But
as I said to Anerew, maybe he'll come oot o' their cluiks no that
muckle the waur, efter a'."
Mrs Forbes sank on the sofa, and hid her face in her hands. Annie
turned white as death, and left the room. When Mrs Forbes lifted her
head, Mrs Constable and her strange child had vanished.
Mrs Forbes and Annie wept together bitterly, in the shadow of death
which the loved one cast upon them across the white plains and hills.
Then the mother sat down and wrote, begging him to deny the terrible
charge; after which they both felt easier. But when the return of post
had brought no reply, and the next day was likewise barren of tidings,
Mrs Forbes resolved to go to the hateful city at once.
CHAPTER LXXVI.
When Alec woke in the morning, it rushed upon his mind that he had had
a terrible dream; and he reproached himself that even in a dream he
should be capable of striking to the earth the friend who had just
saved him from disgrace, and wanted to save him from more. But as his
headache began to yield to cold water, discomposing doubts rose upon
his clearing mental horizon. They were absurd, but still they were
unpleasant. It _could_ be only a dream that he had felled the man twice
his age, and half his size, who had once shed his blood for him.
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