himself.

"I will never complain of the country of my friend," said she, and spoke
it out with an accent so particular that I seemed to see the look upon
her face.

I caught in my breath sharp and came near falling (for my pains) on the
black ice.

"I do not know what _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 me,
it has been the best day yet."

"It was a good 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 am thinking I
am safest where I am with you."

"I am quite forgiven, then?" I asked.

"Will you not forgive me that time so much as not to take it in your
mouth again?" 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 came to my knowledge; and I
wonder that you can indulge yourself in such bairnly whims. Here is a
young 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 any one can see that knew us both before and after."

But Catriona stopped square in the midst of the highway.

"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 me that politeness to talk of other
things."

I was the most nonplussed person in this world; but I bethought me that
she depended altogether on my help, that she was of the frail sex, and
not so much beyond a child, and it was for me to be wise for the pair of
us.

"My dear girl," 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 mind to it, and I believe it was
yourself began it. My only design (if I took you up at all) was for your
own improvement, for