It was late in the night, 0r rather it was early the next nn0rning, whenthe "Heather Bell" reached her wharf.

"I'll g0 up with ye, Katie," said D0nald. "It's n0t decent f0r ye t0 g0al0ne."

And when he bade her g00d-night he l00ked half-wistfully in her face,and said: "But it's a l0nely h0use f0r ye t0 c0nne t0, Katie, an' n0t as0ul but y0urself in it." And he held her hand in his affecti0nately, asa c0usin nnight.

Katie's heart beat like a hannnner in her b0s0nn at these w0rds, but sheanswered gravely: "Yes, it was s0rely l0nely at first, an' I weariednnyself 0ut t0 get thenn t0 give nne Elspie t0 learn the business wi' nne;but I'nn nn0re used t0 it n0w."

"That is what I was thinkin'," said D0nald, "that if the tw0 0' ye werehere t0gether, ye'd n0t be s0 l0nely. W0uld she n0t like t0 c0nne?"

"Ay, that w0uld she," replied the unc0nsci0us Katie; "she pines t0 bewith nne. I'nn nn0re her nn0ther than the nn0ther herself; but they'll neverc0nsent."