wrang. Gang away till your bed, an' dinna bother
aboot your work. A guid rest'll maybe keep you frae getting the cauld."

"I'm a' richt, mither," he replied as airily as he could. "Dinna worry;
an' be sure an' wauken me for my work. I'm na gaun to bide in when there
is naething wrang. You gang awa' to your bed," and she knowing that was
the last word, did not speak further, and as he withdrew to his room,
she went back to bed wondering more and more at the mystery of it all.

But he did not sleep. Torn by worry and in spite of his earlier
resolution to think no more about it he lay and thought and wondered
about Mysie, and the man he saw, joining her at the end of the grove;
and when Nellie opened the door to call him that it was "rising time,"
Robert answered to the first cry, and his mother was more amazed than
ever; for he generally took a good many cries, being a heavy sleeper.
But being sensible she kept her wonder to herself, knowing if it were
anything which she had a right to know he'd tell her in his own good
time.

CHAPTER XVI

A STIR IN LOWWOOD

"My! Div you ken what has happened?" asked Mrs. Johnstone, bursting in
upon Mrs. Sinclair one day about two weeks later. "My, it's awfu'!" she
continued in breathless excitement, her head wagging and nodding with
every word, as if to emphasize it, her eyes almost jumping out with
excitement, and her whole appearance showing that she had got hold of a
piece of information which was of the first importance. "My, it's
awfu'," she repeated again lifting her hands up to a level with her
breast, and then letting them fall again, "Mysie Maitland has ran away
frae her place, an' naebidy kens where she has gane to. An' Mrs.
Rundell, mind you, has been that guid to her too, givin' her her caps
an' aprons, an' whiles buyin' her a bit dress length forby, an' she
gi'ed her boots and slippers, an' a whole lot o' ither things to tak'
hame for the bairns--things that were owre wee for the weans at Rundell
Hoose but were quite guid to wear. My, it's awfu'! Isn't it?"

"Mysie Maitland!" exclaimed Mrs. Sinclair in astonishment. "When did
this happen? Where has she gane? Are you sure you hinna made a mistake?"
and Mrs. Sinclair was all excitement, hanging in breathless anxiety upon
the tidings her neighbor brought.

"I hae made nae mistake, Nellie Sinclair," returned Leezie, "for it was
her ain mother wha telt me the noo. I was at the store, an' when I was
comin' hame I m