nd that was cheering--just to know that I was in his mind.
About London--when he went there afterward--I wasn't so sure. But it was
the happiest day in my life when he suddenly appeared at Ballachulish.
He came just in time, it seemed, to save me as he had saved me before. I
could hardly keep from showing how I adored him. As he had come such a
long way and had done so much for my sake, I thought that perhaps after
all he did care, though it seemed too wonderful to be true. Now and
then, while we were waiting to hear what Barbara would say about the
invitation to Dhrum, there was a look in his eyes that made me feel the
heather moon had been my true friend. He was changed, too, not hard and
cynical as he used to be, but kind and gentle to every one, as if he had
begun to see what a beautiful place the world can be.

This made it worse when Mrs. West came, and explained that all he had
done for me was for duty, not for love: that he loved her, and I had
spoiled everything for them both. Mrs. West said that he would stick to
his duty at all costs, until I was actually married, so I was glad then,
instead of sorry as I had been before, that Basil wanted me. I saw that
she was right, and the sooner it was over the better. But I didn't dare
think about the future. I just went on blindly, and did what Basil and
Mrs. West told me to do. Nothing seemed to matter except to show my
knight that after all my selfishness and thoughtlessness and conceit I
had freed him.

I would rather have been married anywhere than at Gretna Green, but
Basil had set his heart on that place.

We told my knight that Barbara was making me go away at once with Mrs.
West and Basil; or rather, I let them explain. I couldn't. I was afraid
I should break down, and he would see how wretched I was. It was all I
could do to say "good-bye." It nearly killed me to see the hurt,
surprised look on his face. Even now I can hardly write of that.

Basil had found out about the marriage laws. We had been in Scotland for
three weeks, and all we had to do, if we wanted to be married in a
hurry, was to declare before two witnesses who knew us both, that we
took each other as husband and wife. We could have done it just as well
at Ballachulish if Basil hadn't been determined it should be Gretna
Green; but afterward I thought that he, or perhaps Mrs. West, had felt
it would be better to have the wedding far away from my knight, who
called himself my guardian, and might