Kilmeny of the Orchard 
     
    
   
   
    
     here as we have been doing, without the 
     
     knowledge and consent of your friends. 
     
     You cannot now understand this, but— 
     
     believe me—it is so.” 
     
    

    
     She looked questioningly, pityingly into 
     
     his eyes. What she read there seemed to 
     
     convince her, for she turned very pale and 
     
     an expression of hopelessness came into 
     
     her face. Releasing her hands, she wrote 
     
     slowly, 
     
    

    
     “ If you say it is wrong I must believe 
     
     it. I did not know anything so pleasant 
     
     could be wrong. But if it is wrong we 
     
     must not meet here any more. Mother 
     
     told me I must never do anything that was 
     
     wrong. But I did not know this was 
     
     wrong.” 
     
    

    
     “ It was not wrong for you, Kilmeny. 
     
     But it was a little wrong for me, because 
     
     I knew better—or rather, should have 
     
     known better. I didn’t stop to think, as 
     
     the children say. Some day you will un- 
     
     derstand fully. Now, you will take me to 
     
     your uncle and aunt, and after I have said 
     
    

    
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