hs of the castle, where he
might break his neck any moment! Interference no doubt was dangerous,
but he would follow him at least a little way! He heard the steps going
down the stair, and made haste after them. But ere they could have
reached the bottom, the sound of them ceased; and Donal knew the earl
must have left the stair at a point from which he could not follow him.

CHAPTER XXIX.

EPPY AGAIN.

He would gladly have told his friend the cobbler all about the strange
occurrence; but he did not feel sure it would be right to carry a
report of the house where he held a position of trust; and what made
him doubtful was, that first he doubted whether the cobbler would
consider it right. But he went to see him the next day, in the desire
to be near the only man to whom it was possible he might tell what he
had seen.

The moment he entered the room, where the cobbler as usual sat at work
by his wife, he saw that something was the matter. But they welcomed
him with their usual cordiality, nor was it many minutes before
mistress Comin made him acquainted with the cause of their anxiety.

"We're jist a wee triblet, sir," she said, "aboot Eppy!"

"I am very sorry," said Donal, with a pang: he had thought things were
going right with her. "What is the matter?"

"It's no sae easy to say!" returned the grandmother. "It may weel be
only a fancy o' the auld fowk, but it seems to baith o' 's she has a
w'y wi' her 'at disna come o' the richt. She'll be that meek as gien
she thoucht naething at a' o' hersel', an' the next moment be angert at
a word. She canna bide a syllable said 'at 's no correc' to the verra
hair. It's as gien she dreidit waur 'ahint it, an' wud mairch straucht
to the defence. I'm no makin' my meanin' that clear, I doobt; but ye'll
ken 't for a' that!"

"I think I do," said Donal. "--I see nothing of her."

"I wudna mak a won'er o' that, sir! She may weel haud oot o' your gait,
feelin' rebukit 'afore ane 'at kens a' aboot her gaein's on wi' my
lord!"

"I don't know how I should see her, though!" returned Donal.

"Didna she sweep oot the schoolroom first whan ye gaed, sir?"

"When I think of it--yes."

"Does she still that same?"

"I do not know. Understanding at what hour in the morning the room will
be ready for me, I do not go to it sooner."

"It's but the luik, an' the general cairriage o' the lassie!" said the
old woman. "Gien we had onything to tak a haud o', we wad maybe think
the