Catriona

gors appeared almost certainly to be employed against me, it was just one of the few places I should have kept away from; and being a very young man, and beginning

ller's cart, and after that nothing but manifest country people. Here was enough to have turned the most foolhardy from his purpose, but my inclination ran too strong the other way. I argued it out that if Neil was on that road, it was the right road to find him in, leading direct to h

ther by the open door, I plucked off my hat and said, "Here was a l

new to be the doer for Shaws, and had then in her pocket a letter from that good friend of mine, presenting, in the most favourable view, my character and prospects. But had I read it I could scarce have seen more clear in her desi

broth with us, Catrine," says

es like a horse-couper with a horse. My face flamed that she should think me so obtuse. Now I would fancy the girl was being innocently made a show of, and then I could have beaten the old carline wife with a cudgel; and now, that perhaps these two had set their heads together to entrap me, and at that I sat and gloomed betwixt them like t

he, eagerly, the same mo

I am lightened of my pledge, and indeed (after what has come and

id. "My cousin wi

tep to the last of it, making it as mirthful as I could,

ter all!" says she, when I had done. "But what was your father that he could not learn y

must have been wool-gathering to learn me Latin in the place of it. But you see

g that is to befall and that. Then it comes to the place of the fighting, and it comes over me that I am only a girl at all events, and cannot hold a sword or give one good blow; and then I have to twist

loodthirsty

u were to do nothing else in the great world, I think you will say yourself it is a d

till a lad that should be at the college," said I.

feel, then-afte

wn and grat like

d not wish to kill, only to be Catherine Douglas that put her arm through the staples of the bolt,

f him, is under more control; and I thought I saw death so near to me

arms; I would not like to have a friend that cannot strike. But

rtunate thing it was the men were so near-hand to me, for I

our battle in the brig, which I had om

e brave. And your friend

d staunch and kind, God bless him! That will be a strange day when I forget Alan." And the thoug

ther, bearing that she might visit him to-morrow in the castle whither he was now transferred, and that his

. If my face fell at all, as I suppose it must, you will allow this is rather an ill day for compositions, and the pe

wo; and you should bear in mind that Prestongrang

rd tell of t

may call themselves Grant, and one Macgregor, but they are still of the same cla

try is tha

and yours,

think," said I, "for I always th

ave our foot-soles on, and that our bones are made of, will be Alban. It was Alban they called it when our forefathe

r learned!" For I lacked heart to

g about the cradles before you or me were ever dreamed of; and your name remembers it still. Ah,

as pleasant enough; but as soon as I saw the sun decline sharply and the shadows to run out long, I rose to take my leave. For my mind was now made up to s

ll I see you n

," I replied. "It will b

said she. "And

head, looki

If you should speed worse, if it will come to fall as we are afraid-O well! think you have the one friend. Long after you are dead and me an old wife, I will be telling the bairns about David Balfour, and

y spirits that I cried out like one hurt. The colour c

"that is what I think of you

h a higher passion than the common kind of clay has any sense of. Nothing before had taught me how deep I was her lover, nor how far I had yet to climb to m

l civility. It was even hard for me to speak; a certain liftin

ell, my little friend!" giving her that name which she

shadows and (as the valley turned) made like a new scene and a new world of it at every corner. With Catriona behind and Alan before me, I was like one lifted up. The place besides, and the hour, and the talk

I passed I was all strung up to meet and to resist an onfall. No such thing befell, I went by unmeddled with; and at that fear increased upon me. It was still day indeed, but the place exceeding solitary

in the garden w

id I, "you see

anged face

shame not to walk carefully. I was doubtful whether I did right to come h

will like little enough to hear you talking at this very

have been dogged again, and I can give you the name of him that f

he said, with a white face. "Neil is i

can show you another of that. For sure you have some signal, a signal of need, such a

l you know th

d the name they call it by is Common-sense," said I. "Oblige me so

and the girl and hated both of us: her for the vile crew that she was come o

her to repeat the same, when I heard the sound of some one bursting through the bushes below on the braeside. I pointed in that direction with a smile, and presently Neil leape

re of your father's errands. Ask himself. If I am to lose my life, or the lives of those that

y in that particular, I could have laughed out loud for bitterness; here, sure,

nd I could make out that Neil (for all

me. "He swears it

, "do you believe

ture like wrin

can know?"

riona, try to put yourself in my place, as I vow to God I try hard to put myself in yours. This is no kind of talk that should ever have fallen

ether once mor

rrand," said she. She was whiter than ev

w," said I, "and may G

hat, but continued gazing at

d I again. "Am I to fall, then

d I go against my father's orders, him

a lie too. He may have no right orders; all may be

us; and my heart smote me hard, for I thou

the one hour; and I'll chanc

me, "I will he needing o

I, keeping her hand in mine.

d, and cried aloud on he

o fit place fo