," said Miss Newton, shaking her head. "I
did not expect to see you here, Mr Raymond."

"Nor would you have seen me here," was the answer, "had I not been
charged to deliver a message of grave import to one who is here."

"Not me, I hope?" said Miss Newton, looking graver.

"Not you. I trust you will thank God for it. And now, can you kindly
direct me to the young lady for whom I am to look? Is there here a Miss
Flora Drummond?"

I sprang up with a smothered cry of "Angus!"

"Are you Miss Drummond?" he asked, very kindly.

"Flora Drummond is my cousin," I answered. "I will take you to her.
But is it about Angus?"

"It is about her brother, Lieutenant Drummond. He is not killed--let me
say so at once."

We were pressing through the superb crowd, and the moment afterwards we
reached Flora. She was standing by a little table, talking with Ephraim
Hebblethwaite, who spoke to Mr Raymond in a way which showed that they
knew each other. Flora just looked at him, and then said, quietly
enough to all appearance, though she went very white--

"You have bad news for some one, and I think for me."

"Lieutenant Drummond was severely wounded at Prestonpans, and has fallen
into the hands of the King's troops," said Mr Raymond, gently, as if he
wished her to know the worst at once. "He is a prisoner now."

Flora clasped her hands with a long breath of pain and apprehension.
"You are sure, Sir? There is no mistake?"

"I think, none," he replied. "I have the news from Colonel Keith."

"If you heard it from him, it must be true," she said. "But is he in
London?"

"Yes; and he ran some risk, as you may guess, to send that message to
you."

"Duncan is always good," said Flora, with tears in her eyes. "He was
not hurt, I hope? Will you see him again?"

"He said he was not hurt worth mention." (I began to wonder what size
of a hurt Mr Keith would think worth mention.) "Yes, I shall see him
again this evening or to-morrow."

"Oh, do give him the kindest words and thanks from me," said Flora,
commanding her voice with some difficulty. "I wish I could have seen
him! Let me tell Annas--she may wish--" and away she went to fetch
Annas, while Mr Raymond looked after her with a look which I thought
half sad and half diverted.

"Will you tell me," I said, "how Mr Keith ran any risk?"

"Why, you do not suppose, young lady, that London is in the hands of the
rebels?"

"The rebels!--Oh, you are a Whig; I see.