
'What are we to do； then？'
'Come into the lythe （shelter） o' the bank here； oot o' the gait o'
thae brutes o' horses；' said Robert； taking off his horse…cloth and
wrapping her in it。
The storm hissed and smote all around them。 She took Robert's arm。
Followed by Ericson； they left the coach and the struggling horses；
and withdrew to a bank that overhung the road。 As soon as they were
out of the wind； Robert； who had made up his mind； said；
'We canna be mony yairds frae the auld hoose o' Bogbonnie。 We micht
win throu the nicht there weel eneuch。 I'll speir at the gaird； the
minute the horses are clear。 We war 'maist ower the brig； I heard
the coachman say。'
'I know quite well where the old house is；' said Ericson。 'I went in
the last time I walked this way。'
'Was the door open？' asked Robert。
'I don't know；' answered Ericson。 'I found one of the windows open
in the basement。'
'We'll get the len' o' ane o' the lanterns； an' gang direckly。 It
canna be mair nor the breedth o' a rig or twa frae the burn。'
'I can take you by the road；' said Ericson。
'It will be very cold；' said Miss St。 John；already shivering；
partly from disquietude。
'There's timmer eneuch there to haud 's warm for a twalmonth；' said
Robert。
He went back to the coach。 By this time the horses were nearly
extricated。 Two of them stood steaming in the lamplight； with their
sides going at twenty bellows' speed。 The guard would not let him
have one of the coach lamps； but gave him a small lantern of his
own。 When he returned with it； he found Ericson and Miss St。 John
talking together。
Ericson led the way； and the others followed。
'Whaur are ye gaein'； gentlemen？' asked the guard； as they passed
the coach。
'To the auld hoose；' answered Robert。
'Ye canna do better。 I maun bide wi' the coch till the lave gang
back to Drumheid wi' the horses； on' fess anither pole。 Faith；
it'll be weel into the mornin' or we win oot o' this。 Tak care hoo
ye gang。 There's holes i' the auld hoose； I doobt。'
'We'll tak gude care； ye may be sure； Hector；' said Robert； as they
left the bridge。
The house to which Ericson was leading them was in the midst of a
field。 There was just light enough to show a huge mass standing in
the dark； without a tree or shelter of any sort。 When they reached
it； all that Miss St。 John could distinguish was a wide broken stair
leading up to the door； with glimpses of a large； plain； ugly；
square front。 The stones of the stair sloped and hung in several
directions； but it was plain to a glance that the place was
dilapidated through extraordinary neglect； rather than by the usual
wear of time。 In fact； it belonged only to the beginning of the
preceding century； somewhere in Queen Anne's time。 There was a
heavy door to it； but fortunately for Miss St。 John； who would not
quite have relished getting in at the window of which Ericson had
spoken； it stood a little ajar。 The wind roared in the gap and
echoed in the empty hall into which they now entered。 Certainly
Robert was right： there was wood enough to keep them warm； for that
hall； and every room into which they went； from top to bottom of the
huge house； was lined with pine。 No paint…brush had ever passed
upon it。 Neither was there a spot to be seen upon the grain of the
wood： it was clean as the day when the house was finished； only it
had grown much browner。 A close gallery； with window…frames which
had never been glazed； at one story's height； leading across from
the one side of the first floor to the other； looked down into the
great echoing hall； which rose in the centre of the building to the
height of two stories； but this was unrecognizable in the poor light
of the guard's lantern。 All the rooms on every floor opened each
into the other；but why should I give such a minute description；
making my reader expect a ghost story； or at least a nocturnal
adventure？ I only want him to feel something of what our party felt
as they entered this desolate building； which； though some hundred
and twenty years old； bore not a single mark upon the smooth floors
or spotless walls to indicate that article of furniture had ever
stood in it； or human being ever inhabited it。 There was a strange
and unusual horror about the placea feeling quite different from
that belonging to an ancient house； however haunted it might be。 It
was like a body that had never had a human soul in it。 There was no
sense of a human history about it。 Miss St。 John's feeling of
eeriness rose to the height when； in wandering through the many
rooms in search of one where the windows were less broken； she came
upon one spot in the floor。 It was only a hole worn down through
floor after floor； from top to bottom； by the drip of the rains from
the broken roof： it looked like the disease of the desolate place；
and she shuddered。
Here they must pass the night； with the wind roaring awfully through
the echoing emptiness； and every now and then the hail clashing
against what glass remained in the windows。 They found one room
with the window well boarded up； for until lately some care had been
taken of the place to keep it from the weather。 There Robert left
his companions； who presently heard the sounds of tearing and
breaking below； necessity justifying him in the appropriation of
some of the wood…work for their own behoof。 He tore a panel or two
from the walls； and returning with them； lighted a fire on the empty
hearth； where； from the look of the stone and mortar； certainly
never fire had blazed before。 The wood was dry as a bone； and burnt
up gloriously。
Then first Robert bethought himself that they had nothing to eat。
He himself was full of merriment； and cared nothing about eating；
for had he not Miss St。 John and Ericson there？ but for them
something must be provided。 He took his lantern and went back
through the storm。 The hail had ceased； but the wind blew
tremendously。 The coach stood upon the bridge like a stranded
vessel； its two lamps holding doubtful battle with the wind； now
flaring out triumphantly； now almost yielding up the ghost。 Inside；
the guard was snoring in defiance of the pother o'er his head。
'Hector！ Hector！' cried Robert。
'Ay； ay；' answered Hector。 'It's no time to wauken yet。'
'Hae ye nae basket； Hector； wi' something to eat in 'tnaething
gaein' to Rothieden 'at a body micht say by yer leave till？'
'Ow！ it's you； is 't？' returned Hector； rousing himself。 'Na。 Deil
ane。 An' gin I had； I daurna gie ye 't。'
'I wad mak free to steal 't； though； an' tak my chance；' said
Robert。 'But ye say ye hae nane？'
'Na