The Child of the Moat

o had been very ill; and Aline had been in the habit of coaxing Elspeth to get her small delic

forward and seized her by both hands. "Bless you

getting on?

ar. When I see him swinging along with great strides I say to myself,-now

really do not like you to call me that, y

I asked Mistress Mowbray, she said that she had something else to think of than attend to any gaberlunzie body that came round

er room and setting things straight, or helping her to cook for her sick boy, or sitting, as she was then, with the sunshine

e place. It is Elspeth, dear old Elspeth, who looks after all the sick folk and you shoul

him his conception of the heavenly angels and during his long illness he used in his delirium to confuse her with the messengers from above who were to take him to the other land. He had been ill for a weary while and had had more than one relapse but she had been a constant visit

oad, so she shrank106 back into the shadowy recesses of the cottage;-"I tell you what it is

her voice replied, "you never can

Thomas Carluke," Aline exclaimed

rom the Hall and Aline knew that at thi

o good I'll be bo

"I wonder where he got all that meal he has been bringing home from the mill lately; I saw

w him the day befor

r and some to sell too, if he has

be the one to ask him where he got the oat

bidding them good-bye, she turned homeward

o herself. "I wonder if he is still taking them," and she res

0

e granary at dusk when the outside servants went home. Thomas slept in the

drawn up till the last of the servants had departed. Andrew went outside, but dark as it was, Aline without coming near, saw that apparently he did not cross the bridge. Thomas ran back and made his way to the granary. Aline followed, her heart beating violently, and saw him produce a key and unlock the granary door. She waited a moment wondering which would be the best thing to do and then decided to go bac

8 had some scruples about playing the part of an eavesdropper. She finally decided that she would speak to Andrew herself, but was very nervous about it; as Andrew

he quadrangle evidently waiting for Thomas. She was shaking with excitement and the darkness added to her nervousness, but she approached him and said

replied, determin

to go on with this great burly bullying ruffian scowling at her. However, her mind was made up and she had to go through with it. "I know who has tak

you indeed? A penniless Scot that no one would listen to. I should like to see you go with your tales to Mi

my duty to tell Maste

he land lies, you mise

e knew she was right, and she only said, "But I shoul

lifting her up as though she were a mere nothing, he ran with her to the gate and on to the middle of the drawbridge. "No one will miss you in this house, you blethering babe

hue and cry was raised. Not a sound was to be heard and after about a quarter of an hour he dimly could distinguish his fellow servants walking home. Obviously they were unconscious that anything unusual had happened and he was able to breathe freely as he muttered to himself, "That was well do

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