er and
Robertson. After a long pause:

"And he wanted you to say something to you folks that wad save my young
life?" said Effie.

"He wanted," said Jeannie, "that I shuld be mansworn!"

"And you tauld him," said Effie, "that ye wadna hear o' coming between
me and death, and me no aughteen year auld yet?"

"I dinna deserve this frae ye, Effie," said her sister, feeling the
injustice of the reproach and compassion for the state of mind which
dictated it.

"Maybe no, sister," said Effie. "But ye are angry because I love
Robertson. Sure am I, if it had stude wi' him as it stands wi' you----"

"O if it stude wi' me to save ye wi' the risk of _my_ life!" said
Jeannie.

"Ay, lass," said her sister, "that's lightly said, but no sae lightly
credited frae ane that winna ware a word for me; and if it be a wrang
word, ye'll hae time enough to repent o' 't."

"But that word is a grievous sin."

"Well, weel, Jeannie, never speak mair o' 't," said the prisoner. "It's
as weel as it is. And gude-day, sister. Ye keep Mr. Ratcliffe waiting
on. Ye'll come back and see me, I reckon, before----"

"And are we to part in this way," said Jeannie, "and you in sic deadly
peril? O, Effie, look but up and say what ye wad hae me do, and I could
find it in my heart amaist to say I wad do 't."

"No, Jeannie," said her sister, with an effort. "I'm better minded now.
God knows, in my sober mind, I wadna' wuss any living creature to do a
wrang thing to save my life!"

But when Jeannie was called to give her evidence next day, Effie, her
whole expression altered to imploring, almost ecstatic earnestness of
entreaty, exclaimed, in a tone that went through all hearts:

"O Jeannie, Jeannie, save me, save me!"

Jeannie suddenly extended her hand to her sister, who covered it with
kisses and bathed it with tears; while Jeannie wept bitterly.

It was some time before the judge himself could subdue his own emotion
and administer the oath: "The truth to tell, and no truth to conceal, in
the name of God, and as the witness should answer to God at the great
Day of Judgement." Jeannie, educated in devout reverence for the name of
the Deity, was awed, but at the same time elevated above all
considerations save those to which she could, with a clear conscience,
call him to witness. Therefore, though she turned deadly pale, and
though the counsel took every means to make it easy for her to bear
false witness, she replied to his question as to what E