"
"I fancy then we have found the nest of our music-bird!" said Donal.
"The wires Davie speaks of may be the strings of an aeolian harp! I
wonder if there could be a draught across them! I must get up and
see! I must go and get a ladder!"
"But how could there be an aeolian harp up here?" said Arctura.
"It will be time enough to answer that question," replied Donal,
"when it changes to, 'How did an aeolian harp get up here?'
Something is here that wants accounting for: it may be an aeolian
harp!"
"But in a chimney! The soot would spoil the strings!"
"Then perhaps it is not a chimney: is there any sign of soot about,
Davie?"
"No, sir; there is nothing but clean stone and lime."
"You see, my lady! We do not even know that it is a chimney!"
"What else can it be, standing with the rest?"
"It may have been built for one; but if it had ever been used for
one, the marks of smoke would remain, had it been disused ever so
long. But to-morrow I will bring up a ladder."
"Could you not do it now?" said Arctura, almost coaxingly. "I should
so like to have the thing settled!"
"As you please, my lady! I will go at once. There is one leaning
against the garden-wall, not far from the bottom of the tower."
"If you do not mind the trouble!"
"I will come and help," said Davie.
"You mustn't leave lady Arctura. I am not sure if I can get it up
the stair; I am afraid it is too long.
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