Part 43 (1/2)

We found hi out of the

But he turned with a kindly smile towards us as soon as we entered, and the next minute ere all seated round the table, and business--_the_ business--was entered into

M'Rae listened without a word He never evenstory, or rather read it fro The last of these papers was Duncan's own confession, with Archie's signature and side Moncrieff's

He opened his lips at last

'This is your signature, and you duly attest all this?'

He put the question first to Archie and then toa reply in the affirmative, it was but natural that I should look for some show of emotion in M'Rae's face I looked in vain I have never seen more consummate coolness before nor since Indeed, it was a coolness that alarmed me

And when he rose froht, and walked directly towards a casket that stood on the writing-table, I thought that after all our cause was lost

In that casket, I felt sure, lay soe document that should utterly undo all Townley's work of years

M'Rae is now at the table He opens the casket, and for a moment looks critically at its contents

I can hearI'm sure I look pale with anxiety

Now M'Rae puts his hand inside and quietly takes out--a fresh cigar

Then, hus the casket towards Townley, and bids him help himself

Townley does as he is told, but at the sah

'Mr M'Rae,' he says, 'you are the coolest man that ever I met I do believe that if you were taken out to be shot--'

'Stay,' said M'Rae, 'I _was_ once I was tried for a traitor--tried for a criuiltless of as an unborn babe--and conderound handed ar, and--I lit it

'Nay, my dear friends, I have lost my case here Indeed, I never, it would see me by the hand, 'Coila is yours'

'Strathtoul,' I answered, 'is our blood feud at an end?'

'It is,' was the answer; and once again hand met hand across the table

Need I tell of the ho of the M'Crilen andstrains of s that fluttered over and around our Castle Coila? Of the bonfires that blazed that night on every hill, and cast their lurid light across the darkling lake? Or of the tears -rooht of father, dead and gone? No, for soination