"No." 66 'Well, when you were out, what took you round by the Brownie's Bite ?" "I missed the road." "Did you see anything?" "It was very dark." "Aye, but there was lightning; you might have seen something when it was flashing." Was She knew now that Rob Keith had told everything. she to confirm his statement, and perhaps consign her husband to the scaffold? It was a cruel ordeal she was undergoing. She felt as if she were being suffocated-felt as if she were the guilty one, and that she was responsible for Falcon's death and Robin's trial. "It was very dark," she repeated slowly, "and the lightning dazed my e'en." The fiscal drew his lips together and brought his hand across his chin, pursing the flesh. 66 Well, you heard something at any rate ? "The wind was blowing strong, and the spate was roaring loud." "Then do you mean to say positively that you heard nothing except the wind and the spate ?" "I was in sair distress, and it was an unco stormy night." 66 But you heard a cry like what a man might give if he was in danger? You must have heard that ?" She was silent. "I thought you were to speak freely to me," he said quietly. "Now, let me warn you, that you will just make the affair look all the worse for your guidman if you show any unwillingness to answer me." “Oh, man, how can you expect me to be willing to answer what may be the death o' my man?" you did hear the cry ? Aye, Heaven help me, I did.” "And after that, immediately or any time before you fainted, did you see or hear your guidman ? She clutched the folds of her plaid, as if she found it necessary to seize upon something to support her. Come, Mrs. Gray, I'm sorry to fash you, but I have a little more to ask you. What was it frightened you into the faint ? ” "I canna rightly say what "(chokingly). "Was it not your husband's voice?" "I couldna say-I didna see him." 66 But you you?" heard him—he spoke to you; perhaps he struck “No, he didna do that, he never did that"She checked herself; but there was no escape now; her vehemence had betrayed her; and the fiscal bent over a paper he had in his hand to conceal the satisfaction he could not help feeling at the success of that cunning stroke. "No, he did not strike you; but he spoke to you, and that was what frightened you, and you fainted. Nae wonder ye were scared to find him there after what had passed, and just after that waeful scriech. What did he say?" "Naething." And she closed her lips with a firmness which showed that it would not be easy to get any more information from her. 'Aweel, aweel, that's neither here nor there," he said in his most good-natured tone; "but you have seen him since then -I mean since you got home from Askaig? 66 Aye, I saw him on Wednesday." "And did you know that he was going to leave the country?" "He said he was gaun awa'." "What was his reason for that?" 6. Naething but the quarrel atween him and me--and that's been the cause o' a' his trouble and mine. Oh, sir, dinna speir ony mair questions at me. I hae naething mair to tell ye, and ye are rending my heart wi' every word." And she threw the end of her plaid over her face to hide its pallid pain. But she uttered no sound; there was only the convulsive agitation of her breast to indicate the anguish she was trying so hard to smother. Mr. Smart was not a hardened man, notwithstanding his profession and the scenes of misery with which it accustomed him. He was touched by her grief, and respected it. He turned his back toward her and spoke to the clerk, who was still busy writing. When the clerk had finished, the fiscal addressed Jeanie again. "I'll relieve you in a minute, Mrs. Gray, if you'll just listen to this, and sign it, if there's nothing in it you object to." He read over the statement which his examination had wrung from her. Every word beat upon her ears like the blow of a hammer. Every word seemed to strike a nail into the gibbet which was looming so darkly before her. There was nothing she had not said, and yet the statement read to her by the fiscal seemed so black, so fatally suggestive of Robin's guilt, that her flesh quivered, and she sickened at the thought that she had spoken his doom. "Will you sign it?" said Mr. Smart gently. “Maun I sign it ?" "I am afraid I will have to insist, unless there is anything you think you have not said." in it "There is nothing, but "You are afraid it will go against him; but you must not lose heart. I hope he'll come through all right yet." "Do ye think that-oh, sir, do ye think that ?" (with painful eagerness). He did not think it, but he felt obliged to say something to console her. "I hope so, Mrs. Gray. I'm trying to find the man that brought the gig for you, as I fancy he might give the whole affair a new turn." "Then I'll find him," she said firmly, and taking the pen without further hesitation she signed the statement in the slow awkward manner of one little accustomed to penmanship. "Have you any notion who the man was ?" queried Mr. Smart, whilst the clerk folded up the paper and docketed it. "No, but I'll find him." 66 "We got word that he was the ostler at the Drybrig Inn, but it was not him. How do you propose to seek him?" "I dinna ken yet; but will ye let me see my guidman for a minute? I hae just ae word to speak to him. Oh, sir, dinna refuse me. He's in sair need o' some one to bid him keep up his heart; and maybe if he kens that I'm trying to save him it will gie him courage to bear the cruel shame that's on him." Aye, ye can see him, and I wish ye may be able to cheer him, for he's more dooncast than any man I ever saw. Come this way. He's to be taken away to the jail this afternoon." He conducted her himself to the room in which Robin was confined. An officer who had been summoned to the Port with the clerk was on guard. The fiscal had considerately left the prisoner to himself, although it would have been no very difficult task for Robin to have made his escape by the window, if he had been so inclined. But the fiscal's confidence was justified; and the prisoner was apparently too indifferent as to what might become of him to have quitted the room, even if the door had been left wide open and unguarded. CHAPTER XXXV. THE TEST. "Roll on, thou cold and stilly hours, When leaves grow brighter every one."-W. B. Sangster. He was sadly changed since she had last seen him. He looked so old, so broken down and helpless, that her impulse was to run to him, fling her arms round him, and soothe him Iwith sweet words of comfort and love. Yes, love, for the throbbing of her heart, its wild yearning toward him, could spring from no other cause. His suffering, his mad jealousy, and his peril, all conspired to teach her how dear he was to her. She had never cared for him as she did now-now that she could not claim the right to comfort him. It seemed as if it were only in losing him that she was to learn how much she valued him. Something swelled in her breast, and seemed to be about to burst, so that she stood still, and could not speak. That impulse to clasp him in her arms was strong upon her, and would have been obeyed had it not been checked by the cold glance with which he regarded her. He had been sitting by the window, looking down at the street, watching with hopeless eyes the people passing to and fro. He could never move amongst them again. Even if he escaped the fate which threatened him, he could not walk down that street where he had been always greeted by friendly faces and tongues, and meet the doubting glances which would be cast upon him, and hear the whispers of his shame. But his pain was not acute now; he had passed into the stage of dull hopeless misery, and he only wearied for the end to come speedily and release him. As he looked out and yearned for the precious liberty which was denied him, and which those folks down there appeared to hold so lightly, he seemed to be another person who was longing for freedom. He seemed to be possessed of two individualities, the one still clinging to life and its privileges, the other weary of it and ready to die. When the door opened he had not moved, thinking probably that it was his jailor or the fiscal; but when Jeanie's suppressed breathing found vent in a low sob, he looked round slowly. There was no gleam of pleasurable recognition on his features, which had grown so sharp and shrivelled, and that was what stopped her. Even if he had regarded her with the anger or scorn he had displayed at their last meeting, she would have been less pained than she was by that stony look. However, it nerved her to the task which had brought her hither. He rose slowly from his seat and stood as if expecting her to speak. She noticed then how his tall form, which used to be so erect and firm, was bent as if under a load too great for him to bear. But he made no movement toward her, made no sign of any tender memories; and, womanlike, she felt as if |