midnight
Jeanie Deans , -- for here our story unites itself with that part of the narrative which broke off at the end of the fourteenth chapter , -- while she waited , in terror and amazement , the hasty advance of three or four men towards her , was yet more startled at their suddenly breaking asunder , and giving chase in different directions to the late object of her terror , who became at that moment , though she could not well assign a reasonable cause , rather the cause of her interest . One of the party -LRB- it was Sharpitlaw -RRB- came straight up to her , and saying , `` Your name is Jeanie Deans , and you are my prisoner , '' immediately added , `` But if you will tell me which way he ran I will let you go . '' `` I dinna ken , sir , '' was all the poor girl could utter ; and , indeed , it is the phrase which rises most readily to the lips of any person in her rank , as the readiest reply to any embarrassing question . `` But , '' said Sharpitlaw , `` ye _ ken _ wha it was ye were speaking wi ' , my leddy , on the hill side , and midnight sae near ; ye surely ken _ that , _ my bonny woman ? '' `` I dinna ken , sir , '' again iterated Jeanie , who really did not comprehend in her terror the nature of the questions which were so hastily put to her in this moment of surprise . `` We will try to mend your memory by and by , hinny , '' said Sharpitlaw , and shouted , as we have already told the reader , to Ratcliffe , to come up and take charge of her , while he himself directed the chase after Robertson , which he still hoped might be successful . As Ratcliffe approached , Sharpitlaw pushed the young woman towards him with some rudeness , and betaking himself to the more important object of his quest , began to scale crags and scramble up steep banks , with an agility of which his profession and his general gravity of demeanour would previously have argued him incapable .