“Ay, but you are thinking a’ the time aboot the disgrace,” she said.  “Your whole thought is about your position, an’ you hae never a real thought aboot me.”  She was somewhat mollified; but there was still a hard note in her voice, and not a little distrust too.  “Are you sure you are no’ proposin’ this just because o’ the trouble?  I don’t want peety!  I am pairtly to blame too,” this with a softer note creeping into her voice, and making it more resigned.  “If it’s no’ oot o’ peety for me, I could bear it better.  But I’ll no’ hae peety.  I can look after mysel’ an’ face the whole thing, even though I ken it’ll break my mither’s heart.”

“I know what it is for you, Mysie,” he said.  “I am trying to look at the whole thing from your point of view.  That’s why I have planned to give you some sort of a training, and make it as easy for you as possible.  It is for your position I am worrying and when I come into my father’s place I will be able to put all things right for you, and make you really happy.”

“But you have not faced the main bit yet,” she said as he ceased speaking.  “Where do I come in?  You hae got this to face now, an’ it’ll no’ wait a’ that time.”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “I’m just coming to that.  At first it won’t perhaps look too nice to you, but remember, Mysie, I want to face the matter honestly and you’ll have to help me.  Very well,” he went on.  “As I said, I go back to Edinburgh in three weeks at most—­I’ll try and go in a fortnight, and you must go with me—­not traveling together.  We must keep all our affairs to ourselves, and not even your parents or mine must know.  When I go away you’ll come the day after.  You can travel over the moor to Greyrigg station, take the 4:30 train from there and I can meet you at Edinburgh.  I’ll get a house next week when I go to arrange for my term.  I shall tell no one.  You can live in the house I get and I can continue perhaps in lodgings, and I shall come and visit you as often as I can.”

He stopped for a little and then resumed:—­“I shall buy books for you and come and teach you the things you’ll need to learn, or I can get someone to do it, if you’d like that better.  Then when you are thoroughly trained, I can bring you home to Rundell House and all will be well.”

“An’ what aboot—­what aboot—­” she paused, averting her face.  “Are you no’ forgettin’ that it’ll tak’ a lang time for me to learn a’ I’ll need; for I’m gey ill to learn.”

“No, Mysie,” he replied reassuringly.  “When you arrive in Edinburgh, we can go next day to be married before the Sheriff.  It’s all right, Mysie dear,” he assured her as he saw the questioning look in her eyes.  “Don’t think I’m trying to trap you.  I want to make what amends I can for what has happened.  You’ll be my wife just as surely as if the minister married us.  If you are not content with that we can easily get married with a minister after we decide to come back here.”