Part 39 (1/2)

”For the sake of the girl who is dead,” he said to himself with a pang.

Marion's eyes were only for her brother, but she had few words even for him. They had little time for words. They bade Miss Jean and Marion ”good-bye” in the house. By and by, Mr Dawson saw Marion standing a little apart from the group of women gathered on the pier, but when he looked again she was no longer to be seen. He was a little disappointed. He thought if they had walked up to his sister's house together, he might have said a word to dispel the cloud of shyness or vexation that had somehow come between them since the day she had gone with the Petries to the Castle.

He would not make much of it, by speaking about it openly, nor could he bring himself to ask his sister about it. Miss Jean was not easy to approach on the subject of the Calderwoods. She had never said one word to anger him at the time when she had thought him hard and unreasonable with regard to them, and neither had she noticed by word or look the interest with which he had come to regard her young visitor; and her silence made it all the more difficult for him to speak. But when he went in on his way home, as it drew towards gloaming, and found her sitting alone in her darkening parlour, he asked her why she did not have lights brought in, and where was her visitor.

”Marion went over to the Tangle Stanes with the skipper's wife and Maggie, and I dare say she has gone hame with her. Her troubles are begun, puir body--Annie Saugster's--I mean.”

”What should ail her? She has just the troubles that ay maun fa' on sailors' wives.”

”Ay, just that,” said Miss Jean.

”And she kenned them a' beforehand. And what gude could a la.s.sie like that do her? She has had small experience o' trouble anyway.”

”She has a tender heart--and she shows her sympathy without many words.

And folk like her,” said Miss Jean. There was a moment's silence, and then Mr Dawson said hesitating,--

”What ails her this while? Is it only as her brother says, that she is growing a woman, that she is so quiet? Or has any thing happened to vex her? I have hardly got a word from her since she left Saughleas. Is it James Petrie that's to blame?” added he with a laugh.

Miss Jean regarded him gravely for a minute.

”Yes, I think it was something he said. I ken it was, for she told me.”

”And did she give him his answer?”

Miss Jean shook her head.

”It's no' what ye're thinkin'. That question hasna been asked yet,”

said she. ”And I doubt he'll need to put it off, for a while. He didna help his ain cause by what he said, though he meant it for that. He was telling her about--about George and her sister Elsie.”

Mr Dawson said nothing in the pause which followed.

”Of course she had heard something,--that they cared for one another,-- and that George's heart was nearly broken when Elsie died. But she had never heard of your displeasure, nor of some other things. Though how he thought it would help him to tell all this to her, I canna tell-- unless he may be afraid that--But she is to go hame with her brother, it seems, and I hope that no ill may come o' my bringing her here.”

”Nonsense, Jean! What ill should come of it? And why should you take the blame of it? It was her mother's doing, sending her here. And if it should end in her agreeing with James Petrie, ye may be sure she will be well pleased.”

”I'm no' sure. Though, puir body! she maybe was thinking o' that too.”

”It is to be supposed that she kens her ain mind about it. James Petrie will be a rich man some day. Doubtless she thinks of that.”

”Less than ye would suppose. But she is not a strong woman, and if any thing were to happen to her, the la.s.sie would be left alone almost. She would be safe here among douce, well-doing folk, like the Petries, and in time she might be content enough.”

”But how should he think to help his cause by--by telling that tale?

And what kens he about it?”

”He kens just what other folk ken, and guesses something, I dare say.

He thought to help his wishes by letting her ken, that when George looked kindly at her it was for her sister's sake.”

”George!” repeated Mr Dawson in dismay. Miss Jean had not been betrayed into saying this, though that was her brother's first thought.

”Yes. She is like her sister--and he hasna forgotten _her_. But I think it was chiefly your anger and vexation that he held up to her--as against his own father's kindness.”