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'I knew it was youthat is； I was sure of it when I came to think
about it； but at the time I took it for a direct message from
heaven； which nobody heard but myself。'
'It was such none the less that I was sent to deliver it；' said
Falconer。 'I little thought during my imprisonment because of it；
that the end of my journey was already accomplished。'
Mysie put her hand in his。
'You have saved me； Mr。 Falconer。'
'For Ericson's sake； who was dying and could not；' returned
Falconer。
'Ah！' said Mysie； her large eyes opening with wonder。 It was
evident she had had no suspicion of his attachment to her。
'But；' said Falconer； 'there was another in it； without whom I could
have done nothing。'
'Who was that？'
'George Moray。'
'Did he know me then？'
'No。 Fortunately not。 You would not have looked at him then。 It
was all done for love of me。 He is the truest fellow in the world；
and altogether worthy of you； Miss Hamilton。 I will tell you the
whole story some day； lest he should not do himself justice。'
'Ah； that reminds me。 Hamilton sounds strange in your voice。 You
suspected me of having changed my name to hide my history？'
It was so； and Falconer's silence acknowledged the fact。
'Lady Janet brought me home； and told my father all。 When he died a
few years after； she took me to live with her； and never rested till
she had brought me acquainted with Sir John Hamilton； in favour of
whom my father had renounced his claim to some disputed estates。
Sir John had lost his only son； and he had no daughter。 He was a
kind…hearted old man； rather like my own father。 He took to me； as
they say； and made me change my name to his； leaving me the property
that might have been my father's； on condition that whoever I
married should take the same name。 I don't think your friend will
mind making the exchange；' said Mysie in conclusion； as the door
opened and Shargar came in。
'Robert； ye're a' gait （everywhere）！' he exclaimed as he entered。
Then； stopping to ask no questions； 'Ye see I'm to hae a name o' my
ain efter a'；' he said； with a face which looked even handsome in
the light of his gladness。
Robert shook hands with him； and wished him joy heartily。
'Wha wad hae thocht it； Shargar；' he added； 'that day 'at ye pat
bonnets for hose upo' Black Geordie's huves？'
The butler announced the Marquis of Boarshead。 Mysie's eyes
flashed。 She rose from her seat； and advanced to meet the marquis；
who entered behind the servant。 He bowed and held out his hand。
Mysie retreated one step； and stood。
'Your lordship has no right to force yourself upon me。 You must
have seen that I had no wish to renew the acquaintance I was unhappy
enough to formnow； thank God； many years ago。'
'Forgive me； Miss Hamilton。 One word in private；' said the marquis。
'Not a word；' returned Mysie。
'Before these gentlemen； then； whom I have not the honour of
knowing； I offer you my hand。'
'To accept that offer would be to wrong myself even more than your
lordship has done。'
She went back to where Moray was standing； and stood beside him。
The evil spirit in the marquis looked out at its windows。
'You are aware； madam；' he said； 'that your reputation is in the
hand I offer you？'
'The worse for it； my lord；' returned Mysie； with a scornful smile。
'But your lordship's brother will protect it。'
'My brother！' said the marquis。 'What do you mean？ I have no
brother！'
'Ye hae mair brithers than ye ken o'； Lord Sandy； and I'm ane o'
them；' said Shargar。
'You are either a liar or a bastard； then；' said the marquis； who
had not been brought up in a school of which either self…restraint
or respect for women were prominent characteristics。
Falconer forgot himself for a moment； and made a stride forward。
'Dinna hit him； Robert；' cried Shargar。 'He ance gae me a shillin'；
an' it helpit； as ye ken； to haud me alive to face him this day。No
liar； my lord； but a bastard； thank heaven。' Then； with a laugh； he
instantly added； 'Gin I had been ain brither to you； my lord； God
only knows what a rascal I micht hae been。'
'By God； you shall answer for your damned insolence；' said the
marquis； and； lifting his riding…whip from the table where he had
laid it； he approached his brother。
Mysie rang the bell。
'Haud yer han'； Sandy；' cried Shargar。 'I hae faced mair fearsome
foes than you。 But I hae some faimily…feelin'； though ye hae nane：
I wadna willin'ly strike my brither。'
As he spoke； he retreated a little。 The marquis came on with raised
whip。 But Falconer stepped between； laid one of his great hands on
the marquis's chest； and flung him to the other end of the room；
where he fell over an ottoman。 The same moment the servant entered。
'Ask your mistress to oblige me by coming to the drawing…room；' said
Mysie。
The marquis had risen； but had not recovered his presence of mind
when Lady Janet entered。 She looked inquiringly from one to the
other。
'Please； Lady Janet； will you ask the Marquis of Boarshead to leave
the house；' said Mysie。
'With all my hert；' answered Lady Janet； 'and the mair that he's a
kin' o' a cousin o' my ain。 Gang yer wa's； Sandy。 Ye're no fit
company for decent fowk； an' that ye wad ken yersel'； gin ye had ony
idea left o' what decency means。'
Without heeding her； the marquis went up to Falconer。
'Your card； sir。'
Lady Janet followed him。
''Deed ye s' get nae cairds here；' she said； pushing him aside。 'So
you allow your friends to insult me in your own house as they
please； cousin Janet？' said the marquis； who probably felt her
opposition the most formidable of all。
''Deed they canna say waur o' ye nor I think。 Gang awa'； an'
repent。 Consider yer gray hairs； man。'
This was the severest blow he had yet received。 He left the room；
'swearing at large。'
Falconer followed him； but what came of it nobody ever heard。
Major and Miss Hamilton were married within three months； and went
out to India together； taking Nancy Kennedy with them。
CHAPTER X。
A NEOPHYTE。
Before many months had passed； without the slightest approach to any
formal recognition； I found myself one of the church of labour of
which Falconer was clearly the bishop。 As he is the subject； or
rather object of my book； I will now record a fact which may serve
to set forth his views more clearly。 I gained a knowledge of some
of the circumstances； not merely from the friendly confidences of
Miss St。 John and Falconer； but from being a kind of a Scotch cousin
of Lady Janet Gordon； whom I had taken an opportunity of acquainting
with the relation。 She was old…fashioned enough to acknowledge it
even with some eagerness。 The ancient clan…feeling is good in this；
that it opens a channel whose very existence is a justification for
the flow of simply human feelings along all possible levels of
social position。 And I would there were more of it。 Only something
better is coming instead of ita recognition of the infinite
brotherhood in Christ。 All other relations； all attempts by
churches； by associations； by secret societiesof Freemasons and
others； are good merely as they tend to destroy themselves in the
wider truth； as they teach men to be dissatisfied with their
limitations。 But I wander； for I mentioned Lady Janet now； merely
to account for some of the information I possess concerning Lady
Georgina Betterton。
I met her once at my so…called cousin's； whom she patronized as a
dear old thing。 To my mind； she was worth twenty of her； though she
was wrinkled and Scottishly sententious。 'A sweet old bat；' was
another epithet of Lady Georgina's。 But she came to see her；
notwithstanding； and did not refuse to share in her nice little
dinners； and least of all； when Falconer was of the party； who had
been so much taken with Lady Janet's behaviour to the Marquis of
Boarshead； just recorded； that he positively cultivated her
acquaintance thereafter。
Lady Georgina was of an old familyan aged family； indeed； so old；
in fact； that some envious people professed to think it decrepit
with age。 This； however； may well be questioned if any argument
bearing on the point may be drawn from the person of Lady Georgina。
She was at least as tall as Mary St。 John； and very handsomeonly
with somewhat masculine features and expression。 She had very
sloping shoulders and a long neck； which took its finest curves when
she was talking to inferiors： condescension was her forte。 Of the
admiration of the men； she had had more than enough； although either
they were afraid to go farther； or she was hard to please。
She had never contemplated anything admirable long enough to
comprehend it； she had never looked up to man or woman with anything
like reverence； she saw too quickly and too keenly