Alexander sat before the fire, elbows upon knees and chin in hand, brooding over the red coals.

Tibbie murmured a direction or two and showed wine and bread set in the deep window.

Then with a courtesy and a breathed, "Gie ye gude night, sirs!" she was forth to her own rest.

The door closed softly behind her.

Strickland stepped as softly to the chair beyond Alexander.