Here my darling had wept again, by the tokens on the paper; and then there followed some sweet words, too sweet for me to chatter them.  But she finished with these noble lines, which (being common to all humanity, in a case of steadfast love) I do no harm, but rather help all true love by repeating.  “Of one thing rest you well assured—­and I do hope that it may prove of service to your rest, love, else would my own be broken—­no difference of rank, or fortune, or of life itself, shall ever make me swerve from truth to you.  We have passed through many troubles, dangers, and dispartments, but never yet was doubt between us; neither ever shall be.  Each has trusted well the other; and still each must do so.  Though they tell you I am false, though your own mind harbours it, from the sense of things around, and your own undervaluing, yet take counsel of your heart, and cast such thoughts away from you; being unworthy of itself they must be unworthy also of the one who dwells there; and that one is, and ever shall be, your own Lorna Dugal.”

Some people cannot understand that tears should come from pleasure; but whether from pleasure or from sorrow (mixed as they are in the twisted strings of a man’s heart, or a woman’s), great tears fell from my stupid eyes, even on the blots of Lorna’s.

“No doubt it is all over,” my mind said to me bitterly; “trust me, all shall yet be right,” my heart replied very sweetly.

CHAPTER LX

ANNIE LUCKIER THAN JOHN

[Illustration:  559.jpg Illustrated Capital]

Some people may look down upon us for our slavish ways (as they may choose to call them), but in our part of the country, we do love to mention title, and to roll it on our tongues, with a conscience and a comfort.  Even if a man knows not, through fault of education, who the Duke of this is, or the Earl of that, it will never do for him to say so, lest the room look down on him.  Therefore he must nod his head, and say, “Ah, to be sure!  I know him as well as ever I know my own good woman’s brother.  He married Lord Flipflap’s second daughter, and a precious life she led him.”  Whereupon the room looks up at him.  But I, being quite unable to carry all this in my head, as I ought, was speedily put down by people of a noble tendency, apt at Lords, and pat with Dukes, and knowing more about the King than His Majesty would have requested.  Therefore, I fell back in thought, not daring in words to do so, upon the titles of our horses.  And all these horses deserved their names, not having merely inherited, but by their own doing earned them.  Smiler, for instance, had been so called, not so much from a habit of smiling, as from his general geniality, white nose, and white ankle.  This worthy horse was now in years, but hale and gay as ever; and when you let him out of the stable, he could neigh and whinny, and make men and horses know it.  On the other