“Yes, dear, I did,” was his answer.  “I thought it a shame that the papers of such a historic family should be dispersed at Sotheby’s, as they no doubt would have been.  So I purchased them.”

“You’ve never let me see them,” she said.  “As you know, you’ve taught me so much antiquarian knowledge that I’m becoming an enthusiast like yourself.”

“You can see them, dear, of course,” was his reply.  “They are in that big ebony cabinet at the end of the room yonder—­about two hundred charters, letters, and documents, dating from 1314 down to 1695.”

“I’ll go through them to-morrow,” she said.  “I suppose they throw a good deal of light upon the history of the Grahams and the actions of the great Lord Glencardine?”

“Yes; but I fear you’ll find them very difficult to read,” he remarked.  “Not being able to see them for myself, alas!  I had to send them to London to be deciphered.”

“And you still have the translations?”

“Unfortunately, no, dear.  Professor Petre at Oxford, who is preparing his great work on Glencardine, begged me to let him see them, and he still has them.”

“Well,” she laughed, “I must therefore content myself with the originals, eh?  Do they throw any further light upon the secret agreement in 1644 between the great Marquess of Glencardine, whose home was here, and King Charles?”

“Really, Gabrielle,” laughed the old antiquary, “for a girl, your recollection of abstruse historical points is wonderful.”

“Not at all.  There was a mystery, I remember, and mysteries always attract me.”

“Well,” he replied after a few moments’ hesitation, “I fear you will not find the solution of that point, or of any other really important point, contained in any of the papers.  The most interesting records they contain are some relating to Alexander Senescallus (Stewart), the fourth son of Robert II., who was granted in 1379 a Castle of Garth.  He was a reprobate, and known as the Wolf of Badenoch.  On his father’s accession in 1371, he was granted the charters of Badenoch, with the Castle of Lochindorb and of Strathavon; and at a slightly later date he was granted the lands of Tempar, Lassintulach, Tulachcroske, and Gort (Garth).  As you know, many traditions regarding him still survive; but one fact contained in yonder papers is always interesting, for it shows that he was confined in the dungeon of the old keep of Glencardine until Robert III. released him.  There are also a quantity of interesting facts regarding ‘Red Neil,’ or Neil Stewart of Fothergill, who was Laird of Garth, which will some day be of value to future historians of Scotland.”

“Is there anything concerning the mysterious fate of Cardinal Setoun within Glencardine?” asked the girl, unable to curb her curiosity.

“No,” he replied in a manner which was almost snappish.  “That’s a mere tradition, my dear—­simply a tale invented by the country-folk.  It seems to have been imagined in order to associate it with the mysterious Whispers which some superstitious people claim to have heard.  No old castle is complete nowadays without its ghost, so we have for our share the Lady of Glencardine and the Whispers,” he laughed.