"And God forgie you, Robin Gray, for the wrang ye do me.” "Peace, woman, and dinna take His name in vain. Frae this minute ye are free to gang where ye will, to do what ye will, for I haud ye worthless o' an honest man's care. The shame, the misery ye hae cast upon me I will try to bear and hide frae the world as best I may; but dinna come near me again; dinna let me hear ye blaspheme." "In His name I ask ye to listen to me," she began firmly; but as he made a step to the door, as the thought flashed upon her that this separation was to be final as he declared— that she was never to cross his path again save as a stranger— that, worst of all, and most probable in his present distracted state, he might be driven to do himself some injury—all her indignation, and the strength it gave her, broke down, and she burst into tears, stretching out imploring hands toward him "Oh, Robin, Robin, I hae been a true wife to ye in thought and deed, though my heart was sairly tried. Day and nicht I hae striven to make ye happy; day and nicht I hac prayed for strength to be a' that a wife should be to ye, and after a' that, oh, man, man, will ye cast me aff in your blind fury without hearin' me? Will leave me to gang wi' a broken heart and a bowed head among folk because ye are wud wi' jealousy. The Lord help me, I wish that ye had never been guidman to me; I wish that I had never won to this place, for I would rather hae been drooned in the water out by than hac heard the cruel fause words ye hae spoken this night." ye "And I would rather hae found ye cauld and dead in the burn than hae found ye here with him." "It was nae faut o' mine that I was here-will ye no believe a word I say -?" "No, after what I hae seen. I hae done wi' you for ever." He wheeled round to quit the room, but Falcon planted himself between him and the door. "But ye are no done wi' me, Cairnieford. I hae listened wi' puir patience to the mad nonsense ye hae been talking, to the foul shame ye hae been casting on the best and truest wife man ever had-you that should hae been the first to rax out your arms and shield her. Ye would fling her frae ye without gieing her a chance o' clearing hersel' because she's ower muckle broken doon by the disgrace you bring to her to compel ye to hear her. But ye shall not so easily escape from me." Robin, during this address, which was delivered in a tone of indignation and resolution, stood like an angry lion at bay. His hands worked violently and his lips trembled, as if it cost him a huge effort to restrain himself from falling upon the speaker and tearing him piecemeal. The actual physical suffering of the man was terrible. "Out o' my gate, Jeames Falcon," he said huskily; “out o' my gate, or I canna answer for what may happen." "I can, however" (coolly, almost contemptuously). "I warn ye, stand awa' frae the door, or your bluid will be on my hands. I leave the woman to ye-take her; she's worthy o' sic an honest gentleman. You and her baith I hae tried to serve, and baith hae turned and stabbed me." "You're a fool, and a mad one, too. By heaven, I would give my life if she would let me take her at your word, and prove to her "Daumn ye, if ye will hae't, blame yoursel'." Unable to control his passion longer, Robin grasped Falcon by the throat, and, as easily as if he had been a doll, lifted him up and dashed him on the floor. Too frenzied apparently to know what he was doing, he knelt on the prostrate man's breast, still keeping that deadly grasp on his throat. Jeanie, with a cry of terror, flung her arms round her husband, and with an exertion of desperate strength drew him from his victim. Her very touch seemed to have a magic influence on him, and with a wild dismayed look he regained his feet as soon as Falcon. Seeing Lang Rob standing in the doorway staring with blank amaze at the extraordinary scene, Robin shouted to him “Haud him aff—keep him awa', or I'll be the death o' him." He was rushing out when Jeanie griped his arm. "I will go wi' ye," she said; "in storm or calm, I'll gae wi' ye." "Awa-ye hae saved him" (confused by his excitement and despair), "gae to him." "And I hae saved you frae the gallows, maybe." 'Awa'-keep him out o' my sicht-ye hae saved him-ye hae ruined me-Heaven keep ye-oh, deevil burn ye for ever!" And, grating his teeth furiously, he flung her from him with such violence that she fell to the floor stunned, whilst he rushed madly forth to the darkness and the storm. Wind and rain were raging wilder than ever, but he welcomed them as friends; for they were in keeping with the storm in his own breast. CHAPTER XXI. UTTERLY DARK. "Oh the warl' to me is a bleak dreary waste, LANG ROB, dripping wet, and shivering with cold, had been sufficiently startled by what he had seen to yield prompt obedience to Robin Gray's command. He had jumped aside to let him pass, and had seized Falcon roughly by the arms to prevent him following. There was a sharp struggle between them, for although he had no intention to fight with Cairnieford, and was determined that nothing should force him to do so, he was at the same time determined that he should listen to a full explanation of the circumstances under which he had found Jeanie at Askaig. "He's wud, do you no see? Let him gang, or there'll be murder atween ye," cried Lang Rob. "Let go, I tell you," shouted Falcon, and wrested himself from his grip. But it was just then that Jeanie fell, and Falcon seeing that, instead of following Robin, sprung to her side and lifted her in his arms. "Oh the daft blind idiot," he cried bitterly; "let him gang, and may the black heart o' him that could think the thoughts he has spoken o' her make a hell to him. He's nae mair worthy o' her than the carrion crow is worthy o' the white-breasted doo for a mate. Let him I for ane gang. will never attempt to gie him peace by showing him how pure she is. Get me some water." The moment he had seen Falcon attacked, Wattie had bounded to his feet as if about to spring to his assistance. The rapidity with which the struggle passed, however, had given him no opportunity to display the courage which affection for his friend had inspired. But he now showed his readiness to serve him, and, with an alacrity for which he would not previously have obtained credit, he snatched up a blazing peat and ran into the kitchen, returning presently with a coggieful of water. "I told ye hoo it would be as soon's I saw her here," said Lang Rob sympathetically, assisting Falcon in his efforts to restore Jeanie, by chafing one of her hands, "I wish to guidness I'd been in when he cam'. I micht hae kept him frae seeing her. But that confounded stot has kept me dancing after him like a Will-o'wisp in a' the storm for the last twa hours, and I haena got him yet-deil's in the brute, I expect he's tum'let ower the Bite, and being carried awa wi' the spate. There'll be a fine ado when the Laird hears o't, though I hae dune what man could do in sic a storm. She's coming tae, puir body." Falcon, paying no attention to Lang Rob's lamentation, had been busy sprinkling the water on Jeanie's face, whilst Wattie stood silently beside him holding the coggie and watching anxiously. With a big sigh Jeanie's eyes opened slowly. At first she did not understand the position, and she looked with pitiable vacancy at the men who were bending over her, seeing Falcon last. 66 Are ye better now, Jeanie ?" he asked tenderly. His voice seemed to touch some chord of memory, and instantly she was sensible of all that had occurred to the minutest detail. With a low moan, and shuddering, she covered her face with her hands as if she could not bear to meet the gaze even of Daft Wattie Todd and Lang Rob. "Dinna distress yoursel', Jeanie, dinna heed for a man that could cast ye aff as lightly as an old coat. Ye were ower guid for him, and a' body whose respect ye need care for will say that." As he spoke she became sensible that she was lying in his arms, and the knowledge quickened her strength. She started up, shrinking away from him as if there had been something evil in his touch. "Where is he ?" she asked bewilderedly, addressing Lang Rob. "Cairnieford?" he answered, understanding at once to whom her question applied. "He gaed awa twa or three minutes syne, when ye fell." She moved to the door, but she was so weak that she tottered unsteadily. Mercy on us, mistress, whar are ye gaun ?" cried Lang Rob, stepping between her and the door. "After my guidman" (the voice was husky and broken by suppressed sobs). "In this storm, wi' the nicht dark as pitch, and the rain pouring sae that ye canna see twa staps afore your nose? My certes, ye's no gang out o' this house the nicht wi' my will. When ane o' our stots that ought to ken the place has been lost and mair nor likely killed, I would like to ken how ye would find your road? It's clean impossible, and I'm no gaun to hae your death on my shouthers as weel's the stot's--there'll be steer enuch about that." “I maun gae, or ye maun bring him back to me," she answered feebly. "I'll no bide here without him.” "Bring him back-could ye bring a drop o' rain back out o' the spate? It's impossible, I tell ye; sae just content your |