'
'What? that child?' said Vandeloup, with an admirable expression of
surprise; 'nonsense! It cannot be true.'
'D'ye think I would tell a lee?' said Archie, wrathfully, glowering
down on the tall figure pacing leisurely along. 'God forbid that my
lips should fa' tae sic iniquity. It's true, I tell ye; the lass has
rin awa' an' left her faither--a godly mon, tho' I'm no of his way
of thinkin--to curse the day he had sic a bairn born until him. Ah,
'tis sorrow and dule she hath brought tae his roof tree, an' sorrow
and dule wull be her portion at the hands o' strangers,' and with
this scriptural ending Mr McIntosh sharply whipped up Rory, and went
on towards the stable, leaving Vandeloup standing in the road.
'I don't think he suspects, at all events,' thought that young man,
complacently. 'As to Madame Midas--pouf! I can settle her suspicions
easily; a little virtuous indignation is most effective as a blind;'
and M. Vandeloup, with a gay laugh, strolled on towards the house in
the gathering twilight.
Suddenly he recollected the letter, which had escaped his thoughts,
in his desire to see how McIntosh would take the disappearance of
Kitty, so as there was still light to see, he leaned up against a
fence, and, having lighted another cigarette, read it through
carefully. It appeared to afford him considerable satisfaction, and
he smiled as he put it in his pocket again.
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