A Winters Tale 235 



indifferent, ' Look here, Adam ; you haven't lost any- 

 thing by this row, and there isn't much use in expos- 

 ing her, is there ? ' 



' No,' was the reply, ' but since they're so fond I'll 

 make them marry and set up house by themselves/ 

 With that they entered the kitchen, where Aleck, all 

 shivering with his bath, deposited the box on the floor. 

 A cheerful firelight showed Kitty, not as might have 

 been expected, with abashed countenance and the 

 demeanour of a culprit awaiting justice, but with 

 heightened colour and sparkling eyes, far bonnier 

 than ever, as her old lover could not help thinking. 



'.There's your true blood,' she said to Adam, but 

 pointing to his son, ' and this has been a fine night's 

 work for him. It began with robbing you that's done 

 so much for him, then the sweetheart that liked him 

 so well as to run away with him he left on the wrong 

 side o' the burn, and then to draw his knife on an 

 honest man ! You'll never seek to make me wed him 

 now ! ' 



' That you shall, you shameless hussy,' broke out 

 her uncle. 'You're not fit for Allan and I'm sure, 

 from what I've seen this night, he wouldn't look at a 

 thief.' 



' No, I couldn't do that,' said Willie, ' but there's 

 no need for me here,' and he was about to leave 

 when he was stopped by a burst of mischievous 

 laughter. 



' It's Bet's box,' she said. ' Bet's box ! ' said Aleck, 



