natural　hours；　there　was　weariness　enough　in　the　work　of　the　day　to
  prevent　even　David　from　reading；　in　the　hours　of　bodily　rest；
  anything　that　necessitated　mental　labour。
  Janet　and　Margaret　betook　themselves　to　the　reaping…hook；　and　the
  somewhat　pale　face　of　the　latter　needed　but　a　single　day　to　change
  it　to　the　real　harvest　huethe　brown　livery　of　Ceres。　　But　when　the
  oats　were　attacked；　then　came　the　tug　of　war。　　The　laird　was　in　the
  fields　from　morning　to　night；　and　the　boys　would　not　stay　behind；
  but；　with　their　father's　permission；　much　to　the　tutor's
  contentment；　devoted　what　powers　they　had　to　the　gathering　of　the
  fruits　of　the　earth。　　Hugh　himself；　whose　strength　had　grown
  amazingly　during　his　stay　at　Turriepuffit；　and　who；　though　he　was
  quite　helpless　at　the　sickle；　thought　he　could　wield　the　scythe；
  would　not　be　behind。　　Throwing　off　coat　and　waistcoat；　and　tying　his
  handkerchief　tight　round　his　loins；　he　laid　hold　on　the　emblematic
  weapon　of　Time　and　Death；　determined　likewise　to　earn　the　name　of
  Reaper。　　He　took　the　last　scythe。　　It　was　desperate　work　for　a
  while；　and　he　was　far　behind　the　first　bout；　but　David；　who　was　the
  best　scyther　in　the　whole　country　side；　and　of　course　had　the
  leading　scythe；　seeing　the　tutor　dropping　behind；　put　more　power　to
  his　own　arm；　finished　his　own　bout；　and　brought　up　Hugh's　before　the
  others　had　done　sharpening　their　scythes　for　the　next。
  〃Tak'　care　an'　nae　rax　yersel'　ower　sair；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　Ye'll　be
  up　wi'　the　best　o'　them　in　a　day　or　twa；　but　gin　ye　tyauve　at　it
  aboon　yer　strenth；　ye'll　be　clean　forfochten。　　Tak'　a　guid　sweep　wi'
  the　scythe；　'at　ye　may　hae　the　weicht　o't　to　ca'　through　the　strae；
  an'　tak'　nae　shame　at　bein'　hindmost。　　Here；　Maggy；　my　doo；　come　an'
  gather　to　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　Ane　o'　the　young　gentlemen　can　tak'　your
  place　at　the　binin'。〃
  The　work　of　Janet　and　Margaret　had　been　to　form　bands　for　the
  sheaves；　by　folding　together　cunningly　the　heads　of　two　small
  handfuls　of　the　corn；　so　as　to　make　them　long　enough　together　to　go
  round　the　sheaf；　then　to　lay　this　down　for　the　gatherer　to　place
  enough　of　the　mown　corn　upon　it；　and　last；　to　bind　the　band　tightly
  around　by　another　skilful　twist　and　an　insertion　of　the　ends；　and　so
  form　a　sheaf。　　From　this　work　David　called　his　daughter；　desirous　of
  giving　Hugh　a　gatherer　who　would　not　be　disrespectful　to　his
  awkwardness。　　This　arrangement；　however；　was　far　from　pleasing　to
  some　of　the　young　men　in　the　field；　and　brought　down　upon　Hugh；　who
  was　too　hard…wrought　to　hear　them　at　first；　many　sly　hits　of　country
  wit　and　human　contempt。　　There　had　been　for　some　time　great　jealousy
  of　his　visits　at　David's　cottage；　for　Margaret；　though　she　had　very
  little　acquaintance　with　the　young　men　of　the　neighbourhood；　was
  greatly　admired　amongst　them；　and　not　regarded　as　so　far　above　the
  station　of　many　of　them　as　to　render　aspiration　useless。　　Their
  remarks　to　each　other　got　louder　and　louder；　till　Hugh　at　last　heard
  some　of　them；　and　could　not　help　being　annoyed；　not　by　their　wit　or
  personality；　but　by　the　tone　of　contempt　in　which　they　were　uttered。
  〃Tak'　care　o'　yer　legs；　sir。　　It'll　be　ill　cuttin'　upo'　stumps。〃
  〃Fegs！　he's　taen　the　wings　aff　o'　a　pairtrick。〃
  〃Gin　he　gang　on　that　get；　he'll　cut　twa　bouts　at　ance。〃
  〃Ye'll　hae　the　scythe　ower　the　dyke；　man。　　Tak'　tent。〃
  〃Losh！　sir；　ye've　taen　aff　my　leg　at　the　hip！〃
  〃Ye're　shavin'　ower　close：　ye'll　draw　the　bluid；　sir。〃
  〃Hoot；　man！　lat　alane。　　The　gentleman's　only　mista'en　his　trade；　an'
  imaigins　he's　howkin'　a　grave。〃
  And　so　on。　　Hugh　gave　no　further　sign　of　hearing　their　remarks　than
  lay　in　increased　exertion。　　Looking　round；　however；　he　saw　that
  Margaret　was　vexed；　evidently　not　for　her　own　sake。　　He　smiled　to
  her；　to　console　her　for　his　annoyance；　and　then；　ambitious　to　remove
  the　cause　of　it；　made　a　fresh　exertion；　recovered　all　his　distance；
  and　was　in　his　own　place　with　the　best　of　them　at　the　end　of　the
  bout。　　But　the　smile　that　had　passed　between　them　did　not　escape
  unobserved；　and　he　had　aroused　yet　more　the　wrath　of　the　youths；　by
  threatening　soon　to　rival　them　in　the　excellencies　to　which　they　had
  an　especial　claim。　　They　had　regarded　him　as　an　interloper；　who　had
  no　right　to　captivate　one　of　their　rank　by　arts　beyond　their　reach；
  but　it　was　still　less　pardonable　to　dare　them　to　a　trial　of　skill
  with　their　own　weapons。　　To　the　fire　of　this　jealousy；　the
  admiration　of　the　laird　added　fuel；　for　he　was　delighted　with　the
  spirit　with　which　Hugh　laid　himself　to　the　scythe。　　But　all　the
  time；　nothing　was　further　from　Hugh's　thoughts　than　the　idea　of
  rivalry　with　them。　　Whatever　he　might　have　thought　of　Margaret　in
  relation　to　himself；　he　never　thought　of　her；　though　labouring　in
  the　same　field　with　them；　as　in　the　least　degree　belonging　to　their
  class；　or　standing　in　any　possible　relation　to　them；　except　that　of
  a　common　work。
  In　ordinary；　the　labourers　would　have　had　sufficient　respect　for
  Sutherland's　superior　position；　to　prevent　them　from　giving　such
  decided　and　articulate　utterance　to　their　feelings。　　But　they　were
  incited　by　the　presence　and　example　of　a　man　of　doubtful　character
  from　the　neighbouring　village；　a　travelled　and　clever　ne'er…do…weel；
  whose　reputation　for　wit　was　equalled　by　his　reputation　for　courage
  and　skill；　as　well　as　profligacy。　　Roused　by　the　effervescence　of
  his　genius；　they　went　on　from　one　thing　to　another；　till　Hugh　saw　it
  must　be　put　a　stop　to　somehow；　else　he　must　abandon　the　field。　　They
  dared　not　have　gone　so　far　if　David　had　been　present；　but　he　had
  been　called　away　to　superintend　some　operations　in　another　part　of
  the　estate；　and　they　paid　no　heed　to　the　expostulations　of　some　of
  the　other　older　men。　　At　the　close　of　the　day's　work；　therefore；
  Hugh　walked　up　to　this　fellow；　and　said：
  〃I　hope　you　will　be　satisfied　with　insulting　me　all　to…day；　and
  leave　it　alone　to…morrow。〃
  The　man　replied；　with　an　oath　and　a　gesture　of　rude　contempt；
  〃I　dinna　care　the　black　afore　my　nails　for　ony　skelp…doup　o'　the　lot
  o'　ye。〃
  Hugh's　highland　blood　flew　to　his　brain；　and　before　the　rascal
  finished　his　speech；　he　had　measured　his　length　on　the　stubble。　　He
  sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　fury；　threw　off　the　coat　which　he　had　just
  put　on；　and　darted　at　Hugh；　who　had　by　this　time　recovered　his
  coolness；　and　was　besides；　notwithstanding　his　unusual　exertions；
  the　more　agile　of　the　two。　　The　other　was　heavier　and　more　powerful。
  Hugh　sprang　aside；　as　he　would　have　done　from　the　rush　of　a　bull；
  and　again　with　a　quick　blow　felled　his　antagonist。　　Beginning　rather
  to　enjoy　punishing　him；　he　now　went　in　for　it；　and；　before　the　other
  would　yield；　he　had　rendered　his　next　day's　labour　somewhat
  doubtful。　　He　withdrew；　with　no　more　injury　to　himself　than　a　little
  water　would　remove。　　Janet　and　Margaret　had　left　the　field　before　he
  addressed　the　man。
  He　went　borne　and　to　bedmore　weary　than　he　had　ever　been　in　his
  life。　　Before　he　went　to　sleep；　however；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　say
  nothing　of　his　encounter　to　David；　but　to　leave　him　to　hear　of　it
  from　other　sources。　　He　could　not　help　feeling　a　little　anxious　as
  to　his　judgment　upon　it。　　That　the　laird　would　approve；　he　hardly
  doubted；　but　for　his　opinion　he　cared　very　little。
  〃Dawvid；　I　wonner　at　ye；〃　said　Janet　to　her　husband；　the　moment　he
  came　home；　〃to　lat　the　young　lad　warstle　himsel'　deid　that　get　wi'　a
  scythe。　　His　banes　is　but　saft　yet；　There　wasna　a　dry　steek　on　him
  or　he　wan　half　the　lenth　o'　the　first　bout。　　He's　sair　disjaskit；
  I'se　warran'。〃
  〃Nae　fear　o'　him；　Janet；　it'll　do　him　guid。　　Mr。　Sutherland's　no
  feckless　winlestrae　o'　a　creater。　　Did　he　haud　his　ain　at　a'　wi'　the
  lave？〃
  〃Haud　his　ain！　　Gin　he　be　fit　for　onything　the　day；　he　maun　be
  pitten　neist　yersel'；　or　he'll　cut　the　legs　aff　o'　ony　ither　man　i'
  the　corn。〃
  A　glow　of　pleasure　mantled　in　Margaret's　face　at　her　mother's　praise
  of　Hugh。　Janet　went　on：
  〃But　I　was　jist　clean　affronted　wi'　the　way　'at　the　young　chields
  behaved　themselves　till　him。〃
  〃I　thocht　I　heard　a　toot…moot　o'　that　kin'　afore　I　left；　but　I
  thocht　it　better　to　tak'　nae　notice　o't。　　I'll　be　wi'　ye　a'　day　the
  morn　though；　an'　I'm　thinkin'　I'll　clap　a　rouch　han'　on　their　mou's
  'at　I　hear　ony　mair　o't　frae。〃
  But　there　was　no　occasion　for　interference　on　David's　part。　　Hugh
  made　his　appearancenot；　it　is　true；　with　the　earliest　in　the
  hairst…rig；　but　after　breakfast　with　the　laird；　who　was　delighted
  with　the　way　in　which　he　had　handled　his　scythe　the　day　before；　and
  felt　twice　the　respect　for　him　in　consequence。　　It　must　be　confessed
  he　felt　very　stiff；　but　the　best　treatment　for　stiffness　being　the
  hom渙pathic　one　of　more　work；　he　had　soon　restored　the　elasticity　of
  his　muscles；　and　lubricated　his　aching　joints。　　His　antagonist　of
  the　foregoing　evening　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　the　rest　of　the
  young　men　were　shame…faced　and　respectful　enough。
  David；　having　learned　from　some　of　the　spectators　the　facts　of　the
  combat；　suddenly；　as　they　were　walking　home　together；　held　out　his
  hand　to　Hugh；　shook　his　hard；　and　said：
  〃Mr。　Sutherlan'；　I'm　sair　obleeged　to　ye　for　giein'　that　vratch；
  Jamie　Ogg；　a　guid　doonsettin'。　　He