“What a dreadful story,” exclaimed Elinor.
“The Scotch are very unforgiving people,” put in Miss Annie.
“I’m thinking their own sins are just as great as the unforgiven sins of others,” finished Miss Helen.
The two spinsters glared at each other. The four young girls were quite frightened. Nancy stifled a little tremulous giggle and Billie was about to cast herself into the breach by a perfectly irrelevant remark, when the Scotch woman servant appeared at the door and announced:
“Meester David Ramsay is in the drawing-room.”
Miss Helen Campbell dropped her hands at her sides helplessly.
“Annie,” she said, “why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t sure you’d come if I had, Helen. But you will have forgiven him after all these years. He’s an old man now,” she continued in a pleading tone.
“Has—has he ever married?” asked Miss Helen tremulously.
“No, no, that he hasn’t,” answered the other spinster smiling.