THE GOLD OF FAIRNILEE. 269

This was the cause of the fire Jean saw, and
of the noise of the cattle. On midsummer’s
night the country people used to light these
fires, and drive the cattle through them. It
was an old, old custom come down from
heathen times.
| Now the other men from Fairnilee. had
gathered round Jean. Lady Ker had sent
them out to look for Randal and her on the
hills. They had heard from the good wife at
Peel that the children had gone up the burn,
and Yarrow had tracked them till Jean was
found.