id Matthew, as if by a sudden thought, "John
Jackson met Willy Ray coming frae Carlisle, and what think ye hes
happent?"

"Nay, what?" said Robbie, turning pale again.

"Ralph Ray and Sim Stagg are condemned to death for t' murder of auld
Wilson."

Robbie leapt to his feet.

"The devil!"

"Come, dunnet ye tak on like the Quakers," said Matthew.

Robbie had caught up his coat and hat.

"Why, where are you going?" said Liza.

"Going? Aye? Going?"

"Yes, where? You're too weak to go anywhere. You'll have another
fever."

A light wagon was running on the road outside. Reuben Thwaite was
driving.

Robbie rushed to the door, and hailed him.

"Going off with thread again, Reuben?"

"That's reets on't," answered the little man.

"Let me in with you?"

And Robbie climbed into the cart.

Mattha got up and went out in the road.

* * * * *

The two men had hardly got clear away when Rotha entered the cottage
all but breathless.

"Robbie, where is he?"

"Gone, just gone, not above two minutes," replied Liza, still
whimpering.

"Where?"

"I scarce know--to Penrith, I think. There was no keeping him back.
When father came in and told him what had happened at Carlisle, he
flung away and would not be hindered. He has gone off in Reuben's
wagon."

"Which way?"

"They took the low road."

"Then I've missed them," said Rotha, sinking into a chair in a
listless attitude.

"And he's as weak as water, and he'll take another fever, as I told
him, and ramble on same as--"

"Liza," interrupted Rotha, "did you ever tell him--in play I mean--did
you ever repeat anything he had said when he was unconscious?"

"Not that about his mammy?"

"No, no; but anything else?"

"I mind I told him what he said over and over again about his fratch
with that Garth."

"Nothing else?"

"Why, yes, now I think on't. I mind, too, that I told him he was
always running on it that something was fifty yards north of the
bridge, and he could swear it, swear it in hea--"

"What did he say to _that?_" asked Rotha eagerly.

"Say! he said nothing, but he glowered at me till I thought sure he
was off again."

"Is that all?"

"All what, Rotha?"

"They said in evidence that Ralph--it was a lie, remember--they said
that Wilson was killed fifty yards to the north of the bridge. Now his
body was found as far to the south of it. Robbie knows something. I
hoped to learn what he knows; but oh, ever