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"He ht;' or 'has Davie come hame?' or the

like o' that," she whispered; "I'll hae lost his liking forever ue I wish I had keep'tfor" Then a sudden thought struck her, and she

knocked gently at Allan's door

"Is that you, Maggie?"

"Yes, sir I want to speak a i' you Will you come ben a minute?"

He responded at once to her desire--"What is it, Maggie?" he asked

"If it please you, sir, I dinna want Davie to ken anything anent

to-night's ill-words and ill-wark"

"I think that is a very wise decision"

"No gude can co what's ill, and if you wad believe me, sir,

I'm vera, vera sorry, for my share in it"

Her eyelids were dropped, they trembled visibly, and there was a pathetic

trouble and humiliation in her beautiful face Allan was sick with

restrained e, wounded woman to his

heart He fully believed that he had the power to kiss back the splendor

of beauty and joy into her pale face; and it would have been the greatest

felicity earth could grant him, to do so Yet, for honor's sake, he