e no pardon, I tell you. Ralph would be
banished."

"Let us not drive them to worse destruction," said Rotha.

"And what _could_ be worse?" said Willy, rising and walking aimlessly
across the room. "They might turn us from this shelter, true; they
might leave us nothing but charity or beggary, that is sure enough. Is
this worse than banishment? Worse! Nothing can be worse--"

"Yes, but something _can_ be worse," said the girl firmly, never
shifting the fixed determination of her gaze from the spot whence the
constables had disappeared. "Willy, there _is_ worse to come of this
business, and Ralph should be told of it if we can tell him."

"You don't know my brother," repeated Willy in a high tone of extreme
vexation. "He would be banished, I say."

"And if so--" said Rotha.

"If so!" cried Willy, catching at her unfinished words,--"if so we
should purchase our privilege of not being kicked out of this place at
the price of my brother's liberty. Can you be so mean of soul, Rotha?"

"Your resolve is a noble one, but you do me much wrong," said Rotha
with more spirit than before.

"Nay, then," said Willy, assuming a tone of some anger, not unmixed
with a trace of reproach, "I see how it is. I know now what you'd have
me to do. You'd keep me from exasperating these bloodhounds to further
destruction in the hope of saving these pitiful properties to us, and
perchance to our children. But with what relish could I enjoy them if
bought at such a price? Do you think of that? And do you think of the
curse that would hang on them--every stone and every coin--for us and
for our children, and our children's children? Heaven forgive me, but
I was beginning to doubt if one who could feel so concerning these
things were worthy to bear the name that goes along with them."

"Nay, sir, but if it's a rue-bargain it is easily mended," said the
girl, her eyes aflame and her figure quivering and erect.

Willy scarcely waited for her response. Turning hurriedly about, he
hastened out of the house.

"It is a noble resolve," Rotha said to herself when left alone; "and
it makes up for a worse offence. Yes, such self-sacrifice merits a
deeper forgiveness than it is mine to offer. He deserves my pardon.
And he shall have it, such as it is. But what he said was cruel
indeed--indeed it was."

The girl walked to the neuk window and put her hand on the old wheel.
The tears were creeping up into the eyes that looked vacantly towards
the so