her。　　She　had　always　lived　in　a　dream　of　unrealities；　and　the　dream
  had　almost　devoured　her　life。
  One　evening　Shargar　was　later　than　usual　in　coming　home　from　the
  walk；　or　ramble　rather；　without　which　he　never　could　settle　down　to
  his　work。　　He　knocked　at　Robert's　door。
  'Whaur　do　ye　think　I've　been；　Robert？'
  'Hoo　suld　I　ken；　Shargar？'　answered　Robert；　puzzling　over　a　problem。
  'I've　been　haein'　a　glaiss　wi'　Jock　Mitchell。'
  'Wha's　Jock　Mitchell？'
  'My　brither　Sandy's　groom；　as　I　tellt　ye　afore。'
  'Ye　dinna　think　I　can　min'　a'　your　havers；　Shargar。　　Whaur　was　the
  comin'　gentleman　whan　ye　gaed　to　drink　wi'　a　chield　like　that；　wha；
  gin　my　memory　serves　me；　ye　tauld　me　yersel'　was　i'　the　mids　o'　a'
  his　maister's　deevilry？'
  'Yer　memory　serves　ye　weel　eneuch　to　be　doon　upo'　me；'　said　Shargar。
  'But　there's　a　bit　wordy　'at　they　read　at　the　cathedral　kirk　the
  last　Sunday　'at's　stucken　to　me　as　gin　there　was　something　by
  ordinar'　in　't。'
  'What's　that？'　asked　Robert；　pretending　to　go　on　with　his
  calculations　all　the　time。
  'Ow；　nae　muckle；　only　this：　〃Judge　not；　that　ye　be　not　judged。〃I
  took　a　lesson　frae　Jeck　the　giant…killer；　wi'　the　Welsh　giantwas
  't　Blunderbore　they　ca'd　him？an'　poored　the　maist　o'　my　glaiss
  doon　my　breist。　　It　wasna　like　ink；　it　wadna　du　my　sark　ony　ill。'
  'But　what　garred　ye　gang　wi'　'im　at　a'？　　He　wasna　fit　company　for　a
  gentleman。'
  'A　gentleman　's　some　saft　gin　he　be　ony　the　waur　o'　the　company　he
  gangs　in　till。　　There　may　be　rizzons；　ye　ken。　　Ye　needna　du　as　they
  du。　　Jock　Mitchell　was　airin'　Reid　Rorie　an'　Black　Geordie。　　An'
  says　Ifor　I　wantit　to　ken　whether　I　was　sic　a　breme…buss
  （broom…bush）　as　I　used　to　besays　I；　〃Hoo　are　ye；　Jock　Mitchell？〃
  An'　says　Jock；　〃Brawly。　　Wha　the　deevil　are　ye？〃　　An'　says　I；　〃Nae
  mair　o'　a　deevil　nor　yersel'；　Jock　Mitchell；　or　Alexander；　Baron
  Rothie；　eitherthough　maybe　that's　no　little　o'　ane。〃　〃Preserve
  me！〃　cried　Jock；　〃it's　Shargar。〃〃Nae　mair　o'　that；　Jock；〃　says　I。
  〃Gin　I　bena　a　gentleman；　or　a'　be　dune；〃an'　there　I　stack；　for　I
  saw　I　was　a　muckle　fule　to　lat　oot　onything　o'　the　kin'　to　Jock。　And
  sae　he　seemed　to　think；　too；　for　he　brak　oot　wi'　a　great　guffaw；　an'
  to　win　ower　't；　I　jined；　an'　leuch　as　gin　naething　was　farrer　aff
  frae　my　thochts　than　ever　bein'　a　gentleman。　〃Whaur　do　ye　pit　up；
  Jock？〃　　I　said。　〃Oot　by　here；〃　he　answert；　〃at　Luckie
  Maitlan's。〃〃That's　a　queer　place　for　a　baron　to　put　up；　Jock；〃
  says　I。　〃There's　rizzons；〃　says　he；　an'　lays　his　forefinger　upo'　the
  side　o'　's　nose；　o'　whilk　there　was　hardly　eneuch　to　haud　it　ohn
  gane　intil　the　opposit　ee。　〃We're　no　far　frae　there；〃　says　Ian'
  deed　I　can　hardly　tell　ye；　Robert；　what　garred　me　say　sae；　but　I
  jist　wantit　to　ken　what　that　gentleman…brither　o'　mine　was　efter；
  〃tak　the　horse　hame；〃　says　I〃I'll　jist　loup　upo'　Black
  Geordiean'　we'll　hae　a　glaiss　thegither。　　I'll　stan'　treat。〃　　Sae
  he　gae　me　the　bridle；　an'　I　lap　on。　　The　deevil　tried　to　get　a
  moufu'　o'　my　hip；　but；　faith！　　I　was　ower　swack　for　'im；　an'　awa　we
  rade。'
  'I　didna　ken　'at　ye　cud　ride；　Shargar。'
  'Hoots！　　I　cudna　help　it。　　I　was　aye　takin'　the　horse　to　the　watter
  at　The　Boar's　Heid；　or　The　Royal　Oak；　or　Lucky　Happit's；　or　The
  Aucht　an'　Furty。　　That's　hoo　I　cam　to　ken　Jock　sae　weel。　　We　war
  guid　eneuch　frien's　whan　I　didna　care　for　leein'　or　sweirin'；　an'
  sic　like。'
  'And　what　on　earth　did　ye　want　wi'　'im　noo？'
  'I　tell　ye　I　wantit　to　ken　what　that　ne'er…do…weel　brither　o'　mine
  was　efter。　　I　had　seen　the　horses　stan'in'　aboot　twa　or　three　times
  i'　the　gloamin'；　an'　Sandy　maun　be　aboot　ill　gin　he　be　aboot
  onything。'
  'What　can　't　maitter　to　you；　Shargar；　what　a　man　like　him　's　aboot？'
  'Weel；　ye　see；　Robert；　my　mither　aye　broucht　me　up　to　ken　a'　'at
  fowk　was　aboot；　for　she　said　ye　cud　never　tell　whan　it　micht　turn
  oot　to　the　weelfaur　o'　yer　advantagegran'　words！I　wonner　whaur
  she　forgathert　wi'　them。　　But　she　was　a　terrible　wuman；　my　mither；
  an'　kent　a　heap　o'　thingsmair　nor　'twas　gude　to　ken；　maybe。　　She
  gaed　aboot　the　country　sae　muckle；　an'　they　say　the　gipsies　she　gaed
  amang　's　a　dreadfu'　auld　fowk；　an'　hae　the　wisdom　o'　the　Egyptians
  'at　Moses　wad　hae　naething　to　do　wi'。'
  'Whaur　is　she　noo？'
  'I　dinna　ken。　　She　may　turn　up　ony　day。'
  'There's　ae　thing；　though；　Shargar：　gin　ye　want　to　be　a　gentleman；
  ye　maunna　gang　keekin'　that　gate　intil　ither　fowk's　affairs。'
  'Weel；　I　maun　gie　't　up。　　I　winna　say　a　word　o'　what　Jock　Mitchell
  tellt　me　aboot　Lord　Sandy。'
  'Ow；　say　awa'。'
  'Na；　na；　ye　wadna　like　to　hear　aboot　ither　fowk's　affairs。　　My
  mither　tellt　me　he　did　verra　ill　efter　Watterloo　till　a　fremt
  （stranger）　lass　at　Brussels。　　But　that's　neither　here　nor　there。　　I
  maun　set　aboot　my　version；　or　I　winna　get　it　dune　the　nicht。'
  'What　is　Lord　Sandy　after？　　What　did　the　rascal　tell　you？　　Why　do
  you　make　such　a　mystery　of　it？'　said　Robert；　authoritatively；　and　in
  his　best　English。
  ''Deed　I　cudna　mak　naething　o'　'm。　　He　winkit　an'　he　mintit　（hinted）
  an'　he　gae　me　to　unnerstan'　'at　the　deevil　was　efter　some　lass　or
  ither；　but　whamy　lad　was　as　dumb　's　the　graveyard　about　that。　　Gin
  I　cud　only　win　at　that；　maybe　I　cud　play　him　a　plisky。　　But　he
  coupit　ower　three　glasses　o'　whusky；　an'　the　mair　he　drank　the　less
  he　wad　say。　　An'　sae　I　left　him。'
  'Well；　take　care　what　you're　about；　Shargar。　　I　don't　think　Dr。
  Anderson　would　like　you　to　be　in　such　company；'　said　Robert；　and
  Shargar　departed　to　his　own　room　and　his　version。
  Towards　the　end　of　the　session　Miss　St。　John's　reports　of　Ericson
  were　worse。　　Yet　he　was　very　hopeful　himself；　and　thought　he　was
  getting　better　fast。　　Every　relapse　he　regarded　as　temporary；　and
  when　he　got　a　little　better；　thought　he　had　recovered　his　original
  position。　　It　was　some　relief　to　Miss　St。　John　to　communicate　her
  anxiety　to　Robert。
  After　the　distribution　of　the　prizes；　of　which　he　gained　three；
  Robert　went　the　same　evening　to　visit　Dr。　Anderson；　intending　to　go
  home　the　next　day。　　The　doctor　gave　him　five　golden　sovereignsa
  rare　sight　in　Scotland。　　Robert　little　thought　in　what　service　he
  was　about　to　spend　them。
  CHAPTER　XXII。
  ROBERT　IN　ACTION。
  It　was　late　when　he　left　his　friend。　　As　he　walked　through　the
  Gallowgate；　an　ancient　narrow　street；　full　of　low　courts；　some　one
  touched　him　upon　the　arm。　　He　looked　round。　　It　was　a　young　woman。
  He　turned　again　to　walk　on。
  'Mr　Faukner；'　she　said；　in　a　trembling　voice；　which　Robert　thought
  he　had　heard　before。
  He　stopped。
  'I　don't　know　you；'　he　said。　'I　can't　see　your　face。　　Tell　me　who
  you　are。'
  She　returned　no　answer；　but　stood　with　her　head　aside。　　He　could　see
  that　her　hands　shook。
  'What　do　you　want　with　meif　you　won't　say　who　you　are？'
  'I　want　to　tell　you　something；'　she　said；　'but　I　canna　speyk　here。
  Come　wi'　me。'
  'I　won't　go　with　you　without　knowing　who　you　are　or　where　you're
  going　to　take　me。'
  'Dinna　ye　ken　me？'　she　said　pitifully；　turning　a　little　towards　the
  light　of　the　gas…lamp；　and　looking　up　in　his　face。
  'It　canna　be　Jessie　Hewson？'　said　Robert；　his　heart　swelling　at　the
  sight　of　the　pale　worn　countenance　of　the　girl。
  'I　was　Jessie　Hewson　ance；'　she　said；　'but　naebody　here　kens　me　by
  that　name　but　yersel'。　　Will　ye　come　in？　　There's　no　a　crater　i'　the
  hoose　but　mysel'。'
  Robert　turned　at　once。　'Go　on；'　he　said。
  She　led　the　way　up　a　narrow　stone　stair　between　two　houses。　　A　door
  high　up　in　the　gable　admitted　them。　　The　boards　bent　so　much　under
  his　weight　that　Robert　feared　the　floor　would　fall。
  'Bide　ye　there；　sir；　till　I　fess　a　licht；'　she　said。
  This　was　Robert's　first　introduction　to　a　phase　of　human　life　with
  which　he　became　familiar　afterwards。
  'Mind　hoo　ye　gang；　sir；'　she　resumed；　returning　with　a　candle。
  'There's　nae　flurin'　there。　　Haud　i'　the　middle　efter　me；　or　ye'll
  gang　throu。'
  She　led　him　into　a　room；　with　nothing　in　it　but　a　bed；　a　table；　and
  a　chair。　　On　the　table　was　a　half…made　shirt。　　In　the　bed　lay　a　tiny
  baby；　fast　asleep。　　It　had　been　locked　up　alone　in　the　dreary
  garret。　　Robert　approached　to　look　at　the　child；　for　his　heart　felt
  very　warm　to　poor　Jessie。
  'A　bonnie　bairnie；'　he　said；
  'Isna　he；　sir？　　Think　o'　'im　comin'　to　me！　　Nobody　can　tell　the
  mercy　o'　't。　　Isna　it　strange　that　the　verra　sin　suld　bring　an　angel
  frae　haven　upo'　the　back　o'　't　to　uphaud　an'　restore　the　sinner？
  Fowk　thinks　it's　a　punishment；　but　eh　me！　it's　a　mercifu'　ane。
  It's　a　wonner　he　didna　think　shame　to　come　to　me。　　But　he　cam　to
  beir　my　shame。'
  Robert　wondered　at　her　words。　　She　talked　of　her　sin　with　such　a
  meek　openness！　　She　looked　her　shame　in　the　face；　and　acknowledged
  it　hers。　　Had　she　been　less　weak　and　worn；　perhaps　she　could　not
  have　spoken　thus。
  'But　what　am　I　aboot！'　she　said；　checking　herself。　'I　didna　fess　ye