"And Maggie? Is she near by? At home? Where is she?"
"There is nane ken that, sir."
"What do you mean, Mysie?"
"Maggie's gane awa', sir."
"Maggie gone away! Where to?"
"'Deed, sir, I'd be fain to ken where to--but I hae the house for the care
o' things; and David Promoter left word that if I took up Maggie's name in
my lips, I wad be to leave instanter; sae I'll say naething at a'. Elder
Mackelvine kens a' that anybody kens, and when you hae had a drap o' tea,
you can ask him a' the questions you like to."
"Never mind tea, I am going at once to Mackelvine's."
"I'll be to get your room ready, sir; and put a bit o' fire in it, and the
like o' that?"
"Yes, I shall come back here." He felt stunned, and glad to get into the
fresh air. Maggie gone! He could hardly believe the words he had heard.
Sorrow, anxiety, keen disappointment, amazement, possessed him; but even
in those moments of miserable uncertainty he had not one hard or wrong
thought of Maggie. Elder Mackelvine's cottage was quite at the other end
of the village, and he was walking rapidly down the shingle toward it,
when he met Willie Johnson.
"I heard tell you were here, Maister Campbell, and I cam' instanter to
meet you, sir. You'll hae to bide wi' us to-night, for a' is changed at
the Promoters."
"So I see, Willie." Then mindful of Maggie's good name, and of the fact
that their betrothal was unknown, he said, with as much of his old manner
as he could assume, "What has come to the Promoters? I hope some good
fortune?"
"I hope that, too; but there's nane can say, if it be good or ill. Davie,
you will dootless hae heard tell o'?"
"I have heard nothing from him for two years."
"Then your ears will be like to tingle wi' the news; for he has set
himsel' in a' the high seats in Glasca' College; and folks talk o'
naething less than a Glasca' pu'pit for him; and you ken, it tak's doctors
in divinity to stand up afore a Glasca' congregation. Elder Mackelvine
never wearies o' talking anent him. For mysel', I canna say I ever likit
him o'er weel; and since puir Maggie gaed awa', I hae ta'en little
pleasure in the honor he has done oor village."
"Maggie gone away! Where to?"