"Aweel, then sin ye had na knowledge o' the deed until after it was done, what did ye mean by saying that something wad happen, wad pit a' thoughts o' marriage and gi'eing in marriage out the heads o' a' concerned?—when ye spak till me under the balcony that same night?"
"I meant—I meant," said the man, hesitating, "that I would let the preparations for the wedding go on to the very altar, and then before the altar I would reject the bride! I had heard something about her."
"Ah! I thought ye did it a' for spite!"
"But Rose, I never thought you were such an utter coward as I have found you out to be to-day!" said the man reproachfully.
"Ay' I can staund muckle; but I canna staund murder!"
"It is not even certain that there has been any murder committed. The coroner's jury have not yet brought in their verdict. Many people think that the old man fell dead with a sudden attack of heart-disease, and in falling, struck his head upon the top of that bronze statuette, which was found lying by him."
"Ay! and that wad be likely eneuch! for na robber wou'd gae to kill a man wi' siccan a weepon as that," said Rose, who had begun to recover her composure.
Then the man began to question her in his turn:
"You brought the satchel safely?"
"Ay, I brought it safely."