ence over Ginevra.

He spoke authoritatively, and Miss Kimble, though convinced it was a
mere pretence of her graceless pupil that her father would not see
her, had to yield, and rose. Mr. Duff rose also, saying he would
walk with her. He returned to the cottage, dined with them, and
left about eight o'clock.

Already well enough acquainted in the city to learn without
difficulty where Mistress Croale lived, and having nothing very
particular to do, he strolled in the direction of her lodging, and
saw Gibbie go into the house. Having seen him in, he was next
seized with the desire to see him out again; having lain in wait for
him as a beneficent brownie, he must now watch him as a profligate
baronet forsooth! To haunt the low street until he should issue was
a dreary prospect--in the east wind of a March night, which some
giant up above seemed sowing with great handfuls of rain-seed; but
having made up his mind, he stood his ground. For two hours he
walked, vaguely cherishing an idea that he was fulfilling a duty of
his calling, as a moral policeman.

When at length Gibbie appeared, he had some difficulty in keeping
him in sight, for the sky was dark, the moon was not yet up, and
Gibbie walked like a swift shadow before him. Suddenly, as if some
old association had waked the old habit, he started off at a quick
trot. Fergus did his best to follow. As he ran, Gibbie caught
sight of a woman seated on a doorstep, almost under a lamp, a few
paces up a narrow passage, stopped, stepped within the passage, and
stood in a shadow watching her. She had turned the pocket of her
dress inside out, and seemed unable to satisfy herself that there
was nothing there but the hole, which she examined again and again,
as if for the last news of her last coin. Too thoroughly satisfied
at length, she put back the pocket, and laid her head on her hands.
Gibbie had not a farthing. Oh, how cold it was! and there sat his
own flesh and blood shivering in it! He went up to her. The same
moment Fergus passed the end of the court. Gibbie took her by the
hand. She started in terror, but his smile reassured her. He drew
her, and she rose. He laid her hand on his arm, and she went with
him. He had not yet begun to think about prudence, and perhaps, if
some of us thought more about right, we should have less occasion to
cultivate the inferior virtue. Perhaps also we should have more
belief that there is One to care that things do