"
Malcolm started. Could the girl have learned more concerning his
sister than had yet reached himself? A fine watching over her was
his, truly! But who was this he?
Lizzy had never uttered the name of the father of her child, and
all her people knew was that he could not be a fisherman, for then
he would have married her before the child was born. But Malcolm
had had a suspicion from the first, and now her words all but
confirmed it.--And was that fellow going to marry his sister? He
turned white with dismay--then red with anger, and stood speechless.
But he was quickly brought to himself by a sharp pinch under the
shoulder blade from Kelpie's long teeth: he had forgotten her, and
she had taken the advantage.
"Wha tellt ye that, Lizzy?" he said.
"I'm no at leeberty to say, Ma'colm, but I'm sure it's true, an'
my hert's like to brak."
"Puir lassie!" said Malcolm, whose own trouble had never at any
time rendered him insensible to that of others. "But is't onybody
'at kens what he says?" he pursued.
"Weel, I dinna jist richtly ken gien she kens, but I think she
maun ha'e gude rizzon, or she wadna say as she says. Oh me! me!
my bairnie 'ill be scornin' me sair whan he comes to ken. Ma'colm,
ye're the only ane 'at disna luik doon upo' me, an whan ye cam'
ower the tap o' the Boar's Tail, it was like an angel in a fire
flaucht, an' something inside me said--Tell 'im; tell 'im; an'
sae I bude to tell ye.
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