"Puir lassie!" said Malcolm, whose own trouble had never at any
time rendered him insensible to that of others. "But is't onybody
'at kens what he says?" he pursued.

"Weel, I dinna jist richtly ken gien she kens, but I think she
maun ha'e gude rizzon, or she wadna say as she says. Oh me! me!
my bairnie 'ill be scornin' me sair whan he comes to ken. Ma'colm,
ye're the only ane 'at disna luik doon upo' me, an whan ye cam'
ower the tap o' the Boar's Tail, it was like an angel in a fire
flaucht, an' something inside me said--Tell 'im; tell 'im; an'
sae I bude to tell ye."

Malcolm was even too simple to feel flattered by the girl's confidence,
though to be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.

"Hearken, Lizzy!" he said. "I canna e'en think, wi' this brute ready
ilka meenute to ate me up. I maun tak' her hame. Efter that, gien
ye wad like to tell me onything, I s' be at yer service. Bide aboot
here--or, luik ye: here's the key o' yon door; come throu' that
intil the park--throu' aneth the toll ro'd, ye ken. There ye'll
get into the lythe (lee) wi' the bairnie; an' I'll be wi' ye in a
quarter o' an hoor. It'll tak' me but twa meenutes to gang hame.
Stoat 'ill put up the mere, and I'll be back--I can du't in ten
meenutes."

"Eh! dinna hurry for me, Ma'colm: I'm no worth it," said Lizzy.

But Malcolm was already at full speed along the top of the dune.

"Lord preserve 's!" cried Lizzy, when she saw him clear the brass