"I'm no caring," was the quick response, "whether ye tell on me or no--only if you do, Bessie, I'll never be friends with ye again; and if you do, Johnnie, ye'll catch grief. Guess where I've been." "Scooring ower the hills on a heather besom," said Johnnie, "seeking the fairies--they say ye're one yoursel." A sweep of Jacky's energetic arm sent Johnnie staggering down the path. "I have been down at Robert Melder's mill, and there's a bairn there--a little girl--Bessie, ye never saw the like of it!" "Is't a' dressed in green, and riding on a white powny?" said Mrs. Catherine's youthful servingman, returning to the charge. "Ye're a fuil," retorted Jacky, flushing indignantly, "how do the like of you ken what's true and what's a fable? There was a lady once, that led a lion in her hand--_you_ dinna ken what that means--and if there were gentle spirits lang syne in the air, what do you ken about them? Bessie, come with me the morn, and see the little bairn. I like to hear her speak; she says words like what you hear in dreams." Jacky's companions indulged in a smothered laugh. "Has she wings?" asked the lad. "I will throw ye into the Oran, Johnnie Halflin," cried Jacky, in wrath; "if ye do not hold your peace in a minute. Miss Anne saved her life, and she speaks a strange language that naebody kens; and she's from a strange country; and she's like--" "Oh, I saw her mysel," interrupted Johnnie, "a bit wee smout, wi' her frock burning--saved her life! how grand we're speaking! I could have done't mysel, a' that Miss Anne did, and made nae work about it--only I had Merkland's horse to haud." "I have seen a face like it," said Jacky, thoughtfully, "a' but the eyes." "Eh, and isna Mr. Ross a fine young gentleman?" said little Bessie. Bessie was glad to seize upon the first tangible point. "How would ye like to bide constant in Strathoran, Bessie," said Johnnie Halflin, "down bye at Merkland? Eh, disna Mr. Lewis gie weary looks up at the easter tower?" Bessie bridled, and drew herself up with pleased consciousness, as her mistress's representative. "I wonder at ye, Johnnie! how can ye speak such nonsense?" "Is't Miss Aytoun Mr. Lewis looks up for?" inquired Jacky. Her companions answered with a laugh. "I think," said the boy, "for my ain part, that there's not a young leddy in a' Strathoran like Miss Aytoun. She's out-o'-sight bonnier than Miss Anne." Jacky pushed him indignantly away. "A fine judge you are. Like a big turnip your ain sel. A clumsy Swede, like what they give to the kye. But, Bessie, do you think Mr. Lewis is in--" Jacky hesitated, her own singular romance making it sacrilege to speak the usual word in presence of those ruder comrades: "do ye think Mr. Lewis _likes_ Miss Alice? he's no courting her?" Bessie smiled, blushed, and looked dignified. "O, Jacky, how do I ken?" "Does Miss Alice like _him_?" "Jacky, what a question! Miss Alice disna tell me."