attractions　of　the　younger　Kirstie；　and　with　the　profound　humanity　and
  sentimentality　of　her　nature；　she　had　recognised　the　coming　of　fate。
  Not　thus　would　she　have　chosen。　　She　had　seen；　in　imagination；　Archie
  wedded　to　some　tall；　powerful；　and　rosy　heroine　of　the　golden　locks；
  made　in　her　own　image；　for　whom　she　would　have　strewed　the　bride…bed
  with　delight；　and　now　she　could　have　wept　to　see　the　ambition　falsified。
  But　the　gods　had　pronounced；　and　her　doom　was　otherwise。
  She　lay　tossing　in　bed　that　night；　besieged　with　feverish　thoughts。
  There　were　dangerous　matters　pending；　a　battle　was　toward；　over　the　fate
  of　which　she　hung　in　jealousy；　sympathy；　fear；　and　alternate　loyalty　and
  disloyalty　to　either　side。　　Now　she　was　reincarnated　in　her　niece；　and
  now　in　Archie。　　Now　she　saw；　through　the　girl's　eyes；　the　youth　on　his
  knees　to　her；　heard　his　persuasive　instances　with　a　deadly　weakness；　and
  received　his　overmastering　caresses。　　Anon；　with　a　revulsion；　her　temper
  raged　to　see　such　utmost　favours　of　fortune　and　love　squandered　on　a
  brat　of　a　girl；　one　of　her　own　house；　using　her　own　name　…　a　deadly
  ingredient　…　and　that　〃didna　ken　her　ain　mind　an'　was　as　black's　your
  hat。〃　　Now　she　trembled　lest　her　deity　should　plead　in　vain；　loving　the
  idea　of　success　for　him　like　a　triumph　of　nature；　anon；　with　returning
  loyalty　to　her　own　family　and　sex；　she　trembled　for　Kirstie　and　the
  credit　of　the　Elliotts。　　And　again　she　had　a　vision　of　herself；　the　day
  over　for　her　old…world　tales　and　local　gossip；　bidding　farewell　to　her
  last　link　with　life　and　brightness　and　love；　and　behind　and　beyond；　she
  saw　but　the　blank　butt…end　where　she　must　crawl　to　die。　　Had　she　then
  come　to　the　lees？　she；　so　great；　so　beautiful；　with　a　heart　as　fresh　as
  a　girl's　and　strong　as　womanhood？　　It　could　not　be；　and　yet　it　was　so；
  and　for　a　moment　her　bed　was　horrible　to　her　as　the　sides　of　the　grave。
  And　she　looked　forward　over　a　waste　of　hours；　and　saw　herself　go　on　to
  rage；　and　tremble；　and　be　softened；　and　rage　again；　until　the　day　came
  and　the　labours　of　the　day　must　be　renewed。
  Suddenly　she　heard　feet　on　the　stairs　…　his　feet；　and　soon　after　the
  sound　of　a　window…sash　flung　open。　　She　sat　up　with　her　heart　beating。
  He　had　gone　to　his　room　alone；　and　he　had　not　gone　to　bed。　　She　might
  again　have　one　of　her　night　cracks；　and　at　the　entrancing　prospect；　a
  change　came　over　her　mind；　with　the　approach　of　this　hope　of　pleasure；
  all　the　baser　metal　became　immediately　obliterated　from　her　thoughts。
  She　rose；　all　woman；　and　all　the　best　of　woman；　tender；　pitiful；　hating
  the　wrong；　loyal　to　her　own　sex　…　and　all　the　weakest　of　that　dear
  miscellany；　nourishing；　cherishing　next　her　soft　heart；　voicelessly
  flattering；　hopes　that　she　would　have　died　sooner　than　have
  acknowledged。　　She　tore　off　her　nightcap；　and　her　hair　fell　about　her
  shoulders　in　profusion。　　Undying　coquetry　awoke。　　By　the　faint　light　of
  her　nocturnal　rush；　she　stood　before　the　looking…glass；　carried　her
  shapely　arms　above　her　head；　and　gathered　up　the　treasures　of　her
  tresses。　　She　was　never　backward　to　admire　herself；　that　kind　of　modesty
  was　a　stranger　to　her　nature；　and　she　paused；　struck　with　a　pleased
  wonder　at　the　sight。　　〃Ye　daft　auld　wife！〃　she　said；　answering　a　thought
  that　was　not；　and　she　blushed　with　the　innocent　consciousness　of　a
  child。　　Hastily　she　did　up　the　massive　and　shining　coils；　hastily　donned
  a　wrapper；　and　with　the　rushlight　in　her　hand；　stole　into　the　hall。
  Below　stairs　she　heard　the　clock　ticking　the　deliberate　seconds；　and
  Frank　jingling　with　the　decanters　in　the　dining…room。　　Aversion　rose　in
  her；　bitter　and　momentary。　　〃Nesty；　tippling　puggy！〃　she　thought；　and
  the　next　moment　she　had　knocked　guardedly　at　Archie's　door　and　was
  bidden　enter。
  Archie　had　been　looking　out　into　the　ancient　blackness；　pierced　here　and
  there　with　a　rayless　star；　taking　the　sweet　air　of　the　moors　and　the
  night　into　his　bosom　deeply；　seeking；　perhaps　finding；　peace　after　the
  manner　of　the　unhappy。　　He　turned　round　as　she　came　in；　and　showed　her　a
  pale　face　against　the　window…frame。
  〃Is　that　you；　Kirstie？〃　he　asked。　　〃Come　in！〃
  〃It's　unco　late；　my　dear；〃　said　Kirstie；　affecting　unwillingness。
  〃No；　no；〃　he　answered；　〃not　at　all。　　Come　in；　if　you　want　a　crack。　　I　am
  not　sleepy；　God　knows！〃
  She　advanced；　took　a　chair　by　the　toilet　table　and　the　candle；　and　set
  the　rushlight　at　her　foot。　　Something　…　it　might　be　in　the　comparative
  disorder　of　her　dress；　it　might　be　the　emotion　that　now　welled　in　her
  bosom　…　had　touched　her　with　a　wand　of　transformation；　and　she　seemed
  young　with　the　youth　of　goddesses。
  〃Mr。　Erchie；〃　she　began；　〃what's　this　that's　come　to　ye？〃
  〃I　am　not　aware　of　anything　that　has　come；〃　said　Archie；　and　blushed；
  and　repented　bitterly　that　he　had　let　her　in。
  〃O；　my　dear；　that'll　no　dae！〃　said　Kirstie。　　〃It's　ill　to　blend　the　eyes
  of　love。　　O；　Mr。　Erchie；　tak　a　thocht　ere　it's　ower　late。　　Ye　shouldna
  be　impatient　o'　the　braws　o'　life；　they'll　a'　come　in　their　saison；　like
  the　sun　and　the　rain。　　Ye're　young　yet；　ye've　mony　cantie　years　afore
  ye。　　See　and　dinna　wreck　yersel'　at　the　outset　like　sae　mony　ithers！
  Hae　patience　…　they　telled　me　aye　that　was　the　owercome　o'　life　…　hae
  patience；　there's　a　braw　day　coming　yet。　　Gude　kens　it　never　cam　to　me；
  and　here　I　am；　wi'　nayther　man　nor　bairn　to　ca'　my　ain；　wearying　a'
  folks　wi'　my　ill　tongue；　and　you　just　the　first；　Mr。　Erchie！〃
  〃I　have　a　difficulty　in　knowing　what　you　mean；〃　said　Archie。
  〃Weel；　and　I'll　tell　ye；〃　she　said。　　〃It's　just　this；　that　I'm　feared。
  I'm　feared　for　ye；　my　dear。　　Remember；　your　faither　is　a　hard　man；
  reaping　where　he　hasna　sowed　and　gaithering　where　he　hasna　strawed。
  It's　easy　speakin'；　but　mind！　　Ye'll　have　to　look　in　the　gurly　face　o'm；
  where　it's　ill　to　look；　and　vain　to　look　for　mercy。　　Ye　mind　me　o'　a
  bonny　ship　pitten　oot　into　the　black　and　gowsty　seas　…　ye're　a'　safe
  still；　sittin'　quait　and　crackin'　wi'　Kirstie　in　your　lown　chalmer；　but
  whaur　will　ye　be　the　morn；　and　in　whatten　horror　o'　the　fearsome
  tempest；　cryin'　on　the　hills　to　cover　ye？〃
  〃Why；　Kirstie；　you're　very　enigmatical　to…night　…　and　very　eloquent；〃
  Archie　put　in。
  〃And；　my　dear　Mr。　Erchie；〃　she　continued；　with　a　change　of　voice；　〃ye
  mauna　think　that　I　canna　sympathise　wi'　ye。　　Ye　mauna　think　that　I
  havena　been　young　mysel'。　　Lang　syne；　when　I　was　a　bit　lassie；　no　twenty
  yet　…　〃　　She　paused　and　sighed。　　〃Clean　and　caller；　wi'　a　fit　like　the
  hinney　bee；〃　she　continned。　　〃I　was　aye　big　and　buirdly；　ye　maun
  understand；　a　bonny　figure　o'　a　woman；　though　I　say　it　that　suldna　…
  built　to　rear　bairns　…　braw　bairns　they　suld　hae　been；　and　grand　I　would
  hae　likit　it！　　But　I　was　young；　dear；　wi'　the　bonny　glint　o'　youth　in　my
  e'en；　and　little　I　dreamed　I'd　ever　be　tellin'　ye　this；　an　auld；　lanely；
  rudas　wife！　　Weel；　Mr。　Erchie；　there　was　a　lad　cam'　courtin'　me；　as　was
  but　naetural。　　Mony　had　come　before；　and　I　would　nane　o'　them。　　But　this
  yin　had　a　tongue　to　wile　the　birds　frae　the　lift　and　the　bees　frae　the
  foxglove　bells。　　Deary　me；　but　it's　lang　syne！　　Folk　have　dee'd　sinsyne
  and　been　buried；　and　are　forgotten；　and　bairns　been　born　and　got　merrit
  and　got　bairns　o'　their　ain。　　Sinsyne　woods　have　been　plantit；　and　have
  grawn　up　and　are　bonny　trees；　and　the　joes　sit　in　their　shadow；　and
  sinsyne　auld　estates　have　changed　hands；　and　there　have　been　wars　and
  rumours　of　wars　on　the　face　of　the　earth。　　And　here　I'm　still　…　like　an
  auld　droopit　craw　…　lookin'　on　and　craikin'！　　But；　Mr。　Erchie；　do　ye　no
  think　that　I　have　mind　o'　it　a'　still？　　I　was　dwalling　then　in　my
  faither's　house；　and　it's　a　curious　thing　that　we　were　whiles　trysted　in
  the　Deil's　Hags。　　And　do　ye　no　think　that　I　have　mind　of　the　bonny
  simmer　days；　the　lang　miles　o'　the　bluid…red　heather；　the　cryin'　of　the
  whaups；　and　the　lad　and　the　lassie　that　was　trysted？　　Do　ye　no　think
  that　I　mind　how　the　hilly　sweetness　ran　about　my　hairt？　　Ay；　Mr。　Erchie；
  I　ken　the　way　o'　it　…　fine　do　I　ken　the　way　…　how　the　grace　o'　God　takes
  them；　like　Paul　of　Tarsus；　when　they　think　it　least；　and　drives　the　pair
  o'　them　into　a　land　which　is　like　a　dream；　and　the　world　and　the　folks
  in't'　are　nae　mair　than　clouds　to　the　puir　lassie；　and　heeven　nae　mair
  than　windle…straes；　if　she　can　but　pleesure　him！　　Until　Tam　dee'd　…　that
  was　my　story；〃　she　broke　off　to　say；　〃he　dee'd；　and　I　wasna　at　the
  buryin'。　　But　while　he　was　here；　I　could　take　care　o'　mysel'。　　And　can
  yon　puir　lassie？〃
  Kirstie；　her　eyes　shining　with　unshed　tears；　stretched　out　her　hand
  towards　him　appealingly；　the　bright　and　the　dull　gold　of　her　hair
  flashed　and　smouldered　in　the　coils　behind　her　comely　head；　like　the
  rays　of　an　eternal　youth；　the　pure　colour　had　risen　in　her　face；　and
  Archie　was　abashed　alike　by