she. "There they bring my father one time and another, for what

purpose I have no thought in my mind; but it seems there is some

hope dawned for him. All this same time they will not let me be

seeing him, nor yet him write; and we wait upon the King's street

to catch him; and now we give him his snuff as he goes by, and now

something else. And here is this son of trouble, Neil, son of

Duncan, has lost my four-penny piece that was to buy that snuff,

and James More must go wanting, and will think his daughter has

forgotten him."

I took sixpence from my pocket, gave it to Neil, and bade him go

about his errand. Then to her, "That sixpence came with me by

Balwhidder," said I.

"Ah!" she said, "you are a friend to the Gregara!"

"I would not like to deceive you, either," said I. "I know very

little of the Gregara and less of James More and his doings, but

since the while I have been standing in this close, I seem to know

something of yourself; and if you will just say 'a friend to Miss

Catriona' I will see you are the less cheated."

"The one cannot be without the other," said she.

"I will even try," said I.

"And what will you be thinking of myself!" she cried, "to be

holding my hand to the first stranger!"

"I am thinking nothing but that you are a good daughter," said I.

"I must not be without repaying it," she said; "where is it you

stop!"

"To tell the truth, I am stopping nowhere yet," said I, "being not

full three hours in the city; but if you will give me your

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