The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

480 The Highland Month/y.
Macevven with that went to the window and, after some
difficulty, he managed to open it, and, then, peering out
cautiously, he ascertained that there was no back door, nor
any other window on that side of the house. Below there
was a little court, enclosed on two sides by the farm steading.
He saw that there was no light proceeding from any
of the buildings except the byre. In another moment he
was through the window, and, first grasping the sill, he
then leapt easily to the ground.
Meantime Teviot made a more narrow survey of
the room than hitherto. He first discovered that the
door through which he entered had no fastening^
and, as quietly as possible, he wedged a chair between
the floor and a moulding in its pannelling ; thus
effectually preventing anyone entering the room suddenly
and discovering the absence of the young shepherd. He
now observed that in another corner of the room, what he
had hitherto taken to be a disused press, was really a door
which apparently opened into a closet. But it was locked,
and the key hole was filled with cob-webs. As one of the
beds stood in this corner of the room, only the upper portion
of this door was visible. It was quite evident that no one
had passed through for a very long period. Glenbeltane
then laid fuel on the fire, and patiently awaited the return
of his companion. Nor had he to remain long in suspense
for in a brief time after his departure, Gillespie entered by
the window, as adroitly and noiselessly as his egress had
been. Closing the window carefully, he removed the chair
which his master had placed against the door. Thereafter^
in a tone so low as to be inaudible to one even on the
opposite side of the apartment, he related to Mark Teviot
ihe particulars which he had just gathered from Bessie
iMIndrui.
Returning from the Lothians along with the other
harvesters from the township oi Duncairn, she was urged
liy the mistress of this changehouse to serve with her
during the two months from Michaelmas till Martinmas.