the purpose, and wondered within herself why she did not go.

"But he's gone on a bootless errand, I tell ye," continued Mrs. Garth.

"What errand?" It was impossible to resist the impulse to probe the
woman's meaning.

Mrs. Garth laughed. It was a cruel laugh, with a crow of triumph in
it.

"Yer waxin' apace, lass; I reckon ye think ye'll be amang the next
batch of weddiners," said Mrs. Garth.

Rotha was not slow to see the connection of this scarcely relevant
observation. Did the woman know on what errand her father had set out?
Had she guessed it? And if so, what matter?

"I wish the errand had been mine instead," said Rotha calmly. But it
was an unlucky remark.

"Like enough. Now, that's very like," said Mrs. Garth with affected
sincerity. "Ye'll want to see him badly, lass; he's been lang away.
Weel, it's nought but nature. He's a very personable young man.
There's no sayin' aught against it. Yes, he's of the bettermer sort,
that way."

Of what use was it to continue this idle gossip? Rotha was again
turning about, when Mrs. Garth added, half as comment and half as
question,--