is duty, Miss Tricksy; and if things go
against poor Neil he can't help him.'

'Well, we'll stand up for him, no matter who doesn't,' declared Allan;
'and we'll write and tell him so.'

'Of course we shall,' joined in the others.

'It's very kind of you, I'm sure,' said Elspeth, wiping her eyes; 'we
must just hope for the best. And now, young ladies and gentlemen, you
must have your tea and not think too much about it; and Miss Marjorie,
I'm thinking I must just make you a few scones!'

Little appetite was left to the young folks for the meal; and the
half-hearted clatter of knives and plates soon died away.

'We'll stand up for old Neil, no matter what happens,' was the upshot
of their deliberations; and Elspeth, coming in and out, dried her tears
furtively with the corner of her apron.

Later in the evening a dog-cart drove up; and Dr. and Mrs. MacGregor
alighted.

Marjorie ran down into the hall, while the others all clustered about
the banisters and looked down.

'Mother,' said Marjorie, with a set face, 'we know about Neil; tell us
how things have gone for him to-day.'

'The case is against him, so far,' replied Mrs. MacGregor.

A groan burst from upstairs, and Marjorie set her lips tightly.

'What will be done to him?' inquired Tricksy piteously.

'Nothing yet, dear; the case is not finished. He has to go to
Edinburgh to be tried; and we hope that something else may be found out
before that time.'

'Shall we see him before he goes?'

'No, he will not come back before then.'

'Where is he?' demanded Allan.

'At present he is in the--in the County Jail,' faltered Mrs. MacGregor.

'Poor Neil,' burst from the children.

'He will be kindly treated,' interposed the doctor; 'and it is only
until the case comes up in Edinburgh.'

The tears rolled over Tricksy's cheeks; and Marjorie turned away and
looked out of the window.

'And now,' said the doctor cheerily, 'you must not take the matter
tragically yet. We must hope for the best. Neil must stand his trial
like a man, and it isn't often that a miscarriage of justice takes
place. He will have the very best advice, your father and I will see
to that; and you may depend upon it that some fresh evidence will turn
up before then, which will show matters in an altogether different
light. In the meanwhile you must not go about looking doleful, as
though you had made up your minds already that Neil would not be able
to show a good case for himself