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appear upon the pointers； the names of definite and famous cities far
distant； and now perhaps basking in sunshine； but Christina remained all
these hours； as it were； at the foot of the post itself； not moving； and
enveloped in mutable and blinding wreaths of haze。
The day was growing late and the sunbeams long and level； when she
sat suddenly up； and wrapped in its handkerchief and put by that psalm…
book which had already played a part so decisive in the first chapter of her
love…story。 In the absence of the mesmerist's eye； we are told nowadays
that the head of a bright nail may fill his place； if it be steadfastly regarded。
So that torn page had riveted her attention on what might else have been
but little； and perhaps soon forgotten； while the ominous words of Dandie
… heard； not heeded； and still remembered … had lent to her thoughts； or
rather to her mood； a cast of solemnity； and that idea of Fate … a pagan Fate；
uncontrolled by any Christian deity； obscure； lawless； and august … moving
indissuadably in the affairs of Christian men。 Thus even that phenomenon
of love at first sight； which is so rare and seems so simple and violent； like
a disruption of life's tissue； may be decomposed into a sequence of
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accidents happily concurring。
She put on a grey frock and a pink kerchief； looked at herself a
moment with approval in the small square of glass that served her for a
toilet mirror； and went softly downstairs through the sleeping house that
resounded with the sound of afternoon snoring。 Just outside the door；
Dandie was sitting with a book in his hand； not reading； only honouring
the Sabbath by a sacred vacancy of mind。 She came near him and stood
still。
〃I'm for off up the muirs； Dandie；〃 she said。
There was something unusually soft in her tones that made him look
up。 She was pale； her eyes dark and bright； no trace remained of the levity
of the morning。
〃Ay； lass？ Ye'll have yer ups and downs like me； I'm thinkin'；〃 he
observed。
〃What for do ye say that？〃 she asked。
〃O； for naething；〃 says Dand。 〃Only I think ye're mair like me than the
lave of them。 Ye've mair of the poetic temper； tho' Guid kens little enough
of the poetic taalent。 It's an ill gift at the best。 Look at yoursel'。 At denner
you were all sunshine and flowers and laughter； and now you're like the
star of evening on a lake。〃
She drank in this hackneyed compliment like wine； and it glowed in
her veins。
〃But I'm saying； Dand〃 … she came nearer him … 〃I'm for the muirs。 I
must have a braith of air。 If Clem was to be speiring for me； try and quaiet
him； will ye no？〃
〃What way？〃 said Dandie。 〃I ken but the ae way； and that's leein'。〃 I'll
say ye had a sair heid； if ye like。〃
〃But I havena；〃 she objected。
〃I daursay no；〃 he returned。 〃I said I would say ye had； and if ye like
to nay…say me when ye come back； it'll no mateerially maitter； for my
chara'ter's clean gane a'ready past reca'。〃
〃O； Dand； are ye a lecar？〃 she asked； lingering。
〃Folks say sae；〃 replied the bard。
〃Wha says sae？〃 she pursued。
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〃Them that should ken the best；〃 he responded。 〃The lassies； for ane。〃
〃But； Dand； you would never lee to me？〃 she asked。
〃I'll leave that for your pairt of it； ye girzie；〃 said he。 〃Ye'll lee to me
fast eneuch； when ye hae gotten a jo。 I'm tellin' ye and it's true； when you
have a jo； Miss Kirstie； it'll be for guid and ill。 I ken： I was made that way
mysel'； but the deil was in my luck！ Here； gang awa wi' ye to your muirs；
and let me be； I'm in an hour of inspiraution； ye upsetting tawpie！〃
But she clung to her brother's neighbourhood； she knew not why。
〃Will ye no gie's a kiss； Dand？〃 she said。 〃I aye likit ye fine。〃
He kissed her and considered her a moment； he found something
strange in her。 But he was a libertine through and through； nourished equal
contempt and suspicion of all womankind； and paid his way among them
habitually with idle compliments。
〃Gae wa' wi' ye！〃 said he。 〃Ye're a dentie baby； and be content wi'
that！〃
That was Dandie's way； a kiss and a comfit to Jenny … a bawbee and
my blessing to Jill … and goodnight to the whole clan of ye； my dears！
When anything approached the serious； it became a matter for men； he
both thought and said。 Women； when they did not absorb； were only
children to be shoo'd away。 Merely in his character of connoisseur；
however； Dandie glanced carelessly after his sister as she crossed the
meadow。 〃The brat's no that bad！〃 he thought with surprise； for though he
had just been paying her compliments； he had not really looked at her。
〃Hey！ what's yon？〃 For the grey dress was cut with short sleeves and
skirts； and displayed her trim strong legs clad in pink stockings of the
same shade as the kerchief she wore round her shoulders； and that
shimmered as she went。 This was not her way in undress； he knew her
ways and the ways of the whole sex in the country…side； no one better；
when they did not go barefoot； they wore stout 〃rig and furrow〃 woollen
hose of an invisible blue mostly； when they were not black outright； and
Dandie； at sight of this daintiness； put two and two together。 It was a silk
handkerchief； then they would be silken hose； they matched … then the
whole outfit was a present of Clem's； a costly present； and not something
to be worn through bog and briar； or on a late afternoon of Sunday。 He
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whistled。 〃My denty May； either your heid's fair turned； or there's some
ongoings！〃 he observed； and dismissed the subject。
She went slowly at first； but ever straighter and faster for the
Cauldstaneslap； a pass among the hills to which the farm owed its name。
The Slap opened like a doorway between two rounded hillocks； and
through this ran the short cut to Hermiston。 Immediately on the other side
it went down through the Deil's Hags； a considerable marshy hollow of the
hill tops； full of springs； and crouching junipers； and pools where the black
peat…water slumbered。 There was no view from here。 A man might have
sat upon the Praying Weaver's stone a half century； and seen none but the
Cauldstaneslap children twice in the twenty…four hours on their way to the
school and back again； an occasional shepherd； the irruption of a clan of
sheep； or the birds who haunted about the springs； drinking and shrilly
piping。 So； when she had once passed the Slap； Kirstie was received into
seclusion。 She looked back a last time at the farm。 It still lay deserted
except for the figure of Dandie； who was now seen to be scribbling in his
lap； the hour of expected inspiration having come to him at last。 Thence
she passed rapidly through the morass； and came to the farther end of it；
where a sluggish burn discharges； an