to Macdonald.
She set out alone, doubtful as she was how and how soon she could
accomplish the walk, and bitterly lamenting that her son was not within
call. With her best exertions, her progress was so slow that she met
the pastor a quarter of a mile from Macdonald's house.

Breathless as she was, Mr Ruthven would have from her a full, true, and
particular account of all she knew, and many declarations that she did
not know as much again, before he would walk on. At last, however, he
did set forth quickly on the shortest path to the harbour, while Annie
turned slowly homewards over the ridge.

She was on the hill-side, not far from home, when she saw the well-known
group of neighbours--the pastor's family--coming homewards, slowly and
with many delays. She heard loud angry voices; and when she approached,
she saw tokens of distress in them all. Mr Ruthven was very pale, and
Helsa very red. Mrs Ruthven was in tears, and Lady Carse's clothes and
hair were dripping wet. It was clear that she had been in the water.

"Alas! you have missed the boat!" exclaimed Annie.

Lady Carse had just lost the chance of escape, as all believed; and all
were now quarrelling as to whose fault it was. Mrs Ruthven was turning
back from the shore, breathless from haste and vexation, as Lady Carse
and Helsa came down. The boat, with several armed men in it, had pushed
off when Mrs Ruthven appeared. They made no reply to her signs, but
lay on their oars at a little distance from the beach till Lady Carse
and her maid came down. After some delay, and many signals of entreaty
from the ladies, the boat again approached, and the man in command of it
was told that a lady of quality, wrongfully imprisoned in this island,
desired to be carried to the main, and that, once among her friends in
Edinburgh, she could give rewards for her escape to any amount. There
was a short consultation in the boat, a laugh, and a decisive pull to
shore. A sailor jumped out and seized the lady to carry her in.
Whether it was the unaccountable shout of triumph that she set up, or
something else that startled the sailor, he hastily set down his burden
on the rock, looked her in the face, and then spoke to his comrades in
the boat. They laughed again, but beckoned him on. He placed her in
the boat, but she stumbled, swayed over, caught at the side of the boat
as she went over, and very nearly upset it. The men swore at her,
declared her to be no lady in d