be na dales."

Matthew had turned over his cup to denote that his meal was finished.
The dame rose and resumed her seat by the fire. During the day she had
been more cheerful, but with the return of the night she grew again
silent, and rocked herself in her chair.

"It's just t'edge o' dark, lass," said Matthew to Rotha while filling
his pipe. "Wilt thoo fetch the cannels?"

The candles were brought, and the old man lit his pipe from one of
them and sat down with Mrs. Ray before the fire.

"Dus'ta mind when Angus coomt first to these parts?" he said. "_I_ do
reet weel. I can a' but fancy I see him now at the manor'al court at
Deer Garth Bottom. What a man he was, to be sure! Ralph's nobbut a bit
boy to what his father was then. Folks say father and son are as like
as peas, but nowt of the sort. Ye could nivver hev matched Angus in
yon days for limb and wind. Na, nor sin' nowther. And there was yan o'
the lasses frae Castenand had set een on Angus, but she nivver let
wit. As bonny a lass as there was in the country side, she was. They
say beauty withoot bounty's but bauch, but she was good a' roond. She
was greetly thought on. Dus'ta mind I was amang the lads that went
ahint her--I was, mysel'. But she wad hev nowt wi' me; she trysted wid
Angus; so I went back home and broke the click reel of my new loom
straight away. And it's parlish odd I've not lived marraless iver
sin'."

This reminiscence of his early and all but only love adventure seemed
to touch a sensitive place in the old man's nature, and he pulled for
a time more vigorously at his pipe.

Mrs. Ray Still sat gazing into the fire, hardly heeding the old
weaver's garrulity, and letting him chatter on as he pleased.
Occasionally she would look anxiously over her shoulder to ask Rotha
if Ralph had got back, and on receiving answer that he had not yet
been seen she would resume her position, and, with an absent look in
her eyes, gaze back into the fire. When a dog's bark would be heard in
the distance above the sound of the wind, she would break into
consciousness afresh, and bid Rotha prepare the supper. But still
Ralph did not come. Where could he be?

It was growing late when Matthew got up to go. He had tried his best
to comfort his old neighbor in her sorrow. He had used up all his saws
and proverbs that were in the remotest degree appropriate to the
occasion, and he had thrown in a few that were not remarkable for
appositeness or compatibility. All a