"What is the verdict, Elspeth?" asked Herries, anxiously, "but I need not ask," he added, smiling bitterly. "Wilful murder, eh, and Angus Herries the murderer? I thought so."
Elspeth nodded, and leaned against the wall of the vehicle, as her heart was too full to speak. Mrs. Kind strove to cheer the poor young fellow who was dreeing so hard a weird.
"Come, come," she cried, in a hearty, good-humoured voice, "you're no worse off than you were before."
"Ah, but I think he is," said Elspeth, clasping her thin hands. "There is now a reward of five hundred pounds offered."
Herries started and flushed and bit his lip.
"By whom?"
"Miss Tedder."
"My cousin, by the girl who said that she loved me. After that, after that--" he flung himself down on the broken chair, and gnawed his fingers.
"She never loved you," said Elspeth with a tremor in her voice, and a high colour in her cheeks.
"How do you know?"