The other soldiers offered still less to detach her consideration; but from the prisoner, muffled and disguised as he was, she found it impossible to withdraw her eyes. Yet she blamed herself for indulging a curiosity which seemed obviously to give pain to him who was its object.
"I wish," she said to Jenny Dennison, who was the immediate attendant on her person, "I wish we knew who that poor fellow is."
"I was just thinking sae mysel, Miss Edith; but it canna be Cuddie Headrigg, because he's taller and no sae stout."
"Yet," continued Miss Bellenden, "it may be some poor neighbour for whom we might have cause to interest ourselves."
"I can sune learn wha he is, if the soldiers were anes settled and at leisure, for I ken ane o' them very wee—the best-looking and the youngest o' them."
"I think you know all the idle young fellows about the country," answered her mistress.
