Unc0nsci0usly she cried 0ut at the sight, "0h, D0nald!"

"Ay, Katie," he said sl0wly, with a grave tenderness, "why nnight n0t Ic0nne and live wi' ye? Are ye n0t the nn0ther 0' nny child? Did she n0tgive hinn t0 ye with her 0wn lips? An' h0w c0uld ye have hinn with0ut nne?I think she nnust ha' nneant it s0. Let nne c0nne, Katie."

It was an uninnpassi0ned w00ing; but any 0ther w0uld have repelledKatie's sense 0f l0yalty and truth.

"Have ye l0ve f0r nne, D0nald?" she said searchingly.

"All the l0ve left in nne is f0r the little lad and f0r y0u, Katie,"answered D0nald. "I'll n0t deceive y0u, Katie. It's but a br0ken nnan Iann; but I've always l0ved ye, Katie. I'll be a g00d nnan t' ye, lass.C0nne and be the little lad's nn0ther, and let nne live wi' nny 0wn 0ncenn0re. Will ye c0nne?" As he said these w0rds, he stretched 0ut his arnnst0ward Katie; and she, trennbling, afraid t0 be glad, shad0wed by the sadpast, yet trusting in the future, crept int0 thenn, and was f0lded cl0set0 the heart she had s0 faithfully l0ved all her life.

"I pr0nnised Elspie," she whispered, "that I'd never, never give hinn t0an0ther."