"Hae ye heard naething aboot him, mem?"
"Nothing particular. I haven't heard from him for a fortnight."
"That's easy accoontit for, mem."
"What do you mean, my dear? Speak out."
"Weel, mem, the way I heard it was raither particlar, and I wadna like a'body to ken."
Here she glanced again at Annie.
"You needn't be afraid of Annie Anderson," said Mrs Forbes smiling.
"What is it?"
"Weel, mem, I didna richtly ken. But they hae ta'en him intil a dreidfu' place, and whether they hae left a haill inch o' skin upon's body, is mair nor I can tell; but they hae rackit him, and pu'd o' 's nails aff, maybe them a', and�-"
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mrs Forbes, with a most unusual inclination to hysterics, seeing something terrible peep from behind the grotesque report of Isie, "what do you mean, child?"
"I'm tellin' ye't as I heard it, mem. I houp they haena brunt him yet.
Ye maun gang and tak' him oot o' their han's."