g himself to say so. It is one of the poorest of
human weaknesses that a man should be ashamed of saying he has done
wrong, instead of so ashamed of having done wrong that he cannot rest
till he has said so; for the shame cleaves fast until the confession
removes it.

Forgue walked away a step or two, and stood with his back to Donal,
poking the point of his stick into the grass. All at once he turned
and said:

"I will apologize if you will tell me one thing."

"I will tell you whether you apologize or not," said Donal. "I have
never asked you to apologize."

"Tell me then why you did not return either of my blows yesterday."

"I should like to know why you ask--but I will answer you: simply
because to do so would have been to disobey my master."

"That's a sort of thing I don't understand. But I only wanted to know
it was not cowardice; I could not make an apology to a coward."

"If I were a coward, you would owe me an apology all the same, and he
is a poor creature who will not pay his debts. But I hope it is not
necessary I should either thrash or insult your lordship to convince
you I fear you no more than that blackbird there!"

Forgue gave a little laugh. A moment's pause followed. Then he held
out his hand, but in a half-hesitating, almost sheepish way:

"Well, well! shake hands," he said.

"No, my lord," returned Donal. "I bear your lordship not the slightest
ill-will, but I will shake hands with no one in a half-hearted way, and
no other way is possible while you are uncertain whether I am a coward
or not."

So saying, he threw himself again upon the grass, and lord Forgue
walked away, offended afresh.

The next morning he came into the school-room where Donal sat at
lessons with Davie. He had a book in his hand.

"Mr. Grant," he said, "will you help me with this passage in Xenophon?"

"With all my heart," answered Donal, and in a few moments had him out
of his difficulty.

But instead of going, his lordship sat down a little way off, and went
on with his reading--sat until master and pupil went out, and left him
sitting there. The next morning he came with a fresh request, and
Donal found occasion to approve warmly of a translation he proposed.
From that time he came almost every morning. He was no great scholar,
but with the prospect of an English university before him, thought it
better to read a little.

The housekeeper at the castle was a good woman, and very kind to Donal,
f