s as
he passed under the gateway, and the arms that clung round his waist
clasped him fervently; but neither ventured on a word, amid Kennedy's
escort, and they rode on a couple of miles in the same silence. Then
Kennedy, pausing, said, 'There lies your way, Brother. Tam, you may show
the scholar the way to the Gray Friars' Grange, bear them greetings frae
me, and halt till ye hear from me. Fare ye well.'

Lilias trusted her voice to say, 'Blessings on ye, Sir, for all ye have
done for me,' but Malcolm thought it wiser in his character of retainer
to respond only by a bow.

Of course they understood that the direction Kennedy gave was the very
one they were not to take, but they followed it till a tall bush of gorse
hid them from the escort; and then Malcolm, grasping his sister's hand,
plunged down among the rowans, ferns, and hazels, that covered the steep
bank of the river, and so soon as a footing was gained under shelter of a
tall rock, threw his arms round her, almost sobbing in an under-tone, 'My
Lily, my tittie!--safe at last! Oh, God be thanked! I knew her prayers
would be heard! Oh, would that Patrick were here!' Then, as her face
changed and quivered ready to weep, he cried, 'Eh, what! art still
deeming him dead?'

'How!' she cried wildly. 'He fell into the hands of your English, and--'

'He fell into the hands of your King and mine,' said Malcolm. 'Yes, King
James dragged him out of the burning house, and wrung his pardon out of
King Harry. He came with me to St. Abbs to fetch you, Lily, and only
went back because his knighthood would not serve in this quest like my
clerkship.'

'Patrick living, Patrick safe! Oh!' she fell on her knees among the
ferns, hid her face in her hands, and drew a long breath. 'Malcolm, this
is joy overmuch. The desolation of yesterday, the joy to-day!'

Malcolm, seeing her like one stifled by emotion, fell on his knees beside
her, and whispered forth a thanksgiving. She rested with her head on his
shoulder in content till he started up, saying in a lively manner, 'Come,
Lily, we must be on our way. A very bonnie young clerk you are, with
your berry-brown locks cut so short round your face.'

Lilias blushed up to the short dark curls she had left herself. 'Had I
thought he lived, I could scarce have done it.'

'What, not to get to him, silly maid? Here,' as he shook out and donned
the gown he had brought rolled up, 'now am I a scholar too. Stay, you
must t