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 "Oh, Allie, my ain precious bairn!" she cried. "Oh! what, is it, my darlin'? what ha' kim ower ye?"

Alice did not speak, but, sinking down at her grandmother's feet, she laid her head upon the kind knees that had ever been her place of refuge in all her childhood's troubles, and burst into tears.

"Oh, Allie, Allie, my ain sonsie lassie! what—oh, what is it? Dinna ye greet sae sairly. Tell me what it is that's grievin' ye. Is there ony new throuble? Oh, tell me—tell me!"

"Oh, no, no, grandmother!" sobbed Alice, whose hearty burst of tears had relieved her overcharged feelings. "No, there is nothing new; but I think my heart is broken."

"Na', na', my dearie. Dinna say that, nor think it, either," said the grandmother, fondly parting the girl's sunny curls, and tenderly kissing her. "Ye are young, lassie, an' young hearts dinna break when they think they will. Ye will win ower it, my darlin', in time, though it's hard to bear noo. But tell me, lassie, where hae ye been, an' what hae ye met wi', that ha' so cast ye doon?"