"Na; he was an innocent, pithless callent, that Maister Patrick," said Jean. "_He_ could have nae hand in't. A' that day I couldna get his face out o' my mind; but I had mony things to trouble me, sorting at my mother, and putting things right for Andrew--he was doing weel then, puir man!--and getting my ain kist ready for my journey, and I gaed away early in the day, and so I didna hear o' the murder. And my mother was nae hand at the writing, and Andrew, puir man, was aye a thocht careless, and I never saw ane belanging to my ain place, to tell me the news. So a' the trying that there was, was dune, and poor young Redheugh was lying at the bottom of the sea, before I ever heard tell o't--but I've aye minded sinsyne Maister Patrick Lillie's awfu' face--I've had a kindness for him frae that day, for of a' the sair troubles in this world, I ken nane, like murning ower a sinner that ye canna mend, and yet that ye would gie your ain life for, as blythe as ever ye gaed to your rest. I ken what it is--and sure am I, that if ever there was a man distracted with the crime o' anither, it was Maister Patrict Lillie, for young Redheugh." "And was Redheugh an ill man?" said Jacky, in a half whisper. "I never heard an ill word o' him till then. He was as weel likit as a man could be--and a kinder heart to puir folk there wasna in the countryside." "And that's true," said Mrs. Young. "Ye should take it to yoursels, lassies--you that are young, and havena got the rule o' your ain spirits. There was a fine young gentleman, ye see, wi' routh o' a' thing, as grand as heart could desire, and yet he tint baith life and name, in this world and the next, a' for an evil anger in his heart. It's an awfu' warning--it's our pairt to improve it for our ain edification." "And what for was the gentleman angry at Mr. Aytoun?" asked Bessie. "Oh! the adversary has aye plenty spunks to light that fire wi'. Some folk say yae thing, and some anither. I've heard it was for speaking lightly of a young lady that was trothplighted to Redheugh." "And what for did he no fecht him, the way folk fecht in books?" said Bessie. "Nae doubt because the enemy thought he had fa'en on an easier plan of putting an end to them baith. Nae mortal in this world, let alane a bit lassie like you, can faddom the wiles o' the auld serpent, or the weakness o' folk's ain treacherous hearts. It's no what folk should do, to be making a wark about a criminal like that, that shed blood wi' a wilful hand--but there was mony a heart in the parish wae for Redheugh." "And him that ye saw coming out of the wood?" said Jacky, tremulously, turning to Jean Miller again: "how would he ken?"