ation she shall hear just so much
as I think convenient for a maid of her age and inexperience. Believe
me, you will be in that way much better served than you could serve
yourself, for I will keep the big feet out of the platter."

"You know where she is, then?" I exclaimed.

"That I do, Mr. David, and will never tell," said she.

"Why that?" I asked.

"Well," she said, "I am a good friend, as you will soon discover; and
the chief of those that I am a friend to is my papa. I assure you, you
will never heat nor melt me out of that, so you may spare me your
sheep's eyes; and adieu to your David-Balfourship for the now."

"But there is yet one thing more," I cried. "There is one thing that
must be stopped, being mere ruin to herself, and to me too."

"Well," she said, "be brief, I have spent half the day on you already."

"My Lady Allardyce believes," I began, "she supposes--she thinks that I
abducted her."

The colour came into Miss Grant's face, so that at first I was quite
abashed to find her ear so delicate, till I bethought me she was
struggling rather with mirth, a notion in which I was altogether
confirmed by the shaking of her voice as she replied--

"I will take up the defence of your reputation," said she. "You may
leave it in my hands."

And with that she withdrew out of the library.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XX

I CONTINUE TO MOVE IN GOOD SOCIETY

For about exactly two months I remained a guest in Prestongrange's
family, where I bettered my acquaintance with the bench, the bar, and
the flower of Edinburgh company. You are not to suppose my education was
neglected, on the contrary I was kept extremely busy. I studied the
French, so as to be more prepared to go to Leyden; I set myself to the
fencing, and wrought hard, sometimes three hours in the day, with
notable advancement; at the suggestion of my cousin, Pilrig, who was an
apt musician, I was put to a singing class, and by the orders of my Miss
Grant, to one for the dancing, at which. I must say I proved far from
ornamental. However, all were good enough to say it gave me an address a
little more genteel; and there is no question but I learned to manage my
coat skirts and sword with more dexterity, and to stand in a room as
though the same belonged to me. My clothes themselves were all earnestly
re-ordered; and the most trifling circumstance, such as where I should
tie my hair, or the colour of my ribbon, deb