uld I know?"

"How should I know that?" said he. "You dragged your mother and my lass
all the way to Dundee for nothing--so far as I could learn; and--"

"He'd good reason," interrupted Mr. Lindsey. "He did quite right. Now
what is this about your daughter, Mr. Dunlop? Just let's have the plain
tale of it, and then we'll know where we are."

I had already seen that Andrew Dunlop was not over well pleased with
me--and now I saw why. He was a terrible hand at economy, saving every
penny he could lay hands on, and as nothing particular seemed to have
come of it, and--so far as he could see--there had been no great reason
for it, he was sore at my sending for his daughter to Dundee, and all the
sorer because--though I, of course, was utterly innocent of it--Maisie
had gone off on that journey without as much as a by-your-leave to him.
And he was not over ready or over civil to Mr. Lindsey.

"Aye, well!" said he. "There's strange doings afoot, and it's not my will
that my lass should be at all mixed up in them, Mr. Lindsey! All this
running up and down, hither and thither, on business that doesn't
concern--"

Mr. Lindsey had the shortest of tempers on occasion, and I saw that he
was already impatient. He suddenly turned away with a growl and
collared Chisholm.

"You're a fool, Dunlop," he exclaimed over his shoulder; "it's your
tongue that wants to go running! Now then, sergeant!--what is all this
about Miss Dunlop? Come on!"

My future father-in-law drew off in high displeasure, but Chisholm
hurriedly explained matters.

"He's in a huffy state, Mr. Lindsey," he said, nodding at Andrew's
retreating figure. "Until you came in, he was under the firm belief that
you and Mr. Hugh had got the young lady away again on some of this
mystery business--he wouldn't have it any other way. And truth to tell, I
was wondering if you had, myself! But since you haven't, it's here--and I
hope nothing's befallen the poor young thing, for--"

"For God's sake, man, get it out!" said I. "We've had preface
enough--come to your tale!"

"I'm only explaining to you, Mr. Hugh," he answered, calmly. "And I
understand your impatience. It's like this, d'ye see?--Andrew Dunlop
yonder has a sister that's married to a man, a sheep-farmer, whose place
is near Coldsmouth Hill, between Mindrum and Kirk Yetholm--"

"I know!" I said. "You mean Mrs. Heselton. Well, man?"

"Mrs. Heselton, of course," said he. "You're right there. And last
night--abo