Part 28 (2/2)

”I e could say as , and perhaps James More himself

”I will never complain of the country of my friend,” said she, and spoke it out with an accent so particular that I seeht in(for my pains) on the black ice

”I do not knohat you think, Catriona,” said I, when I was a little recovered, ”but this has been the best day yet! I think shame to say it, when you have met in with such misfortunes and disfavours; but for ood day when you showed me so much love,” said she

”And yet I think shame to be happy too,” I went on, ”and you here on the road in the black night”

”Where in the great world would I be else?” she cried ”I a I aiven, then?” I asked

”Will you not forgive ain?” she cried ”There is nothing in this heart to you but thanks But I will be honest too,” she added, with a kind of suddenness, ”and I'll never can forgive that girl”

”Is this Miss Grant again?” said I ”You said yourself she was the best lady in the world”

”So she will be, indeed!” says Catriona ”But I will never forgive her for all that I will never, never forgive her, and let me hear tell of her no more”

”Well,” said I, ”this beats all that ever cae yourself in such bairnly whi lady that was the best friend in the world to the both of us, that learned us how to dress ourselves, and in a great manner how to behave, as anyone can see that knew us both before and after”

But Catriona stopped square in the hway

”It is this way of it,” said she ”Either you will go on to speak of her, and I will go back to yon town, and let come of it what God pleases! Or else you will do s”

I was the ht ether on my help, that she was of the frail sex and not so much beyond a child, and it was for irl,” said I, ”I can make neither head nor tails of this; but God forbid that I should do anything to set you on the jee As for talking of Miss Grant, I have no such a an it My only design (if I took you up at all) was for your own improvement, for I hate the very look of injustice Not that I do not wish you to have a good pride and a nice female delicacy; they become you well; but here you show them to excess”

”Well, then, have you done?” said she

”I have done,” said I

”A very good thing,” said she, and ent on again, but now in silence

It was an eerie e only shadows and hearing nought but our own steps At first, I believe our hearts burned against each other with a deal of enmity; but the darkness and the cold, and the silence, which only the cocks sos, had pretty soon brought down our pride to the dust; and forfor speech

Before the day peeped, came on a war our feet I took ht to hap her in the same; she bade me, rather impatiently, to keep it

”Indeed and I will do no such thing,” said I ”Here aly lad that has seen all kinds of weather, and here are you a tender, pretty maid! My dear, you would not put me to a shame?”

Withoutin the darkness, I let my hand rest a moment on her shoulder, almost like an embrace

”You must try to be more patient of your friend,” said I