Catriona

down, from where the castle stands upon its crags above the loch in a long line of spires and gable ends, and smoking chimneys, and at the sight my heart swelled in my bosom. My youth, a

od all of these without discredit; but the peril there was in the sharp

s of self-esteem, I would now have fled from my foolhardy enterprise. But (call it courage or cowardice, and I believe it was both the one and the other) I decided I

to be at that moment bargaining his vile life for mine. It made a bond in my thoughts betwixt the girl and me. I had seen her before only as a wayside appearance, though one that pleased me strangely; I saw her now in a sudden nearness of relation, as the daughter of my blood foe, and I might say, my murderer. I reflected it was hard I should be so plagued and persecuted all my days for other folks' affairs, and have no manner of pleasure myself. I got meals and a bed to sleep in when my concerns would suffer it; beyond that my wealth was of

river, I inquired my way of a miller's man, who sent me up the hill upon the farther side by a plain path, and so to a decent-like small house in a garden of lawns and apple-trees. My heart beat hi

me seeking her

was after M

r business with Miss

n so fortunate as to render her a trifling service

er. "A braw gift, a bonny gentleman. And hae ye ony ither nam

d my

cried. "Has Ebene

son of Alexander's. It's I

cut out for ye to esta

"and I daresay you may be the better ple

here after Miss Dr

I. "It's to be thought, being my uncle's

your saxpence, and your lucky day and your sake of Balwhidder"-from which I was gratified to learn that Catriona had not for

not deny," I added, making up my mind to try her with some frankness, "I'll not deny but she has run in my head a good deal since

l carry it the way I want to. Do ye mean to tell me, Mr. Balfour of Shaws, that you would marry James More's daughter, and him hanged! Well, then, where there's no possible marriage there shall be n

ot, a young lady whom I have seen but once. I have told you already I would never be so untenty as to commit myself. And yet I'll go some way with you. If I continue to like the lass as well as I have reason to expect, it will be something mor

poor Scotland's story. And if it was just the hanging! For my part I think I would be best pleased with James upon the gallows, which would be at least an end to him. Catrine's a good lass enough, and a good-hearted, and lets herself be deaved all day with a runt of an auld wife like me. But, ye see, t

said," I interrupted. "I saw her again thi

sounded well; but I was properly pa

sudden pucker of her face. "I think it was at

her tha

say, and it's equally possible ye may come here for deil care what! I'm good enough Whig to sit quiet, and to have keepit all my men-folk's heads upon their shoulders. But I'm not just a good enough Whig to be made a fool of neither. And I tell you fairly, there's too much Advocate's door

tuck in my throat. I stood and looked murder at th

a broadsword. Ay! ay!" she went on, "you're none such a bad lad in your way; I think ye'll have some redeeming vices. But, O! Davit Balfour, ye're damned countryfeed. Ye'll have to win over that, lad; ye'll have to soople your ba

rs. Campbell and my mother, being most devout and most particular women; and I suppose my amazement

to see the weans. And now," she went on, "there's no manner of service in your daidling here, for the young woman is from home, and it's my fear that the old woman is no suitable companion for your father

ind, saw the world like an undesirable desert, where men go as soldiers on a march, following their duty with what constancy they have, and Catriona alone there to offer me some pleasure of my days. I wondered at myself that I could dwell on such considerations in that time of my peril and disgrace; and when I remembered my youth I was ashamed. I had my studies to complete: I had to be called into some useful business; I had yet to take my part of service in a p

d to say to her, but nothing to say first; and remembering how tongue-tied I had been that morning at the Advocate's I made sure that I would find myself struck dumb. But when she came up my

ve been seeking your si

k was not in vain. "Though I have seen you to-da

big, but there are better than mine at see

," said I, "the elde

are all beaut

ummond," I replied, "and were all cr

ve seen them too. And you were in the house? You must have been

th as a sea-fish upon the brae of a mountain. The truth is that

at all events!" said she, a

least afraid with you, yet I could have run from t

raid of her," she cried. "My f

my side; I recalled the man, and the little I knew and the much I guessed of

I, "I met your father no

that seemed to mock at me. "You saw James

ven that

at was humanly possible. She gave me a look of m

holding back so much, something at least had to come out. "I spoke rather ill to hi

ll it to his daughter!" she cried out. "But those

t Prestongrange's. I daresay we both have anxious business there, for it's a dangerous house. I was sorry for him too, and spoke to hi

p, I am thinking," said she; "and he i

cried I, "I am al

wondering at t

a kind word that I am sore in want of. I know that what I said must hurt you, and I knew it then. It would have been easy to have

four," said she. "I think we will have met but

orld is clanned against me. How am I to go through with my dreadful fate? If there's

but at my words or the tone of my voice she came to a stop.

y offered me hills and valleys. And to-day that sleuth-hound told me how I stood, and to what a length he would go to butcher and disgrace me. I am to be brought in a party to the murder; I am to have held Glenure in talk for money and old clothes; I am to be killed and shamed. If

pon the other; and when I stopped I fou

urder," she said softly, bu

e near the head of the brae above Dean village. At this wo

hat I have done?" and carried my fists to my temples. "Wha

aven, what ails yo

, "I gave my honour and now I

not have spoken? And do you think I have no honour, then? or that I am o

nd a few hours after I throw my honour away by the roadside in common talk! 'There is one thing clear upon our interview,' says he, 'that I can rely on your pledged word.' Where

them! Men who go about to entrap and to destroy you! Fy! this is no time to crouch. Look up! Do you not think I will be admiring you like a great hero of the good-and you a boy not

her, hang-dog, "is this true

ing of you, Mr. David Balfour. Let them hang you; I will never forget, I will grow ol

child frighted with bogles," said I

must hear the whole. The harm is done a

me, and I told her all that matter much as I have written it,

o. O, Simon Fraser! to think upon that man! For his life and the dirty money, to be dealing in such traffic!" And just then she called out

ready dipping tow

ing, for I had a terror of immediate arrest; but got some supper at a change house, and the better part of that night w