"Nae, nae, I wis nane sae dafty. A' the hoose, es I thocht, wis in slumber, and I didnae care tae wauken the puir weary folk. I kenned the lie o' the hoose weel enow, and joost crept up the stairs tae yer room. The door wisnae closed. I saw tae that when I ganged up wi' yon limmer, the Narby wumon. I came in lamb-like, nae wishful to disturb ye, and then I struck a match. Ye were sleeping like a bairn," added Gowrie pathetically, "an' I thanked my gude thocht for makin' ye sleep. Aye, I wis a faither tae ye on that nicht, laddie."
"Well? Well?" questioned Herries impatiently.
"Weel, weel," reiterated Gowrie testily, "I turned oot the pockets of yer troosers, and fund less nor I expected. But I wis thankful for sma' marcies, and departed wi' the few shullin's, the which," protested Mr. Gowrie, "was scarce the price o' the beneficent drug I gie ye tae mak ye sleep."
"To enable you to rob me you mean? Well, you saw----?"
"Naethin'. But I heard the swish o' a wumon's dress departing doon the stairs. There, I'll tell ye nae mair. I dinna ken wha the female was. Maybe the landlady?"
"Or Señora Guzman," replied Herries, much perplexed.
[CHAPTER XIX]
MRS. MOUNTFORD'S ACCUSATION
That same evening, after dinner, Angus and Elspeth sat side by side in the severe-looking drawing-room. Their host had been called out unexpectedly, after the usual custom of patients, who appear to fall ill at the most awkward moments. But in this instance the young couple were rather glad that Browne had departed, as they wished to have a quiet and confidential talk about their position and their future. Hitherto, owing to the attentions of various friends, this had been impossible.
Herries looked extremely well in spite of his late exciting experiences,--a very different man to the haggard tramp who had arrived at the "Marsh Inn," or hotel, as many of the papers called it. Mrs. Kind had fed him well during his sojourn in the caravan, and while detained in the Tarhaven prison he had been treated kindly. But he still wore the threadbare blue serge suit, although Browne had supplied him with clean linen, a luxury which Herries much appreciated.