not be driven in his crazy state to do some harm to himself or other folk. I should hae kept him fast wi' lock and

key."

And after breakfast the minister sallied forth in search of Falcon.

CHAPTER XV.

BROKEN HEARTS.

"For sure 'twould break thy tender heart

My breaking heart to see;

Wi' a' the wrangs and waes it tholed,

And yet maun thole for thee."—R. Jamieson.

THE guidman of Cairnieford was up early on the dark December morning which succeeded the night of James Falcon's return. He was bound for a distant market, where he proposed to buy a lot of sheep and expected to get a bargain. The guidwife made his breakfast, fastened his plaid across his shoulders, and gave him kindly counsel to be careful of the road coming home if it happened to be dark before he started.

Robin promised obedience, though he declared at the same time he had ridden the road "hunners o' times in a' kinds o' weathers and never met in wi' onything waur nor himsel'."

Jeanie watched him ride away in the hazy morning light and disappear at the end of the by-road. Her cheeks had recovered some of their former bloom, and her form much of its plumpness, since she had been married; and she looked now a sonsy, good-tempered, and happy wife.

She was about to return to the house when she heard some of the hens cackling proudly in the little thicket of firs and beeches at the back of the steading; and like a thrifty farmer's wife she started immediately in search of the eggs, which were prized all the more because of their scarcity at this

season.

She entered the thicket and began her search at a pile of

fir branches which had been hewn down for winter firewood, and the numerous recesses in which presented favourablelooking hiding-places for wily hens to deposit their eggs.

Jeanie heard the crisp earth and the dead frosted bits of branches which were thickly strewn about crackling under the footsteps of somebody approaching. As she passed round the high pile of firewood, bending low to examine the nooks, she noticed a man coming toward her. She thought from the cursory glimpse she had obtained that he was one of the men belonging to the place, and continued her inspection unheeding.

She passed round the pile of wood slowly to the side from which she had observed the man, and there he stood before her.

Pale, haggard, with touzled hair, ruffled clothes, and a general appearance of wild disorder, the man stood watching her.

She gazed at him a moment, and then she flung up her hands with a shriek that echoed throughout the thicket and sank moaning to the ground. He lifted her up. shuddered at his touch.

She was not unconscious, and she
He seemed sensible of her repulsion,

and he placed her on a heap of the fir branches, drawing back She covered her eyes with her hands,

a pace to look at her.

as if to hide him from her sight.

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'Jeanie, I hae come back," he said presently in a hard cold

tone.

She made no answer, but she rocked her body to and fro, sobbing wildly.

He spoke again slowly.

"I hae come back, Jeanie, to find that ye shudder at my touch-that ye canna bear to look me in the face. And yet

it was you that no so very lang syne clasped your arms around my neck, and told me that I might leave you without fear of change, for that you would bide my coming faithfully. Hae ye kept your word?"

He bent close to her, hissing the question in her ear.

She seemed to writhe under his approach, and still with hands on her eyes she swayed to and fro, moaning.

'They tauld me ye were drooned," she cried in anguish. "They tauld me ye were drooned, and oh my heart was sair to think it. But ye made nae sign that ye were living, and a' body spoke as though there was nae doot-as though there could be nane. There wasna ane to whisper a breath o' hope and what could I do-what could I do but believe when the proof was so strong ?"

"Ye could hac waited a wee for confirmation o' the news. Oh, woman, I would hae waited a hundred years before I would hae cast you so utterly from my breast as to take another in my arms."

"And I would hae waited for ever, had I been my lanc. But they pressed me sair on a' hands. I was wae, wae, and heart-broken; I didna care what cam' o' me; but I thocht it was a sin to turn awa' frae the wark that was set fornenst me; and I thocht that you, looking at me frae the ither world, would ken what feelings moved me, and would say I had done weel. That was why I married, though my heart was wi' you."

The violence of her distress, the sad sincerity of her voice, exerted a powerful influence upon him. He seemed to waken suddenly from a fever, in which all things had been distorted in his mind, to the consciousness that she had been true to him in heart-that she had loved him-that she still loved him.

He dropped down beside her, and threw his arms round her.

"Jeanie, Jeanie !" he cried passionately, "ye are mine yet, ye shall be mine in spite o' a' the marriages on earth. What power-what richt has a minister's prayer to part our livesto fill the years that are before us wi' lingering misery? It shall hae none. Ye are mine, Jeanie, my ain, and nobody else has a richt to claim you. Rise up, then, and come awa' from this place, and in another country we'll find a home and happiness."

With a stifled cry of horror she wrenched herself from his

arms, and sprang to her feet. Her hands were withdrawn from her eyes now, and she regarded him with wild alarm, whilst her cheeks, which a moment before had been pallid and cold, became crimson.

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“Awa', man, awa'," she exclaimed with look and voice of horror; that's no Jeames Falcon wha has risen from the dead -for he would hae pitied me and tried to strengthen me for the cruel duty I maun do. It's the evil ane himsel' in my puir lad's body that's come to tempt me to my shame."

He bowed his head before her indignation, and for the moment could not meet her gaze.

"Lord help me, Lord help me," he groaned; "I believe I'm crazed. Ye are richt, it was a mad thought—a villanous

thought. I'll try to put it away from me. I shall put it away; only give me a little while to master myself. Last nicht I came back, and last nicht I learned you were married. My head's been in a creel ever since, and I scarcely ken what I do, or say, or think."

'Oh, why did you no come hame sooner-why did ye send nae word that ye were livin' ?"

"I couldna win hame, but I sent a letter, and that ye never got, I suppose."

"Never, or I wouldna hae been here the day."

He pressed his head tightly between his hands, as if by that means to subdue its violent throbbing, and so obtain a calmer view of the position.

"Aye, aye, its been a' bad luck that has come between us and parted us for ever," he went on hoarsely and hopelessly; "but I'm no the villain you might think me from what I hae said. I didna come here thinking o' that. I came just to speak wi' you once again—to look at ye—and gang awa'."

Her indignation and her fear of him had quite disappeared now. Above the storm of different emotions which was raging in her breast, pity for him rose strongest of all. She approached him slowly and placed her hands on his head soothingly. He snatched the hands between his own and kissed them frenziedly.

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“Dinna do that," she sobbed, trembling as with intense cold. Ah, dinna do that, for it frichtens me and minds me o' what you were saying enoo. I canna thole to think o' that, because it would make the sorrow I hae to bear a' the sairer if I had to think o' ye as ane that would do a wrang act.”

"No man shall ever say I wranged him," said Falcon proudly and releasing her hands.

"I believe that. I'll never doubt it again. Ye're speaking like yoursel' noo, and it comforts me to hear ye. But, Jeamie, we may do wrang in thocht to oursel's and others, and there's only ae way that we can ever hope to win peace o' mind by.” "And that way

"Is to part noo, and never-never meet again in this world."

Her hands were clasped. She gazed appealingly at him, but he did not raise his head or speak for a long time. When he did look up, his face was white and his lips were quivering.

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Aye, that's a' we can do now. It's cowardly to sob and greet like a wean when the road lies before me, dreary though it be."

"Ye'll forget a' this, and I'll pray day and nicht that Heaven will send ye happy days."

"I'll no forget, but maybe I may obtain distraction in hard work and new scenes. Folk say that time cures a'ills, and I could maist believe that, seeing that you looked so content before you saw me" (bitterly).

"Jeamie, let me tell ye a' that's passed since ye gaed awa"," she said quietly, although smarting under the sting of his reproach; "and when ye hae heard ye'll be better able to judge how far I am to blame for what pain ye are suffering."

She told him everything simply as it had occurred, and he listened in moody silence. But when she had finished he rose to his feet.

66 Thank you, Jeanie," he said in a calmer tone than he had yet spoken; "what you hae said proves to me that nae blame can rest on you. I would hae thought that anyway if I had