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anxiety to Robert。
After the distribution of the prizes； of which he gained three；
Robert went the same evening to visit Dr。 Anderson； intending to go
home the next day。 The doctor gave him five golden sovereignsa
rare sight in Scotland。 Robert little thought in what service he
was about to spend them。
CHAPTER XXII。
ROBERT IN ACTION。
It was late when he left his friend。 As he walked through the
Gallowgate； an ancient narrow street； full of low courts； some one
touched him upon the arm。 He looked round。 It was a young woman。
He turned again to walk on。
'Mr Faukner；' she said； in a trembling voice； which Robert thought
he had heard before。
He stopped。
'I don't know you；' he said。 'I can't see your face。 Tell me who
you are。'
She returned no answer； but stood with her head aside。 He could see
that her hands shook。
'What do you want with meif you won't say who you are？'
'I want to tell you something；' she said； 'but I canna speyk here。
Come wi' me。'
'I won't go with you without knowing who you are or where you're
going to take me。'
'Dinna ye ken me？' she said pitifully； turning a little towards the
light of the gas…lamp； and looking up in his face。
'It canna be Jessie Hewson？' said Robert； his heart swelling at the
sight of the pale worn countenance of the girl。
'I was Jessie Hewson ance；' she said； 'but naebody here kens me by
that name but yersel'。 Will ye come in？ There's no a crater i' the
hoose but mysel'。'
Robert turned at once。 'Go on；' he said。
She led the way up a narrow stone stair between two houses。 A door
high up in the gable admitted them。 The boards bent so much under
his weight that Robert feared the floor would fall。
'Bide ye there； sir； till I fess a licht；' she said。
This was Robert's first introduction to a phase of human life with
which he became familiar afterwards。
'Mind hoo ye gang； sir；' she resumed； returning with a candle。
'There's nae flurin' there。 Haud i' the middle efter me； or ye'll
gang throu。'
She led him into a room； with nothing in it but a bed； a table； and
a chair。 On the table was a half…made shirt。 In the bed lay a tiny
baby； fast asleep。 It had been locked up alone in the dreary
garret。 Robert approached to look at the child； for his heart felt
very warm to poor Jessie。
'A bonnie bairnie；' he said；
'Isna he； sir？ Think o' 'im comin' to me！ Nobody can tell the
mercy o' 't。 Isna it strange that the verra sin suld bring an angel
frae haven upo' the back o' 't to uphaud an' restore the sinner？
Fowk thinks it's a punishment； but eh me！ it's a mercifu' ane。
It's a wonner he didna think shame to come to me。 But he cam to
beir my shame。'
Robert wondered at her words。 She talked of her sin with such a
meek openness！ She looked her shame in the face； and acknowledged
it hers。 Had she been less weak and worn； perhaps she could not
have spoken thus。
'But what am I aboot！' she said； checking herself。 'I didna fess ye
here to speyk aboot mysel'。 He's efter mair mischeef； and gin
onything cud be dune to haud him frae 't'
'Wha's efter mischeef； Jessie？' interrupted Robert。
'Lord Rothie。 He's gaein' aff the nicht in Skipper Hornbeck's boat
to Antwerp； I think they ca' 't； an' a bonnie young leddy wi' 'im。
They war to sail wi' the first o' the munelicht。Surely I'm nae
ower late；' she added； going to the window。 'Na； the mune canna be
up yet。'
'Na；' said Robert； 'I dinna think she rises muckle afore twa o'clock
the nicht。 But hoo ken ye？ Are ye sure o' 't？ It's an awfu' thing
to think o'。'
'To convence ye； I maun jist tell ye the trowth。 The hoose we're in
hasna a gude character。 We're middlin' dacent up here； but the lave
o' the place is dreadfu'。 Eh for the bonnie leys o' Bodyfauld！ Gin
ye see my father； tell him I'm nane waur than I was。'
'They think ye droont i' the Dyer's Pot； as they ca' 't。'
'There I am again！' she said'miles awa' an' nae time to be
lost！My lord has a man they ca' Mitchell。 Ower weel I ken him。
There's a wuman doon the stair 'at he comes to see whiles； an' twa
or three nichts ago； I heard them lauchin' thegither。 Sae I
hearkened。 They war baith some fou； I'm thinkin'。 I cudna tell ye
a' 'at they said。 That's a punishment noo； gin ye liketo see and
hear the warst o' yer ain ill doin's。 He tellt the limmer a heap o'
his lord's secrets。 Ay； he tellt her aboot me； an' hoo I had gane
and droont mysel'。 I could hear 'maist ilka word 'at he said； for
ye see the flurin' here 's no verra soon'； and I was jist 'at I
cudna help hearkenin'。 My lord's aff the nicht； as I tell ye。 It's
a queer gait； but a quaiet； he thinks； nae doobt。 Gin onybody wad
but tell her hoo mony een the baron's made sair wi' greitin'！'
'But hoo's that to be dune？' said Robert。
'I dinna ken。 But I hae been watchin' to see you ever sin' syne。 I
hae seen ye gang by mony a time。 Ye're the only man I ken 'at I
could speyk till aboot it。 Ye maun think what ye can do。 The warst
o' 't is I canna tell wha she is or whaur she bides。'
'In that case； I canna see what's to be dune。'
'Cudna ye watch them aboord； an' slip a letter intil her han'？ Or
ye cud gie 't to the skipper to gie her。'
'I ken the skipper weel eneuch。 He's a respectable man。 Gin he
kent what the baron was efter； he wadna tak him on boord。'
'That wad do little guid。 He wad only hae her aff some ither gait。'
'Weel；' said Robert； rising； 'I'll awa' hame； an' think aboot it as
I gang。Wad ye tak a feow shillin's frae an auld frien'？' he added
with hesitation； putting his hand in his pocket。
'Nano a baubee；' she answered。 'Nobody sall say it was for mysel'
I broucht ye here。 Come efter me； an' min' whaur ye pit doon yer
feet。 It's no sicker。'
She led him to the door。 He bade her good…night。
'Tak care ye dinna fa' gaein' doon the stair。 It's maist as steep
's a wa'。'
As Robert came from between the houses； he caught a glimpse of a man
in a groom's dress going in at the street door of that he had left。
All the natural knighthood in him was roused。 But what could he do？
To write was a sneaking way。 He would confront the baron。 The
baron and the girl would both laugh at him。 The sole conclusion he
could arrive at was to consult Shargar。
He lost no time in telling him the story。
'I tauld ye he was up to some deevilry or ither；' said Shargar。 'I
can shaw ye the verra hoose he maun be gaein' to tak her frae。'
'Ye vratch！ what for didna ye tell me that afore？'
'Ye wadna hear aboot ither fowk's affairs。 Na； not you！ But some
fowk has no richt to consideration。 The verra stanes they say 'ill
cry oot ill secrets like brither Sandy's。'
'Whase hoose is 't？'
'I dinna ken。 I only saw him come oot o' 't ance； an' Jock Mitchell
was haudin' Black Geordie roon' the neuk。