off
his hat to us and (with a face like one of the damned) bade us farewell
in a series. With which he was gone.

At the same time a spell was lifted from me.

"Catriona," I cried, "it was me--it was my sword. O, are ye much hurt?"

"I know it, Davie, I am loving you for the pain of it; it was done
defending that bad man, my father. See!" she said, and showed me a
bleeding scratch, "see, you have made a man of me now. I will carry a
wound like an old soldier."

Joy that she should be so little hurt, and the love of her brave nature,
transported me. I embraced her, I kissed the wound.

"And am I to be out of the kissing, me that never lost a chance?" says
Alan; and putting me aside and taking Catriona by either shoulder, "My
dear," he said, "you're a true daughter of Alpin. By all accounts, he
was a very fine man, and he may weel be proud of you. If ever I was to
get married, it's the marrow of you I would be seeking for a mother to
my sons. And I bear a king's name and speak the truth."

He said it with a serious heat of admiration that was honey to the girl,
and, through her, to me. It seemed to wipe us clean of all James More's
disgraces. And the next moment he was just himself again.

"And now by your leave, my dawties," said he, "this is a' very bonny;
but Alan Breck'll be a wee thing nearer to the gallows than he's caring
for; and, Dod! I think this is a grand place to be leaving."

The word recalled us to some wisdom. Alan ran upstairs and returned with
our saddle-bags and James More's portmanteau; I picked up Catriona's
bundle where she had dropped it on the stair; and we were setting forth
out of that dangerous house, when Bazin stopped the way with cries and
gesticulations. He had whipped under a table when the swords were drawn,
but now he was as bold as a lion. There was his bill to be settled,
there was a chair broken, Alan had sat among his dinner things, James
More had fled.

"Here," I cried, "pay yourself," and flung him down some Lewie d'ors;
for I thought it was no time to be accounting.

He sprang upon that money, and we passed him by, and ran forth into the
open. Upon three sides of the house were seamen hasting and closing in;
a little nearer to us James More waved his hat as if to hurry them; and
right behind him, like some foolish person holding up its hands, were
the sails of the windmill turning.

Alan gave but the one glance, and laid himself down to run. He carried a
great weight