e of this, but took the Counsellor's pledge as
a mark of especial favour in her behalf (which it may have been to some
extent), and thanked him for it most heartily, and felt that he had
earned the necklace; while he, like an ancient gentleman, disclaimed all
obligation, and sent her under an escort safe to her own cart again.
But Annie, repassing the sentinels, with her youth restored and blooming
with the flush of triumph, went up to them very gravely, and said,
"The old hag wishes you good-evening, gentlemen"; and so made her best
curtsey.

Now, look at it as I would, there was no excuse left for me, after the
promise given. Dear Annie had not only cheated the Doones, but also had
gotten the best of me, by a pledge to a thing impossible. And I bitterly
said, "I am not like Lorna: a pledge once given, I keep it."

"I will not have a word against Lorna," cried Annie; "I will answer for
her truth as surely as I would for my own or yours, John." And with that
she vanquished me.

But when my poor mother heard that I was committed, by word of honour,
to a wild-goose chase, among the rebels, after that runagate Tom Faggus,
she simply stared, and would not believe it. For lately I had joked with
her, in a little style of jerks, as people do when out of sorts; and
she, not understanding this, and knowing jokes to be out of my power,
would only look, and sigh, and toss, and hope that I meant nothing. At
last, however, we convinced her that I was in earnest, and must be off
in the early morning, and leave John Fry with the hay crop.

Then mother was ready to fall upon Annie, as not content with disgracing
us, by wedding a man of new honesty (if indeed of any), but laying traps
to catch her brother, and entangle him perhaps to his death, for the
sake of a worthless fellow; and "felon"--she was going to say, as by the
shape of her lips I knew. But I laid my hand upon dear mother's lips;
because what must be, must be; and if mother and daughter stayed at
home, better in love than in quarrelling.

Right early in the morning, I was off, without word to any one; knowing
that mother and sister mine had cried each her good self to sleep;
relenting when the light was out, and sorry for hard words and thoughts;
and yet too much alike in nature to understand each other. Therefore
I took good Kickums, who (although with one eye spoiled) was worth ten
sweet-tempered horses, to a man who knew how to manage him; and being
well charged bo