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stayed away； she had condescended to make a conquest of the skipper
himself。
〃He had come in quite at the tag…end of one of her stories； but it had
been sufficient to do his businesshe had danced with her； had even
whistled while she sung。 （Hech； it was bonny！）
〃And when the cutter sailed； he； Flucker； had seen her perched on a rock；
like a mermaid； watching their progress； which had been slow； because the
skipper； infatuated with so sudden a passion； had made a series of
ungrammatical tacks。〃
〃For his part he was glad；〃 said the gracious Flucker； 〃the lass was a
prideful hussy； that had given some twenty lads a sore heart and him many
a sore back； and he hoped his skipper； with whom he naturally identified
himself rather than with his sister； would avenge the male sex upon her。〃
In short； he went upon this tack till he drove poor Gatty nearly mad。
Here was a new feeling superadded； at first he felt injured； but on
reflection what cause of complaint had he？
He had neglected her； he might have been her partnerhe had left her to
find one where she could。
Fool； to suppose that so beautiful a creature would ever be
neglectedexcept by him！
It was more than he could bear。
He determined to see her； to ask her forgiveness； to tell her everything；
to beg her to decide； and； for his part； he would abide by her decision。
Christie Johnstone； as we have already related； declined his arm； sprang
like a deer upon the pier； and walked toward her home； a quarter of a
mile distant。
Gatty followed her； disconsolately； hardly knowing what to do。
At last； observing that she drew near enough to the wall to allow room
for another on the causeway； he had just nous enough to creep alongside
and pull her sleeve somewhat timidly。
〃Christie； I want to speak to you：〃
〃What can ye hae to say till me？〃
〃Christie； I am very unhappy； and I want to tell you why； but I have
hardly the strength or the courage。〃
〃Ye shall come ben my hoose if ye are unhappy； and we'll hear your story；
come away。
He had never been admitted into her house before。
They found it clean as a snowdrift。
They found a bright fire； and Flucker frying innumerable steaks。
The baddish boy had obtained them in his sister's name and at her
expense； at the flesher's； and claimed credit for his affection。
Potatoes he had boiled in their jackets； and so skillfully； that those
jackets hung by a thread。
Christie laid an unbleached table…cloth； that somehow looked sweeter than
a white one； as brown bread is sweeter than white。
But lo！ Gatty could not eat； so then Christie would not； because he
refused her cheer。
The baddish boy chuckled； and addressed himself to the nice brown steaks
with their rich gravy。
On such occasions a solo on the knife and fork seemed better than a trio
to the gracious Flucker。
Christie moved about the room； doing little household matters； Gatty's
eye followed her。
Her beauty lost nothing in this small apartment； she was here； like a
brilliant in some quaint； rough setting； which all earth's jewelers
should despise； and all its poets admire； and it should show off the
stone and not itself。
Her beauty filled the room； and almost made the spectators ill。
Gatty asked himself whether he could really have been such a fool as to
think of giving up so peerless a creature。
Suddenly an idea occurred to him； a bright one； and not inconsistent with
a true artist's characterhe would decline to act in so doubtful a case。
He would float passively down the tide of eventshe would neither desert
her； nor disobey his mother； he would take everything as it came； and to
begin； as he was there； he would for the present say nothing but what he
felt； and what he felt was that he loved her。
He told her so accordingly。
She replied； concealing her satisfaction； 〃that； if he liked her； he
would not have refused to eat when she asked him。〃
But our hero's appetite had returned with his change of purpose； and he
instantly volunteered to give the required proof of affection。
Accordingly two pound of steaks fell before him。 Poor boy； he had hardly
eaten a genuine meal for a week past。
Christie sat opposite him； and every time he looked off his plate he saw
her rich blue eyes dwelling on him。
Everything contributed to warm his heart； he yielded to the spell； he
became contented； happy； gay。
Flucker ginger…cordialed him； his sister bewitched him。
She related the day's events in a merry mood。
Mr。 Gatty burst forth into singing。
He sung two light and somber trifles； such as in the present day are
deemed generally encouraging to spirits； and particularly in accordance
with the sentiment of supperthey were about Death and Ivy Green。
The dog's voice was not very powerful； but sweet and round as honey
dropping from the comb。
His two hearers were entranced； for the creature sang with an inspiration
good singers dare not indulge。
He concluded by informing Christie that the ivy was symbolical of her；
and the oak prefigured Charles Gatty； Esq。
He might have inverted the simile with more truth。
In short； he never said a word to Christie about parting with her； but
several about being buried in the same grave with her； sixty years hence；
for which the spot he selected was Westminster Abbey。
And away he went； leaving golden opinions behind him。
The next day Christie was so affected with his conduct； coming as it did
after an apparent coolness； that she conquered her bashfulness and called
on the 〃vile count；〃 and with some blushes and hesitation inquired；
〃Whether a painter lad was a fit subject of charity。〃
〃Why not？〃 said his lordship。
She told him Gatty's case； and he instantly promised to see that artist's
pictures； particularly an 〃awfu' bonny ane；〃 the hero of which she
described as an English minister blessing the bairns with one hand； and
giving orders to kill the puir Scoetch with the other。
〃C'est e'gal；〃 said Christie in Scotch； 〃it's awfu' bonny。〃
Gatty reached home late； his mother had retired to rest。
But the next morning she drew from him what had happened； and then ensued
another of those dialogues which I am ashamed again to give the reader。
Suffice it to say； that she once more prevailed； though with far greater
difficulty； time was to be given him to unsew a connection which he could
not cut asunder； and he； with tearful eyes and a heavy heart； agreed to
take some step the very first opportunity。
This concession was hardly out of his mouth； ere his mother made him
kneel down and bestowed her blessing upon him。
He received it coldly and dully； and expressed a languid hope it might
prove a charm to save him from despair； and sad； bitter； and dejected；
forced himself to sit down and work on the picture that was to meet his
unrelenting creditor's demand。
He was working on his picture； and his mother； with her needle； at the
table； when a knock was heard； and gay as a lark； and fresh as the dew on
the shamrock； Christie Johnstone stood in person in the apartment。
She was evidently the bearer of good tidings； but； before she could
express them； Mrs。 Gatty beckoned her son aside； and