MARY (_hastily searches the room_). No, he is not there. She was right! O father, you can never know, praise God! SCENE II _MARY, to whom JEAN and afterwards LESLIE_ JEAN (_at door_). Mistress ...! MARY. Ah! Who is there? Who are you? JEAN. Is he no' hame yet? I'm aye waitin' on him. MARY. Waiting for him? Do you know the Deacon? You? JEAN. I maun see him. Eh, lassie, it's life and death. MARY. Death ... O my heart! JEAN. I maun see him, bonnie leddie. I'm a puir body, and no' fit to be seen speakin' wi' the likes o' you. But O lass, ye are the Deacon's sister, and ye hae the Deacon's een, and for the love of the dear kind Lord, let's in and hae a word wi' him ere it be ower late. I'm bringin' siller. MARY. Siller? You? For him? O father, father, if you could hear! What are you? What are you ... to him? JEAN. I'll be the best frien' 'at ever he had; for, O dear leddie, I wad gie my bluid to help him. MARY. And the ... the child? JEAN. The bairn? MARY. Nothing! O nothing! I am in trouble, and I know not what I say. And I cannot help you; I cannot help you if I would. He is not here; and I believe he was; and ill ... ill; and he is not--he is ... O, I think I shall lose my mind! JEAN. Ay, it's unco business. MARY. His father is dead within there ... dead, I tell you ... dead! JEAN. It's mebbe just as weel. MARY. Well? Well? Has it come to this? O Walter, Walter! come back to me, or I shall die. (_LESLIE enters, C._) LESLIE. Mary, Mary! I hoped to have spared you this. (_To JEAN._) What--you? Is he not here? JEAN. I'm aye waitin' on him. LESLIE. What has become of him? Is he mad? Where is he? JEAN. The Lord A'michty kens, Mr. Leslie. But I maun find him; I maun find him. SCENE III MARY, LESLIE MARY. O Walter, Walter! What does it mean? LESLIE. You have been a brave girl all your life, Mary; you must lean on me ... you must trust in me ... and be a brave girl till the end. MARY. Who is she? What does she want with _him_? And he ... where is he? Do you know that my father is dead, and the Deacon not here? Where has he gone? He may be dead, too. Father, brother ... O God, it is more than I can bear! LESLIE. Mary, my dear, dear girl ... when will you be my wife? MARY. O, do not speak ... not speak ... of it to-night. Not to-night! O, not to-night! LESLIE. I know, I know, dear heart! And do you think that I, whom you have chosen, I whose whole life is in your love--do you think that I would press you now if there were not good cause? MARY. Good cause! Something has happened. Something has happened ... to him! Walter...! Is he ... dead? LESLIE. There are worse things in the world than death. There is ... O Mary, he is your brother! MARY. What?... Dishonour!... The Deacon!... My God! LESLIE. My wife, my wife! MARY. No, no! Keep away from me. Don't touch me. I'm not fit ... not fit to be near you. What has he done? I am his sister. Tell me the worst. Tell me the worst at once.