The final effect of it on her victim, however, was different from what she intended. For it roused suspicion. What if, he thought with himself, he was the victim of a conspiracy? What if the something frightful that befell him the night before, of which he had but a vague recollection, had been contrived and executed by the people of the house? This horrible old hag might remember else-forgotten things! What if they had drugged his wine? the first half of the bottle he had yesterday was decanted!--But the one he had just drunk had not been touched! and this fresh one before the fire should not be carried from his sight! he would not take his eyes off it for a moment! he was safe so far as these were concerned! only if after all----if there should be no difference----if something were to happen again all the same--ah, then indeed!--then it would only be so much the worse!--Better let them decant the bottle, and then he would have the drug to fall back upon! Just as he heard the loud bang of Grizzie’s closure of the great door, the wind rushed all at once against the house, with a tremendous bellow, that threatened to drive the windows into the room. An immediate lull followed, through which as instantly came strange sounds, as of a distant staccato thunder. The moment the laird heard the _douf thuds_, he started to his feet, and made for the door, and Cosmo rose to follow. “Stop! stop!” shouted Lord Mergwain, in a quavering, yet, through terror, imperative voice, and looked as if his hair would have stood on end, only that it was a wig. Lady Joan gave Cosmo a glance of entreaty: the shout was ineffectual, the glance was not. The laird scarcely heard his visitor’s cry, and hastened from the room, taking huge strides with his long thin legs; but Cosmo resumed his seat as if nothing were the matter. Lord Mergwain was trembling visibly; his jaw shook, and seemed ready to drop. “Don’t be alarmed, my lord,” said Cosmo; “it is only one of the horses kicking against his stall.” “But why should the brute kick?” said his lorship, putting his hand to his chin, and doing his best to hide his agitation. “My father will tell us. He will soon set things right. He knows all about horses. Jolly may have thrown his leg over his halter, and got furious. He’s rather an ill-tempered horse.” Lord Mergwain swallowed a great glass of wine, the last of the first bottle, and gave a little shiver. “It’s cold! cold!” he said. The wine did not seem to be itself somehow this evening! The game interrupted, Lady Joan forgot it, and stared into the fire. Cosmo gave his eyes a glorious holiday on her beautiful face. It was some time before the laird returned. He brought the news that one of the strange horses was very ill. “I thought he looked bad this morning,” said Cosmo.