'a
gentleman and a man of honour.'"

With this recognition, so worthy of her generous nature, she looked
at me so proudly that I would have given anything to kneel at her
feet and confess it was only the fact of being "a gentleman and a
man of honour" which prevented me answering the love that glowed
from every feature of her sweet face and throbbed in every pulse
of her ardent young body with the burning words that trembled on
my sealed lips.

"Oh, Margaret, sweet Margaret! I cannot say what I would. I dare
hardly think what I would. Everything is against me!"

"Not everything," she answered, quickly--"not everything, unless
I am nothing! I am with you heart and soul! No, you cannot speak,
because you have no position, and perhaps no future. But I can!
Oh, Hugh, Hugh! I care nothing about it being unmaidenly; I cannot
mind such matters when my heart is breaking. I love you with all
my soul and with all my life. I will think of you every hour you
are away from me, and pray for you every hour until God brings you
back. Oh, Hugh, tell me-tell me you love me!"

"No, miss! Master Hughie shall do nothing of the sort!" interrupted
Lady Jane, who had come in unmarked. "Any man who wishes to do
any love-making, so far as Margaret Nairn is concerned, must first
do so through me.

"There, there! Peggy, my pet--my wee girlie. You may kiss him once
for your poor heart's comfort; and then, my lambie, leave my boy
to me; I am the only mother he has. There, dearie, go now," she
said, tenderly, when I had kissed her as one might kiss a saint;
and without a word Margaret left the room with my cousin, and it
and my heart were empty.

Lady Jane was generous, as was her wont: all that money could do
to make my departure easy was done; and most of all, she comforted
me as a mother might comfort a son--indeed, as she had said to
Margaret, she was the only mother I had ever known.

Again she told me plainly that I must not cherish any hopes upon
her death beyond such humble provision as she might spare. "Margaret
is my daughter, Hughie; and if you are the man I take you for, you
would not deprive her of whatever money may bring."

"Cousin," said I, "I am going away for her sake, for her peace of
mind alone; and if I am content to bury myself alive for this now,
think you I'll regret any other good that can come to her? I love
her with my whole heart and soul, and the greatest bitterness I
have to bear is that I am prevented from d