at leeberty to tell ye hoo I cam to
be.--Dinna think, sir, 'at I'm ane to haud a lass til her word whan her
hert disna back it; I wud hae said naething aboot it, but jist borne
the hert-brak wi' the becomin' silence, for greitin' nor ragin' men' no
nets, nor tak the life o' nae dogfish. But it's God's trowth, sir, I'm
terrible feart for the lassie hersel'. She's that ta'en up wi' him,
they tell me, 'at she can think o' naething but him; an' he's a yoong
lord, no a puir lad like me--an' that's what fears me!"

A great dread and a great compassion together laid hold of Donal, but
he did not speak.

"Gien it cam to that," resumed Stephen, "I doobt the fisher-lad wud win
her better breid nor my lord; for gien a' tales be true, he wud hae to
work for his ain breid; the castel 's no his, nor canna be 'cep' he
merry the leddy o' 't. But it's no merryin' Eppy he'll be efter, or
ony the likes o' 'im!"

"You don't surely hint," said Donal, "that there's anything between her
and lord Forgue? She must be an idle girl to take such a thing into
her head!"

"I wuss weel she hae ta'en 't intil her heid! she'll get it the easier
oot o' her hert? But 'deed, sir, I'm sair feart! I speakna o' 't for
my ain sake; for gien there be trowth intil't, there can never be mair
'atween her and me! But, eh, sir, the peety o' 't wi' sic a bonny
lass!--for he canna mean fair by her! Thae gran' fowk does fearsome
things! It's sma' won'er 'at whiles the puir fowk rises wi' a roar,
an' tears doon a', as they did i' France!"

"All you say is quite true; but the charge is such a serious one!"

"It is that, sir! But though it be true, I'm no gaein' to mak it
'afore the warl'."

"You are right there: it could do no good."

"I fear it may du as little whaur I am gaein' to mak it! I'm upo' my
ro'd to gar my lord gie an accoont o' himsel'. Faith, gien it bena a
guid ane, I'll thraw the neck o' 'im! It's better me to hang, nor her
to gang disgraced, puir thing! She can be naething mair to me, as I
say; but I wud like weel the wringin' o' a lord's neck! It wud be like
killin' a shark!"

"Why do you tell me this?" asked Donal.

"'Cause I look to you to get me to word o' the man."

"That you may wring his neck?--You should not have told me that: I
should be art and part in his murder!"

"Wud ye hae me lat the lassie tak her chance ohn dune onything?" said
the fisherman with scorn.

"By no means. I would do something myself whoever t