This same afternoon, shortly after luncheon, Mary left the house alone, which was unusual. She passed down through the village, greeting everyone, right and left, with a fine cheerfulness; for the weather still held good, and there was a fair chance for the harvest; while her individual schemes and industries were doing as well as could be expected. In fact, the only idle person in the place, apart from the aged and infirm, appeared to be John the policeman, and him she found by the bridge that crosses the Garra—no doubt he had been amusing himself by watching for some lively salmon or sea-trout on its way up the river. Iain seemed to have grown plumper and more roseate than ever in these piping times of peace; and the smile with which he greeted the young proprietress was good-nature itself. "John," said she, "I want you to tell me something." "Aw, yes, mem," said the amiable John; and then he added: "but the lads hef been keeping very quiet." "So I hear," she answered him. "The Gillie Ciotach says he will smash the head of anyone that wants to fight; and I suppose that is one way to stop quarrelling." John laughed, showing his milk-white teeth. "A very good weh, too, mem. There’s not many would like to hef their head brokken by the Gillie Ciotach." "It is not about that I want you to give me some information," said Miss Stanley. "I want you to tell me if you have been long in this place. I mean, do you remember the old castle, up there in the loch, before it was pulled down?" "Aw, yes, mem, yes, indeed," he made answer. "Who does not remember Castle Stanley?" "Oh, nonsense with your Castle Stanley!" she said, angrily. "It never was Castle Stanley, and never will be Castle Stanley. It was Castle Heimra; and if I could have my way it would be Castle Heimra again——" "Aw, yes, mem," said John, anxious to please, "who would be for calling it Castle Stanley? It is not Castle Stanley at ahl; it’s just Castle Heimra, as it always was—ay, before any one can remember." "Well, tell me; what size of a place was it before it was pulled down? Was it a big place?" "Big!" repeated John, doubtfully, for he did not know which way she wished to be answered. "Yes, was it a great ruin?" she went on. "Some of those old castles are mere towers, you know; and others are great strongholds. What was Castle Heimra like? Was it as big as Ardvreck?" Now John had jumped to the conclusion that she wished to have the ancient glories of Castle Heimra magnified. "Aw, far bigger nor Ardvreck!" he asserted confidently. "Aw, yes, yes; far bigger nor Ardvreck. A fearful big place, Castle Heimra—if you had seen the dingeons, and the towers, and the windows, and everything——" "Oh, bigger than Ardvreck?" Mary said, with fallen face. And instantly John perceived that he had erred.