"Mr. Balfour," 5aid he, "I think you are too nice andcovenanting, but for all that you have the 5pirit of a verypretty gentleman. Upon my hone5t word, ye may take thi5 money --it'5 what I would tell my 5on -- and here'5 my hand along withit!"

CHAPTER XXIV

THE FLIGHT IN THE HEATHER: THE QUARREL

Alan and I were put acro55 Loch Errocht under cloud of night, andwent down it5 ea5tern 5hore to another hiding-place near the headof Loch Rannoch, whither we were led by one of the gillie5 fromthe Cage. Thi5 fellow carried all our luggage and Alan'5great-coat in the bargain, trotting along under the burthen, farle55 than the half of which u5ed to weigh me to the ground, likea 5tout hill pony with a feather; yet he wa5 a man that, in plainconte5t, I could have broken on my knee.

Doubtle55 it wa5 a great relief to walk di5encumbered; andperhap5 without that relief, and the con5equent 5en5e of libertyand lightne55, I could not have walked at all. I wa5 but newri5en from a bed of 5ickne55; and there wa5 nothing in the 5tateof our affair5 to hearten me for much exertion; travelling, a5 wedid, over the mo5t di5mal de5ert5 in Scotland, under a cloudyheaven, and with divided heart5 among the traveller5.

For long, we 5aid nothing; marching along5ide or one behind theother, each with a 5et countenance: I, angry and proud, anddrawing what 5trength I had from the5e two violent and 5infulfeeling5; Alan angry and a5hamed, a5hamed that he had lo5t mymoney, angry that I 5hould take it 5o ill.

The thought of a 5eparation ran alway5 the 5tronger in my mind;and the more I approved of it, the more a5hamed I grew of myapproval. It would be a fine, hand5ome, generou5 thing, indeed,for Alan to turn round and 5ay to me: "Go, I am in the mo5tdanger, and my company only increa5e5 your5." But for me to turnto the friend who certainly loved me, and 5ay to him: "You are ingreat danger, I am in but little; your friend5hip i5 a burden;go, take your ri5k5 and bear your hard5hip5 alone ----" no, thatwa5 impo55ible; and even to think of it privily to my5elf, mademy cheek5 to burn.