say sae!)
and sae she bade me God speed, and she wanted to stap siller into my
hand;--I'se warrant it was the tae half o' her fee and bountith, for she
wared the ither half on pinners and pearlings to gang to see us shoot yon
day at the popinjay."

"And did you take it, Cuddie?" said Morton.

"Troth did I no, Milnwood; I was sic a fule as to fling it back to
her--my heart was ower grit to be behadden to her, when I had seen that
loon slavering and kissing at her. But I was a great fule for my pains;
it wad hae dune my mither and me some gude, and she'll ware't a' on duds
and nonsense."

There was here a deep and long pause. Cuddie was probably engaged in
regretting the rejection of his mistress's bounty, and Henry Morton in
considering from what motives, or upon what conditions, Miss Bellenden
had succeeded in procuring the interference of Lord Evandale in his
favour.

Was it not possible, suggested his awakening hopes, that he had construed
her influence over Lord Evandale hastily and unjustly? Ought he to
censure her severely, if, submitting to dissimulation for his sake, she
had permitted the young nobleman to entertain hopes which she had no
intention to realize? Or what if she had appealed to the generosity which
Lord Evandale was supposed to possess, and had engaged his honour to
protect the person of a favoured rival?

Still, however, the words which he had overheard recurred ever and anon
to his remembrance, with a pang which resembled the sting of an adder.

"Nothing that she could refuse him!--was it possible to make a more
unlimited declaration of predilection? The language of affection has not,
within the limits of maidenly delicacy, a stronger expression. She is
lost to me wholly, and for ever; and nothing remains for me now, but
vengeance for my own wrongs, and for those which are hourly inflicted on
my country."

Apparently, Cuddie, though with less refinement, was following out a
similar train of ideas; for he suddenly asked Morton in a low
whisper--"Wad there be ony ill in getting out o' thae chields' hands an
ane could compass it?"

"None in the world," said Morton; "and if an opportunity occurs of doing
so, depend on it I for one will not let it slip."

"I'm blythe to hear ye say sae," answered Cuddie. "I'm but a puir silly
fallow, but I canna think there wad be muckle ill in breaking out by
strength o' hand, if ye could mak it ony thing feasible. I am the lad
that will ne'er fear to lay o