It is strange that Neil has never told her the truth . Perhaps he does n't want her to find out . '' Eric had met Neil Gordon a few evenings before this , at a country dance where Neil had played the violin for the dancers . Influenced by curiosity he had sought the lad 's acquaintance . Neil was friendly and talkative at first ; but at the first hint concerning the Gordons which Eric threw out skilfully his face and manner changed . He looked secretive and suspicious , almost sinister . A sullen look crept into his big black eyes and he drew his bow across the violin strings with a discordant screech , as if to terminate the conversation . Plainly nothing was to be found out from him about Kilmeny and her grim guardians . CHAPTER X . A TROUBLING OF THE WATERS One evening in late June Mrs. Williamson was sitting by her kitchen window . Her knitting lay unheeded in her lap , and Timothy , though he nestled ingratiatingly against her foot as he lay on the rug and purred his loudest , was unregarded . She rested her face on her hand and looked out of the window , across the distant harbour , with troubled eyes . `` I guess I must speak , '' she thought wistfully . `` I hate to do it . I always did hate meddling . My mother always used to say that ninety-nine times out of a hundred the last state of a meddler and them she meddled with was worse than the first . But I guess it 's my duty . I was Margaret 's friend , and it is my duty to protect her child any way I can . If the Master does go back across there to meet her I must tell him what I think about it . '' Overhead in his room , Eric was walking about whistling .
Presently he came downstairs , thinking of the orchard , and the girl who would be waiting XXXXX him there .
about across as by for from in into on with