was here ower the night last night."

"Where is he now?" said Robbie.

"He left me this morning at t' edge o' t' daylight. He axed for t'
coach to Lancaster, and I telt him it started frae the Woodman, in
Kirklands, and so he went off there."

"Kirklands; where's Kirklands?"

"In Kendal, near the church."

It turned out that the good old woman had known Sim many years before,
when they were neighbors in a street of a big town. She had been with
Sim's wife in her last illness, and had cared for his little daughter
when the child's mother died.

Robbie did not know when the coach might leave Kendal for Lancaster;
Sim was several hours in front of them, and therefore he took a hasty
leave. The old woman, who lived a solitary life in the cottage, looked
after the young man with eyes which seemed to say that, in spite of
the instinct which prompted her to confide in Robbie, she half
regretted what she had done.




CHAPTER XXX.

A RACE AGAINST LIFE.