ll stand no more baiting," he broke out. "I am
sick of her and you. What kind of a damned trade is this to be a parent!
I have had expressions used to me----" There he broke off. "Sir, this is
the heart of a soldier and a parent," he went on again, laying his hand
on his bosom, "outraged in both characters--and I bid you beware."

"If you would have let me finish," says I, "you would have found I spoke
for your advantage."

"My dear friend," he cried, "I know I might have relied upon the
generosity of your character."

"Man! will you let me speak?" said I. "The fact is that I cannot win to
find out if you are rich or poor. But it is my idea that your means, as
they are mysterious in their source, so they are something insufficient
in amount; and I do not choose your daughter to be lacking. If I durst
speak to herself, you may be certain I would never dream of trusting it
to you; because I know you like the back of my hand, and all your
blustering talk is that much wind to me. However, I believe in your way
you do still care something for your daughter after all; and I must just
be doing with that ground of confidence, such as it is."

Whereupon, I arranged with him that he was to communicate with me, as to
his whereabouts and Catriona's welfare, in consideration of which I was
to serve him a small stipend.

He heard the business out with a great deal of eagerness; and when it
was done, "My dear fellow, my dear son," he cried out, "this is more
like yourself than any of it yet! I will serve you with a soldier's
faithfulness----"

"Let me hear no more of it!" says I. "You have got me to that pitch that
the bare name of soldier rises on my stomach. Our traffic is settled; I
am now going forth and will return in one half-hour, when I expect to
find my chambers purged of you."

I gave them good measure of time; it was my one fear that I might see
Catriona again, because tears and weakness were ready in my heart, and I
cherished my anger like a piece of dignity. Perhaps an hour went by; the
sun had gone down, a little wisp of a new moon was following it across a
scarlet sunset; already there were stars in the east, and in my
chambers, when at last I entered them, the night lay blue. I lit a taper
and reviewed the rooms; in the first there remained nothing so much as
to awake a memory of those who were gone; but in the second, in a corner
of the floor, I spied a little heap that brought my heart into my mouth.
She had