"
"What do you want them for, Oswald?"
"I want them for the roof, Janet. It is beginning to freeze hard, and
it is of no use having walls, if you have not a roof."
"Won't you take my cloak, instead?"
"Certainly not, Janet, you will want your cloak for a covering. Don't
be silly, but hand them over."
By this time, Roger had returned with the sticks. They were laid across
the top, and the girls' smocks spread over them.
"Now, go to sleep," Oswald said; "we must be on foot, an hour before
dawn."
Oswald then started down the hill for Parton. When he got within a mile
of the town, he could see lights moving about on the road; and guessed
that the Bairds had got torches, and were making sure that the
fugitives had not hidden themselves anywhere close to the road; for
they must have felt certain that they could not have reached the town,
before being overtaken. When the lights had gone along the road, he
descended to the river, took off his doublet and shirt, as before, and
swam over; crossed the road, and was not long in finding the trees that
marked the spot where he was to turn off to the farmhouse.
He made his way to the stable, raised the latch, and entered. A lamp
was burning, and the two men sitting and talking together.
Pages:
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344