"
"Na, no a hair, sir; _he_ cudna stan' the disgrace half sae weel 's me! I
reckon the man the waiker vessel, sir; the woman has her bairn to fend for,
and that taks her aff o' the shame!"
"Ye dinna tell me he gies ye noucht to mainteen the cratur upo?"
"I tell ye naething, sir. He never even kenned there _was_ a bairn!"
"Hoot, toot! ye canna be sae semple! It's no poassible ye never loot him
ken!"
"'Deed no; I was ower sair ashamit! Ye see it was a' my wyte!--and it was
naebody's business! My auntie said gien I wouldna tell, I micht put the
door atween 's; and I took her at her word; for I kenned weel _she_ couldna
keep a secret, and I wasna gaein to hae _his_ name mixed up wi' a lass
like mysel! And, sir, ye maunna try to gar me tell, for I hae no richt, and
surely ye canna hae the hert to gar me!--But that ye _sanna_, ony gait!"
"I dinna blame ye, Isy! but there's jist ae thing I'm determined upo--and
that is that the rascal sail merry ye!"
Isy's face flushed; she was taken too much at unawares to hide her pleasure
at such a word from _his_ mouth.
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