om the window of her room.
He turned and went to her. It was of Eppy she wanted to speak to him!
How often is the discovery of a planet, of a truth, of a scientific
fact, made at once in different places far apart! She asked him to sit
down, and got him a glass of milk, which was his favourite refreshment,
little imagining the expression she attributed to fatigue arose from
the very thing occupying her own thoughts.

"It's a queer thing," she began, "for an auld wife like me to come til
a yoong gentleman like yersel', sir, wi' sic a tale; but, as the sayin'
is, 'needs maun whan the deil drives'; an' here's like to be an unco
stramash aboot the place, gien we comena thegither upo' some gait oot
o' 't. Dinna luik sae scaret like, sir; we may be in time yet er' the
warst come to the warst, though it's some ill to say what may be the
warst in sic an ill coopered kin' o' affair! There's thae twa fules o'
bairns--troth, they're nae better; an' the tane 's jist as muckle to
blame as the tither--only the lass is waur to blame nor the lad, bein'
made sharper, an' kennin' better nor him what comes o' sic!--Eh, but
she is a gowk!"

Here Mrs. Brookes paused, lost in contemplation of the gowkedness of
Eppy.

She was a florid, plump, good-looking woman, over forty, with thick
auburn hair, brushed smooth--one of those women comely in soul as well
as body, who are always to the discomfiture of wrong and the healing of
strife. Left a young widow, she had refused many offers: once was all
that was required of her in the way of marriage! She had found her
husband good enough not to be followed by another, and marriage hard
enough to favour the same result. When she sat down, smoothing her
apron on her lap, and looking him in the face with clear blue eyes, he
must have been either a suspicious or an unfortunate man who would not
trust her. She was a general softener of shocks, foiler of encounters,
and soother of angers. She was not one of those housekeepers always in
black silk and lace, but was mostly to be seen in a cotton gown--very
clean, but by no means imposing. She would put her hands to
anything--show a young servant how a thing ought to be done, or relieve
cook or housemaid who was ill or had a holiday. Donal had taken to
her, as like does to like.

He did not hurry her, but waited.

"I may as weel gie ye the haill story, sir!" she recommenced. "Syne
ye'll be whaur I am mysel'.

"I was oot i' the yard to luik ef