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confronted with the person whom he sought。 The first Sunday Kirstie had
managed to stay away from kirk on some pretext of indisposition； which
was more truly modesty； the pleasure of beholding Archie seeming too
sacred； too vivid for that public place。 On the two following； Frank had
himself been absent on some of his excursions among the neighbouring
families。 It was not until the fourth； accordingly； that Frank had occasion
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to set eyes on the enchantress。 With the first look； all hesitation was over。
She came with the Cauldstaneslap party； then she lived at Cauldstaneslap。
Here was Archie's secret； here was the woman； and more than that …
though I have need here of every manageable attenuation of language …
with the first look； he had already entered himself as rival。 It was a good
deal in pique； it was a little in revenge； it was much in genuine admiration：
the devil may decide the proportions！ I cannot； and it is very likely that
Frank could not。
〃Mighty attractive milkmaid；〃 he observed； on the way home。
〃Who？〃 said Archie。
〃O； the girl you're looking at … aren't you？ Forward there on the road。
She came attended by the rustic bard； presumably； therefore； belongs to
his exalted family。 The single objection！ for the four black brothers are
awkward customers。 If anything were to go wrong； Gib would gibber； and
Clem would prove inclement； and Dand fly in danders； and Hob blow up
in gobbets。 It would be a Helliott of a business！〃
〃Very humorous； I am sure；〃 said Archie。
〃Well； I am trying to be so；〃 said Frank。 〃It's none too easy in this
place； and with your solemn society； my dear fellow。 But confess that the
milkmaid has found favour in your eyes； or resign all claim to be a man of
taste。〃
〃It is no matter；〃 returned Archie。
But the other continued to look at him； steadily and quizzically； and
his colour slowly rose and deepened under the glance； until not impudence
itself could have denied that he was blushing。 And at this Archie lost some
of his control。 He changed his stick from one hand to the other； and … 〃O；
for God's sake； don't be an ass！〃 he cried。
〃Ass？ That's the retort delicate without doubt；〃 says Frank。 〃Beware of
the homespun brothers； dear。 If they come into the dance； you'll see who's
an ass。 Think now； if they only applied （say） a quarter as much talent as I
have applied to the question of what Mr。 Archie does with his evening
hours； and why he is so unaffectedly nasty when the subject's touched on …
〃
〃You are touching on it now；〃 interrupted Archie with a wince。
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〃Thank you。 That was all I wanted； an articulate confession；〃 said
Frank。
〃I beg to remind you … 〃 began Archie。
But he was interrupted in turn。 〃My dear fellow； don't。 It's quite
needless。 The subject's dead and buried。〃
And Frank began to talk hastily on other matters； an art in which he
was an adept； for it was his gift to be fluent on anything or nothing。 But
although Archie had the grace or the timidity to suffer him to rattle on； he
was by no means done with the subject。 When he came home to dinner； he
was greeted with a sly demand； how things were looking 〃Cauldstaneslap
ways。〃 Frank took his first glass of port out after dinner to the toast of
Kirstie； and later in the evening he returned to the charge again。
〃I say； Weir； you'll excuse me for returning again to this affair。 I've
been thinking it over； and I wish to beg you very seriously to be more
careful。 It's not a safe business。 Not safe； my boy；〃 said he。
〃What？〃 said Archie。
〃Well； it's your own fault if I must put a name on the thing； but really；
as a friend； I cannot stand by and see you rushing head down into these
dangers。 My dear boy；〃 said he； holding up a warning cigar； 〃consider！
What is to be the end of it？〃
〃The end of what？〃 … Archie； helpless with irritation； persisted in this
dangerous and ungracious guard。
〃Well； the end of the milkmaid； or； to speak more by the card； the end
of Miss Christina Elliott of the Cauldstaneslap。〃
〃I assure you；〃 Archie broke out； 〃this is all a figment of your
imagination。 There is nothing to be said against that young lady； you have
no right to introduce her name into the conversation。〃
〃I'll make a note of it；〃 said Frank。 〃She shall henceforth be nameless；
nameless； nameless； Grigalach！ I make a note besides of your valuable
testimony to her character。 I only want to look at this thing as a man of the
world。 Admitted she's an angel … but； my good fellow； is she a lady？〃
This was torture to Archie。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； struggling to
be composed； 〃but because you have wormed yourself into my confidence
… 〃
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〃O； come！〃 cried Frank。 〃Your confidence？ It was rosy but
unconsenting。 Your confidence； indeed？ Now； look！ This is what I must
say； Weir； for it concerns your safety and good character； and therefore my
honour as your friend。 You say I wormed myself into your confidence。
Wormed is good。 But what have I done？ I have put two and two together；
just as the parish will be doing tomorrow； and the whole of Tweeddale in
two weeks； and the black brothers … well； I won't put a date on that； it will
be a dark and stormy morning！ Your secret； in other words； is poor Poll's。
And I want to ask of you as a friend whether you like the prospect？ There
are two horns to your dilemma； and I must say for myself I should look
mighty ruefully on either。 Do you see yourself explaining to the four Black
Brothers？ or do you see yourself presenting the milkmaid to papa as the
future lady of Hermiston？ Do you？ I tell you plainly； I don't！〃
Archie rose。 〃I will hear no more of this；〃 he said； in a trembling voice。
But Frank again held up his cigar。 〃Tell me one thing first。 Tell me if
this is not a friend's part that I am playing？〃
〃I believe you think it so；〃 replied Archle。 〃I can go as far as that。 I can
do so much justice to your motives。 But I will hear no more of it。 I am
going to bed。〃
〃That's right； Weir；〃 said Frank heartily。 〃Go to bed and think over it；
and I say； man； don't forget your prayers！ I don't often do the moral … don't
go in for that sort of thing … but when I do there's one thing sure； that I
mean it。〃
So Archie marched off to bed； and Frank sat alone by the table for
another hour or so； smiling to himself richly。 There was nothing vindictive
in his nature； but； if revenge came in his way； it might as well be good；
and the thought of Archie's pillow reflections that night was indescribably
sweet to him。 He felt a pleasant sense of power。 He looked down on
Archie as on a very little boy whose strings he pulled … as on a horse
whom he had backed and bridled by sheer power of intelligence； and
whom he might ride to glory or the grave at pleasure。 Which was it to be？
He lingered long； relishing the details of schemes that he was too idle to