en into his room by McCray. Williams, the other
footman--Sir Murray's spy, as Jane indignantly called him--had been
amongst the servants first discharged.

"The poor gairden's going to rack and ruin, lassie," said McCray; "and
just as I was going to make such improvements and alterations! But Sir
Mooray says I'm not to let either of the ither sairvants go to him; and
I believe he frightened that loon in the breeches, because he would take
in the letters."

"But he sha'n't frighten me," said Jane, firmly. "I'll never leave the
child, come what may."

"Dinna fash yersel', darling," said McCray, tenderly. "I've got the
wages and orders of six more that are to be sent away at once, but ye're
nae one of them. Sir Mooray winna discharge ye till he packs me off."

"Indeed!" said Jane. "And how do you know?"

"Why, we've been talking aboot ye, lassie; and Sir Mooray said he had
made up his mind to go abroad again, and asked me if I'd gang wi' him;
and though it cut me to the heart to leave my fruit and flowers, lassie,
I thocht I'd see new sorts in the far countree, and I said I'd gang."

"It didn't fret you, then, to think of leaving me?" said Jane, bitterly.

"Hoot, lassie! and who's aboot to gang and leave ye?" exclaimed McCray.
"Sir Mooray said I was to see and get a good nurse to tak' charge of the
bairn--one as would go abroad; and I telled him he couldna do better
than keep ye, when I thocht he was going to fly at me. But I telled
him, quite still like, that we'd promised to marry, and that if he didna
tak' ye, lassie, he wadna tak' me; and that seemed to make him mad for a
bit, till I telled him that ye lo'ed weel the bairn, and that ye were a
gude girl at heart. But he wadna listen."

"Was it to be a good place, Alexander?" said Jane.

"Ay, lassie; I was to have a fair bit o' siller."

"Then you mustn't give it up for me."

"I didna mean to, lassie," said McCray, coolly.

Jane was piqued, and said nothing.

"There, lassie, I winna beat aboot the bush any more. It was settled at
last that we twain are to gang thegither; and I agreed for both, and Sir
Mooray starts next week for the Lake Como."

"And like you!" said Jane, with asperity. "How could you know that I'd
go?"

"Why, didn't I ken that ye'd gang for my sake?" said McCray.

"No, indeed!" exclaimed Jane.

"That's just what I thocht," said McCray, with a twinkle in his eye;
"but I was quite sure ye would on account of the bairn."

Ja