And there were further difficulties: how to go alone, and live alone, in the strange, unknown place: how to forsake her ordinary habits, and take to cottage visiting as indefatigably as an English Lady Bountiful. The first she was rather uneasy about; the second was a trifle. Things which were merely disagreeable, did not much distress Anne Ross: she was by no means in despair even at those which most people called impossible; but shrank with nervous delicacy from any, the very slightest, appearance of evil. After dinner, the conversation was renewed. Lewis had been somewhat struck by Anne's assertion of some little claim to her own judgment. He certainly did not think her so wise as himself, but he knew her quite equal to various of his friends, whose claim to independent will and action was quite indisputable. Only, she was a woman: that was all the difference. Lewis resolved to be very enlightened and liberal, to let his sister express her opinions freely, and himself to give a final and impartial deliverance upon them. "Did I mention, in my last letter, the people who had been so intimate with Norman?" he asked, to begin. "No," said Anne. "An old woman referred us to them. She said it was a sister of theirs who was the occasion of the dispute between Aytoun and Norman; a poor girl who went to visit some friends in the west, about the time of the murder, and died there of a broken heart. One believes in such things when one hears stories like these. They live alone, in a great, gaunt old house, a brother and sister." "And what?" said Anne, eagerly. "Oh, nothing. I have no story to tell. We could gather nothing from them. The sister is a strange, emaciated, worn-out woman. James thought she looked agitated; but save a burst of broken praise of 'poor Redheugh'--I believe she even called him Norman--we elicited nothing more. The brother is an invalid and hypochondriac; we caught a glimpse of him, once or twice, wandering on the beach, but never could address him. They seemed strange people, but had nothing to tell." Anne did not speak. Her curiosity and interest were awakened. "What a strange fellow," exclaimed Lewis, "that Norman must have been!" "Strange!" said Mrs. Ross, "Yes, indeed, I should think he was. I know we had little peace in Merkland, before he came of age." "How he managed to make the country people all so fond of him," continued Lewis, disregarding his mother's interruption, "one can't tell. And falling in love with a girl, of quite different rank. Altogether, it's a strange story." "What was their name?" said Mrs. Ross. "I thought you said they lived in an old, great house, Lewis." "So they do," said Lewis. "It is not their own, though.--They pay some nominal rent, and take care of the place. Their name--what is their name?--upon my word I don't recollect. I don't know that I ever heard the surname. I remember the sister was called Miss Christian: but James will know."