Vara came out from the little inner room where she had been dressing for the afternoon.
"What says Vara?" said Mistress Fraser, looking a little curiously at the girl as she entered. Half-a-year of absolute freedom from care and anxiety in the clear air of Sandyknowes had brought the fire to her eye and the rose to her cheek.
"I think," she said, soberly, "that Cleg will find the siller yet. Or, if he doesn't, he will be able to do withoot it!"
"It will make an awfu' difference to his plenishing when he comes to set up a hoose," said the mother of eleven; "there's naebody in the world kens what it tak's to furnish a hoose, but them that has begun wi' naething and leeved through it!"
"Mr. Iverach is comin' frae Edinburgh the day," said Cleg, "to see aboot knockin' doon the auld hoose o' Barnbogle."
"He's no willing to bide in it," said Mirren Douglas. "Lod, I dinna wonder. Wha could bide in a place wi' siccan a chamber o' horrors doon the cellar stairs as that was!"
Which showed that some one must have been telling tales.
"I'm to gang and meet him," said Cleg. "Vara, will ye come? Ye may chance to forgather wi' a friend that ye ken."
Vara Kavannah nodded brightly, and glanced at the widow Douglas.
"If Mirren will gie a look to the bairns," she said.