and
doubted whether all she heard and saw was truth.

"And, here! See here! Here is a letter I got frae him sune after the
wedding. Ye ken the Dooke o' Harewood was Markiss o' Arondelle time when
he married me?"

"Yes, so it seems," said the housekeeper.

"Aweel then, see here. This letter begins--'_My ain dear Wifie_,' ye
mind?--'_My ain dear Wifie_'--and gaes on wi' a lot o' luve, and a'
that, whilk I need na read, till ye. And it ends, look here--'_Your
devoted husband_--ARONDELLE.' There! what do ye think o'
that?"

"I'm so astonished, ma'am, I don't know what to think."

"But ye ken weel noo, that my gude mon wha ca'ed himsel' John Scott, was
the Markiss o' Arondelle, and is noo the Dooke of Harewood?"

"Yes, ma'am, I know that!--that is, if I'm awake and not dreaming," added
the woman.

"And ye ken weel that the Dooke of Harewood hae get me lappet up here in
prison sae I canna get out to prevent him ha'eing his wicked will, in
marrying the heiress o' Lone?"

"I know that, too, ma'am--that is, if I'm not dreaming, as I said
before," answered the bewildered old woman.

"Aweel, noo, I canna get out to forestal this graund wickedness. The
shamefu' villain took gude care to prevent that, but I can circumvent
him, for a' that, gin ye will help me, Mrs. Brown. Will ye?"

"You may be sure o' that, my poor young lady; for if things be as they
seem, you have suffered much wrong," earnestly answered the woman.

"Aweel, then, tak' my marritge lines, my letter, and this likeness o' my
laird--and may the black de'il burn him in--"

"Oh, my dear child, don't say that. It is dreadful. Tell me what I am to
do with these papers and this picture."

"First of a', ye'll be very carefu' o' 'em, and be sure to bring them
back safe to me."

"Yes, surely, my dear; but what am I to do with them?"

"Ye'll get a cab, and tak' the papers and the picture to the bride's
house, and ask to see the bride alone, on a matter o' life and death. And
ye maun tak' nae denial. Ye maun see her, and tell her anent mysel' here,
betrayed into prison sae I canna come to warn her. And show her my
marritge lines, and my letter, and my laird's pictur'--the foul fien' fly
awa' wi' him!--and tell her, gin she dinna believe them, to gae to the
auld kirk o' St. Margaret's, Wes'minster, and look at the register, and
see the minister, Mr. Smith, and the clerk, Mr. Jones, and the auld
bodie, Mrs. Gray, and she'll find out anent it! Will ye do this f