And so the conversation went on until Queen Caroline was in possession of the whole of Effie's sad story, and then she said: "I fear you have had a long journey to little purpose; since, if the king were to pardon your sister, in all probability it would do her little good, for I suppose your people of Edinburgh would hang her out of spite." The queen spoke thus because she was still very angry at the contempt with which her reprieve had been treated in the case of John Porteous. But Jeanie replied: "I am confident that baith town and country wad rejoice to see his majesty taking compassion on a poor unfriended creature." "His majesty has not found it so of late," said the queen; "but, hark you, young woman, had you any friends engaged in the Porteous mob?" "No, madam," replied Jeanie, pleased that she could say so with truth; "I would hae gaen to the end of the earth to save the life of John Porteous, or any other unhappy man in his condition; but he is dead and gane to his place, and they that have slain him must answer, for their ain act. But my sister--my puir sister Effie, still lives, though her days and hours are numbered! She still lives, and a word of the king's mouth might restore her to a broken-hearted auld man, that never, in his daily and nightly exercise, forgot to pray that his majesty might {115} [Illustration: 0121] {117}be blessed with a long and a prosperous reign. Oh, madam, if ever ye kend what it was to sorrow for and with a suffering creature, whose mind is sae tossed that she can be neither ca'd fit to live or die, have some compassion on our misery! Save an honest house from dishonor, and an unhappy girl, not eighteen years of age, from an early and dreadful death! Alas! it is not when we sleep soft and wake merrily ourselves that we think on other people's sufferings. Our hearts are waxed light within us then, and we are for righting our ain wrangs and fighting our ain battles. But when the hour of trouble comes to the mind or to the body--and seldom may it visit your leddyship--and when the hour of death comes, that comes to high and low--lang and late may it be yours--oh, my leddy, then it isna what we hae dune for oursells, but what we hae dune for others, that we think on maist pleasantly. And the thoughts that ye hae intervened to spare the puir thing's life, will be sweeter in that hour, come when it may, than if a word of your mouth could hang the the Porteous mob at the tail of ae tow." The tears flowed down Jeanie's cheeks as she pleaded for her sister's life, and all present were touched at her simple, solemn manner. "This is eloquence," said her majesty to the Duke of Argyle.. "Young woman," she continued, addressing herself to Jeanie, "I cannot grant a pardon to your sister; but you shall not want my warm intercession with his majesty. Take this housewife case," she continued, putting a small embroidered needle-case into Jeanie's hands; "do not open it now, but at your leisure you