"
"I'm free enough," said Jamie. "I had a better supper a great deal
than I should have had at home. I don't want to go before the
morning."
And he began to whimper again.
"Do you call this free?" I said, holding up his wrist where the
remnant of the cord was hanging.
"Oh!" said Jamie, "that's only--"
But ere he got farther the moonlight in the loft was darkened. I
looked hurriedly towards the door. There stood the strangest figure,
with the moon behind it. I thought at first it was the Kelpie come
after me, for it was a tall woman. My heart gave a great jump up, but
I swallowed it down. I would not disgrace myself before Jamie. It was
not the Kelpie, however, but the keeper's sister, the great, grim,
gaunt woman I had seen at the table at supper. I will not attempt to
describe her appearance. It was peculiar enough, for she had just got
out of bed and thrown an old shawl about her. She was not pleasant to
look at. I had myself raised the apparition, for, as Jamie explained
to me afterwards, the cord which was tied to his wrist, instead of
being meant to keep him a prisoner, was a device of her kindness to
keep him from being too frightened. The other end had been tied to her
wrist, that if anything happened he might pull her, and then she would
come to him.
[Illustration]
"What's the matter, Jamie Duff?" she said in a gruff voice as she
advanced along the stream of moonlight.
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