The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN. 411
"I dinna ken, sir," again iterated Jeanie, who really did not comprehend
in her terror the nature of the questions which were so hastily put to her in
this moment of surprise.
"We will try to mend your memory by and by, hinny," said Sharpitlaw,
and shouted, as we have already told the reader, to Ratcliffe, to come up
and take charge of her, while he himself directed the chase after Robertson, which he still hoped might be successful. As Ratcliffe approached,
Sharpitlaw pusheod —;t., young woman towards him with some rudeness,
and betaking himself to the more important object of his quest, began to
scale crags and scramble up steep banks, with an agility of which his
profession and his general gravity of demeanour would previously have
argued- him incapable. In a few minutes there was no one within sight,
and only a distant halloo from one of the pursuers to the other faintly heard
on the side of the hill, argued that there was any one within hearing. Jeanie
Deans was left in the clear moonlight, standing under the guard of a person
of whom she knew nothing, and, what was worse, concerning whom, as the
reader is well aware, she could have learned nothing that would not have
increased her terror.
When all in the distance was silent, Ratcliffe for the first time addressed
her, and it was in that cold sarcastic indifferent tone familiar to habitual
depravity, whose crimes are instigated by custom rather than by passion.
"' This is a braw night for ye, derie," he said, attempting to pass his arm
across her shoulder, " to be on the green hill wi' your jo." Jeanie extricated herself from his grasp, but did not make any reply. " I think lads and
lasses," continued the ruffian, " dinna meet at Muschat's Cairn at midnight
to crack nuts," and he again attempted to take hold of her.
" If ye are an officer of justice, sir," said Jeanie, again eluding his attempt
to seize her, "ye deserve to have your coat stripped from your back."
"Very true, hinny," said he, succeeding forcibly in his attempt to get
hold of her, "but suppose I should strip your cloak off first?"
" Ye are more a man, I am sure, than to hurt me, sir," said Jeanie; "for
God's sake have pity on a half-distracted creature!"
"' Come, come," said Ratcliffe, "you're a good-looking wench, and should
not be cross-grained. I was going to be an honest man-but the devil has
this very day flung first a lawyer, and then a woman, in my gate. I'll tell
you what, Jeanie, they are out on the hill-side - if you'll be guided by me,
I'll carry you to a wee bit coaner in the Pleasance, that I ken o' in an auld
wife's, that a' the prokitors o' Scotland wot naething o', and we'll send
Robertson word to meet us in Yorkshire, for there is a set o' braw lads about
the midland counties, that I hae dune business wi' before now,'and sae we'll
leave Mr. Sharpitlaw to whistle on his thumb."
It was fortunate for Jeanie, in an emergency like the present, that she
possessed presence of mind and courage, so soon as the first hurry of
surprise'had enabled her to rally her recollection. She saw the risk
she was in from a ruffian, who not only was such by profession, but had
that evening been stupifying, by means of strong liquors, the internal aversion which he felt at the business on which Sharpitlaw had resolved to
employ him.
" Dinna speak sae loud," said she, in a low voice, " he's up yonder."
"'Who? - Robertson!" said Ratcliffe, eagerly.
1" Ay," replied Jeanie; " up yonder;" and she pointed to the ruins of the
hermitage and chapel.
" By G-d, then," said Ratcliffe, "I'll make my ain of him, either one
way or other-wait for me here."
But no sooner had he set off, as fast as he could run, towards the chapel,
than Jeanie started in an opposite direction, over high and low, on the
nearest path homeward. Her juvenile exercise as a herdswoman had put
"life and mettle" in her heels, and never had she followed Dustiefoot, when