-fingered hand, which she
withdrew, at once, to give to John Cather, who was most warm and
voluble in greeting. I was by this hurt; but John Cather was
differently affected: it seemed he did not care. He must be off to
the hills, says he, and he must go alone, instantly, at the peril
of his composure, to dwell with his mind, says he, upon the thoughts
that most elevated and gratified him. I watched him off upon the
Whisper Cove road with improper satisfaction, for, thinks I, most
ungenerously, I might now, without the embarrassment of his presence,
which she had hitherto rejected, possess Judith's lips; but the
maid was shy and perverse, and would have none of it, apprising me
sweetly of her determination.

By this I was again offended.

"Judy," says my uncle, when we were within, "fetch the bottle. Fetch
the bottle, maid!" cries he; "for 'tis surely an occasion."

Judith went to the pantry.

"Dannie," my uncle inquired, leaning eagerly close when she was gone
from the room, "is ye been good?"

'Twas a question put in anxious doubt: I hesitated--wondering whether
or not I had been good.

"Isn't ye?" says he. "Ye'll tell _me_, won't ye? I'll love ye none the
less for the evil ye've done."

Still I could not answer.

"I've been wantin' t' know," says he, his three-fingered fist softly
beating the table, shaking in an intense agitation of suspense. "I've
been waitin' an' waitin' for months--jus' t' hear ye say!"

I was conscious of no evil accomplished.

"Ye've a eye, Dannie!" says he.

I exposed my soul.

"That's good," says he, emphatically; "that's very good. I 'low I've
fetched ye up very well."

Judith came with the bottle and little brown jug: she had displaced me
from this occupation.

"O' course," says my uncle, in somewhat doubtful and ungenerous
invitation, "ye'll be havin' a little darn ol' rum with a ol'
shipmate. Ye've doubtless learned manners abroad," says he.

'Twas a delight to hear the fond fellow tempt me against his will: I
smiled.

"Jus' a little darn, Dannie," he repeated, but in no convivial way.
"Jus' a little nip--with a ol' shipmate?"

I laughed most heartily to see Judith's sisterly concern for me.

"A wee drop?" my uncle insisted, more confidently.

"I'm not used to it, sir," says I.

"That's good," he declared; "that's very good. Give the devil his due,
Dannie: I've fetched ye up very well."

'Twas with delight he challenged a disputation....

*