shall we go into the house? I will do all that
I can to help you--so help me God!" said John with a groan, fearing that
he was past help.

"No, I will not sit down. Sometime I will tell you all my story, but
not to-night. This is what I must tell you. It was in our parish of
Kilgower where Mr Crombie laid down his wife. There he heard something
of Allison Bain. He saw the man who married me against my will--who has
sworn to find me and to take me home to his house, alive or dead. It
was in my hearing that he took that oath. But whether Mr Crombie
really knows about me, or whether he was only speaking for the sake of
saying something, or whether it was to find me out, or to warn me, I
cannot say. And oh! I have been so safe here, and I have come to
myself among these kind people."

"What do you wish me to do?" said John, as she paused.

"If Crombie should know who I am, and should speak of me to any one, you
would hear of it. He may even speak to you. You are his friend. Then
will you warn me, and give me time to go away? I should be sorry, oh!
so sorry, to leave the kind folk here and go away again among strangers.
But I will never go with that man, never."

"I will help you if I can. I hope you may be mistaken in thinking that
Crombie knows your story. I think, at the worst, it is only a guess he
has made."

Allison shook her head.

"He saw the names of my father and mother on the headstone that their
son has set up over their grave. Willie may be at home still, but I
hope he has gone away to America. Oh! if I were only sure that he were
I would go to him at once. I could hardly be brought back so far. And
I might hide myself in that great country so that I could never be
found."

"Allison," said John gently. "Think of me as a friend, who will help
you whatever may happen."

"I thank you kindly, and I trust you. I will bide still where I am
while I may, for oh! I dread the thought of these first dark days
coming on me again."

"I do not think you need to be afraid of Crombie. He would not
willingly injure you. He is a good man, though his sense of duty makes
him sometimes say or do what looks hard."

"Yes. He might think it right to betray me--not that it would be
betrayal, since I have not trusted him or any one else."

She made a great effort to quiet herself and to speak calmly. But she
was anxious and afraid, and she grew sick at heart at the thought that
all the drearines