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Rh the girl to be far beneath him, and setting his desires on his son's mating with the daughter of some needy laird. The father, at length, got the son to his way of thinking; and, as the girl's virtue was too strong to permit the young man obtaining her for his own way except by marriage, he deceived her by a false ceremony, and persuaded her to keep their secret, and to live in her father's house as she had hitherto done, until such time as he might be able to disclose their marriage to his father. To this the girl agreed; and, though the young man's visits brought down upon her many remarks that were very hard for her to bear, yet she bore with them all under the belief that she was a lawfully-wedded wife, and that before long she should be able to clear her reputation and to live comfortably with her husband.

Notwithstanding much that was adverse, she therefore felt very happy for some time, and looked forward to the future with trustful confidence. But, after six months, the young man slackened in his visits, and was for ever making excuses why he could not come to see her; and, by quick degrees, his visits became more rare, while his manner on those occasions became rougher and less loving,