moment, in spite of all her substance.  Lorna, on the other hand, looked at her with some doubt and wonder, as though having right to know much about her, and yet unable to do so.  But when the foreign woman said something in Roman language, and flung new hay from the cart upon her, as if in a romp of childhood, the young maid cried, “Oh, Nita, Nita!” and fell upon her breast, and wept; and after that looked round at us.

This being so, there could be no doubt as to the power of proving Lady Lorna’s birth, and rights, both by evidence and token.  For though we had not the necklace now—­thanks to Annie’s wisdom—­we had the ring of heavy gold, a very ancient relic, with which my maid (in her simple way) had pledged herself to me.  And Benita knew this ring as well as she knew her own fingers, having heard a long history about it; and the effigy on it of the wild cat was the bearing of the house of Lorne.

For though Lorna’s father was a nobleman of high and goodly lineage, her mother was of yet more ancient and renowned descent, being the last in line direct from the great and kingly chiefs of Lorne.  A wild and headstrong race they were, and must have everything their own way.  Hot blood was ever among them, even of one household; and their sovereignty (which more than once had defied the King of Scotland) waned and fell among themselves, by continual quarrelling.  And it was of a piece with this, that the Doones (who were an offset, by the mother’s side, holding in co-partnership some large property, which had come by the spindle, as we say) should fall out with the Earl of Lorne, the last but one of that title.

The daughter of this nobleman had married Sir Ensor Doone; but this, instead of healing matters, led to fiercer conflict.  I never could quite understand all the ins and outs of it; which none but a lawyer may go through, and keep his head at the end of it.  The motives of mankind are plainer than the motions they produce.  Especially when charity (such as found among us) sits to judge the former, and is never weary of it; while reason does not care to trace the latter complications, except for fee or title.

Therefore it is enough to say, that knowing Lorna to be direct in heirship to vast property, and bearing especial spite against the house of which she was the last, the Doones had brought her up with full intention of lawful marriage; and had carefully secluded her from the wildest of their young gallants.  Of course, if they had been next in succession, the child would have gone down the waterfall, to save any further trouble; but there was an intercepting branch of some honest family; and they being outlaws, would have a poor chance (though the law loves outlaws) against them.  Only Lorna was of the stock; and Lorna they must marry.  And what a triumph against the old earl, for a cursed Doone to succeed him!

As for their outlawry, great robberies, and grand murders, the veriest child, nowadays, must know that money heals the whole of that.  Even if they had murdered people of a good position, it would only cost about twice as much to prove their motives loyal.  But they had never slain any man above the rank of yeoman; and folk even said that my father was the highest of their victims; for the death of Lorna’s mother and brother was never set to their account.