when ye crossed
swords with his Majesty for her honor,' said I.

"'An event which never took place, believe me,' said he, with a bow, and
he bows like a king.

"'Ye lie like a gentleman,' said I, 'and I've pride in ye for it; but
Beatrice Esmond never comes in here.' And then I just told the truth to
him. 'I've had jealousy of her for many years, despite her morals,' I
explained."

Ravenel threw back his head and laughed.

"Oh, you women!" he cried. "Are there many ladies resident in that land
of yours?"

"Some; not many. Di Vernon, of course, and Mary Richling, and Dora,
whom David Copperfield never had sense enough to appreciate, and oh, the
children! Huckleberry Finn and Little Lord Fauntleroy! The Nigger Jim
tends the grounds, you know. And that divine Harold of the Dream Days!

"One awful day," she went on, "when everything seemed wrong," the quick
tears came to her eyes as she spoke, "and I was sick and disgraced
before people and wanted to die, I went into My Own Land, and there was
Jean Valjean at the bars waiting for me. He smiled as I came."

"'Cheer up, Little Irish Lady!' he cried, at sight of me, 'cheer up!
There is reason for everything in that Great Beyond that we'll
understand some day.' And that night, because of his strength, I went to
sleep comforted, and the next morning sang the 'Ah! Patria mia' quite
nobly. It was payment for the suffering, perhaps. Who can tell?"

"And whom," it was curious how Frank's jealousy showed in the question,
"whom do you like best of all these tenant folk of yours, Katrine?"

"Ye'll never tell?" She turned to look him full in the eyes. "Promise me
ye'll never tell; for if the word of it gets abroad there'll be no
keeping him in bounds, he's so filled with conceit of himself already."
She leaned toward Frank and whispered: "It's Alan Breck. Ah," she cried,
"you feel so fine and sure when ye're out with him! With his glittering
sword and his belt of gold, and the way he takes the centre of the stage
and the speech skin-fitted to the occasion. It's grand to be with him
then. But it's none of these that I love him for. Do you remember when
he says to Catriona: '_I'm a kind of henchman to Davie_,' she quoted
Alan's words with a deep-voiced enthusiasm, '_and whatever he cares for
I've got to care for, too. I'm not so very bonny, but I'm leal to them I
love_.' In My Land, that is all they care for. They are of all religions
and times and climes, but they are loyal, e