ful Scot, "I'm afraid ye've been
letting your fancy run away with ye full galop. Once you women get an
idea into your poor little heads ye go racing after it full tear. Now,
let me ask ye what is there strange in my lady going out to pick
specimens, as she's done hundreds o' times before? and, now that they're
making it up, for Sir Mooray to go after her?"

"Nothing--nothing," said Jane, earnestly, "if it were all genuine; but,
Alexander--dear Alexander, there's Judas kisses as well as true ones,
and I know he did not mean what you saw. I'm troubled about it all, and
I come to you for help: don't fail me, please, now this first time."

"Nay, nay," cried the Scot, eagerly. "I'll not fail thee, lassie. But
what am I to do? Where am I to go?"

"Follow them and watch them, never leaving them for an instant, and
always being ready to give help."

"Yes, yes; I'll do it, lassie."

"I knew you would," cried Jane, pressing his great hand between both of
hers; "and now run--run all the way, for he went to his room after he
left me, and came out pushing a pistol into his pocket. And, oh!
Alexander, if you love me, make haste, for I'm sure that there's
something wrong!"

Book 1, Chapter XXXII.

WHAT SANDY DID NOT SEE.

"Gude save us!" muttered McCray, as he set off round the house at a
sharp trot--"Gude save us and ha'e maircy! Here's a pretty pickle for
an upper gairdner. Only just got my promotion, and I shall be brought
down again as sure as my name's Sandy McCray. Trust the lassies for
getting ye into a mess. Only foregather with one of the pretty things,
and ye'll be in a mess before long. Gude save us! what shall I do?
He'll be savage with me as a dog-otter. Nay, I ken what I'll do."

A bright thought had evidently crossed Sandy's mind, for, turning
suddenly, he dodged into the kitchen-garden, and round by the
tool-house, heralding his coming, a minute after, by a loud rattle, as
he appeared, trundling a wheel-barrow, in which he had hastily thrown a
basket and a three-pronged fork.

"I'm after ferns for the new rockery, to be sure!" he said, with a grin;
and then away he spun at a tremendous rate, dashing along to the north
gate, and bringing the woman out to see whether he had gone mad.

"Don't go that way, Mr McCray!" cried the woman after him, as she saw
him turn down the path which led to the wood. "Sir Murray and my lady
have gone that way."

"Gude save us, that's the right news!" muttered S