her　eyes；　and　now；　in　a　moment；　down　comes　upon　the　scene　that
  apocalyptic　figure　with　the　nightcap　and　the　horse…pistol；　and　with
  the　very　wind　of　her　coming　behold　me　separated　from　my　love！
  Gratitude　and　admiration　contended　in　my　breast　with　the　extreme　of
  natural　rancour。　　My　appearance　in　her　house　at　past　midnight　had
  an　air　（I　could　not　disguise　it　from　myself）　that　was　insolent　and
  underhand；　and　could　not　but　minister　to　the　worst　suspicions。　　And
  the　old　lady　had　taken　it　well。　　Her　generosity　was　no　more　to　be
  called　in　question　than　her　courage；　and　I　was　afraid　that　her
  intelligence　would　be　found　to　match。　　Certainly；　Miss　Flora　had　to
  support　some　shrewd　looks；　and　certainly　she　had　been　troubled。　　I
  could　see　but　the　one　way　before　me：　to　profit　by　an　excellent　bed；
  to　try　to　sleep　soon；　to　be　stirring　early；　and　to　hope　for　some
  renewed　occasion　in　the　morning。　　To　have　said　so　much　and　yet　to
  say　no　more；　to　go　out　into　the　world　upon　so　half…hearted　a
  parting；　was　more　than　I　could　accept。
  It　is　my　belief　that　the　benevolent　fiend　sat　up　all　night　to　baulk
  me。　　She　was　at　my　bedside　with　a　candle　long　ere　day；　roused　me；
  laid　out　for　me　a　damnable　misfit　of　clothes；　and　bade　me　pack　my
  own　（which　were　wholly　unsuited　to　the　journey）　in　a　bundle。　　Sore
  grudging；　I　arrayed　myself　in　a　suit　of　some　country　fabric；　as
  delicate　as　sackcloth　and　about　as　becoming　as　a　shroud；　and；　on
  coming　forth；　found　the　dragon　had　prepared　for　me　a　hearty
  breakfast。　　She　took　the　head　of　the　table；　poured　out　the　tea；　and
  entertained　me　as　I　ate　with　a　great　deal　of　good　sense　and　a
  conspicuous　lack　of　charm。　　How　often　did　I　not　regret　the　change！
  …　how　often　compare　her；　and　condemn　her　in　the　comparison；　with
  her　charming　niece！　　But　if　my　entertainer　was　not　beautiful；　she
  had　certainly　been　busy　in　my　interest。　　Already　she　was　in
  communication　with　my　destined　fellow…travellers；　and　the　device　on
  which　she　had　struck　appeared　entirely　suitable。　　I　was　a　young
  Englishman　who　had　outrun　the　constable；　warrants　were　out　against
  me　in　Scotland；　and　it　had　become　needful　I　should　pass　the　border
  without　loss　of　time；　and　privately。
  'I　have　given　a　very　good　account　of　you；'　said　she；　'which　I　hope
  you　may　justify。　　I　told　them　there　was　nothing　against　you　beyond
  the　fact　that　you　were　put　to　the　haw　（if　that　is　the　right　word）
  for　debt。'
  'I　pray　God　you　have　the　expression　incorrectly；　ma'am；'　said　I。
  'I　do　not　give　myself　out　for　a　person　easily　alarmed；　but　you　must
  admit　there　is　something　barbarous　and　mediaeval　in　the　sound　well
  qualified　to　startle　a　poor　foreigner。'
  'It　is　the　name　of　a　process　in　Scots　Law；　and　need　alarm　no　honest
  man；'　said　she。　　'But　you　are　a　very　idle…minded　young　gentleman；
  you　must　still　have　your　joke；　I　see：　I　only　hope　you　will　have　no
  cause　to　regret　it。'
  'I　pray　you　not　to　suppose；　because　I　speak　lightly；　that　I　do　not
  feel　deeply；'　said　I。　　'Your　kindness　has　quite　conquered　me；　I　lay
  myself　at　your　disposition；　I　beg　you　to　believe；　with　real
  tenderness；　I　pray　you　to　consider　me　from　henceforth　as　the　most
  devoted　of　your　friends。'
  'Well；　well；'　she　said；　'here　comes　your　devoted　friend　the　drover。
  I'm　thinking　he　will　be　eager　for　the　road；　and　I　will　not　be　easy
  myself　till　I　see　you　well　off　the　premises；　and　the　dishes　washed；
  before　my　servant…woman　wakes。　　Praise　God；　we　have　gotten　one　that
  is　a　treasure　at　the　sleeping！'
  The　morning　was　already　beginning　to　be　blue　in　the　trees　of　the
  garden；　and　to　put　to　shame　the　candle　by　which　I　had　breakfasted。
  The　lady　rose　from　table；　and　I　had　no　choice　but　to　follow　her
  example。　　All　the　time　I　was　beating　my　brains　for　any　means　by
  which　I　should　be　able　to　get　a　word　apart　with　Flora；　or　find　the
  time　to　write　her　a　billet。　　The　windows　had　been　open　while　I
  breakfasted；　I　suppose　to　ventilate　the　room　from　any　traces　of　my
  passage　there；　and；　Master　Ronald　appearing　on　the　front　lawn；　my
  ogre　leaned　forth　to　address　him。
  'Ronald；'　she　said；　'wasn't　that　Sim　that　went　by　the　wall？'
  I　snatched　my　advantage。　　Right　at　her　back　there　was　pen；　ink；　and
  paper　laid　out。　　I　wrote：　'I　love　you'；　and　before　I　had　time　to
  write　more；　or　so　much　as　to　blot　what　I　had　written；　I　was　again
  under　the　guns　of　the　gold　eyeglasses。
  'It's　time；'　she　began；　and　then；　as　she　observed　my　occupation；
  'Umph！'　she　broke　off。　　'Ye　have　something　to　write？'　she　demanded。
  'Some　notes；　madam；'　said　I；　bowing　with　alacrity。
  'Notes；'　she　said；　'or　a　note？'
  'There　is　doubtless　some　FINESSE　of　the　English　language　that　I　do
  not　comprehend；'　said　I。
  'I'll　contrive；　however；　to　make　my　meaning　very　plain　to　ye；　Mosha
  le　Viscount；'　she　continued。　　'I　suppose　you　desire　to　be
  considered　a　gentleman？'
  'Can　you　doubt　it；　madam？'　said　I。
  'I　doubt　very　much；　at　least；　whether　you　go　to　the　right　way　about
  it；'　she　said。　　'You　have　come　here　to　me；　I　cannot　very　well　say
  how；　I　think　you　will　admit　you　owe　me　some　thanks；　if　it　was　only
  for　the　breakfast　I　made　ye。　　But　what　are　you　to　me？　　A　waif　young
  man；　not　so　far　to　seek　for　looks　and　manners；　with　some　English
  notes　in　your　pocket　and　a　price　upon　your　head。　　I　am　a　lady；　I
  have　been　your　hostess；　with　however　little　will；　and　I　desire　that
  this　random　acquaintance　of　yours　with　my　family　will　cease　and
  determine。'
  I　believe　I　must　have　coloured。　　'Madam；'　said　I；　'the　notes　are　of
  no　importance；　and　your　least　pleasure　ought　certainly　to　be　my
  law。　　You　have　felt；　and　you　have　been　pleased　to　express；　a　doubt
  of　me。　　I　tear　them　up。'　　Which　you　may　be　sure　I　did　thoroughly。
  'There's　a　good　lad！'　said　the　dragon；　and　immediately　led　the　way
  to　the　front　lawn。
  The　brother　and　sister　were　both　waiting　us　here；　and；　as　well　as　I
  could　make　out　in　the　imperfect　light；　bore　every　appearance　of
  having　passed　through　a　rather　cruel　experience。　　Ronald　seemed
  ashamed　to　so　much　as　catch　my　eye　in　the　presence　of　his　aunt；　and
  was　the　picture　of　embarrassment。　　As　for　Flora；　she　had　scarce　the
  time　to　cast　me　one　look　before　the　dragon　took　her　by　the　arm；　and
  began　to　march　across　the　garden　in　the　extreme　first　glimmer　of
  the　dawn　without　exchanging　speech。　　Ronald　and　I　followed　in　equal
  silence。
  There　was　a　door　in　that　same　high　wall　on　the　top　of　which　I　had
  sat　perched　no　longer　gone　than　yesterday　morning。　　This　the　old
  lady　set　open　with　a　key；　and　on　the　other　side　we　were　aware　of　a
  rough…looking；　thick…set　man；　leaning　with　his　arms　（through　which
  was　passed　a　formidable　staff）　on　a　dry…stone　dyke。　　Him　the　old
  lady　immediately　addressed。
  'Sim；'　said　she；　'this　is　the　young　gentleman。'
  Sim　replied　with　an　inarticulate　grumble　of　sound；　and　a　movement
  of　one　arm　and　his　head；　which　did　duty　for　a　salutation。
  'Now；　Mr。　St。　Ives；'　said　the　old　lady；　'it's　high　time　for　you　to
  be　taking　the　road。　　But　first　of　all　let　me　give　the　change　of
  your　five…guinea　bill。　　Here　are　four　pounds　of　it　in　British　Linen
  notes；　and　the　balance　in　small　silver；　less　sixpence。　　Some　charge
  a　shilling；　I　believe；　but　I　have　given　you　the　benefit　of　the
  doubt。　　See　and　guide　it　with　all　the　sense　that　you　possess。'
  'And　here；　Mr。　St。　Ives；'　said　Flora；　speaking　for　the　first　time；
  'is　a　plaid　which　you　will　find　quite　necessary　on　so　rough　a
  journey。　　I　hope　you　will　take　it　from　the　hands　of　a　Scotch
  friend；'　she　added；　and　her　voice　trembled。
  'Genuine　holly：　I　cut　it　myself；'　said　Ronald；　and　gave　me　as　good
  a　cudgel　as　a　man　could　wish　for　in　a　row。
  The　formality　of　these　gifts；　and　the　waiting　figure　of　the　driver；
  told　me　loudly　that　I　must　be　gone。　　I　dropped　on　one　knee　and　bade
  farewell　to　the　aunt；　kissing　her　hand。　　I　did　the　like　…　but　with
  how　different　a　passion！　…　to　her　niece；　as　for　the　boy；　I　took　him
  to　my　arms　and　embraced　him　with　a　cordiality　that　seemed　to　strike
  him　speechless。　　'Farewell！'　and　'Farewell！'　I　said。　　'I　shall
  never　forget　my　friends。　　Keep　me　sometimes　in　memory。　　Farewell！'
  With　that　I　turned　my　back　and　began　to　walk　away；　and　had　scarce
  done　so；　when　I　heard　the　door　in　the　high　wall　close　behind　me。
  Of　course　this　was　the　aunt's　doing；　and　of　course；　if　I　know
  anything　of　human　character；　she　would　not　let　me　go　without　some
  tart　expressions。　　I　declare；　even　if　I　had　heard　them；　I　should
  not　have　minded　in　the　least；　for　I　was　quite　persuaded　that；
  whatever　admirers　I　might　be　leaving　behind　me　in　Swanston　Cottage；
  the　aunt　was　not　the　least　sincere。
  CHAPTER　X　…　THE　DROVERS
  IT　took　me　a　little　effort　to　come　abreast　of　my　new　companion；　for
  though　he　walked　with　an　ugly　roll　and　no　great　appearance　of
  speed；　he　could　cover　the　around　at