A great dread came upon me when I heard that Mrs. Kinlay had left for Scotland. I thought that Thora Quendale had gone with her, and that I had lost sight of my dear girl friend for ever. I feared even to ask if this was so; but passing along the road one evening, soon after we had dropped anchor in the bay, I chanced to meet Andrew Drever walking home with a string of trout hanging at his side.
Having exchanged a few friendly remarks with me, he asked if I would go and spend the evening with him.
"Come and take some supper with us, lad," said he. "Thora will be glad to see ye."
"Thora!" I exclaimed.
"Ay, Thora. Did you not know Thora lives with us now?"
"No; I thought she had gone to Caithness with Mrs. Kinlay."
"Nay, nay," said Andrew; "Thora can look after herself now, since we heard from Copenhagen. But come along as soon's you can, and we'll tell you all about it."
And with that he trudged away humming a lightsome tune.
[Chapter XLII]. A Choice Among Three.
Not many minutes after I left the schoolmaster, when I was passing by the wharf, I met Jack Paterson. Jack was standing looking down into the water, with his two hands deep in his trousers pockets, and his face bearing an expression of curious indecision.