I now ask you to tell me, if you are an honest man, where you have been ?" "I am as honest, Meehaul, as any man that ever carried the name of Neil upon him, an' yet I won't tell you that, till you show me what right you have to ask me." "I b'lieve you forget that I'm Ellen Neil's brother: now, Lamh Laudher, as her brother, I choose to insist on your answering me." "Is it by her wish ?" "Suppose I say it is." "Ay! but I won't suppose that, till you lay your right hand on your heart, and declare as an honest man, that--tut, man--this is nonsense.
Meehaul, go home--I would rather there was friendship between us." "You were with Ellen, this night in the! Grassy Quarry." "Are you sure of that ?" "I saw you both--I watched you both; you left her beyond the Pedlar's Cairn, an' you're now on your way home." "An' the more mane you, Meehaul, to become a spy upon a girl that you know is as pure as the light from heaven.

You ought to blush for doubtin' sich a sister, or thinkin' it your duty to watch her as you do." "Lamh Laudher, you say that you'd rather there was no ill-will between us." "I say that, God knows, from my heart out." "Then there's one way that it may be so.

Give up Ellen; you'll find it for your own interest to do so." "Show me that, Meehaul." "Give her up, I say, an' then I may tell you." "Meehaul, good-night.

Go home." They had now entered the principal street of the town, and as they proceeded in what appeared to be an earnest, perhaps a friendly conversation, many of their respective acquaintances, who lounged in the moonlight about their doors, were not a little surprised at seeing them in close conference.

When Lamh Laudher wished him good night, he had reached an off street which led towards his father's house, a circumstance at which he rejoiced, as it would have been the means, he hoped, of terminating a dialogue that was irksome to both parties.