Fiction > Book editions > London, 1893 - Catriona

A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK, 9
" I have been sitting with one who was in the
same case with yourself," said I, " and I think he will
be one of your friends. They called him Robin Oig."
" Did ye so ? " cries she. " Ye met Rob ? "
" 1 passed the night with him," said I.
" He is a fowl of the night," said she.
" There was a set of pipes there," I went on, " so
you may judge if the time passed."
" You should be no enemy, at all events," said she.
" That was his brother there a moment since, Avith
the red soldiers round him. It is him that I call
father."
" Is it so ? " cried I. " Are you a daughter of
James More's ? "
" All the daughter that he has," says she : " the
daughter of a prisoner; that I should forget it so,
even for one hour, to talk with strangers ! "
Here one of the gillies addressed her in what he
had of English, to know what '' she " (meaning by
that himself) was to do about " ta sneeshin." I took
some note of him for a short, bandy-legged, red-
haired, big-headed man, that I was to know more of
to my cost.
"There can be none the day, Neil," she replied.
" How will you get ' sneeshin,' wanting siller ? It will
teach you another time to be more careful ; and I
think James More will not be very well pleased with
Neil of the Tom."
" Miss Drummond," I said, " I told you I was in
my lucky day. Here I am, and a bank-porter at
my tail. And remember I have had the hospitality
of your own country of Balwhidder."