reasons which may probably occur to the reader prevented him
from catechising Janet in the presence of the Baron.

He now commenced the task in good earnest; and the first question was,
Who was the young lady that visited the hut during his illness? Janet
paused for a little; and then observed, that to keep the secret now would
neither do good nor ill to anybody.

'It was just a leddy that hasna her equal in the world--Miss Rose
Bradwardine!'

'Then Miss Rose was probably also the author of my deliverance,' inferred
Waverley, delighted at the confirmation of an idea which local
circumstances had already induced him to entertain.

'I wot weel, Mr. Wauverley, and that was she e'en; but sair, sair angry
and affronted wad she hae been, puir thing, if she had thought ye had
been ever to ken a word about the matter; for she gar'd me speak aye
Gaelic when ye was in hearing, to mak ye trow we were in the Hielands. I
can speak it weil eneugh, for my mother was a Hieland woman.'

A few more questions now brought out the whole mystery respecting
Waverley's deliverance from the bondage in which he left Cairnvreckan.
Never did music sound sweeter to an amateur than the drowsy tautology
with which old Janet detailed every circumstance thrilled upon the ears
of Waverley. But my reader is not a lover and I must spare his patience,
by attempting to condense within reasonable compass the narrative which
old Janet spread through a harangue of nearly two hours.

When Waverley communicated to Fergus the letter he had received from Rose
Bradwardine by Davie Gellatley, giving an account of Tully-Veolan being
occupied by a small party of soldiers, that circumstance had struck upon
the busy and active mind of the Chieftain. Eager to distress and narrow
the posts of the enemy, desirous to prevent their establishing a garrison
so near him, and willing also to oblige the Baron--for he often had the
idea of marriage with Rose floating through his brain--he resolved to
send some of his people to drive out the red-coats and to bring Rose to
Glennaquoich. But just as he had ordered Evan with a small party on this
duty, the news of Cope's having marched into the Highlands, to meet and
disperse the forces of the Chevalier ere they came to a head, obliged him
to join the standard with his whole forces.

He sent to order Donald Bean to attend him; but that cautious freebooter,
who well understood the value of a separate command, instead of joining,