"Dinna ye be feared that I'll marry onybody I dinna like, Curly."
"Ye dinna like him. I houp to God!"
"I canna bide him."
"Weel, maybe�-Wha kens? I daurna despair."
"Curly, Curly, I maun be honest wi' you, as ye hae been wi' me. Whan ance a body's seen ane, they canna see anither, ye ken. Wha cud hae been at the schule as I was sae lang, and syne taen oot o' the water, ye ken, and syne�-?"
Annie stopped.
"Gin ye mean Alec Forbes�-" said Curly, and stopped too. But presently he went on again�-"Gin I war to come atween Alec Forbes and you, hangin' wad be ower gude for me. But has Alec�-"
"Na, nae a word. But haud yer tongue. Curly. Ance is a' wi' me.-�It's nae mony lasses wad hae tell't ye sic a thing. But I ken it's richt. Ye're the only ane that has my secret. Keep it, Curly."
"Like Deith himsel'," said Curly. "Ye are a braw lass."
"Ye maunna think ill o' me, Curly. I hae tell't ye the trowth."