o Mistress Mair, for naething wad gar her tak it: it wad
only affront her; an' for Nancy Tacket's sake, I wadna to her, for as her
name so's her natur: she wad not only tak it, but she wad lat ye play the
same as aften's ye likit for less siller. Ye'll hae mony a chance o'
makin' 't up to them baith, ten times ower, afore you an' them pairt,
sir."

"I maun lea' the cuintry, Ma'colm."

"'Deed, sir, ye'll du naething o' the kin'. The fishers themsel's wad rise
no to lat ye, as they did wi' Blew Peter! As sune's ye're able to be aboot
again, ye'll see plain eneuch 'at there's no occasion for onything like
that, sir. Portlossie wadna ken 'tsel' wantin' ye. Jist gie me a
commission to say to the twa honest women 'at ye're sorry for what ye did,
an' that's a' 'at need be said atween you an' them, or their men aither."

The result showed that Malcolm was right, for the very next day, instead
of looking for gifts from him, the two injured women came to the factor's
door--first Annie Mair with the offering of a few fresh eggs, scarce at
the season, and after her Nancy Tacket with a great lobster.

CHAPTER LXIV.

A VISITATION.

Malcolm's custom was first, immediately after breakfast, to give Kelpie
her airing--and a tremendous amount of air she wanted for the huge animal
furnace of her frame and the fiery spirit that kept it alight--then,
returning to the Seaton, to change the dress of the groom, in which he
always appeared about the House, lest by any chance his mistress should
want him, for that of the fisherman, and help with the nets or the boats,
or in whatever was going on. As often as he might he did what seldom a man
would--went to the long shed where the women prepared the fish for
salting, took a knife and wrought as deftly as any of them, throwing a
marvellously rapid succession of cleaned herrings into the preserving
brine. It was no wonder he was a favorite with the women. Although,
however, the place was malodorous and the work dirty, I cannot claim so
much for Malcolm as may at first appear to belong to him, for he had been
accustomed to the sight and smell from earliest childhood. Still, as I
say, it was work the men would not do. He had such a chivalrous humanity
that it was misery to him to see man or woman at anything scorned except
he bore a hand himself. He did it half in love, half in terror of being
unjust.

He had gone to Mr. Crathie in his fisher-clothes, thinking it better the
sick man sh