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3
H N ER
LA D Y V E R N E R S FLI GHT B y M
T I ME S R E V E N GE S B y D C H R I I E MU R R
A F A MILY LIKE N E SS B y B M C R K E R 3
MA STE R OF ST B E N E DIC T S B y A
S A
B UJ UB , THE J U

'

ST

MR S

J ULI E T

G E OF F ORY

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LO N DO N

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\V IN D U S , P I CC A D I LL Y

A
D
S
O
W
A
H
R
N
T
E
N
E
H
3 21 0 M

BY

y A C DO NA LD

G E O RG E

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CO NT E NT S O F V O L

P A C. E

C H A PT E R

RA

R U N A \V A Y

I A
.

CE

II MO TH E R AN D S O N
I I I A T T H E F OO T OF
I V D OG ST E E N I E

12

T H E H O RN

O LO N E L

AN D

'

SE RG E A N I

V I MA N S T E E N I E
VIII

AT

XI
XI I
X II I
X IV
XV
XV I
XVII
X V I II

65

C OR B Y K NOW E

D A V I D A N D H I S D A UG H T E R

Ix

50
54

VII

19

38

V C

C A S T LE

DAV I D A N D

'

E E LSE I

F R AN

CIS

I
A N D P IIE MY
T II E E A R T H H O U S E
A V I S I T F R O M F R AN C I S G O R D O N
ST E E N I E S H O U S E

K RSTY

P HE

MY

C RA IG

83
91

1 06
1 18
1 40
1 48

1 67

S H A M LOV E

1 74

A N O V E L A B D UC T I O N

1 82

PHE

MY

C H A MP I O N

203

HEA T HER A N D SNOW

CHAPTE R I
A

UP O N

R U N A W AY

RA

CE

neighbouring stones earth fast like

-

of an archipelago in an ocean of heather

,

a girl the girl knitting

,

it

w e a r in g

or ,

tw o

sa t

i slands

a boy and

as she would have called

a stocking and the boy his eyes xed on

,

her face talking with an animation that amounted

,

almost to ex citement

H e had great uency and

,

could have t alked j ust as fast in good E nglish as in

the dialect in

hich he was now pouring out his ambi

tions the broad Saxon

of

A berdeen

H e was giving the girl to understand that he meant

to be a soldier like his father and q uite as go o d a one

,

V OL

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

as he

But

little did he know of himself or

so

th e

world that with small genuine impulse to action and

,

m oved chie y by t he anticipated resul t s of it he

sa w

success already

h is ,

H is inspiration

w as

and a gr ateful country at his feet

so

purely ambition that even if

,

his mood unchanged he were to achieve much for his

,

country

could hardly owe him gratitude

sh e

I ll no hae the w arl lichtly ( m a k e

he said

Mebbe the warl winna tribble

muckle

Ye

l ig h t

f)

me

q ui e tly

e en to lichtly ye

as

i ts e l

aboot ye

sa c

returned hi s companion

do naething ither

and looking down

are ye aye

retorted the boy rising

,

her in displeasure

on

g i rdin

at m e ?

A body

What for

anna lat his

th o u c h ts

gang but y e re doon upo them like doo s

upo corn

I wadna

be

g ir d i n

at ye Francie but that

,

ower muckle aboot ye to la t ye think I

same

O p i n g on 0

ye

at

ye hae

rse l ,
e
y

irl
who
went
on
with
her
knitting
as
g
,

care

hand

the

answered the

she

spoke

A R UN A

WA Y R A C E

he rej oin e d and turned

Ye ll never believe a body

half away
to

It

haena a guid word

to

gie a body !

nane ye s get frae me the gait yc r e

Ye

What ye

think a heap ower muckle o ye r s e l

may s o me day a come true but ye

,

e xpe c

cann a think gien ye war fair

,

ane i t was to be

upo what a body says

depe n

Ye

Maister Craig p int

b e l i e vin i n

far as

I thin k

y e ken
ye

coon

on y

D id ye never h e ar

the di ffer atween

o ot

be l i e vi n

a body Francie 2
,

I believe

o n yth i n g

ye k e n but mayb e
,

n o sa e

m i s d o o bti t

y e tell me as
,

far as ye think

What hae ye ev e r dun e t o gie a body

richt to beli ev e in ye

w e icht

I beli ev e ye but I confess I dinna beli e v e

ye t

I w u d n a like ye t o gang awa thinking I

,

ye and I

N o and I dinna care

yer word Fr ancie !

ye wad

n e ver lay

upo the body

body and

it alang

t o ye rs e l ,

e x p e ck i t O

Kirsty !

sae,

hae gien nobody a richt to

That

e xpe c,

I tauld ye

a
i
n
e
g

Francie

ye r s e l

I canna think what gars me keep comin

Ye

ye

se e

Y e re

in

on y

a guid rid e r and a guid

.

HE A THE R A N D SN O VV
'

shot for a laddie and ye rin

,

fest I canna say

m i d dl i n

like a deer for I reckon I cud lick ye myse l at

,

But efter and a

,

Wh a

br a gg i n

r i n n in

noo Kirs ty 2 cried the boy with a

touch of not ill humoured triumph

-

Me answered Kirsty

and

she

do what I brag

Ill

added throwing her stocking

,

on

the patch o f

green s w ard ab o ut the stone and starting to her fee t

,

with a laugh

Is t to be uphill or alang

They were near the foot Of a hill to whose top wen t

the heather but along whose base between the heathe r
,

and the bogland below lay an irre g ular belt Of m oss

,

and

Of

rass
pretty
clear
g
,

stones

seem eager t o accept the challenge

There s nae g uid in

s hrug

l i ck i n

a lassie

he said with

There mith b e g uid in

c ia l l

The boy did n o t

y gien

ye war

What guid

l i ck i t

ca n

tryi n

at it

t o du t though esp e

returned the girl

there be in a body bein

'

li ck i t

at

o n yth i n g

The guid o

h a e in

a body s pride ta en doon a w e e

R UN A WA Y R A C E

no

Im

h aud ye
J

sur e

sa e

Oh n

tried (from

that !

again

tryi n g )

It wud only

ist there s what yer pride dis t o ye Francie !

,

Ye maun aye be rst

naething for fear
cu d

the guid

du t

to n

o ot

pity ye

at

or

ye ll no try

Ye ll never

du

b e l i e vi n

ye

no bein able to gang o n

b etter nor

on

ither
body
y

Ye dinna want

p a r ti cl a r

ye re naebody in

unna hae yer p ri d e ta en doon

It

I m ready for ye

N ever min

p a ir t s O

at

a sair

Ye wud be

a hantle better w a n tin aboot three

Come

I m a lassie

nae

body ill ken

hae nae sheen ( s h oe s )

Ye

Ye can put

obj ected the boy

yer ain

a ff

My feet s no sae hard as yours

Weel I ll put on m ine

They re her e

are
w

Ye see

Steenie

up hill

I m no

t h rou w

want them gangin

se e

Straucht

the heather and I ll put my sheen

g uid

uphill

on

See there noo Franci e

,

Ye tak ye r s e l for u nco

courte o us and honourable and generous and k

,

th e y

the heather

that s some sair upo the feet

th rou w

s ic a s

n i ch tl

y
,

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

and a that oh

ken a aboot it and it s a verra weel

sae far as it gangs ; but what the better are ye for

d e sp is in

whan a the time ye re

winna gie her a chance

l ick in

ye H ere

her or ye
,

on my sheen and rin ye alang the laich grun

I ll pu t

My

S heen

t,

a body cause she s

but a q uean ye maun hae ilk a advantage

s twice the weicht O yours and they dinna t me

The b o y did not dare go on refusing : he feared what

Kirsty would say next
in

the challenge

But he relished nothing at all

It was not t for a man to run races

wi t h a girl there were no laurels nothing but laughter

,

to be w o n by V ictory over her ! and in his heart he was

not at all sure of beating Kirsty : she had always
beaten him when they were children

Since then they

had b een at the parish school t ogether but there pub

,

lic Opinion kept the b oys and girls t o their o w n special

sports

N ow Kirsty had left school and Franci s was

going to the

g rammar school at the county town

-

They were both about fteen

A ll the sense was

on

the side of the girl and she had been doing her best
,

to mak e the b o y practical like herselfhitherto

ith

A R UNA WA Y R A C E

out much success although he was by no means a bad

,

sort Of fellow

H e had not yet passed the stage

some appear never to pass it in this world i n which

an admirer feels himself in the sam e category with
his hero

Many are content w ith themselves because

they side with those whose ways they do not endeavour

to follow
ians

Such are most who call themselves Christ

If men admired themselves only for what they

did their conceit would be greatly moderated

,

Kirsty put on her heavy tacketed ( h o b n a i l e d) shoes

-

much too large for her having been m ade for her
,

brother stood up erect and putting her elbows back

,

said

Il l

gie ye the start

h eather

ro w

N a na
,

in

oot

the tap

I ll hae nane

Fairplay to a

m e up to yo u stane

that

the

answered Francis

Ye d better tak it

A ff

ye

or

I winna rin at a

and away they went

cried the boy

Kirsty contrived that he should yet have a little the

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

start of her how much from generosity and how

,

much from determination that there should be nothing

doubtful in the result I cannot say and for a good
,

m any

yards he kept it

But if the boy who ran well

had looked back he might have seen t h at the girl was

,

not doing h er best that she

her speed

sh e

P r e s e n tl v

w as

in fact restraining

q uick ened her pace and

,

was rapidly lessening the distance between them

when

becoming aware of her approach

the boy

q uickened his and for a tim e there was no change in

,

their relative position

Then again she q uickened her

pace with an ease which made her seem capable

g oi n g on t o accelerate it
o vertaking him
he panted

But

n ot

i n d e n i t e l y and
sh e

as

was rapidly

drew near

a little distressed

Of

she

where u pon

sa w
sh e

a ssumed a greater speed still and passed him swiftly

,

nor

once looked round or slackened her pace until

h avi n g left hi m far be h ind

hill between them

sh e

put a shoulder of the

h im ,

th e boy ung himself

The m oment she passed

on

the groun d and lay

Th e girl had felt certain he

R UN A W A Y R A C E

w ould d o

and fancied

so,

sh e

heard him o p a mo ng

the h e ath e r but could not be sure for although n o t

,

e ven y e t at her speed her blood

m aki n g tunes in

was

her head and the wind was blowing i n and o ut

,

of

her

ears wi t h a p leasan t but deafening acco m paniment

When

sh e

knew he could

her

see

sh e

l o nger

no

stopped likewise and threw herself d o wn while

was determining wh e ther
or

sh e

sh e

felt th e run

She cam e

to

see

in p rivate

She rose

straight u p the hill

therefore

sh

if s h e

she

little

h i s d i s c om
,

an d w e nt

A b out half way t o the summit

as

h ow

were a goat

and

e climbed a rock

look e d all round her

Th e n

uttered a shrill p eculiar cry and list e ned

,

No

answer came Getting down a s easily as s h e had got u p

.

she

the c o nclusion that it

w ould b e kind e r to allow him t o get o ver

tu r e

sh e

sh o uld leave him q uite

walk back at her leisure and let him

walked along the side

of

th e hill

m aking

her way

early parallel with their late racecourse

passing

considerably above th e S p o t where h e r defeat e d rival

ye t lay

and descending at le n gth a littl e holl o w

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

IO

not far fro m where she and Francis had been

sitting

In this hollow which was covered with short s w ee t

,

of

g rass stood a very small hut built

,

turf from the

peat moss below and roofed with sods on which the

-

heather still stuck if indeed some of it was not still

growing

SO

much was it therefore

,

Of

the colour of

the ground about it that it scarcely caught the eye

,

Its

alls and its roo f were

so

thick that small as it

,

looked it was much smaller inside ; while outside i t

,

could not have measured more than ten feet in length

eight in width and seven in height
,

Kirsty and her

brother Steenie not without help from Francis Gordon

,

had built it for themselves two years before

Of

father knew nothing

the scheme until one day

Their

proud of their success Steenie would have him

their handiwork

see

when he was so much pleased with

it that he made them a door on which he put a

,

lock :
For though this b e na the kin
crook

n g e r e d

gentry

he said

place to draw

some gangrel body

C H A P T E R II
MO T H E R
F RA N C I S

A ND

ON

lay for some time think ing Kirsty sure to

,

sh e

come back t o him but half wishing

,

H e rose at length to

se e

whether

but n o one was in sight

sh e

was

would n ot

on

the way

A t once the place was

aghast with lone l iness as it must indeed have looked

,

t o an yone n ot at peace with solitude

H aving sent

several ringing shouts but in vain after K irsty

,

he

turned and in t he descending light Of an autumn

,

afternoon set out on the rather long walk to his home

,

which was the wearier that he had nothing pleasant a t

hand to think about

P assing the farm where Kirsty lived

about two

miles brought him t o an ancient t u rreted house on the

MO TH E R

A N D S ON

top of a low hill where his mother

,

expecting him

sat

r e ady to tyr anni ze over him as usual and none the

,

less ready that he was going to leave her within a

week

Where have

been all day Frank 2 she said

yo u

I hav e been a long

alk he answered
,

know it by your eyes

them you re going t o deceive me

you haven t been there

returned

kno w by the very colour of

she

C o r byk n o w e

You ve been to

shall

N ow don t tell me
n ot

believe you

I haven t been near the place

mother

said

Francis ; but as he said it his face gl o wed with a

heat that did not come from the re

He

w as

not

naturally an untruthful boy and what he said wa s

,

correct for he had passed the hous e half a mile away ;

,

but his words gave and were intended to give the

,

impression that he had not been that day with any of

the people

Of

C o r b yk n o w e

H is mother obj ected to

his visiting the farmer but he knew instinctively she

,

ould have obj ected yet more t o his spending half

th e

day with Kirsty

hom she never mentioned and

,

HE A THE R A N D S N O W
of

whom

sh e

scarcely recogni zed the existence

Little

a s she loved her son Mrs Gordon would have scorned

.

to suspect him of preferring the society Of such a girl

to her
Of

'

OW D

In truth however there w ere very few

,

ac q uaintance whos e co m pany Francis would not

h is

hav e chosen rather than his mother s except indeed

h e was ill when

sh e w a s

generally very good to him

Well this once I shall believe yo u

,

and

am glad to b e able

to m e Frank that
,

s on

attraction

to

S he

answered

It i s a painful thought

Of mine should feel the sm allest

low company

have t old yo u twenty

times that the man was nothing but a private in your

father s regim ent

He

w as

my fath er s friend

H e tells you

m o ther

He

so,

do

n ot

doubt

th e

boy

ret u rned his

not likely to leave that mouldy

was

Old stone unturned

answered

The moth e r sat and the son stood before her in

,

a drawing room whose furniture Of a hundred years

-

old must once have looked very modern and new

fangled under windows

so

narrow and high up and

,

MO THE R

A N D S ON

within walls so thick : without

cold

re

it was always

The carpet was very dingy and the mirrors

,

were much spotted

but the poverty

t he respectable p overty

age

of

of

the room was

old furniture had

become fashionable just in time to save it from being

m etamorphosed by its mi stress into a show of gay
meanness and costly ugliness

A good re

of

mingled

peat and coal burned bright in the barrel fronted steel

-

grate and shone in the brass fender

,

The face Of th e

b o y continued to look very red in the glow but still

,

i ts

colour came more from within than from without

be

cherished the memory

of

his father and did n o t

,

love his mother more than a little

H e has told me a great deal more ab o ut m y

father than ever you did mother

,

Well he may have 1

was

n ot

sh e

a young m an when

he answered

returned
I

Your fath er

married him and they

,

had been together through I d o n t know

cam p aigns

h ow

m any

A nd you
Not

say

he

w a s n ot

my father s friend

his fr i e n d Frank ; his servant what d o they

,

HE A THE R A N D

call them
friend

his orderly

dare

S N O IV

say

certainly not his

A ny m an may b e another man s fri end

No t

go and

in the way you mean

se e

not that his

him every other day

s on

should

A dog may be a

man s good friend and so was sergeant Barclay your

father s

a very good friend th at way

doubt

don t

Y ou

said a m o ment ago he was but a private and

,

n ow you call him sergeant Barclay

Well where s the di fference

To

b e made sergeant shows that he was not a

com m on man

If he had been he would not have

,

b een set over others

Of

course he wa s then and is now a very respect

able man

If he were not I should never have let

you go an d see him at all

But you must learn

to

behave like the gentleman you are and that you never
,

will while you fre q uent the company of your inferiors

Your manners are already almost ruined
n o place but a farmhouse

t for

There yo u are standing

,

MO THE R
on the side
dare

s a y,

A N D S ON

a ga in

your foot

of

tells you no e nd

of

O ld B arclay I
,

stories about your

mother
H e always asks after you mother and then never
,

mentions you m o re

She knew perfectl y that the boy spoke the truth

D on t let

you go

me

h ear

school !

to

sh e

of

your being there again before

said denitively

By th e tim e

you come hom e next year I trust your tastes will have
improved

soldier s
dr ess

Go

and m ak e yourself tidy for dinner

must before everything attend to hi s

son

Fr anci s went to his r o om feeli ng it absolut e ly

,

im

p o ssible to have told his mother that he had been

with Kirsty Barcl ay that he had run a race with her
,

and that
H orn

had left him alone at the foot

sh e

That he c o uld not b e open with

h is

of

the

mother

no one that knew her unreasoning and stormy temper

would have wondered ; but the p itiful boy who did
,

not like lying actua l ly con g r atulated hi m self that he

,

had

got through without telling a down right fals e

V OL

HE A T HE R A N D S N O W

IS

h oo d

It would not have bettered matters in the

least had he disclosed to her the good advic e Kir sty

gav e him

i m p u dence

she woul d only hav e been f u rio u s at th e

of

th e h u ssey in talking so to

her

son

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

20

there a black spot or on th e margin the brighte r

,

green of a patch of some growing crop

Flat and

wide the eye found it di fcult to rest upon it and not

,

of

sweep h u rr iedly from border to border for lack

self asserted Obj ect on which
-

alight

to

I t l o oked

low but indeed lay high ; the bases of the hills sur
,

rounding

it

were far above the

se a

These hills

at this season a ring of dull brown high heaved

-

hummock s appeared to make of it a huge circular

,

basin miles in diameter over the rim

of

the tops and peaks

of

w hich peered

mountains more distant

Up

the S ide of the H orn which was the loftiest in the ring
,

ran a stone wall in the la n g uage

,

stane dyke
-

of

Of

the country a dry

considerable si ze climbing to the very

,

top a n ugly thing which the eye could not avoid

There was nothing but the grouse to have rendered it

worth the proprietor s while to erect such a boundary

to his neighbour s property plentiful as wer e the

,

stones ready for that poorest use of stones divisi o n

The farms that border the hollow running each a

,

little way up the side of the basin are some

,

of

them

A T THE F O O T OF THE H O R N

21

at least a s well cul t ivated as any in Scotland but

,

\V inter

claim s there the paramountcy and yields to

,

Sum m er so few

Of

his rights that the place must look

forbidding if not repulsive to such as do not live in

,

it

To love it I think one mus t have been born

there
of
w

In the s um mer it is true it has the character

br a ci n g

ho

but can be such I imagine only to thos e

,

are pret t y well braced already ; the delicat e of

certain sorts

bands of death
The reg i on

think it must soon brace

ith the

Is In

constant danger of famine

If the

snow com e but a little earlier than usual the crops lie
,

green under it and n o store Of meal can be laid up in

,

the cottages

Then if the snow lie deep the difculty

,

Of

in conveying supplies

the poor fare which t heir

hardi hood counts su fcient will cause the d w ellers

,

t here no li t tle su ffering

Of

course they are but few

A white cottage may be seen here and there

n the

s o utherly S lopes of the basin bu t hardly one in its

,

bottom

It w as now summer and in a month or two the

,

H E A THE R A ND S N O W
!

landscape would look more cheerful ; the heather that

covered the hills would n o lo n ger b e dry and brown
and in places black with re but a blaze of red pur ple
,

a rich mantle
s un

of

bloom

E ven

had a little p o wer

n ow

I cannot

early in J uly the

,

sa y

it w o uld have

been warm had th e re been the least motion in th e air

fo r

seldom indeed could

there from the south

on e

grant that the wind had no keen edge

to

it

but

on

this m orning th e re w a s absolute stillness and althoug h

,

it was not easy for Kirsty to imagine any summer air

o ther than warm yet the wind s absence had not a

littl e to do with the sense o f luxurious life that n o w lled

her h e a r t
the foot

She

of

her favourite grassy S lo p e n ear

sa t on

t he cone shaped H orn lookin g over the

-

level m iles befor e her and knitting away at a ribbed

,

stocking of dark blue whos e t o e

glad in the thought not
,

Of

of

sh e

ha d

nearly nish e d

r e st from her labour

bu t

b eginning the y e t more im p ortant fell ow stocking

-

She had no n e ed to look cl o s e at her work to keep th e

loops right
if

sh e

but

sh e

was

so

careful and pr e cise that

liv e d to b e old and blind

sh e

would knit better

A T THE

then than n ow

It

s umme r day ; and

23

of

to h e r the pe rfect glory

was

imagin e her d e light in th e d ivi ne

lu x u ry greater than that

soft e r cl im es

OF T H E H O RN

FOOT

of

m any a poe t dw e lling in

Th e sp o t wh e re

sh e

sa t w a s

clos e by the turf h u t

wh ich I hav e alre ady describ e d

A t e very shifting o f

a n ee dl e

w ould s e nd a new glanc e all o v e r her

sh e

w orld a glanc e t o rem ind o ne s o m e h o w o f th e sw eep

,

of

of

a br o ad ray

s u nlight acr o ss e arth and

on

a mo rning of u ppe r wind th e br o ken cl o uds take

wh e n

endless liberti e s w ith shad o w and sh i ne

Sa w

se a ,

cannot tell

I kn o w

sh e

a stranger wo u ld have s e en for

,

saw
sh e

What

fa r

sh e

m o r e than

kn ew h e r h o m e

H i s eyes would , I b e l i e v e have been drawn chi e y t o

,

th o se int e nse spots

of

liv e whit e

O pa qu e

yet brilliant

th e h e ads of the cotton gr ass here and there in thin

-

patches o n the dark grou nd

the level was a peat moss

Fo r n e arly th e whol e

of

Mil e s and m iles of p eat

di ffe ring in q uality and varying in d ep th lay b e t wee n

,

th o se

b il l s ,

the o nly fuel alm o st of the regi o n

som e s p ots it was very w e t water lying ben e ath

,

In
and

HE A THE R A N D

24

all through its substance

sides

Of

in others dark spots the

,

holes whence it had been dug showed where

,

it was drier
on

SNO W

H is eyes would rest for a moment also

those black spaces

on

the hills where the

ol d

heather had been burned that its roots might shoot

afresh and feed the grouse with soft young sprouts
,

their chief support

they looked now like neglected

s p ots where men cast st o nes and shards but by and

,

by would be covered with a tenderer green than the

rest of the hill side

H e would not see the moorland

birds that Kirsty saw

with

n ow

he would only hear their cries

and then perhaps the bark

of

a sheep dog

My reader will p robably conclude the prospect alto

g e ther uninteresting even ugly ; but certainly Christina
,

Barclay did n o t think it s u ch

The girl was more

than well satised with the world shell in which she

found herself ; she was at the m oment basking both
,

bodily and s p iritually in a full sense

,

bliss
none

H er soul

of

was

of

the world s

bathed in its o w n c o ntent , calling

its feelings to account

The

su n

th e air the
,

wid e e xpans e ; the hill tops nearness to the heavens

AT

THE

F O O T OF THE HO R N

25

which yet they could not invade ; the little breaths

which every n o w and then awoke to assert thei r ex ist
ence by immediately ceasing

doubtless also the

knowledge that her stocking was nearly done that her

,

father and m o ther were but a mile or so away that

,

sh e

knew wh e re Steeni e was an d that a cry

,

ould

all these things bore each

bring him t o her feet

a p art in making Kirsty q uiet with satisfaction

there was all the time a deeper cause
,

of

That

her peace

Kirsty knew well the same that is the r o ot

of

life

its e lf ; and if it was not at this moment or at that

,

lled with conscious gratitude her heart was yet like

,

a bird ever

of

the point

on

often soaring high indeed

thing special

in

springing up to soar and

,

of

Whether it came

some

her constitution that happiness always

m ade her q uiet as nothing but sorrow will make some

,

I do not presume to say

only know that had her

,

bliss changed suddenly to sadness Kirs t y would have

,

been q uiet still

Whatever ca m e to Kirsty seemed

right for there it was

,

Sh e

w a s n ow

a girl

of

sixteen

The only S ign she

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

26

showed of interest in her person app e ared in her hair

,

and the covering of her neck

Of

of the many

on e

middle shades of brown with a ri p pling tendency to

,

curl in it her hair was p art e d with nicety and drawn

,

back from her fac e i nt o a n e t

her neckerchief was

of

of

its

colour whi l e

ow n

blue silk cov e ring a very littl e

,

whit e skin but leavi ng bare a brown throat

,

She wor e

a blu e p rint wrapper nowis e differing fr om that of a

,

p e asant w o man and a blue winsey pe tticoat bey o nd

,

which appeared her bare feet lovely in shape and

,

b r o wn

of

hue

H er dres s

was

suggested neither tidiness nor

no w ise trim

di sorder

and

The hem of

the p etticoat was in trut h a little rent but not mor e

than might seem admissible where the r o ugh wear was

con si dered t o which th e garment was n e c e ssarily ex
posed when a little worse it would receiv e the p roper
attention

and b e br o ught back to res p ectabili ty l

Kirsty grudged the time s p ent on her

g ar m ents

She

looked down on them as the moon might on the cl o uds

around her

She made or mended them to wear them

not think about them

HE A THE R A N D

28

SN O I
V

little rain comes the morning of t hought when the

,

mind gr ows faster and the heart m ore slowly ; then

wakes the storm in the forest of human relation

tempest and lightning abroad the soul enlarging by

,

great bursts

Of

vision and leaps

Of

understanding and

resolve ; then oats up the mystic twilight eagerness

not unmingled with the dismay

Of

compelled progress

when bidding farewell to that which is behind the

,

s oul is

dr iven

toward that which i s before grasping at

,

it with all the hunger of the new birth

Th e story of

God s universe lies in the growth of the individu al

s oul

Kirsty s growth had been as yet q uiet and

s teady

O nce

mor e as she shifted her needle her glance

went itting over the waste before her

t here was more life in sight

scri ed something of the nature

say how far would have been

as

This time

Far away Kirs t y de

Of

ma n upon horse

to

di fcult for one unuse d

t o the at moor as for a landsman to recko n distances

at

se a

Of

the people of the place hardly another

,

even under the direction of Kirsty could have con

,

A T THE FO O T OF TH E H O R N
tr ive d

to see it

many times

on a strong

could clearly distinguish a youth

handsome hill p ony

A t length after she had looked

sh e

and remained

no longer in the slightest doubt as t o who he

m ight

be

They came steadily over the dark surface o f the moor

and it was clear that the pony must know the nature
of the gr ound well

for now h e glided along

as

fast as

he could gall op now made a succession O f sho rt jumps

,

now halt e d examined the gr ound and began slowly

,

picking his way

Kirsty watched his approach with gentle interest

while every m ovement of the youth indicated eager

ness

G ordon had seen her

long before

she sa w

straight a line
length was out

as
of

on

the hillside probably

,

h im had been coming to her in

,

the

g round

as

would permit and at

,

the bogg y level and ascending the

,

slope of the hi l l foot to where she

-

within about twenty yards

of

her

n od ,

and then xed her eyes

held

on

sa t

she

on

When he was

gave hi m a little

her knitting

till within a few feet of her then p ulled

,

He
up

H E A TH E R A N D S N O W

3O

and thr e w himself from his pony s back

The creatu re

covered with foam stood a minute p anting then fell

,

to work

the short gr ass

on

Francis had gr own c o nsiderably and looked almost

,

a y o ung man

H e was a little older than Kirsty but

did not ap p ear

SO,

younger than h e rs
ration

his expression being consid e rably

Wheth e r se l f indulgence

t o come

w as

coat

of

H is countenance indicated

H e might well have represented one at

th e p oint before having to choose whether to

do w n hill

aspi

Of his evi dent j oy in l ife

ou t

seemed yet undetermined

nothing bad

or

go

up

or

H e was dressed a little showily in a short

dark tartan and a highland bonnet wit h a

,

brooch and feather and carried a lady s riding whi p

his mother s no doubt i ts to p set with stones s o

that his ap p earance was altogeth e r a contrast to that

of

th e girl

She

w as

a peasant he a gentlem a n !
,

H er bare h e ad and yet more her bare feet emphasized

the c o ntrast

But which was by nature and in fact

the su p erior no
,

doubt e d

o ne

with the least insight could have

A T T HE F O O T OF T HE HO R N

31

H e stood and looked at her but neither spoke

,

She cast at l e ngth a glance upward and said

,

Weel
Francis did not O p en
lute

h is

m outh

N othing in Kirsty s look

ton e

of

sh e

was

her

w o rd gav e sign

on e

treating him

or

be

or

of

H e seem e d

i rre s o

carriage

in the

or

consciousness that

h e r strangely
,

With

com p lete s e lf p ossession she left the initiative to the

-

who had sought th e interview : l e t him

on e

h e had com e
In

h is

why

face began t o ap pe ar i n dicati o n

dis p leasure

say

of

g r owing

Two or three times he turned half away

with a movem e nt instantly checked which seemed t o

say

that in a m o m ent more if there cam e no change

,

h e would m o u nt and ride

this all

w as

h is

w e lcom e

A t last s h e a p peared to think s h e must take mercy

h e u se d to

o n him

say

thirty words to her

That s a bonny powny ye hae

a look at the creature as

He

be

fe d

remark e d with

Sh e

a tha t he answered dryly

Whaur did ye get him ?

sh e

asked

on e

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

My mither coft ( bou g h t) him agen my hame

comin
replied

he

H e prided himself on bei n g able t o speak the broadest

Of the dialect

She maun hae a straucht

for a guid beast !

e e

returned Kirsty with a second glanc e at the pony

,

He s a bonny cratur and a willin answered the

youth

H e ll gang skelp

Im

ony
a
i
g t

n o sae

o n yth i n g

th r o u w

sure aboot re

watter

A long silence follow e d broken this tim e by the

,

youth

Winna ye gie me luik nor word and me ridden

,

like

m ad

to

a sicht

hae

She glanced up at him

Weel ye h a s that
S howed

y e ? he said

she

answ e red with a smile that

,

her lovely white teeth :

bcm i r e d ) !
saw

ye re a dubs ( a l l

What for sud ye b e in sic a hurry ?

Ye

me no three days gane

A y,

Ye
b y but

I s a w ye
w as

my

free

it

to

m ither

tr u e

but I didna get a word 0 ye !

say what ye likit

There

w as

nane

A T THE FO O T OF THE H O R N

as

Wud ye hae me say a thing afore yer m ither j is t

33

wud til ye yer lane (a l o n e )

Ay

i th o o t

w ud

she returned

my hacin to tell her

he asked
Syn e

s ic

gu

wad ken

sh e

se as ye was

H ad he not seen the s u nny smile that accompanied

her words he might well have taken O ffence

w uss ye war anith e r sic like

S yne there wud be twa

him to interpret

she returned leaving

Silence again fell

Weel what wud ye hae Francie

,

length
I

wud hae ye promise to merry me Kirsty come

,

th e time he answered

and that ye ken as well as

mysel

said Kirsty at

du

he answere d

simply

That s straucht

oot

But ye see Francie

,

he left ye a kin

gait

on y

sh e

went on

rej oined Kirsty

,

m y father
V OL

whan he

yer father whan

,

a legacy as ye m ay ca
,

hed no intention that I was to be left

a cce p p i t

oo t

t,

to mine

n e ither had

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

34

I dinna
ru p te d

ye

u n e r s ta n

Gordon

ae

styme ( o n e

H aud yer tong ue and hearken

What I m meanin

this

han lies to mine as weel

or

inter

returned Kirsty

what lies to my father s

and I ll never hae

kenned

ae

gait I

said that whan my father pu t ( p u l l e d)

pu t anither

Sakes lassie
,

what

a re

ye

at ?

h a ve r m

Wud i t

be pu in agen yer father to merry m e

It wud b e that

dinna

ho o bein
,

se e

s ic

ye can m ak it

h OO

oot

I dinna

o b e ck

a freen o my father s he sud

se e

to

my father s son

E h but laddies
,

ir

gowk s

cried Kirsty

father was your father s freen for

ain

H e thinks

hi s

sak e

My

no

for his

what wud b e guid for you no for

,

himsel

Weel but persisted Gordon

my guid

n or

o n yth i n g

you for my wife

it wud b e

i ther he cud wuss

m an

f o r,

to

for
hae

HE A THE R A N D

36

h im

t o her feet and caught

,

foot already
mo u nting

SN O W

by the ar m wh e re his
,

the stirrup he stood i n the act of

In

Francie

Francie

she cried

hearken t o

r iz z on

There s no a body man or wuman I like better nor

ye r s e l

to

father of
,

du

ye ony g uid or tur n

co or s e

guid cep my

and my mither and my ain Steenie

A nd hoo mony mair gien I had the wull t o hear

,

the lang bible chapter

in at the tail

th e m and

them a like the

his bite as h e cam ?

se e

mysel comin

h i n m os t

sheep takin

N a na ! it s time I

w as

ha m e

and had my slip ( p i n afo re ) on and was astride o a

,

stick !

Gien ye had a score

care mair for ilk ane

h ide

to think

It s true a

t o think

idiot

them nor for m e

w ud

br i th e r s ye
!

I canna

the same

h i de

whether ye can

or no Francie ! returned th e girl h e r

face which had been very pale now rosy with

in

dignation

the

My Steeni e s m air t o me nor a

Gordons thegith e r B ow
,

ye lik e

meal or

ock and
-

Ta m

as

A T THE FO O T OF TH E H O R N

Sh e dr ew back

sat

37

down again to the stocking

sh e

knitting for Steenie and left her l o ver to m oun t

,

nd

ride which he did without another word

,

There s mair nor

self
an e

ae

kin

idiot

sh e

said t o her

and Steenie s no the kin that oucht to be ca d

There s mair in Steeni e nor in sax Francie

Gordons
If ever Kirsty came to love a man it would be j ust
,

nothing to her to die for him but then it never woul d

hav e been anything to h e r to die for h e r father

or

her mother or Steenie !

Gordon galloped
drive
taking

h is
ba g

O ff

at a wild pace as if he woul d

,

pony straight athwart the terrible moss

and we l l eye as it came
-

But glancing

be

hind and seeing that Ki rsty was not looking aft e r

him he turned th e creatur e s head in a safer direction

,

an d

l e ft the moss at his back

CHA

PT E R I

D OG

SH E

sa t

S T E E N IE

for s ome time at the foot of the hill motion

,

less as itself save for her hands

,

The

shone on

su n

in silence and the blue butter ies which haunted the

,

little bush
m ade

of

blueb e lls that is harebells beside her

,

no noise ; only a stray bee happy in the pale

,

heat made a little music to please itself and perhaps

,

the butter ies

Kirsty had an unusual power o f sitting

still even wi t h nothing for her hands to do

,

On

the

present occasion howev e r her hands and ngers went

,

faster than usual

not entirely from eagern e ss to nish
her stocking but par tly from her displeasure with
,

Francis

A t last

she

broke her

worset

drew the

end Of it through the nal loop and drawing it

,

D OG

s ie

S TEE N I E
of

and scanned th e side

u se
'

S pied

the

Of

e e c y backs

39

the hill

N ot far

a few feeding sheep

o ff

an

s traightway sent out on the still air a sweet strong

,

musical cry

It was instantly responded to by a bark

from somewhere up the hill

She sat down clasped

her hands over her knees and waited

,

She had not to wait long

A sound

Of

through the heather and in a moment

,

rushing came
two a ne

or

c ollie with long silky wavy coat of black and brown

,

an d one white spot on his face shot

ou t

of the

heather sprang upon her and setting his paws on her

,

shoulders began licking

,

her

face

She threw her arms

round him and addressed him in words of fon dling

,

rebuke

Ye ill

m e n n e re d

ye to tak the place

w

ye and wait
,

she

tyke

said ;

yer betters ?

What for

su d

your fower legs to his twa and

,

what richt hae

Gang awa doon

ye tak advantage

h im

the maister

ye

But eh man ye re a ne d oggie and I canna bide the

th o u ch t

tak

ve

at

yer langes t day maun be

short and

sae

awa ham e sae lang afore the lave

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

4O

While she scolded

pleased

S he

be

let him caress her as

P resently he left her and going a yard or two

,

away threw himself on the grass with such

,

ba n d o n

as no animal but a weary dog seems capable of reach

ing

H e h ad made haste to be rst that h e might

caress her b efore his master came ; now he heard

him close behind

an

Stephen came next

Kirsty s feet
backed lad

h is

H e was a gaunt long

h o,

Opportuni ty over

Of the heather creeping to

ou t

all fours

on

knew

at cer tain seasons undetermined

either imagined himself the animal he imitated or

,

had some notion

pe l l e d

of

being re q uired or possibly com

,

to behave like a dog

When the t

was

upon

him all the day long he would speak no word even

,

to

hi s sister would only bark

,

like the collie

give a low growl

or

In this last he succeeded much better

than in running like him alth ou g h indeed his arm s

,

were so long that it was compar at ively easy for him

them as forelegs

h is h e a d h a n g l o w

to

u se

H e let

as

he went throwing it up t o bark and s inking it yet

low er when he growled which was seldom

,

a nd

to

D OG

S TE E N IE

41

those th at loved him indicated great trouble

not lik e

H e did

to

raise himself on his hindlegs

Sn o o ti e

c a r ess his sister but gently subsided upon her feet

,

and the r e lay panting his face to th e earth and his

,

fore arms crossed beneath

-

h is

nose

Ki r sty stooped and stroked and patted him as if he

,

were the dog he seemed fain to b e

fee t from under him

sh e

Then drawing her

rose and going a little way

,

up the hill to the hut returned presently with a basin

,

Of

full

rich looking milk and

-

cake which
,

ing

she

The milk

seat

Then

sh e

q u a r te r

of

thick

oa t

had brought from home in the morn

sh e se t

beside her

a s sh e

resumed her

put her feet again under the would

be

dog and proceeded to break small pieces from the o a t

,

cake

an d

throw them to him

H e sought every piece

eagerly as it fell but with his mouth only never

,

movin g either hand and seemed to eat it with a

,

satisfaction worthy
the

o a t-

hi s simulated natur e

of

cake was gone

and he dr ank the milk

sh e

set

When

the bowl before him

ith care and neatness never

putti n g a hand to steady it

HE A THE R

42

SNO W

A ND

N ow you must have a sleep Steenie

,

said his sister

She rose and he crawled slowly after her up the

,

hill

on

his hands and knees

A ll the time he kept his

face down and ,his head hanging toward the earth

,

his long hair hid it q uite

great Skye terr ier

H e strongly suggested a

When they reached the hut Kirsty went in and

,

Steenie crept after her

Of

They had cov e red the oor

it with heather the stalks set upright and close

,

packed so that even where the bells were worn

,

O ff,

it

still made a thick long piled carpet elas t ic and warm

-

\V hen

the door was shut they were snug there even

,

in winter

Inside the hut was about

,

wide

chair

S ix

feet long and four

,

Its furniture was a little deal table and one low

In the turf

Of

which the wall consisted at the

,

farther end from the door Kirsty had cut out a small
,

Oblong recess to serve as a shelf for her books

bu t

The

was indeed her library for in that bole stood

,

up

right with i t s back to the room in proper and tidy

,

fashion alm ost every book she could call her

,

ow n

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

44

good sense in it

There was a thumbed edition Of

Burns also but I do not think much of the thumbing

,

was Kirsty s though she had several of his best poems

,

by heart

B e t ween the ag e s

of

ten and f t een Kirsty had

,

gone t o the parish school of the nearest town

look e d a village but they always call ed it

it

th e tow n

There a sister Of her father lived and with her

sh e

was welcome to spend the nigh t so that she was able

,

t o go in most weathers

her evening

w as

But when she staid there

mostly spent at the schoolmaster s

Mr Craig was an elderly man

.

la t e and lost his wife early

,

who

had married

She had left him one

child a delicate dainty golden haired thing consider

-

ably younger than Kirsty who cherished for her a love

,

and protection q uite maternal

the

h o rn

mothers who are

,

n ot

Kirsty was
only

Of

on e

of

the salt but

are the sugar and shelter of the world

I doubt

if little P hemie would have learned anything but for

Kirsty
se e

N ot to the day Of her death did her father

in her anything but the little girl his wife had lef t

D OG

him

S TE E N IE

4;

H e spoiled her a good deal nor ever

,

set

him

s elf to instruct her leaving it a p parently to the ten

,

deney

of

mother

things to make of her a woman like her

H e was a real student and excellent te acher

rst he ca m e as schoolmaster to

Til t o w i e

divinity student but a man

Of

far

so

When

he was a

thought original

that he saw lions in the way of becoming a minister

Such men as would be servants Of the ch u rch b efore

t h ey are slaves

of

the church s Master will never be

troubled with Mr Craig s difculties

For

on e

thing

his strong poetic nature made it impossible for him to

believe in a dull prosaic God
,

when told that God s

thoughts are not as our thoughts he found himself

,

unable to imagine them inferior to our s

The natural

result was that he remained a schoolmaster to the

advantage of many a pupil and very greatly to the
,

advantage

Of

Kirsty

Op e n to his in uences

whose nat u re was peculiarly

.

The dominie said he had

never had a pupil that ga ve him such satisfaction as

Kirsty ; she seemed to anticipate and catch at every

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

46

thing he wanted to make hers

There was no kno w

ledge he declared that he could O ffer her which the

,

lassie from

C o r b yk n o w e

porridge

would not take in like her

B est thing o f all for her was that following

,

his own predilections he paid far more attention in

,

his clas s for E nglish to poetry t han

,

prose

to

Colin

Craig was himself no indi fferent p oet and was even

,

a master of the m ore recondite forms

of

i n some measure led astray by the m erit

verse

If

the form

he was capable of admiring verse essentiall y inferior

of

he yet certainly admired the better poetry more

He

had besides the faculty of perc e iving whether what

,

he had written would or wou ld

n o t co n ve

y his

t hought

a faculty in which even a gr eat poet may be decient

In a word

Kirsty learned everyt hing Mr

brought within her reach

school t he Saturday
,

him was a day

Of

sh e

and

which

on

sh e

Craig

l on g

after she left

di d

not go to see

disappointment both to the dominie

and to his little P hemie

When

had once

begun

to fo l low a thing Kirsty

would n ever leave the trail Of it

H er chief business

D OG

S TE E N I E

47

as well as delight was t o look after Steenie

but

perfect attention to him left her large Op p ortunity

of

pursuing her studies especially at such seasons in

,

which his peculiar a ffection what ever it really was

,

re quired hours

untim ely sleep

For although at
,

all times he wandered at his will without her he

,

variably wanted to b e near her wh en he slept

sh e

satised that

ih

while

he sle p t better ha d not once at

so

such a time left him

D uring summer and as long

before and after as the temperature permitted the

,

bu t

was the place he preferred when his necessity w a s

and

upon him
in it

on

asleep

it

to

s it

on

of

Kirsty s especial delight

a warm day the door open and her brother

her feet reading and reading while the

promise

like a life out

of

s k y,

to

ll the

as

h e set with a
l
o
a
m
i
n ,
g

which the light but not the love has

sh e

neither worked nor read but

brooded over many things

Leaving

but

after which came th e long

vanished in which
,

su n

went down the

glory

w as

the door op e n behind them Kirsty took a

,

book from the bole and seat e d herself

,

on

the

l ow

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

48

chair

instantly Steenie who had waited m otionl ess

until

sh e

was settled threw himself across her feet

,

Of

the carpet
asleep

on

heather and in a moment was fast

,

There they remained the

,

reading the o ther

on e

sleeping while th e hours of the warm summer after

,

noon slipped away ripples

,

Ou

the ocean Of the lovely

changeless eternity the consciousness Of

,

G od

For a

time the watching sister was absorbed in Ki n g

Lea r ;

then

sh e

fell t o wondering whether Cordeli a was not

u n k in

dl v

sti ff toward her

Ol d

father but perceived at

,

length th at with such sisters listening

,

have spoken otherwise

there could b e women

Then

so

sh e

sh e

could not

wondered whether

bad as G oneril and

Re gan

concluding that Shakspere must know bett e r than

sh e

A t last

sh e

drew her bare feet

Ste e nie and put them

,

was delightful
the

s un

on

h is

Then rst

was down and the

from

under

back where the coolnes s

,

sh e

g l o a m in

becam e aware tha t

com e and that the
,

whole world must be feeli n g just like her feet

The

long cl e ar tw ilight which wo ul d last till morning was

,

D O G S TE E N IE

49

about h e r the e erie sleeping day when the lovel y

,

ghosts com e out

their graves in the long grass and

of

walk about in the c oo l world with littl e ghosty sighs

,

at sight of the
in g

Kirsty

plac e s and fancy they

old

w as

It

w as

worn

sh e

a wonder

ou t

bu t

dream

always willing t o believe in ghosts

awake in the dark nights

twilight r e veries

are

sh e

did not

b u t in her

gr ew very nearly a ghost h e rs e lf

sh e

could

Kirsty

w as

s it s o

long and not feel

exc e pti o nally str o ng in

,

abs o lute health and specially gifted with p ati e nce

,

She had

so

e arly entertain e d and

th e idea that sh e
take car e

of

w as

so

r m ly gr as p ed

sent into the world expressly to

St eeni e that d e votion to him had grown

,

int o a happy habit with her

The waking mind gave

itself up to the sleeping the orderly t o th e troubled

,

brain th e tru e h e art t o th e heart

,

V OL

as

tr ue

C H AP T E R
C OLO NE L A ND

T H E R E was no di fference

of

SERG E ANT

feeli ng b etwixt the fath e r

and mother in regard to this devotion of Kirsty s ve ry

being to her Steeni e

b u t the mother in esp e cial was

content wi th it for while Kirsty

,

the appl e

w as

eye Steenie was her one lov e d anxi e ty

,

h er

D avi d B arclay a humble un it in th e

,

and distin g u ished family of the

of

B a r cl a v s

or

id e s p r e ad

B erk e l e ys

was born like his father and gr andfather and many

,

more
pied
s on

of

his ancestors

on

While his father

to succeed him

the sam e farm he now o c on

w as

D avi d

yet a li ve with an e ld e r
,

l i s te d mainly

strong desir e to be n e ar a school friend

-

nsign in the s erv ice

of

from a
th e n an

th e E ast India C o m any

H E A TH E R A N D S N O W

52

the other to the family farm upon that estate where

,

h is

brother had died shortly before

was now D avie s landlord

so

that Ar chie

But no new relation would

ever destroy t he friendship which school had made

close and war had welded
,

A lmost every week th e

friends m et and spent the even i ng together much

oftener by and by at
,

W e e l se t

C o r b yk n o w e

than at Castle

For both married soon after their return

and their wiv e s were of di fferent natures

My colonel

has the glory B arclay s aid once and

but once to his sister

,

wife

but puir fallow I hae the

,

A nd truly th e wife at the farm had in her

material enough both moral and intel lectual for t en

,

ladies be t ter than the wife at th e castle

D avid s wife brought him a son the rst year

their marriage and the next year came a

,

colonel and a daughter to the sergeant

the two fathers

sa t

s on

O ne

to

of

th e

night as
,

together at the farm some twelve

,

hours after the bir th of D avid s girl they mutuall y

promised that the s urvivor would do hi s best for the

child

of

the other

B efore he died the co l onel would

C O L O NE L

A N D SE R G E A N T

53

gladly have taken his boy from his wife and given him
ol d

to his

comrade

A s to Steenie the elder of D avid s children he was

yet unborn when his father partly in conse q uenc e Of

,

a wound from which he never q uite recovered m et

,

with rather a serious accident through a young horse

in the harvest

e l d ,

that he was killed

and the report reached his wife

TO

the S hock she thus received

was generally attributed the peculiarity of the child

prematurely born within a month after

H e had long

passed the age at which children usually begin to walk

before he would even attempt to stand but he had

,

grown capable of a speed

i s h in g

on

all fours that was aston

-

When at last he did walk it

,

than two years with the air of

on e w h o

w as

for more

had learned a

trick ; and throughout his childhood and a gr eat part

of his boyhood he continued to go
,

than on his feet

on

all fours rather

-

C H AP TER

VI

MA N S T E E N IE
-

T HE

sleeping youth began at length to stir

more than an hour before he q uite woke up

it was
Then all

at once he started to his feet with his eyes wide Open

putting back from

h is

forehead the long hair which

fell over them and revealing a face not actually looking

,

old but strongly suggesting age

,

H is eye s were of a

pale blue with a hazy mix ed uncertain gleam in them

,

reminding one
start
of

of

of

the shifty shudder and shake and

the northern lights at some heavenly version

the gam e

of

P uss in the Corner

H is featur e s were

more than good they would have b een grand had th ey

been large but they were peculiarly small
,

H is head

i tself wa s very small in proportion to hi s height

h is

MA N

S TEE N IE

55

f ore head again large in proportion

,

hi s

chin wa s such

strong

as

we are in the way

A lthough he had be e n

his head while

to

a ll

of

day acting a

ca l ling
d og i n

charge of sheep and treating th e collie as his natur al

,

companion ther e

w as,

both in his coun tenance and its

expressio n a remarkable absence

of

had a kind of exaltation in

l o ok ; h e seemed to

h is

the animal

ex p ect somet hi ng not at hand but s u re to come

,

He

H is

e yes rested for a moment with a love Of absolute

,

devotion

on

the face

her feet and

,

as

h e ad before her

if

of

hi s

sister

t o re c e iv e he r bl e ssing bowed hi s
,

Sh e laid her hand upon it and in a

,

tone of unutterable tenderness said

Instantly he rose
of

feet

to h i s

th e

bu t

The sunli ght had

n ot

th e y went out

then he knelt at

Man Steenie
-

Kirsty rose also and

,

left the west but had crept

,

round some distance toward th e north

shining faint through the th i n shadow

of

Stars w e re
the world

St ee ni e str e tched himself u p threw h i s arms aloft and

,

held them raised

as

if at once h e would gro w and

reach toward the innit e

Th e n h e looked d o wn

on

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

56

Kirsty for he was t aller than

,

sh e

and pointed straight

up with the long lean forenger of

,

on e

of th e long lean

arms that had all day been legs to the would

into the heavens and smiled

,

of

walked in silence
voice

rather fe e ble

w as

m u S Ic a l

T h e n th e y

home and for som e time

,

but clear

A t length Steenie spoke

dog

be

Kirsty looked up

nodded her head and smiled in return

started in the direction

H is

articulate

and

My feet s terrible heavy the

said

Ki r s ty

Gien it wasna for them the lave

b e up and awa

It s terrible to be

the feet this gait

We re a

h a u de n

up nor for the lave

,

11

m e wud

h a u de n

doon by

at

wud

sa e

St ee nie

fain gang

at s mair willin to bide a wee ;

be the sa me at the last whan we re a up

th e re thegither
I w u dn a

care sae muckle gien he didna g rip me by

,

the queets (a n k l e s ) like

the q ueets

doon the same gait

Maybe it s some waur for yo u

he

but it

n i ch t ,

I dinna like to be g r ippit by

H e winna lat me win at the thongs !

MA N

the bonny man

11

ret urn ed Kirsty

lowse the thongs hi m

A y,

ay l

ken that weel

He ta u ld m e himsel

im

He

dinna

It was m e

I m th i n k i n

b aud e n

nicht for I m sair

0

57

S TEE N IE

Whan the richt time com es

solemnly
se l

I ll

doon sair
,

at

se e

n e e d in

t e llt ye

him the
a sicht

whiles lang o comin

w on e r

at

ye re

sae

fain t o

see

im ,

Steenie

that ; fain fain

am

Y e ll

patience
Ye

se e

im

o r lang

It s a ne thing to hae

com e ilka day Kirsty : what

,

fo r

s u dn a

he c o me

ilka nicht
He

ha s

A y,

h e kens best

r e asons Steenie
,

H e kens best

I ken naething but hi m

and

you Kirsty
,

Kirsty s aid no more

H er heart

w as

too full

Steenie stood still and throwing back his head

,

stared for som e m om e n ts up into th e gr e at h e av e ns

ov er him

Th e n h e said

HE A THE R A N D S N O W

58

It s a bonny day the day the bonny man bides in !

,

The ither day the day the lave

i n th e

ye bides

day whan I m no mys e l but a sair

o o n c o m fo r ta bl e

collie that day s ow er het and sometimes ower

cauld ; but the day he bides in

is

su d

be

A y,

! it

it s that

that

aye j i s t what a day

H e thr ew himself down and lay for a minut e

,

lo o ki n g up into the S ky
him with loving eyes

Kirsty sto o d and regarded

I hae a the bonny day afore m e ! he murmured to

h imself
Sn oo ti e
r a i th e r

Eh ,

but

it

b etter to be a man no r a beast

a ne beast and a gran c o llie but

be mysel a heap

r a i th e r

a sicht o the bonny man

wud

aye at han to catch

Ye m aun gang hame to

yer b ed Kirsty l Is t the bonny man c om es til ye i

yer dreams and says

mortal guid til him

W ill n a ye gang

Gang til him Kirsty and be

,

It maun be surely that

wi

me Steeni e
,

far as the door ?

as

rej oined Kirsty almost beseechingly and attem pt ing

,

no

answer to what he had last said

It

w as

at times such as this that Kirsty knew sad

HE A TH E R A N D S N O W

60

ever the silver cord be loosed

broken

the golden bowl

or

A nd yet how few when the air

thi s world

Of

i s clearest ever come into essential contact with those

,

they love best !

But the triumph

of

Love

while most

it seems to delay is yet ceaselessly rushing hither

,

ward

the wings of the morning

on

W il l n a ye gang as far as the door

sh e

said
I

N a no a grain

naething

and aboot to be
I m a kin
I never

du

But ye re no fe a r t are ye

fe a r t

for ?

A t this time there s naething oot

fe a r t

at

In what ye ca the daytime

in danger o kn o ckin mysel again things

that at nicht

he spoke h e sprang to his feet and they walked

As
on

m e Steenie 2

What would I be

wull do that Kirsty

O w,

Kirsty s heart seemed to swell with pain

for

S teenie was at once more rational and more strange

than usual and she felt the farther away fro m
,

h im

H i s w ords were very q uiet but his eyes looked full of

,

stars

I c anna tell what it i s aboot the sun

at

maks a

MA N
dog

m e ! he said

S TE E N IE

He

61

hard like and hauds m e

oot and gars m e hing my heid and feel as gien I w u r

,

a kin

ashamed though I ken

,

naething

But the

bonny nicht comes straucht up to me and into me

,

and gangs a

th r o u w

me and
,

h i de s

i me

and s yn c I

l u ik for the bonny man

I

uss ye wud lat me bide

oo t

the nicht

wi

ye

St e enie

What for that Kirsty ?

Ye m aun sleep and I m

better my lane

That s j i s t hit

dra w n sigh

returned Kirsty

with a de e p

I canna bide yer bein yer lane and yet

do what I like I canna whiles even i th e daytime

G i en

win a bit nearer til ye

ye used to be whan
,

only y e

But noo w e r e j i s t

and whan ye re i h well I m no

as blear fa ced
be awa again

as

sa e

the mune i th e
sune

whan y e re

and the m une

o ot ,

I m in

but my sowl s j is t

think y e ll

But it ca n n a gang o n like this

o ot,

d a yl ich t t o

t o a eternity and that s a c o mfort

as

cud carr y ye aboot a day an d

tak ye intil my ain bed a nich t !

su n

little

like the

w as as

HE A T HE R A N D

62

SN O I
V

th i n k i n

it ll a

the bonny m an

in t il t

ken naething ab o ot eternity

turn mtil a l own starry nicht

I m sure

Im

b e putten richt at s far fra e richt the noo

Kirsty ye ll hae yer ain gait

far like ither fowk

idiot

th e g i th e r

at

and s yn c

m e and I ll be

I am

I w ud

the sam e as som e !

w u dn a

com e

m e to

the

be as they are

be sorry
Ye see
or

be

It maybe disna

say t ony mair nor G owk Murnock

o or

m inister dings oot

pu

i
p t

war the st o or

stair but eh the styte ( n o n s e n s e )

sits

sae

I ken sae muckle they ken naething aboot

they

thing and that o nly a t something ill

ae

to be turnt

o ot

his ain heid as gien

,

b ibl e cu s h i o n !

the

It s

it
no

possible he s ever seen the bonny man as I ha e

seen him
We ll a hae to come o wer t o you Steenie and

learn frae ye what ye ken

We ll hae t o mak you the

minister Steenie
,

N a na
,

I ken naething

mysel ; and that s whiles

to

sa y

gie again

fo r

m air

ither fowkOnly for

nor I can win roun n o

'

'

MA N

S TE E N IE

63

Some nicht ye ll lat m e bide o ot

'

Wi

ye a n i cht ?

wud sair l i ke it Steenie

,

sall K i rsty ; but it maun be some nicht ye hae

Ye

s l e e pit

a day

E h but
,

cu d n a

do that tried
,

Ye cud lie i yer bed

Ye

t!

on y

ever sae hard

gait and mak the best

,

hae naebody I ken to gar you sleep

,

They went all the rest of the way tal king thus and
,

Kirsty s heart

g rew lighter for

,

little nearer to her brother

sh e

seemed t o get a

H e had been her live

doll and idol ever since his mother laid him i n her
arms when she was little more than three years

ol d

For though Steenie was nearly a year older than

K i rsty she was at that time
,

was able not indeed to carry

,

on her knees
two until

sh e

so

much bigger that

h im ,

she

but to nurse him

She thought herself the elder of the

was about ten by which time
,

sh e

not remember any beginning to her carrying

of

could
him

About the same t i me however he began to grow m uch

,

faster and she found before long that only u p on her

,

back could she carry him any di stance

HE A THE R

64

The d i scovery that he

a fresh impulse
e d

to

A ND SNO W
w as

the elder somehow gave

her love and dev o t ion and intens i

,

her pitiful tenderness

Kirsty s was i ndeed a

heart in which the whole unhappy world might have

s ought and found shelt er
w i thstand i ng that
,

sh e w a s

She had the notion not

,

harder hearted t han most

-

and therefore better able to do things that were right

but not pleasa n t

CHAPTER

V II

C O R B Y KN O W E

YE

come in and say a word

LL

to

m other Steenie 2

said Kirsty as they came near the d oo r

,

house
It

of

th e

was

a long low building with a narrow paving

,

i n front

from

plough

Its walls bu t one story high

end to end

stones cast up by the

of

r ou

white
washed shone dim in the twilight
,

gb

ca st

and

U nder

thick proj ect i ng thatch the door stood wide open and
,

fr o m the k i tchen wh o se door was also o p en came the

,

light

a p eat

of

r e

and a

the summer Steenie

was

s h

oil -

lam p

seldom in the house an hour

of

t he twenty four and

In

the winter he w o uld keep about it

V OL

T h roughout

n ow

he hesitated
a

to

enter

good par t
5

HE A THER A ND

66

the day and

,

w as

S N O IV

gen erally indoors the greater p art

of the night but by n o means always

,

While he hesitated his mother appeare d in the

,

doorway of the kitchen

She was a tall

n e

l o oking

woman with soft gray eyes and an expression o f f o rm

,

and features which left Kirsty accounted for

Come awa in by St e enie my man
,

she said in
,

tone that seemed to wrap its obj ect in fold upon fold
tenderness enough to mak e the peat smoke that

of

perv a d e d t he kitc h en seem the very atmospher e of the

heavenly countries
m ilk i t m ilk

Come and hae a dr appy

an d a piece (a

i
ce
e
p

new

Steen i e stoo d smiling and undecided on the slab in

front of the doorstep
Dre id

naething

Steen ie

There s no ane to interfere

be

his mother went on

ye r

wull whatever
,

The hoose is yer ain to c o m e and gang

as

ye

yer father and mysel

it

se e

But ye ken that and Kirsty ken s that as weel

,

Mother I ken what ye say to be the trowth and I

,

hae

a gran

r o
o
o
e
p

b e l ie vi n

the trowth

But

b ody

HE A THER A N D SN O W

68

l ook

whether boiling point had arrived

The same

instant the s t alwart form of her husband appeared in

the doorway and there stood for a
,

arrested
He

sm

l
g e

h is

a good deal older than

was

wife as his long

,

gray hair among other witnesses testie d

,

s ix

momen t

He

feet in height and very erec t with a rather

,

military carriage

was
s ti ,

H i s face wore an expression of

stern goodwill as if he had been sent to do his b es t

,

for everybody and kn ew it

,

of

Ste eni e caught sight

into the kitchen

He

him ere he had t aken a step

rushed to him threw hi s arm s

,

round him and hid his face on his bosom

,

B onny b onny m an
,

away and went back

to

he murmured then turned

,

the re

H is mother was casting the rst handful of meal

into the pot

sa t

Steenie fe t ched

th re e l e gg i t cre ep i e
-

down by her looking as if he had

,

night since rst he was able to

s it

sa t

and

there every

The farmer came forward and drew a chair t o the

,

re beside hi s son

Steenie laid his head on his

GO R B Y KN O

WE

father s knee and the father laid his big hand

Steenie s head

N ot a word was uttered

The mother

might have found them in her way had she been

c l in e d ,

went

oh

in

but the t h ought did not come to her and she

,

on

making the porridge in great contentment

while Kirsty laid the cloth

The night was as still in

the house as in the world save for the bursting of the

,

big blobs of the porridge

noise

The peat re made no

The mother at length took the heavy

re and
,

pot

from the

i t h what to o n e inexpert might have seeme d

wonderf u l skill
wooden bowl

on

poured the porridge into a huge

the table

H aving then scraped the

pot carefully that nothing should be lost

sh e

put

some water into it and setting it on the re again

,

went to a hole in the wall took thence

,

p laced them gently in the water

She
j ug

of

ent next t o the dairy and came back with a

,

eggs and

the riches t milk which

po rridge

tw o

sh e

set beside the

whereupon they dre w t h eir seats to the

table all but Steenie

HE A THER A N D SNO W

7o

Come
su pper

Steenie

said his mother

answered Steeni e
G u id s a k e ,

on y

fowk

laddie I kenna hoo ye live

,

th i n k i n

Im

supper the nicht mother

of

despair

I dinna need

sh e

muckle as ither

sa e

I m no a there

sa e

he added wi t h a sm ile

muckle

There s eneuch

Steen i e my bairn
,

ye there

sh e

father winna ate a

that E h Stee n ie

to

went

m o u fu
sh e

Ye

sae I

ll my hert unco fou

answered his moth er with a deep sigh

coaxingly

on

g i en ye dinna

br o ke out

It gars my hert swall as gien

think

ye

m i ch tn a

o ot

Yer

ye ll see

wud burst like a blob

i the m irk n i cht !

O or

Wha

that sair yer father s and mine i oor beds

,

to tell

herts are whiles

gien ye wad but

be happenin ye

Come awa

tak yer supper and gang to yer bed like the lave

what

re

rej oined Steenie whose white face b o re testi

canna need

to

mony that he took far from nourishment enough

se e

turn ed in an accent almost

I dinn a care aboot

here s ye r

we

C O RB Y KN O W E

daur na
gr e e ti n

say

a word for fear the tane

but eh
uss

I seldom sleep at nicht

hoose it s j i s t

w a s ob

as

okin

replied Steenie ;

to

w u dn a

me ye
,

ye ken and i the

as

gi en the darkness wan inside

me

me

it s as dark

ut

gien ye kent the differ

and

w ull

I ll b id e i n gien that be yer

the tither

se t

7:

as i the hoose whiles

th e r o o t

on y
g a it

N a mother

it

l i cht eneuch to ken

th e r o o t

never sae dark

Im th e r oo t

can aye draw a g uid full breath

and

no

i the ho o se

o ot

i the Open

L at the ladd i e gang his ain ga i t uman

,

D av i d

The thing born i n

the t hing born in anither

made him
A y,

He

im

interposed

better for him n o r

A man maun gang

as

Go d

whether

solemnly

but there s

he

b e man or dog ! a s sented Stee n ie

drew

h is

stool close to his father where he

at the table and again laid

,

h is

head

m o t her sighed but said noth i ng

on

his knee

sat

The

She lo o ked nowi s e

HE A THER A ND SNO W

72

hurt only very

,

sad

In a minute Steenie s po ke
,

again

Im th i n k i n

nane

lik e whan a the hillside

What ither anes

ye kens he said

asked his moth e r

A y,

there

wan smile

a th e lave o

W hat

it s

gien up to the ither anes

b e nane there but yer ain lane

There can

se l

s,

he rej oined with a

,

The m other looked at him with something al mo st

fear in h e r eyes of l ove

Ste e nie has company we ken little aboot

Kirsty

A y,

said

the b o nny man

maun be

whiles think I wud gie him my w i ts for

company

h is

of

murmured Steenie

'

g a u in

But he di d not rise d i d not even l i ft his head from

,

h is

father s knee

it w o uld be rude

to g o

before

th e

supper was over the ruder that he was not partak i ng

of

it
D avid had eaten his porridge and n o w came the
,

al m ost n i ghtly di fference ab o ut the eggs

Marion had

VE
GO R B Y KN O I

e en

the perfect

fro m the p ot

s py

73

o the ti me

in taking them

sh e

but when

her

would as usual have

husban d eat them he as usual declared he neither

,

needed

wanted them

n or

This night however he

did not insist but at once proceeded to prepare one

with which as soon as it

w as

he began to feed Steenie

nicely mixed with salt

The boy had been longer

used to be i ng thus fed than most children and having

,

ta k en the rst mouthful i nstinct i vely now moved h is

,

head but without raising it fro m his knee

,

his father might feed him more comfortably

that

so

In thi s

p o sition he took every spoonful given him and so ate

,

both the eggs greatly to the delight of the rest of the

,

co mp any

A m om ent mo re and Steenie got up

rose also

Il l

convoy ye a bit my man

,

E h na
,

yer bedtime

ye
!

n e e dn a

he said

that father !

I hae naegait to be

be ab o ot i the nicht m ayb e a

d oo r m aybe the tither s i de

It s near han

H is father

co n vo

yt

I ll j i s t

frae the

s ta n e s ~ c a s t

th e H orn

H ere or

HE A THER A ND SNO W

74

there I m never frae ye

I think whiles I m j i s t

like ane

them

o n ly deid
S o saying

at

ye ca deid : I m no awa

I m aboot

he went

Im

s om e ga it

He

n ever on any occasion

wished them good night : that would be to leave

-

them and he was not leaving them

,

them

a ll

the t i me

he was wi t h

HE A T HER A ND SNO W

76

He

kenned whau r he was likest t o s ee me

w a n ti t

m e he
He

it wa s

w a n ti t

yo u

did

A nd he s been mair nor

be ?

ance efter ye W h a tfo r didna ye tell me afore

Kirsty 2

We war bairns thegither ye ken father and I

never ance
till the day
and

th o u c h t

the thing worth fashi n ye aboot

We ve aye been used to Franc i e comi n

tell her a thing worth tellin and mony a

,

I aye leuch at him as

bairn till the day

He S pak

h a tfor

better no

at

and syne he angert me

are ye tellin me the no o

Cause it cam i ntil my heid

wud at a

straucht oot th e day and

did the same and angert h i m

w

he

thing forby

A nd

o n yth i n g ,

I never tellt my m ither

g a e in

said and

it maks

on y

at

di ffer

maybe it w o uld be
can

se e

D uring this conversation Marion was washing the

supper things putting them away and making general

-

p reparation for bed

She heard every word and went

,

about her work softly that she might hear never

,

opening her mouth to speak

DA

V I D A ND

H IS D A

U G H TER

77

There s something ye want t o tell m e and dinna

like lassie

said D avid

father gang til yer mither

,

at my father

F e a rt

t hing to be

mi t her
Ye

a sh a m e t o

wad

b e gien
,

hed ony
to

Syne I micht gang

that lassie

at ye r

I d a u r s a y I dinna
w ud

fe a r t

Gien ye be

ken

m aun

Fathers

my

sometimes

be fearsome to lass bairns

-

Whan I m

fe a r t

i the ill gait

at you father I ll b e a gey bit

,

on

returned Kirsty w ith a solem n face

,

looking straight into her father s eyes

Than it ll never b e

m ysel for

or

I maun hae a hea p to blame

think whiles gien bairns kenned the

terrible wyte their fathers micht hae to dree for no

d uin

better

haud straucht

i
.

them they wud be mair

,

hae been ower muckle taen up

my beasts and my craps mair

w

my

p a r ti c l a r

Go d

forgie me

nor

bairns ; though he kens ye re mair to

,

m e the twa than oucht else save the mither

,

The beasts and the craps

and there

tw a

to

w as

aye o or mither

ndua weel

to

se e

du

efter hi z

ye !
i

less ;

HE A T HER

78

A ND

SNO W

That s true lassie ! I only houp i t wasna greed at

,

t he hert

me

At

the sam e time wha wud

,

? Weel

greedy for but ye r s e l s

aboot

I m some

fe a r t

sicht

o or

been a

h is

That

t i

OW

sae muckle

cu d n a

him h i s mi t her s
,

There

hae

hae been sae weel contrived I

w u dn a

d o o bt

hae been the

th i n k i n

Ye re richt there

Francie

but it s a sore pity he

lass But what s this aboot

he

father s and nane

varie t y I m

at

The laddie s no by natur an ill

w u dn a

remarked Kirsty

for him whiles noo

laddie far frae

and what s it a

What garred ye come to m e aboot Francie

oot o

be

naething fa t her worth

,

The daf t

m e n ti o n i n

loon wud hae hed m e p romise to merry h i m

that s a

The L o rd preserve s A ff han

There s no tell in what micht hae been i the hei d

im

he didna win

God forbid

sae

far as to

'

s a y th a t o n
yg a i t

exclaimed her father w i th solemnity

after a short p ause

Im

H IS D A

V I D A ND

DA

th i n k i n

U G H TER

79

God s forbidden langsyne

IGJ O ID B d

i r s ty
.

What said ye til

im

lassie 2

First I leuch at h i m as weel as

n o nsense

t and

ca d him the gowk he

and syne I sent him awa

he the

i m p i d e n ce

to fa

cud c o me

i th i n

a ee

r i cht

lug

hadn a

upo me for carin mair

him !

As

gien ever

he

sicht o S teenie

H er father looked very grave

A re

in

w as

o ot

ab o ot Steenie nor the likes

can min the

ye no pleased father ?

th ou c h t

did what I

Ye

on

dua hae dune better Kirsty

,

fo r the callan for eh but

But I m sorry

L assie

fo r his father s sake I cud tak Francie intil the hoos e

loed hi s father

and w o rk for him as for you and Steenie though

l i ttle guid Steenie ever get s
D inna say that father
,

Steenie t o hae
A muckle pairt

It wud be an ill thing for

but ye rs e l to the father

the nicht he wins ower in

y o u and his m o ther

me puir sowl

on y
body

it

im !

l o e in

at

HE A TH E R A N D SNO W

80

A nd ye r s e l Kirsty
,

Im

th i n k i n I

hae my share i the dayt i me

A nd h o o think ye gangs the lave

,

the nicht

im

The bonny m an

a nd

has

the maist

think he wull efter what

I te ll e d

what wud ye hae me

til

say

Say what ye wull lassie

,

h im

dinna d o c h t

But father

t, I

im

the same tale I dinna

him but he may

,

im 2

lang as ye dinna lat

sae

for a moment believe there s a grain

bi l i ty i

the thing

Ye

se e ,

Kirsty

Ye dinna i magine father

,

think
ken

what better cud we desire for

ien
Francie
come
back
g

i th e r w i s e

aboot it

his father gied

at

haena I therefore

to

n or

hi m

in

possi

cud for

d u ye r s e l !

ye

ch a i r g e

luik efter him ?

ae

minut e

D iv

no

to you ? and

D i dna ye tell me

a aboot yer gran freen and hoo and hoo lang ye had

loed

h im ?

and didna that m ak Francie my business

weel s yer ain ?

as

ever

s ic

a pp r u v o

like s mysel

on

I m verra sure his father wud

y g a e in s

on

atween him and a lass i e

and fearna ye father but I s haud

DA

weel

hi m

o o tby

N0

me th o ugh
,

H IS D A

V I D A ND

that

it

U G H TER

s on y

tyauve ( s tr u gg l e ) to

aye likit Francie !

8!

H aena I my ain

S teen i e
Gl a id l y wud
as

I shaw Francie the ro d

ye wud mak h i m my bonny Kirsty

,

clear ly the thing

i ts e l

n o to b e

to

s ic

a w i fe

But ye

th o u ch t

u p on

se e

E h

Kir sty but it s gran t o an auld father s hert to hear

h is

ye tak yer pairt i n

devours efter

s ic

w u m an ly

fashi on
Am

be

I no yer ain lass ba i rn father ?

-

a father

less cud I

du

Gien breach

at

d i dna keep h i s word

nor help
the

l add i e
0

s mither ?

m an to keep h i s word ?

Wad

w u dn a

and what

ca m

th r o u w

me my
,

ye hae me t ell the

like t o expose the folly

him but g i en ye th i nk it necessar I ll gang the

m orn s
I
a

on y

fa i m i l y word

life wud gang frae m e

Whaur wud

m o rn i n

dinna think that wud be weel

It wad but raise

strife atween the twa o hn dune an atom o gu i d

She wud only rage at the laddie and pit h im in s i c a

,

reid heat as wad but wald thegither him and his

V OL

ull

HE A TH E R A N D SN O W

82

sae

they wud ma i st never com e in twa again

at

d ta ul d her yer ain

An d

sel ,

m y leddy

wad lay a the wyte u p o you nane the less

Th e re s

though ye gaed

an

n o ri z z on

Im

Kirsty

tap nor tae i the p ui r body and ye re

to

g l a id

her farth er nor to

richt by her

She carr i es hersel that gran

that s no the richt

th o u c h t

du

ye dinna want m e to gang

driven t o t he consideration

wi se b und

s p e e rit

w o rth m ak i n

h oo

anent

at

answered

ye re maist

little she s worth

on

nae

yb o dyo r

an

thing God

HE A THE R A N D

84

wi th no favour
t hi ng

sh e

him s o

V
SN O I

des ired a

If

sh e

imagined her

felt it one

sh e

never coul d grant an d told

s on

thereafter Francis would not rest until he

had compassed the thing

w o rds wou ld follow

Sudden division and

w ith speechlessnes s

on

hi gh

the

mo t her s part in the rear w hi ch might last f o r days

,

B ecomin g all at once tired of i t she would in the morn

,

ing appear at breakfast looking as if not hi ng had ever

come b etween them and they would be the b est
,

friends for a few days

longer

perhaps a week seldom

or

of

Some fresh discord no w i se

,

di e r e n t

in char

acter fr o m the prec eding woul d ar i se between them

,

and the same weary round b e tramped again each

,

always in the right and the other in the wrong

,

E very time they ma de it up their relat ion seemed

,

unimpa i red but it was har dl y possible things should

,

go on thus and not at length quite estrange their

hearts

In matters

of

display t o which Francis

,

tendency his mother s

and

s p o il

h
i
m
,
g

ow n

much

vanity led her to ind ul ge

for b eing hers

,

ha d

sh e

was always pleased

A T CA S TL E WE E LS E T
he should l o ok h i s best

On h i s

had nor sought any inuence

real self

she

Insubordinati on

arrogance i n h im her dignity unslighted

,

p leased her

she

i t not a mark

of

neither

actuall y

liked him t o show his sp i rit

h is

or

w as

breeding ?

She was a tall and rather stout wo m an w i th a

,

pretty sm all featur ed regular face an d a th i n n o s e

-

w i th the n o str i ls p i nched

Castle W e e l s e t

w as

anc i ent round t o wer

not much

of

a castle

t o an

disc o mfortably hab i table had

,

been added in the last century a rather large de ~

,

fe n s i bl e

h o use

crown i ng

on e

of

It st oo d
i ts

the edge of a gorge

on

st o ny hills

of

n o great height

With scarce a tree t o shelter it the s i tuat i on was very

,

cold in winter and i t required a hardy breeding t o

,

live there in comfort

There

w as

little of a garden

and the stables were somewhat ru i n o us

For the

form er fact the cli m ate almost suffi c i ently accounte d

and for the latter
p overty
-

a long per io d

of

comparative

The young la i rd di d not like farm i ng and had n o

,

HE A THER A ND SNO W

86

love for books

in this interval b etween sch o ol and

college he found very l i ttle to occupy h i m and not

,

much t o amuse him

H ad K i rsty and her family

proved as encouraging

as

he had expected he would

,

have made use of his new p ony almost only t o ride

to

C o rb yk n o w e

at night

in the m orning and back t o the castle

H is mother knew

well enoughthat is
h im

sh e

ol d

Barclay

n ot

at all and had n ever sh o wn

as

called him

any cordiality anything indeed b etter than con

,

descension

He

To treat him like a gentleman

when he sat at her

absurd

even

table she would have counted

ow n

had never been to the castle since the

day after her husband s funeral when she rece i ved

,

him w i th such e mp has i zed superiority that he felt he

could not

go

again w i thout running the risk either of

havi ng his i n uence with the boy ruined

or

g i vm g

occa

s i on t o a nature not without gener o si ty to tak e D av i d s

part against his mother

Thenceforward therefore
,

he contented hi m self w i t h g i ving Franci s i nvariable

welcome and d oi ng what he could t o m ake his vi s i ts
,

CA STL E WE E L S E T

A T

pleasant

C h i e y,

87

such not i nfrequent occasi o ns

on

the boy delighted in drawing fro m h i s father s friend

h is

hat tales ab o ut

father and adventures of their

,

campaigns together he had to tell ; and in this way

,

D avid s wife and children heard many th i ngs about

himself wh i ch would not otherwise have reached

them

N aturally Kirsty and Francie g rew to be good

friends ; and after they went to the par i sh school

there were few days i ndeed

on

wh i ch they d i d no t

walk at least a s far homeward together as the midway

divergence
de rfu l ,

of

their roads perm i tted

It was not

w on

therefore that at length Francis should be or

,

sh o uld fancy himself i n love with Kirsty

bel i eve all the t i me he thought

of

But I

marrying her as

a heroic deed in ra i sing t he girl his mother des pi sed

,

to share

th e l o fty posit i on
.

imagined h i m to occupy

he and that foolish m other

The anticipation

of

tion from his m other naturally strengthened

term i nation

of

had not dreamed

opp o sition
.

He

on

the part
of

took i t as

mo ment he stated h i s intent i on

of

oppos i
h is

Kirsty

de
,

he

c o urse that the

,

K i rsty would be

HE A THER A N D SNO W

88

charmed

her m other more than pleased and the

,

stern old soldier overwhel m ed w i th the honour

alliance w i th the son of his colonel
h o wever

that he had an

dee p er and b etter than

h is

each o ther w o uld i ndicate

not io n

of

do not doubt

Kirsty far

fo r

a e cti on

of

their relations to

A lthough it was mainly

h i s pr i de that suffered i n his hu m il i at in g dismissal ,he

had I am sur e a genuine heartache as he galloped
,

h om e

When he reached the castle he left his pony

t o g o where he w o uld and rushed t o his room

,

There locking the do o r that

,

enter he t hrew himself

c o nsciousness

of

mother might

An

cast from her not

,

as

n ot

bed in the luxurious

a m uch wr o nged lover

educated country girl for

had

h is

on

h is

un

such he regarded her

ithout insult

h i s S p lend i dl y

generous o ffer of h i mself

Poor king Cophetua d i d

n ot,

however shed m any

,

t ears for the l oss of his recusant beggar m aid

-

and by he forgot everyt hi ng found he

,

sleep

and

succeed

h a d g on e

endeavour i ng t o wee p aga in

By
to

did not

A T CA S TL E WE E LS E T
He

89

grew hungry soon and went down to

was to be had

W hat

see

It was long past the usual hour

fo r

d i nner but Mrs G ord o n had not seen h i m return and

,

had had i t put back s o to m ake the most

of

op p ortun i ty
s c i e n ti ou s

of

an

quarrel not t o be neglected by a con

m o ther

She let it slide nevertheless

Gr a cious y o u ve been cryi ng ! she excla i med th e

m oment she saw him

N ow certainly Francis had not cried much

eyes were n o tw i thstand i ng a lit t le red

,

He

h is

had not yet learned to lie but he might t he n

,

h is

have made

tongue s end

rst assay had he had a

h is

h is

You ve been ghting ! said

mother

I haena he returned with rude indignation

had been div ye think

,

Y ou

at

a s he had not he gloom ed deeper and

m ade no answer

I wu d

forget yourself laird

,

Gi en

hae grutten

remarked Mrs G o rd o n
.

mo re annoyed wi th his Scotch than the tone

of

it

I w o uld h ave yo u rem ember I am mistress of the

h o use

HE A T HE R A ND SNO W

90

Till I marry mother

rej oined her s on

O blige m e

in the m e a ntime

she answered

leaving vulgar language outside it

by

Franc i s was sile n t ; and his mother content wit h

,

her victory and in her own untruthful ness of nature

,

believing h e had indeed b een ght i ng and had had the

worst of it said no more but began to pity and pet
,

him

pot of his favourit e j am presently consoled

the love wounded hero i n the acceptance

-

of

which

consolation he showed himself far less u nworthy than

many a

g rown

choice of his

man sim i larly circumstanced in the

,

Mr Barclay s

he to b e treated

w as

A N D SN O W

THER

HE A

92

on e w

as

ho

did

not know what he was about

H oots my m an

said D avid gently

there s no

occasion to put a water cha i n upo the bonny b eastie :

-

h e has a mou like a leddy s

ti ch t

sae

w on e r

and t o hae

is naeth i ng less n o r tortur til

t li n k i t

i m ! It

up

to m e he hasna broken your banes and his a i n

back thegi ther puir thing !

he added p att i ng and

stroking the spir i ted li ttle creature that st oo d sweating

and trembli ng

I thank you Mr B arclay said Fr anc i s ins o lently

bu t I am qui t e able to manage the brute myself

Y ou

seem to take me for a fo o l

D eed he s n o far

like that a brute

a ff

ane

at

cud ca a b o nny cratur

returned D avid nowise p leased t o

,

whom he wo ul d gladl y

discover such hardness in

on e

treat lik e a child

his

ow n

se e

the lad getting farther away

of

a p pointment to him to

It

w as

a great

fr o m th e p oss i b i lity of being help ed by him

yer father

Yer father

w as

say

to

se e

ye illuse

awfu guid til

on y

di s

What

helpless b e i n

horse fowk

V I D A ND F R A N C I S

DA

The last word

of

great lover

w a s on e of

animals

D a vid s

93

ow n :

he was a

I ll d o with m y o w n as

please

s p urred the pony to pass D av i d

cr i ed Francis and
,

But

stal w art

on e

hand held the p ony fast while the other se i zed h i s

,

ri der by the ankle

The o ld man was

angr y with the graceless youth

God bless my sowl
as weel ?

Stick ane

cast ye frae the

lang blades

hae ye the spur s on

them i ntil him aga i n and I ll

s e ddl e

p l a yi n

I the thick

a fecht the
,

aboot yer father s heid like lichts

i the north he never stack spur int i l

!

less

thoroughly

he cr i ed

n ow

s ch a ir g e r

need

I don t

se e ,

down a little

s a id Francis who had b egu n to cool

,

h ow

he coul d have enj oyed the ght

much if he never forgot himself

everyt h i ng in the deli ght

of

I sho u ld f o rget

the battle

Yer father laddie never forgot o n yt h in g bu t h i msel

,

F orge tti n

Ye

himsel left

h i m free

to min a thing forbye

wud forget i l k a th i ng but yer a i n rage ! Yer father

was a great man as weel s a great soger Francie and

d e e vi l

to fecht

by the set mou

0

A ND SN O W

HE A THER

94

t,

at

th e

hae mysel seen

teeth war clinch ed i the ins i de

the br oo

on

Gien ever there

whan a the time

runkle

men said

h is

as

w as

a m an

im

at

never a

sa t

cud think

twa things at ance your father cud th i nk

,

thr ee

and thae three war G o d h i s enemy and the beast

,

aneath him

Francie Franc i e i the na m e

father I beg ye to
s it u p o

re

g a ir d

the r i cht s

G i en ye dinna that ye ll come

think little

im

A vo i ce inside Franci s took p art with the

and made h i m yet angrier

A lso h i s pride

ol d

man

hi m

of

of

two

or

three loafers gathered beh i nd

whose presence the o ld man was un aware not

,

nly rebuke him but address him by his name

,

the diminutive

of

it

o fcer in the battle

nd

S o when D avid i n the app eal

that burs t from his enthusiastic remembr ance o f

F ranci s

the

w as

orse annoyed that D avid Barclay his tenant sh o uld

in the hearing

lang to

or

yer human neeb o ur as w eel car i n only for

what ye get oot

yer

the neebour ye

e l d ,

hi s

let the pony s head go

dug his spurs in his sides and darted

,

o ff

like

HE A THER

96

or

A ND

SNO W

go round two miles by a bridge

There had been

much rain i n the night and the strea m was consider

,

ably swollen

A s he appr o ached the ford he met a

,

knife grinder who warned him

-

h is

had nearly l o st

n ot

attempt i t

to

wheel i n it he said
,

had

so

But Francis

always found it hard to accept advice

he

H i s m other

often predicted from neglect o f hers evils which

never followed that h e had come to think counsel the

,

on e

thing not to be heeded

Thank you he sa i d
,

and rode

on

think

we

can m anage it !

When he reached the ford where

,

of

all places he

ought t o have left th e pony s head free he foolishly

remembered the curb chain

-

up a couple of links

a nd

gett i ng

o ff,

took it

But when he remounted whether from dread of the

,

rush
of

of

the brown water or resentment at the t h reat

,

renewed torture the p o ny would n o t take the ford

,

and a battle royal arose between them in wh i ch

,

Franci s was

so

far v i ctor i ous that after m any atte m pts

,

t o run away lit t le D on rendered des p erate by the

,

DA

V I D A ND F R A NC I S

97

spur dashed wild l y i nto the stream and went plung

,

ing on for t wo

thr ee yards

or

Then he fell and

,

Franc i s found himself ro ll ing in the water swept along

,

by the current

Of

little way lower down at a sharp tur n

stream under a
held

m uch

hi gh

the

bank was a deep pool a place

,

in dread by the coun try lads and lasses

being a haunt Of the kelpie

Franci s knew the s p ot

well and had good reason to fear that carried i nto it

he mus t b e drowned for he could not swim

,

R oused

by the thou ht t o a yet harder struggle he succeeded

g

in getting upon his feet

and reaching the bank

where he lay for a while exhausted

,

When at length

he came to himself and rose he found the water still

,

between him and home and nothing

,

seen

of

h is

If the y o uth s good sense had been equal to his

c ourage he woul d have been a ne fellow

,

straight i nto the ford

h is

pony t o be

ou n d e r e d

h e dashed

t hr o ugh it and lost

,

footing no more than had D on treated properly

,

When he reached the high

he could still
V OL

see

g round

on

the other side

nothing of him and with sad heart

,

HE A THER A N D S N O W

98

concluded h i m carried into the Kelp i e s Ho le never

more t o b e beheld al i ve
Mr Barclay
.

what wo

ul

d h i s mo ther and

Sh i vering and wretched and wi th

say

a growi ng c o mpunct io n in regard to his behavio ur to

D o n he crawled wear i ly ho m e
,

D on however had at
,

danger

R id

of

care Of himself

his master he co ul d take ver y good

,

He g o t t o the bank with o ut difculty

at castle W e e l s e t

of

h i s loose box

In a narrow part
of

of

the road h o wever he ove rt oo k

,

Mr Barclay s

and

as

he atte mp ted t o p ass

between i t and the stee p brae the m an

on

the shaft

caught at his br i dle made him prisoner tied

,

the cart behind and took

,

D avi d came h om e and

h i mto C o rbyk n o w e

sa w

When

for the castle

hi m to

him he conj ectured pretty

nearly what had hap p ened and tired as he

ou t

at a good roun d trot much refr eshed by

his bath and rej oicing in the thought

a cart

the home side Of the

on

N ot o nce looking b ehind h i m after his tyrant

s e t Off

he

mo m ent been much in

no

and took care it sho ul d be

stream

H a d he

n ot

w as

set

feared that Francis

HE A T HER A ND S N O W

IOO

would gladly g i ve him up to the young laird in

p erson

The next day Mrs Gordon drove in what state

,

could muster to
,

C o rbyk n o w e

A rrived there

declined to leave her carriage requesting

,

rs

sh e

she

Bar

clay who came t o the door to send her husband to

,

her

Mrs B arclay thought i t better to comply

D avid came i n his shirt sleeves for he had been

-

fetched from his work

If I understand your answer t o my request Mr

,

B arclay you decline to send back Mr Gordon s p ony

Pray

on

what grounds

I wrote ma am that I should b e gl a d to g i ve him

over to Mr Francis himself

.

Mr Gordon does not nd it convenient to come

.

all this way on foot

In fact he declines to do i t and

requests that yo u will send the pony hom e th i s after ~

noon !
E xcuse me m em but
,

it

surely enough done that

a man make known the presence

proper care

th em until they re

strays and tak

cl a i m t

I was fain

DA

V I D A N D FR A N C I S

for bye to gie the bonny th i ng a b i t

Franc i e s ower hard u p on hi m

in life

pl e e su r

Y ou

IO I

forget D avid B arclay that Mr Gordon is

,

your landlord
H i s father , mem ,

father

was

my landlord and his father s

my father s landlord

w as

the landlord hae aye been

herty freen

o or s

Ither

Franc i e s

n or

can never be

presume

Y ou

and the interests

you Barcla y!

my late husband s kindness to

on

Gien devot io n b e p resum p tion mem I p resu m e

,

A rch i bald Gordon

for ever
to

hae

We

and

been

th r ou w

change to ane an i ther

laddie s a i n that I

w a n ti t

wi

a word

animals

sel mem
,

You

!
,

at

tak a

I will have no
qu i te capable

w a n ti t

a t s sa e

m icht

of

It

on e

ower muckle thegither

w as

fo r

h i s sak e and the

him to come to me
0

h is

tak s no tent ( ca re )

weel at ha m e i the

k in l y care

h is

H e ll

dumb

s e ddl e

yer

what s aneth his

i nterfere w i th my

teach i ng him

my freen and will be

h im ab o ot that p owny

never b e true man

is

w as

s on

duty myself

am

HE A T HER A N D S N O W

1 02

Hi s father

me m

u
e
t
i
s
t
q

me t o do what

He

l a te

never be Francie s

husband mem but

he

m y word til him

It

word

1 1 be

!
,

He

may be your

to

Franc i e

l a te

keep

ll n o b e lang n o o ; i the natur

and sure am I

aboot the ladd i e

h is

rst

wud ill like t o answer

A rch i e I ken naething aboot hi m but what I

,

cud weel wuss

s ic

father

l a te

my cornel yet and I

things till I gang til him

him

father i f y o u please B arclay

gien I can help i t mem

could for hi m

H is

re

H OO wud ye like t o gie

i th e r w i s e

an answer ye rs e l mem
,

Im

of

surprised at a man

thinking we shall know

your sense Barclay

,

another in heaven

on e

We

shall have to be c o ntent with G od there

I said naeth i ng about h aven

ken ane anither and no b e in

the k i rk last Sunday

at

ae

mem !

place

Fowk m ay

I t o ok n o te i

A br a h a a m

kent the rich

man and the r i ch man h i m and they warna i the

same plac e
and

se e

But ye ll lat the yoong laird c o me

m e m em ? c o ncluded D av i d changing h i s
,

HE A THER A N D SNO W

1 04

granted that perhaps he had been too hard

pony

r i c h te ou s l

said D avid
r i ch t e o u s

frae man

man

o o tl u i k

But it
tried

du ,

cu d n a

Francie

Gien ye requere

b east ye ll

m a i s tl y

'

no

more than s fair

aye get it

But gien

in life b e to get a thing and gie naething

w as

g rief

ae

i s the warst

an d a

fa il yi e

ys

a man can mak

think D avid only bent like his mother

,

H e m ade

and left his fr i end with a

rode on t o the foot

sa d

of

heart

haste

to

Success

talking to the wind for Francis thought

nding fault with him

He

a powny

But in God s name d e ar laddie be a

a tte m p

to

yours

ye maun come to
in an i ll

or

naeth i ng

y e x p e ck

his size that that powny

or

the

Y e cud

yer

on

on

get away

the H orn to the spot where

,

Kirsty was usually at that season t o be found ; but s h e

sa w

him coming and went up t he hill

,

Soon after

hi s mother contrived that he should pay a visit to

some relatives in the sou t h and
,

castle nor the H orn

saw

fo r

anything

a time neither the

of

him

Without

return i ng hom e he went i n the winter to E dinbur gh

FR A N CI S

D A V ID A N D

where he ne i ther disgraced nor

D avid was glad to hear no

i ll

d istinguished

of him

his mother s immediate inuence

advantage but
,

as

10

w as

himsel f

To be beyond
perhaps to

h is

nothing superior was substituted it

was at best but li ttle gain

H is companions were l ike

himself such as might turn to wors e or better no one

,

c o uld tell which

C H A PT E R XI
KI R S T Y

D UR IN G

A ND

P HE

MY

the rst w i nter which Franci s spent at college

his mother was in E ngland and remained there all

,

the next summer and winter

home
eyes
her

sh e

of

ca m e

was even less pleasant than before in the

her household no
,

o n e Of

Throughout the summer

sh e

When at last

which had ever loved

sh e

had a succession of

visitors and stories began t o S pread concerning strange

,

doings at the castle

The neighbours talked

vagance and the censorious a m ong them

,

living

of

Of

extra

riot o us

while som e Of the servants more than hi nted

that the amount Of wine and whisky consumed w a s far

in excess of what served when the Old col onel was
alive

HE A THER A N D S N O W

1 08

The siller s no hers ony m air nor the lan

the yoong laird s

re m arked D avid

That s true ; but she s i the

oo
r
O
e
p

till he come

age and Maister D onal pu i r man mony s the tim e

he

j i e t driven to ane mair to get what s aye

w a n ti t

and

shaw

there s

the siller it j i s t

w a n ti t

bl e ck s

a thing aboot the h o ose to

no

A nd hearken D avid but l a tn a b a i th lugs

fo r t

What comes

me to think

hear

t , fo r d r e id

tither Im

the tane come

d o o b ti n

ow e r

again to the

the drink s gettin a sair grup

her

w u dn a

D eed I

be nane sur p rised ! returned D avid

Whatever micht want in at her door there s naething

,

inside to

hand

it

takin til himsel

o ot

s ic

Eh

a wife

to

bra i ns like hi s

sicht

on e w a

tu rn in

A rchie G ordon

that a man like him

gu i d report and come to years

,

think

as fozy as an auld neep at

a bonny fr ont t i l an a e w a h oo se ( a

l l)

It canna b e

at

ho u se

bu t

witchcraft s clean dune awa

B onny

D a w vid

discretion t o think

C a d ye the m i stress bonny

KI R ST Y A N D P H E MY

She used to

b e bonny ,

buckle m i cht be bonny

dinna ken for I haena
to the Knowe
p owny

o r d e ri n

she was

that i s as a button or a
,

sh e

me to

s u pp e r cill

se n

wi

b e a o u ty left ,

she cam

back Franc i e s

l u ik i n

a S pot

s in

eneuch than for twa

cornels and a c o rporal but no ill

may be the n oo

upon her

se t e e

What

1 9

the drink

11

Gien

t ak it

or

she

hae

it hae dune

her

Or

sh e

hae dune

colour frae

h er

wi

hit

a ready and

D a w vi d !

b e gu d t o

It

'

ta en

ae

gie her anither

But it concerns m e mair aboot Francie nor my led dy

what s to c o me

him when a

be for h i m t o come intil ?

gane ? what ll there

Gladly would D avid have interfered but he was

,

helpless
boy

he had no legal guardianship o ver

or

for the

N othing could be d on e till he was a man

gien ever he be a man

said D avid to himself with a

sigh and the thought h o w much better o ff he w a s with

,

his half w i tted S teen i e than

-

Franc i e

friend w i th h i s clever

Mrs Bremner was sister

.

h is

in

law to the sch o olm aster

HE A THE R A ND SNO W

IIO

and was then

Ph e m y

going

her way to

se e

h i m and his daughter

From childhood the girl had been in the way

of

on

to

the castle to

known about the place

see

her aunt and

,

so

was well

B eing an engaging child

sh e

had be com e not only welco m e to the servants but

s omething of a favourite with the m i stress whom
,

sh e

amused with her little airs and pleased w i th her

,

winning man n ers

half blown beauty

-

kind
of

of

w as

now ab o ut fourteen a
,

the red and white gold and blue

,

She had long been a va i n lit t le thing a pp r o ving

her

She

ow n

looks in the glass and taking much interest

,

in setting them
attem p t

O ff,

but

so

simple as to make n o

at concealing her self sat i sfac t ion

Her

pleased contemplation

of

this

or

that portion Of her

person and the frant i c attempts she was somet i mes

,

sp i ed making to get a sight of her back es p ec i ally

,

when

sh e

wore a new frock were indeed more amus

,

i ng than hopeful but her vanity was not

,

n o u n ce d

et

pr o

so

as to overshadow her better qualities and

,

Kirsty had not thought i t well to tak e notice

i t,

of

although being more than anyone else a mother t o

,

HE A THER A ND SNO W

1 1 2

That she should ever d o anything wrong was an

i dea inconceivable to him

chance of his discovering i t i f

N or was there much

sh e

w ork he was constantly reading

,

did

When not at

M o st p eople close

a book without having gained from it a single germ

Of

thought Mr Craig seldom Opened one withou t falling

.

directly into a brown study over something suggested

by it

But

P h e m y was

believe that even when thus absorbed

,

never far from

hi s

thought

A t the sam e

time like many Scots while she was h i s on e j oy he

,

seldom showed her sign of a ffection seldom made her

,

feel and never sought

,

her

H i s love

was

to

make her feel how he loved

taken by him for understood by

her and was to her almost as if it did not exist

,

That his child requ i red t o be taught had scarcely

occurred to the man who could not have lived with
out learning

or

enj oyed life w i thout teaching as

witness the eagerness with which he would help Kirsty

along any path Of knowledge in which he knew how
t o walk

The love

of

knowledge

h ad

gr own in him to

a possess i ng passion paralyzing in a measure those

,

KI R ST Y A N D P H E MY

powers of his life sacred

h is

ne i ghb o ur

to

h is

life that i s t o God and

,

sh e

Kirsty could not do nearly what

u p for

1 1

neglect

F or

would to m ake

thing the chi ld did n o t

on e

take to learning and though

,

sh e

loved Kirsty and

Often tried to please her would not keep

doing

on

anythin g without being more frequently reminded o f

her duty than the
perm i tted

di stance

between their tw o abodes

Kirsty had her t o the farm

oft en as

as

the sch o olmaster would consent t o her absence and

,

kep t her as l o ng as he went

Ph e m y

forg e tti n g2
it ;

on

C o r byk n o w e ,

was always glad to go to

always glad

to

get away aga i n

F or

while

rs

and

Barclay

th ought it her p art to teach her household matters

and lessons of that sort

Phem y

relished wors e than

some Of a m o re intellectual natur e

If left wi t h her

the m o m ent Ki rsty a p peared again the child would

,

ing fr om her whatever m ight be in her hand and ee

,

as t o her deliverer fr o m bondage and hard labour

Then would Kirsty always i nsist
what she had been at and
,

V OL

on

her n i shing

P h e m y woul d

obey with
,

1 1

HE A THER A ND S N O W

the protest of silent tears and the a i rs

,

inj u red mortal

child s father

of

a much

H ad Kirsty been backed by the

sh e

might have m ade something of her ;

but it grew more and more pa i nful to think

of

her

future when her self constituted guardian should have

-

l o st

hat inuence

Ph e m yw a s

sh e

ha d over her

rather afraid

of

Steenie

H er sunny

nature shrank from the shadow as Of a wall in which

,

to h e r

Steenie appeared

always to stand

From any

little attention he would o ffer her she although never

,

rude to him would involunt arily reco i l and he so o n

,

learned to leave her undism ayed

That the child s

repugnance troubled him though he never spoke of it

,

Kirsty saw quite plainly for she could read his fac e
,

like a book and heard him sigh when even his mother
,

did not

H er eyes were constantly regard i ng him like

shee p feed i ng

on

the pasture

have used a gure

o f s ir

Of

his face I th i n k

Philip Sidney s

But

say

rather the thoug h ts that strayed over his face were

.

the sheep t o which all her life

voted shepherdess

sh e

had been the de

1 1

HE A THER A ND SNO W

fear that

sh e

m ight gr o w up incapable

managing a
But

th e

m other did n o t fail to note with what alacrity

sh e

house often required a good deal

,

of

of

h er

would lay her b o ok as i de s o met im es even dropping it

,

in her eagernes s to answer her sum mo ns

f o r the moment

sh e

where and gave herself none

,

make so m e young pe op le

Kirsty

w as

D ism issed

would at once take her b oo k

sh e

again and the se a t nearest to it :

the same ti m e sol i tude

so

w as

of

could read

any

the student a irs that

-

pitifully unpleasant

At

preferable for study and

,

always glad t o nd herself w i th her b oo ks

i n the li ttle hut Steenie asleep

,

on

the heather carpet

on her feet and the assurance that there no one would

,

interrupt

h er

It was not wonderful that in the sweet absence

,

of

selsh cares her m i nd full of worthy thoughts and

,

her heart going out

on

in

tenderness her face should go

,

growing i n beauty and renement

She was not

yet arr i ved at physical full growth and the f o rms of

,

her person being therefore in a process of change

were the m o re easily mode l led after her spir i tual

KI R S T Y

nature
not

die

earth

A ND

PHE

MY

She seemed almost already

1 1

on e

that w o uld

but live for ever and continue to inher i t the

,

N either

her father nor her mother c o uld have

i m agined anyth i ng better to b e made

Steenie had not changed

h is

of

so

habits neither seemed

,

to grow at all m ore like other people

indeed seld o m

her

He

was now

m uch dep ressed as formerly but

he showed no s i g n Of less de p endence

on

Kirsty

C H A PT E R XII
THE

ARTH

OU SE

A B O U T a year after Fr ancis Gordon went to E dinburgh

K i rsty and Steenie made a discovery

B etween

C o rb yk n o w e

an d t he H orn

on whose

s ides D avid Barclay had a right Of pasturage for the

few sheep to wh i ch St eenie and
shepherds

we re the

a smal l glen thr o ugh w hi ch

w as

Sn oo ti e

way t o j oin the little r iver with the kelp i e

o
t
p ,

i ts

on

ran a

brook al o ng wh o se banks lay two narrow breadt h s

,

n i ce

g rass

of

The brother and sister always crossed

this br o ok w hen they wanted to go straight to the top

of the hi ll
O ne

m o rn in g hav i ng each taken the necessary

,

and jum p they had begun

,

to

climb on

th e

ru n

other side

HE A T HE R A ND SNO W

1 20

a body

d is

bides ?

What for d i sna the hole

gang awa whan the t lifts

L uik ye there

the hole atween the twa

There

a hole there afore the we i cht

the spot and ca d it

knee

thr ou w !

se e

th e m s e l s ,

thae twa stanes stan i n up by

Ye

and there s

cu d n a

hae been

my t cam doon u p o

gaed in maist til my

L at s luik

the place

said K i rsty and pr o ceeded to examine

,

She thought at rst i t must be the burrow

animal but the similarity i n shape
,

of

of

some

the pr o j ecting

st o nes suggest i ng that their p o sition might not be

fortuitous

sh e

w o uld look a little farther and began

,

t o pull away the heat her about the mouth

opening
to

Steen i e

help her

se t

of

the

hi m self with might and main

,

Kirsty was much the stronger of the

two but Steen i e always did hi s best t o sec o nd her i n

,

anything that required exertion

They so o n sp i ed the lump

of

s o d and heather which

Steen i e s heavy foot had dr i ven down and when they

,

h a d p u lled that o ut , they

saw

that the hole went

E A R TH H O U SE

THE

deeper still

1 21

seeming a very large burr o w indeed

therefore a little fearsome

H aving w i dened the

of

m outh of i t by clearing away a thick g r o wth

fr o m its sides and taken

,

ou t

a q uantity

of

ro o ts

soft earth

they perce i ved that it went sloping i nto the ground

st ill farther

W i th g rowi ng curiosity they leant down

int o it lyi ng o n the edge and reaching with their

,

hands removed the loose earth as low as they

c o uld

Th i s done the descent showed itself about

,

tw o feet square
it

as

far d o wn as they had cleared

beyond wh i ch a little way it was lost i n the

dark

What were they to do next ?

greater

There was yet

i nducement t o go on but considerations came

,

wh i ch were n o t a little deterrent

A lthough Steenie

had worked well Ki rsty knew he had a horror

,

dark places
we i ght

of

assoc i ating them somehow

his feet

any suggestion

of

of

ith the

whether such places had for h i m

the

g rave ,

I cannot tell ; certainly

t o get rid of his feet was the form his idea of the
salvat i on he needed was readiest to take

Then

HE A T HER A ND S N O W

1 22

might there not be some animal i nside ?

Steenie

th o ught not for there was n o opening until he m ade

,

it

and Kirsty also th o ught n o t

sh e

on

the ground that

knew no wild animal larger than fox

neither
O ne

of

badger

or

which would have made such a big hole

moment however her imagination

w as

too much for her

nearly

what if some huge bear had been

asleep in it for hundreds of years and gr o wing all the

,

tim e

Certainly he could not get out but if

roused h i m and he got a hold Of her

,

sh e

The next

instant her coura g e rev i ved for she would have b een
,

ashamed to let what she did not believe inuence any

action

The passage must lead somewhere and it

,

was large enough for h er

B ecause Of her dress

to
,

explore it
she must creep in head

forem ost in which lay the adva n tage that

w o uld meet any danger face to face

so

sh e

Telling Steen i e

that if he heard her cry out he must get h o ld of her

,

feet and pull she laid herself on the ground and

,

crawled in

She thought it must lead to an ancient

tomb but sa i d noth i ng of the c o nj ecture for fear of

,

HE A T HER A ND SNO W

1 24

her feet not her head

,

how could she have g o ne in

head foremost and not come back feet foremost ?

,

E h wuman
,

it

he said in a fear struck whisper

awfu to see ye come o o t

the yird l i ke a

m uckle worm

Ye saw me gang in Steenie ye g o wk

Kirsty
drea d

en s

answered Steenie

Eh

s o lemn

A y,

oot

h is

d i smayed herself at sight Of

returned

but

didna see ye c o me

Kirsty wuman hae ye a heid at ba i th

,

ye ?

Kirsty s laughter blew Steenie s disc o mposure away

and he too laughed

Come back hame sa i d K i rsty ; I m aun get haud

a can le

Yon s a place maun be seen i ntil

or

r a i th e r

n e ver

saw

s e e in

there s nane

eneuch

faun ( fe l t) the like

or

ye can see that

next to nane
wi

yer

t,

fo r o

There s r o o m

a i rm s

What is there room eneuch for ? asked Steenie

For you and me

and twenty

m ebbeI dinna ken repl i ed Kirsty

or

thirty ma i r

T HE

mak ye a present

Steenie

I want nane

I ll gang doon

see

E A R TH

whether

A y is t ,

wu

t,

returned

the can le

1 25

my r oo m intil

ll ye c o m e ?
,

said Kirsty

G i en

cry

o ot ,

war the

haul

belly ! replied

s e t o ff

f o r the house and

,

as

they walked they

div wo h er what the place cud ever hae been

for ! sai d Kirsty m o re t o herself than Steen i e

It s

bigger

n or o n

What is

y th ou ch t I

had

like Kirsty

Kirsty

But

sh e

warna that we re in

ane O

naething

added th o ughtfully
Sc o tl a n

t op p i ng and half turning

o rd

gien it

had

w on

in til

the catacombs
,

replied

and they re nigh han

E h l o sh lat me awa to the hill

s

I wud hae been maist sure

sa w

inquired Steenie

H OO can I tell whan I

R om

and

They
talked

H O USE

be a p lace f o r ye

That I wull gien

Steenie

the craturs

cried Ste e n i e

I canna bide the verra

HE A T H E R A ND SNO W

1 26

What word than ? asked Kirsty a little surprised

for how did Steeni e know anything about the cata

c o mbs

To think

he went

on

h a il l

k i rk

cats

aneath the yirda sitt i n k a im in th e m s e l s w i kaims

Kirsty ye w in n a think i t a place fo m e
Ye s e e

I m no like ither fowk and

r ive
d
(
)

me

H oots

oot O

a the sma w i ts ever I hed

rej o i ned Kirsty w i th a smile

,

combs has nae thing to

du

The catacombs

auld times and no i this

cu i n tr y

w u dn a

gang i ntil

s ic

a place

was what in

ava they ca d the

E h Kirsty but that s waur

the cata

places whaur they laid their deid

answered Kirsty

cats or kaims

Tell m e what are they than

a thing m i cht ca

s ic

returned Steenie

feet

s i cl i k e s

my

ain na no for what the warl cud gie me no for

,

lang L owrie s

d dl e

..

an d

wud never get my feet

there

Ot

i n til t !

Th e y d h a u d

me

the tunes

t !

Then Kirsty b egan to tell him as

,

sh e

w o uld have

HE A THER A N D S N O W

1 28

A y, I

reckon it was s o me sair ; but the puir f o wk

aye said the bonny man was

them ; and lat them

bite they didna care

A y,

mi n

of

coor e e gien he was

,

a hair

or

wi

them they wadn a

at least no twa hairs

Wha wud

Gien he b e in yon hole K i rsty I ll gang back and

my lee lane

i n ti l t

wull

n oo

Steenie turned and had run s o me distance before

Kirsty succeeded in stopping him
after hi m

Steenie
there for
,

see

She d i d n o t run

sh e

Steenie

he

s a

i
a
g t

I dinn a

d oobt h e

but ye ken ye r s e l ye canna aye

h i m and maybe ye
,

cried

w u dn a s e e

him there the

and m icht th i nk he wasna there and turn

,

t ill we hae a licht and I gang doon

,

r s t

e yt

n oo ,

B ide

Steenie was persuaded and t u r n ed and came back

,

t o her
o

To

father m other and sister he was always

,

bedient even

on

much to be
Ye see
p lace

so

the rare occasions when it cost him

Steen i e

sh e

continued

yon s no the

dinna ken yet what place yo u i s

w as

E A R TH

TH E

only

H O US E

to tell ye aboot the p laces it min t me o

ga e in

Wud ye like to hear abo o t them ?

I wad that r i cht weel !

The fowk than ye

,

th e m s e l s

h
e rt
e
t
g

newses

at

they

but i t he

lo ed the bonny m an

at

s e t u po

them and j i s t wud hae nane

,

Sae to haud oot

thegither and
,

c o n cl u di t

boo e l s

g rip ,

they

for them whaur

a u m ry

E h but that was fearsome

,

They maun hae been sair

interposed Steenie
Gien

se t

there wud they hae garred m e gang

,

N a n o gien ye didna like

,

their

the earth whaur they laid the ir

de i d awa upo skelfs like in an

w e el to gang

to gether in a place

l u ik i n

It wasna an

il l

them ?

But ye wud hae lik i t

w

y to

beery fowk nor

,

or

It was h o wkit oot whether

saft stane I dinna ken

,

V OL

I had been

an ill place to gang til for they aye bigg i t up t he skelf

ye ken

didna care aboot him war that

whaur naebody wud think

aye thegither to hae cracks and

at

them nor h i m

co o n s e ll e d

angert

se e ,

ane anither aboot him ; and as I was tellin

ye the fowk

Say awa K i rsty

1 29

o ot 0

hard yird

I reckon it wud be some

9

HE A THER A ND SNO W

3o

no sae hard kin

laid intil

th ey

t,

a rock and whan the de i d

up the mou

b igg i t

frae that same skelf t o th e ane

is ,

and

sa e

w as

weel closed in

was

the place that

,

was abune

at

t,

But what for didna they beery their deid

m e n s e fu

like i their kirkyairds

Caus e theirs was a great muckle toon

heap

b o oses

they tuik them

wi

them

s ic

that there wasna room for kirkyards

sae

o ots i d e

th e g i th e r

th e toon and gaed aneth

,

F or

there they howk it a lot

passages like trances and here and there a wee ro o my

,

like

that

ither trances

g a e in

Sae whan they tuik

frae them this gait and

th e m s e l s

there the
,

fr e e n s

the bonny man wud ll ane O the r oomies and stan

,

awa in ilk ane

that

the passage s

though
there
y

cu

dn a

at

gaed frae

mony

them

t ;

and

see

ane

anither at ance a gey lottie wud hear some a and

s o me a hantle
S p e yk

and

lo o d
su spe c

there s a

c o t,

what was said

F or

there they cud

and a body abune hear naething

naething

p i c tu r

A nd

j i s t th i nk

the bonny m an himsel

Steenie

i
n ti t
a
p

H E A THER A ND S N O W

32

H oot Steeni e
,

posed Kirsty
Na

was n a there

i
t
u
r
c
p

Ye said the bonny man

h im

se e

at

The weicht

We ve come upon

~
.

m y feet brak thr ou i ntil

s,

lassie

tak tent whaur ye

cried the mother

t,

added

h im

the

I ye ll tak

c a i rry

But eh tak him whaur ye

she substituted correcting herself

i
p c tu r

Preserve

there

we w ant to gang doon intil and

what it s li k e said Kirsty

bairn

was

Ye didna say the

no there Steeni e

Steenie

ye only said yon ho le

like

a hole mother
se e

returned Steenie

I m i c h tn a

The

tellt ye it wasna there inter

wasna that place

though

Weel ken

naegait but whaur it s weel h e

su d

gang

The laddie needs twa m i thers and the Merci

ful h a s

gien

hi m

Ye re ful l m a i r his m ither

the twa

n o r m e Kirsty
,

She asked no more questions but got the m the

,

candle and let them go

They hastened back Steenie

,

i n h i s most jubilant m ood which seemed always to

,

E A R TH H O U SE

THE

have in i t a touch
the primal re
ment

or

of

33

deathly frost and a ash as of

d i Sp l a ce

What could be the strange

maladj ustment which i n the brain harbour

,

i ng the immortal th i ng troubled it

,

y earn after an untasted liberty ?

so,

and made it

The source of his

j ubilance now was easy to tell : the idea of the bonny

man was henceforth in that troubled brain of his
,

associated w i th the p lace i nto which they were abo u t

to descend

The moment they reached the spot Kirsty

,

to

the

renewed astonishment of Steenie d i ved at once into

,

the groun d at her feet and disappeared

,

Ki rsty ! K i rsty ! he cried

li ke a terried ch i ld

ou t

after her and danced

,

Then he

s h o ck

with a fresh

dismay at the mufed sound that came back t o him in

answer from the unseen hollows of the earth
Al r eady Kirsty stood at the botto m

tu n nel and was lighting her candle

,

up

sh e
of

roof

Of

the sl opi ng

When it burned

found herself looking i nto a level gallery the

,

which

sh e

could touch

It was not an excava

ti o n but had b ee n trenched fr o m the surface for it

,

HE A T HER

34

A ND

roofed with great slabs

w as

s ix or

rough stones were

,

SNO W

of

stone

Its

sides

of

seven feet apart at the oo r

which was paved with small boulders but sloped

so

m uch toward each other that at the top their distance

less by about two and a half feet

w as

Kirsty was

as

have said a keen Observer and her power of seeing

had been greatly developed through her constant

c o nscientious endeavour
sh e

read

to

realize every description

She went

on

about ten

or

twelve yar ds , and came

a bend in the gallery succeeded by a sort Of

to

cha m ber whence branched a second gallery which

,

s o on cam e to an end

The p lace

unlike a cat ac o mb only

,

i ts

w as

in truth not

tw o galler i es were b u ilt

and m uch wider than the excavated thousands in the

catac o mbs

She turned back to the entrance there

,

left her candle alight and again startled Steenie still

,

staring into the m outh

reap p earance

of

the hole with her sudden

,

Wud ye like to co m e doon Steenie ? she sai d

It

a queer place

HE A THER A ND SNO W

36

Steenie darted forward shot head

into the hole

r s t

as he had seen Kirsty do and crept undismayed to the

,

of

bottom

the slope

but he was already

K i rsty foll o wed cl o se beh i nd

h is

on

feet when

sh e

j o i ned him

H e g rasped her arm eagerly h i s face turned from her

,

and his eyes gazing xedly i nto the depth

gallery lighted s o vaguely by the candle
Of its entrance

I think I

him

saw

he said in a wh i sper full

I think

to be sure

Kirsty ;
aye
see

the

at

did

him but Kirsty

se e

him ?

sa w

of

se e

h i m repl i ed

but that d i sna metter sae muckle for he s

s e e in

you ;

and ye ll

him and be sure

see

him whan the richt ti m e comes

,

at

ye

Ye div think that Kirsty

,

A y div

I returned Kirsty c o ndently

I s wait answered Steen i e and i n silence f o ll o wed

,

Kirsty along the gallery

This

Maybe ye did and maybe ye didna

was

into the

S te e n i e

e a r th

awe and delight

h o o am

the oor

on

Of

h ou se ,

rst and all but his last descent

,

or

P i c ts

h ou s e ,

or

w e em ,

as a

THE

E A R TH H O U SE

37

place Of the sort is called : there are many such in the

east

of

Scotland

merest conj ecture

ed to the H orn

their age and origin Obj ects of

The m o ment he was out

of

it he
,

The next Sunday he heard read at chur ch the story

of the b ur ial and resurrection of the L ord and
,

avo i dably after their talk

un

about the catacombs

associated the chamber they had j ust

di scovered

with the tomb in wh i ch they laid him at the same

time concluding the

he believed

on

to p

of the hill where he had as

,

certain favo ur ed nights met the bonny

man the place whence he ascended to come again

,

as Steen i e thought he did

The earth house had no

-

longer any attraction for Steenie

was not there ; he was risen
ab ove the mountain

to p

the bonny man

H e was somewhere

haunted by Steenie and

,

that he somet i mes descended upon i t Steenie already

knew

fo r

had he not s een him there

H appy Steenie

H appier than so many Christ i ans

wh o more in the i r brain senses but far less in their

-

heart senses than he haunt the sepulchre as if the

-

HE A THER

38

dead

SNO W

A ND

esus lay there still and forget to walk the

world with him who die t h no m ore the liv i ng

,

on e

But hi s s is ter took a great liking to the place nor

,

repelled by her mistaken suspicion that there

w as

the people
some

of

of

the land in times unkno w n had bur i ed

their dead

In the hot days when the earth

house was cool and in the w i nter when the th i ck

,

blanket

of

the snow lay over it and i t felt warm as

,

she entered it from the frosty wind

sh e

w o uld s i t

t here in the d ark somet i mes i magining herself

,

t he believers

Of

o n e of

the old time th i nk i ng the L ord was

,

at hand a pp roaching in person to fetch her and her

,

friends

When the spr i ng came she carried down

s od

and turf and made for herself a seat in the central

,

chamber there to
,

s it

and think

fast ened an Oil lamp to the wall

rush pith wick
-

and read by it

made a good peat re for

,

sh e

By and by

and

O ccasionally

not always draw well peat smoke

,

holesom e and
,

sh e

i ts
sh e

had found a chimney

that went m ping i nt o the upper a i r

-

would light

sh e

is

and if it di d

as

pleasant

could bear a good deal

of

as

i ts

C H A PT E R XIII
A

THE

I S I T FR O M FR AN C I S

summer following Gordon s rst sess i on a t

college castle W e e l s e t and

,

Of

G OR D O N

him

No

on e

C o r byk n o w e

saw

not hi ng

missed him much and but for

,

h is

father s sake no one would have thought much ab o ut

him

K i rsty as
,

on e

wh o had told hi m the truth

concerning himself thought of him Oftener than any

,

on e

except her father

The summer after he paid a short v i s i t t o castle

W e e l s e t and went
,

on e

day to

C o r byk n o w e ,

he left a favourable i mpression upon

all ,

pression Kirsty had been the readi e r

because of the respect
The

ol d

sh e

whe re

whi ch
t

im

receive

felt for hi m as a student

imper io usness which mad e h i m s o unl i ke

ike

A VI S I T

F RO

M FR A N C I S

G O R D ON

41

his father had retired into the background ; h i s smile

t hough not

sweet came o ftener

so

was full Of c o urtesy

h is

ol d

he had been
w as

But something was gone which

ol d

a s on e

yet lov i ng

time

not

w as

of the family

so

O ften

H is

pleasant but

N ow he laid h i mself

h im self acceptable as a superior

h is

and his carriage

friends w o uld gladly have seen still

behavi o ur in the

he

disagreeable
ou t

to mak e

Freed so long from

m other s lowering inuences what was Of his

father in h i m m ight by thi s time have com e more to

the sur face but for certain ladies in E dinburgh
n e c ti o n s

of

co n

the fam i ly wh o i nuenced by his good

,

looks and pleasant m anners

and possibly by hi s

po s i t i on in the G o rdon country sought his favour

,

by deeds Of attery and succeeded in spoiling him

,

n o t a little

Steen i e happening t o be ab o ut the house when he

came Francis behaved t o h i m so kindly that the
,

gentle creature o vercome with grateful delight begged

,

h im t o go and s e e a hous e he and Ki rsty were build i ng

In so m e fa m il i es the games

of

the children ma i nly

HE A THER A ND S N O W

42

of

consist i n the construct i on

or

dwellings

that castle or ship or cave

,

or

nest

of

this kind

in

the tree

t o p according to th e material attainable

It i s an

o utcome of the abor i ginal necessity for shelter this

,

instinct of bur r owing

ment Of a

oce a n

or

Welbeck A bbey is the develop

P i cts

hou s e

Steenie had very

early sh o wn it probably from a vague consciousness

,

of weakness and Kirsty came heartily t o

,

following it w i th the reaction

,

Of

luxur ious idea

of

sh eltered safety

h is

aid in

wak i ng i n herself a
.

N orthern chil d ren

cherish in their i maginat i ons the sense of protect i on

more

fancy than others

,

This is partly owing t o

the severity of their cl i mate the snow and wind the

,

rain and sleet the hail and darkness they encounter

,

I doubt whether an E ngli sh child can ever have su ch

a sense of protection as a Scots bairn in bed

on

w i nter night his mother i n the nur sery and the wi nd

,

h o wling like a pack

of

wolves about the house

Fr ancis consented to g o with Steenie to see hi s

h o use and Kirsty naturally accompanied them
,

this time

sh e

had gathered the little that

w as

By

kn o wn

HE A T HER A N D SN O W

44

Steen i e had led the way to

sh e

ended Gordon

By th e t i me

really interested ch i e y no

w as

discovery

i ts

doubt in nding h i mself p ossessor of a thing wh i ch

,

many men learned and unlearned would think worth

,

coming

se e

D id you n d th is in it

on

to

her little throne of turf

Na

There
There

w as

answered Kirsty

p i ck i t

naething ye cud hae

it had

by naething

i n til t

a ff O

u re

s w e e pi t

i t clean

what ever it

w as

wu d

m eant for ho o se
,

It had been j i s t a

cu i n tr y

wud be

marauders

s tr a v a g u i n

What made ye the seat for Kirsty ? asked Gordon

Ye cud hae tellt

hidy hole in troubled times whan the

i

the

the gait o the win ye

byre or barn kirk or kirkyard

s w a rm i n w

naething intil the place j i e t naething ava !

w as

th o u c h t

or

he asked seating himself

I p ut that there mysel

G ien it hadna been o ot

hae

alling her by her nam e for the rst time and falling
,

into the m other tongue with a ash

I
an

come here
read a bit

hiles she answered

of

It s

sae

u a ie t

his old manner

to

be my lane

E tern i ty seems

i ts e l

A V I SI T

t o come and hi de i n

Isna

I m tem p i t whiles t o

awfu cauld

It

ne and warm

the

But ye

A nd I can l i cht a re whan I lik e

45

N a no aften that

w i nter

whiles

bide a n i cht

F R A NC I S G O R D ON

F ROM

hae na yer coat on Franc i e ! I oucht na t o hae latten

,

ye b i de

lang !

sa e

'

H e sh i vered ro se and made

,

stood in the sunlight waiting

Why Stee ie
n

see

h is

fo r

said Gord o n

way

them

ou t

Steenie

y o u br o ught

y our h o use why didn t you come in with me

Im

fe a r t fo r

h oo se

answered Steenie

h e l p in

me

c u dn a

m y feet

Im

this is n o

bigg i n ane

big a hoose

K i rsty s

Kirsty

w a n ti n

That s what I wud hae ye see no this ane

,

Kirsty s ho o se
ane N a
.

it

It

lang s I can
What

Kirsty
OL

does

Kirs ty

w a n ti t

n o m i ne he added
,

I maun come t i l

w as

some day but I

,

b i de

I like the h i ll a hea p better

th i s

se e

y
.

oot

I ken

as

he m ean ? asked Francis turning to

,

This i s

ye t o

r e e c tive l

my

to

N a, n a !

me

10

HE A THER A N D SNO W

46

Ow,

he has a heap

notions

ain

answered

Kirsty who did not care especially in his presence to

,

ta l k ab o ut her brother save to those

ho

loved him

When Franci s turned again he saw Steenie a good

,

way up the hill

Where does he want to take me Kirsty ?

,

Is it

far ? he asked
A y,

i t s a gey bitty

it s

H orn a wee ayont it

,

n e a rh a n

at the tap

the

Then I think I shall not go returned Francis

will come another day

Steenie
day

Steenie

cri ed Kirsty

H e maun gang hame

anither t i me

H aud ye awa

ye by and by

on

he ll no gang the

He
to

says he ll come

yer hoose

I s be

Steenie w ent up the hil l and Kirsty and Francis

,

walked toward

C o rbyk n o w e

H as no young man appeared yet t o p ut Steen i es

nose

ou t o f

j oint K irsty
,

asked Gordon

K i rsty thought the question rude but answered

,

with quiet dignity

NO

ane

I never had muckle

C H A PT E R
STE

E N

IE

! IV

H OU SE

S T E E N IE seemed always t o experience a strange sort

o f terror wh i le wa i t ing for an y one to come
he

w e e m i nt o wh i ch
,

ou t of

never entered ; and i t

the
h is

w as

re p ugnance to the p lace that chiey moved him

build a h o use
ated

on

of

h is

ow n

He

m ay have also calcul

being able with such a refuge at hand t o be

,

the h i ll in all weathers

on

to

their l i ttle hut

as

l i brary in it but it
,

They st i ll made

u se

before and Kirsty still ke p t

,

w as

of

her

at the root Of the H orn and

,

Steenie loved the p eak Of i t m o re than any other s p ot

i n h i s narr o w world
I have
i ts

already s aid that when

on

the occasi o n of

d i scovery Steenie for the rst and the last t im e

,

S TEE N I E S H O U S E

came o ut o f the wee m he ed to the H orn

,

49

T h ere he

roamed for hours p ossessed with the feeling that he

,

had

a ll

of

but lost Kirsty who had taken possession

house into which he could never acc o mpany her

himse l f he woul d like a house

F or

the very to p o f the

on

H orn not o ne i ns i de i t
,

N ear the to p was a li ttle scoop

sheltered

on

of

ou t

the hill

all sides except the south wh i ch the

,

one time I saw i t rem i nded me str o ngly Of D ante s

g re m bo

in the purgat o r i al hill where the upward

,

pilgrims had to rest outs i de the gate because

,

darkness dur i ng which

H ere i t
,

is

n o

Of

the

c o uld g o higher

m an

true were n o owers to weave a pattern

,

upon its carpet of green ; true also here were no

,

beauti fu l angels in green w i ngs and green garm ents

,

po i sed i n the sweet n i ght a i r watchful with their

-

short po i ntless aming swords against the creeping

,

enemy ; but i t was nevertheless the lovel i est carpet

,

of grass and m o ss and as t o the angels I nd i t

,

possible t o imagi ne even i n

,

heart m ore

g uardant

than

th e

th a t

'

im

heavenly h ost o ne

of

Kirsty

on e

truer

HE A THER

59

m o re devoted

or

to

A ND

its charge

as t he child of earth

h is

SNO W

The two were toge t her

perplex i ties and terrors ever

shot throu g h with ashes of insight and

and the

h Op e ,

fearless less imaginative condent angel appointed

,

to watch and ward and see him safe thr ough

loose cragged

mountain pass to the sunny vales

-

beyond
On
of

the northern slope

the

su n

li ttle

of

the hollow full in the face

,

family Of rocks had fallen t ogether

odd in sha p es and pos 1 tion s but

br i u m ,

th e

of

lo n g stable

w i th narrow spaces between them

was throw i ng

h is

e q u il i

The

su n

last red rays among these rock s

when Steenie the same evening wandered into

little valley

sa i d i n his hea rt
Kirsty t o big
in

t wi

In

h is

Yon s the pl ace for a hoose !

an e , an d

mebbe

sh e

11

Ill

co m e and

he

get

h id e

me whiles
m ind there were for some years

ing ideas of refuge

on e

tw o

co n i ct

embodied in the heathery b u t

with K i rsty the o ther ty p ied by the uplifted

,

ness the air and

,

th e

The moment his eyes fell up on them

th e

l on e l i

space Of the mo un ta i n upon

HE A T HER

52

s it

insanity he would
,

A ND

SNO W

in that valley for hours regard

,

ing the wider spread valley below him in

-

hich he

knew every height and hollow and with h i s

,

t i o n a l l y keen

e x ce p

s i ght he could descry s i gn s

,

of

life where

another would have beheld but an ever yway dead

level

N ot a l i ve th i ng i t

seemed almost could

,

S pread

wing

wag ta i l but Steen i e would bec o me

or

thereby aware Of

p resence

i ts

Kirsty b o astful to her

parents of the facul ty of Steen i e sa i d to her father o n e

,

da y

I d i nna believe father

,

re i d worm cud stick up

seen

Im

h is

Ste e nie
heid

the

on

o ot O

bo g

oh n

him

th i n ki n

returned D av i d
I

that s no say i n o wer muckle wu man

,

I never j i s t

se t

mysel to luik but

dinna think I ever did tak notice

up that he i d

h is

sile the y care ab oot

please them there

o ot

o a bog

a w o rm settin

dinna think it s a

It s the yerd they live upo

kenna what they w o uld get t o

Whaur craps winna grow I

Kirsty laughed

sh e

d o o bt

gien worms can live

'
.

had made herself r i diculo u s

STEE N IE S H O U S E

ut

53

the ridicule o f some i s sw eeter than the praise of

o thers

Steenie
when he

se t

h ad

ab o ut h i s house building at once and

-

got as far as he c o uld

ithout her called

,

fo r help fro m Ki rsty wh o never i nterfered with and

,

never failed him

of

D ivots he was able to cut and

,

th e m he provided a good quantity but when i t came

,

t o mo v i ng stones two pairs of hands were Often

,

wanted
h oo s ie

Indeed before the heavier work

Of

Steenie s

wa s over the two had to beg the hel p of mor e

,

of the i r father and Of men from the farm

,

D ur ing its progress

l e ng thened visit to
tw o

Craig paid rather a

Phe m y

C o r byk n o w e

in their labour on the H orn

and oft en j oined

.

th e

She was not very

strong but w o uld carry a good deal in the course

,

th e

day

her

dread

and t hr ough this association with Steen i e

c o m rades

of

of

him gradually vanished and they became

,

When Steen i e s desig n was at length carried

ou t

they had bu i lt u p with stone and l i me the open spac e s

between se veral

of

the r o cks ; had cased thes e curtain

HE A THER

SNO W

A ND

walls outside and li ned them inside with sof t er and

warmer walls
of

of

sod

fells or divots cut fr om the g reen

the hi l l ; and had covered in the wh o le as they found

i t p ossible very irreg u larly no doubt but smoothing

,

up

a ll

the corners and hollows wi th turf and heather

This done

on e o f

the m en who was a good thatcher

fastened the whole roof do w n wi th str o ng lines

The result was a sort of burrow consist i ng

of

i rregul ar
or

O ne

several

a single chamber c o mposed

of

of

small r o ck they included quite : Steenie

of

w o uld make it serve for a table and some

,

equali ties for shelves

or

O ff

compart m ents with open c o mm u nication

rather p erhap s

recesses

so

that the wind should not get under and str i p it

In

on e

Of

its

ih

the compartments

recesses they con t rived a replace and in another

,

a tolerably well concealed exit ; for Steenie like a trap

,

door s pi der co ul d not endure the thought

-

way

ou t

on e

w ere n e edfu l
O p en hill

of

only one

way was enough for getting in but

,

fo r

tw

getting out his best refuge being the

,

The n i ght came at lengt h when Steen i e i n whose

,

HE A THER A ND

56

ful

as if

sh e

SN O I
V

had never done any

any thing wrong in

r o ng never seen
,

of her children

on e

There was

light everywhere and darkness everywhere to make it

,

strange

A pale green gleam prevailed i n the heavens

as if the world were a glow worm that sent abr o a d its

-

ho m e born radiance into space and coloured the

-

In

sk y
.

the green light rested a few small solid clouds w i th

sharp edges and a l most an assertion Of repose

,

T h roughout the night it would be no darker

su n

The

seemed already to have begun to r ise only he

,

would be all n i ght about i t

the point

of

From the door

the H orn clear against the green

Steenie would b e up there soon

thither !

sh e

sa w

sk y

'

he was hurrying

Sometimes he went very leisurely st o pping

,

and ga zing

or

sitting down to meditate

not do so that n i ght

he would

A special sole m n i ty in his

countenance m ade her sure that he would go straig h t

to h i s new house

But she could walk faster than he

and would not b e lo n g behind him

The

sky

herself as
,

was full Of pale stars and Kirsty a m used

,

sh e

went with arranging the m not i nt o

,

STEE N I E S H O U SE

t he i r c o nstellati o n s th o ugh

sh e

names

of

most

of

knew the shapes an d

them but into m athemat i cal gures

,

The only star Steen i e knew by name

ma n

h is

l a n te rn

boom y

T he

of

Kirsty bel i eved he had tho u ghts

own ab o ut m any another and a nam e for i t

,

She had climbed the hill and

w as

the h o use when

,

thing like singing and stopped t o listen

,

t oo

drawing n e ar

startled by a sound

sh e w a s

the po le

w as

star which however he always called

,

57

of

s om e

She had

never heard Steenie attempt to sing and the very

,

thought

of

his doing

m oved her greatly :

so

sh e

was

always ex p ecting s o meth i ng m arvellous t o show it self

i n h im

She drew nearer

i t was something like it

like

it

succession

of

It

or

broken

sh e

something trying to be

sounds with here and there a tone

She thought

not singing bu t

w as

harsh
Of

im p erfect

br i ef sweetness

perceived i n i t an attem p t at m elody

but the m any notes that refused to b e made p re

,

vented her from nding the m elody i ntended

mel o dy rather after which he
,

was

or

feeling

the
The

broken music ceased suddenly and a di fferent kind

,

HE A THER A ND SNO W

58

of

sound succeeded

She went yet nearer

He

could

not b e reading : she had tried to teach him to read

but the genuine e ffort he put forth to learn made
head ache and his eyes feel wild he said and
,

once gave up the endeavour

door

sh e

He

To the Scots min d it is a per

prayer and reading should ever seem

Kirsty went a little deeper into the matter when

The things that I want I ken

them
want
,

on e

sh e

say

at

she

had been accustomed to hear his father pray

l
x it
e
p
y how

h is

When she reached the

could plainly hear him praying

always extempore

said

and I maun hae

There s nae necessity ava to tell me what I

The buik may wauk a sense

dinna ken but it

th o u ch t

makin me

m a i s tl y

wan t I daur
,

pits intil m e the

something a body micht weel want

a w aur O

w a n tin

w i th o o t

at that p receese moment

!
.

Prayer with Steenie as well as with Kirsty was

t he utterance audible
,

Of

or

silent in the ever open ear

,

what was moving in him at the time

what she now heard him say

This was

H E A THER A N D SNO W

6o

and a happy ti m e u po this hill

feet

m an ,

the

gi e a luik i

th e

face

ion whaur the

l A nd

w a lk i n

man gangs

ae

eh b o nny
,

m y father and mither i

their bed ower at the Knowe ; and I p ray ye see

Kirsty s gettin a ne sleep for

tribble
me

me

Im

she is w orth mi n i n

ken wha m ade her !

at

worth m in in

and

h e l p it

the b ooses are a j i s t but

neuk s
divots

aboot the big

s ir

ba ir n i e s

u re

sa m ew i yer ain

th e

Im

no awa frae

that hoose and this ho o se and a

as ye

th e m s e l s

m e to b i gg but as

a lean to til the hoose at hame for

as

yet ye mi n
-

A nd lu i k u p o this bit h o o s i e

them j i s t

at

I ca my ain and they a

or

that clever

it

has a hea p

no

sh e

b ooses

bi gg i t

by

thy kitch i e and i the

tr u ffs

and stanes and

Steen i e s vo i ce ceased and Kirsty t hinking h i s

,

p rayer had com e to an end knocked at the door lest

,

her sudden appearance should startle h i m

h is

knees as
,

sh e

From

knew by the sound of his ri s ing

Steenie s p rang up cam e darting to the door with

,

the cry

It

ye r s e l !

I t s ye r s e l bonny man !

and

H O U SE

S TEE N I E S

se emed to tear it Open

Oh,

h o w sorry was Kirsty

!

stand where the loved Of the human was not

to

She

had

It

a l most turned and ed

sh e

o nly me Steenie

faltered nearly cry i ng

,

Steenie stood and stared tre m bli ng

a m o ment o r two coul d speak
,

Eh

d uin

Steenie

ye !

oucht

cu dn a

hi m ,

help it

ye wud

or

richt welcome

hae

turnt

'

and

gane

answered Steen i e

w as

ham e

But ye re the ne i st best and

I m as

g l a id

as can be to

Come awa ben the hoose

Ye ondua

d ej ected

'

Maybe ye re him efter a

can tak ony sha p e he likes
was h i m

Ye re unco like hi m

N a na Steen i e !
,

sat

down

said Steenie
w u dn a
on y

He

w o h er g i en ye

gait
!

But I wud

be what he wud hae m e j i s t as ye wud ye r s e l

OL

I m far frae that

ye

The l o vi ng heart saw it

se e

Im

I didna ken what I

Kirsty foll owed him in silence and

fain

richt

Ye

K irsty

to

N either f o r

said Kirsty at length

gain

be

I d i s a p p i n ti t

sorry

61

11

H E A T H E R A ND S N O W

62

Sae ye maun tak me what

Steenie !

This was the man s hour

himself at her feet

Gang

ken !

o ot

Ye

s a ttl e t

n ot

n e e dn a

That s what ye ll like best

m i n me

I ll bide a gey bi t

hae my buik and

,

Ye re aye r icht Kirs ty

,

Ye aye ken what I m

answered S t eenie r i sing

,

n e e din

maun win

o ot,

for

lik e But j i s t come here a minute

he went o n leading the way to the door There he

pointed up into the wild

s t ar

Gang

ye

can s i t and read ne

r s t

se e

I m i the hoose and that ye can

at

ch o k i n

I o nly cam to

co m e back t o m e whan ye like

I m some

intil yer ain hoose

the dog s yet Steenie

a b i t by ye r s e l Steenie she said caress

ye O o t an ken

ing him wi th her hand

I

thr ew

am for his sake

of

stars and said

,

Ye see yo u

the tap O that i ther ane at s brichter nor i ts e l

se e

ne and ken

weel answered Kir sty

W e el whan that starnie comes rich t ower the

:

white tap o yon stane i the mids o t hat side

howe I s be here at the door

the

HE A TH E R A N D S N O W

64

p art a ken Of the L ord s su pp er

retired m ur m uri n g
,

the

b o nny m an

sound i n m ind

of

large

heart

might well have seen hi m

that were bo u nd
believi n g m ind
the L o rd
himself

Eh

the bonny

ho

w ho

n ot

he

as

m an !

w a nti n g

thou ght the idi o t

came to deliver the m

Steenie took up the tale with mo s t

N ever doubti n g the m a n had seen

be

responded with the p assionate desire

se e

th e bon n y m a n

to

was heard

A nd p ersons were

as

h im self

to

It awok e in hi m while

yet quite a boy and never left him but increasing

he grew beca m e
,

as

well it mi ght a xed idea a

as

sober waiti n g unebb i ng p assion urging him to right

,

e ou sn e s s

and lov i ngk i ndness

Kirsty t oo k from her p o cket an

Plat o s Phaedo and

,

unheeded

of

sat

translation of

absorbed in i t until the star

her attained
,

S t eenie by her side

ol d

i ts

goal and there was

,

She shut the book and rose

I m a heap better K i rsty said Steen i e

,

c o l o ur s awa doon the stair and the saft win

,

i ts w y

oot

the lift an

think a han cam and

c l a pp i t

won at me
m y heid

The

'

ill

m ade

I maist

Sae no o

Im

STEE N I E S H O U S E

j is t

weel

as

mist

It

there s

on y

need to be

me a heap to ken

h e l p it

at

65

this side the

ye

s i ttin

w as

there : I cud aye r i n til ye N OO gang awa to yer

bed and tak a gu i d sleep
,

br a k fa s t

hame til my

Weel mother s

be

I ll be

th i n k i n

g a e in

to the toon the morn and I ll

fell air ; I may

w a n ti t

I m some

as

weel gang ! answered

Kirsty and without a goodnight or farewell of any

,

sh e

s o rt for
,

knew how he felt in regard

tak ings Kirsty left him and went slowly home

,

moon
sh e

w as

up and

so

leave

to
.

The

bright that every now and then

w oul d stop for a mo m ent and read a little fr o m

her book and then walk o n thin k ing about it

,

From that night even i n the stormy dark of w i nter

,

Kirsty

w as

not nearly so anxious ab o ut Steen i e away

from the house :

on

the H orn he had his p lace of

refuge and she knew he never ventured

,

af t er sunset

He

on

the bog

always sought her when he wanted

to sleep in the dayt i me but he was gradually g rowing

,

quieter in his m ind and K i rsty had reason to think

,

slept a good deal more at night

HE A TH E R A ND SNO W

66

But the better he grew the more had he the look

of

one e xpecting so m ething ; and Kirsty often heard him

saying to himself
A nd at last

after

It

co m in

it

comin

she said telling h i s story many years

,

at last i t cam ; and ah i nt i t I

the face

the bonny man

d oo b tn a ,

cam

HE A THER A ND SNO W

68

with her brother and her books

sh e w a s

strengt h

A s to her pers o n

now in the rst ower of harm o n i ous womanly

N ature had indeed done what s h e coul d t o

make her a lady but N ature

,

w as

not her m o ther and

,

Kirsty s essential ladyhood came from higher

namely fr o m the Source itself of N ature

,

truth was

i ts

crown and g race

,

To see her walk or run

of

Motion

w as

up,

Simple

the garment

w as

of

it

to look on the divine ide a

A s for Steenie he looked the same loose lank lad

,

as b e fo r e with a smile almost too

and

sa d

to be a smile

a laugh in which there was little h i larity

H is

pleasur e s were n o d o ubt dee p and high but seldom

,

even to Kirsty manifested themselves except in the

,

afterglow

P h e m y was

now almost a woman

She was rather

little but had a n i ce gure which she knew

,

s ti n ctive l

how to show to advantage

ih

H e r ma i n

charm lay in her sweet complexion strong in its

contrast of colours but wonderfully perfect in the
,

blending of them

the gradations in the live pictur e

PHE

were exqu i site

shall o w
d e n c e

She

MY C R A IG

w as

69

gentle of temper with

birdlike friendliness

an accentuated con

that every o ne meant her well

very taking

But

'

which was

was far too much pleased

she

w i th herself t o be a necessity to anyone else

H er

father grew more and m ore proud Of her

re m ained entirely independent

Of

her

but

and Kirsty

could not help wondering at times how he would feel

were

be

gi ven

on e

peep into the chaotic mind which

he fancied so lovely a cosmos

A good fairy godmother

would for her discipline Kirsty imagined turn her

,

into the prettiest wax doll but with

,

eal eyes and

,

p ut her in a glass case for the admiration of all until

,

she sickened of her very consciousness

But Kirsty

l o ved the pretty doll and cherished any inuence

,

she

had w i th her against a possible time when it might be

sorely needed
c o me to

She still encouraged her therefore to

C o r byk n o w e

a s often as

sh e

felt inclined

H er father never interfered w i th any of

and comings
t i ve

her

goings

A t the present point of m y narra

however Kirsty began to notice that

,

Ph e m y

HE A THER

79

did

not care

hi t herto

so

SNO W

A ND

much for being with her as

She had been of course

,

fo r

some time the cynosure

of many neighbouring eyes but had taken o nly the

,

more pleasure in the cynosure none in the persons

,

with the eyes all of whom she regarded

,

b elow her
in

T il tow i e ,

To herself

sh e w a s

as

much

the only y o u ng lady

an assur ance strengt hened by the fact

that no young man had yet ventured to make love

her which she took

as

a general admission

of

to

their

social inferiority beha vi ng to all the young men the

,

more swee t ly i n c o nsequence

Th e t endency of a weak ly artis t ic na t ure to occu p y

itself much with its own dr ess
in her
of

w as

largely develope d

It was wonderfu l considering the s mall ness

,

her father s income how we l l

arrayed herself

sh e

She coul d m a k e a poor and scanty material go a g reat

way in setting
element

of

o ff

her attractions

the neighbourhood

complaining that

sh e

spent

so

The j udicial

not content with

much Of her time in

m aking her dr esses accused her

,

of

spending much

HE A THER A ND SNO W

72

pr o pagated
she

in

her and had he taught her anything

,

would not have o vervalued it

much

so

H erself

ful l Of mawkish sent i mentality her verses could not

,

fail to be foolish

the i r whole im p ulse be i ng the

ambition that S prings from self admiration

She had

begun

l o ok d o wn

to

have been a mother

w as

not a lady !

dress was
,

sh e

on

to

Kirsty who would

so

gladly

the motherless creature ; she

N either in s p eech

her mother

or

ge n te e l !

m anners nor
,

Their free

hearty simple bearing in which was neither smallest

,

roughness
w as

not

n or

least suggestion of affected renement

taste and she began to assume

t o Ph e m y s

condescending ways

It was of course a hum iliation to

Ph em yto

have

an aunt i n Mrs Bremner s humble posit i on but she

loved her after her

sh e

feeble

ow n

fa s h l o n ,

and although
,

would willingly have avoided her upon occasion

went not unfrequently to the castle t o see her

the kind hearted woman spoiled her
-

she

for

N ot only did

admire her beauty and stand amazed at her

,

wonderful cleverness but she drew from her little

,

P HE

st o re a g oo d p art
p retty buttery

Of

MY C R A IG

73

the m o ney that went to adorn the

She gave her at the same t i me the

best o f advice and i mag i ned

,

sh e

listened to i t

but

the young wh o take advice are a l most bey o nd the

need o f i t

F oo ls m ust ex p er i ence a th i ng themselves

bef o re they w i ll believe it

and then remain i ng f oo ls

,

they wonder that their children w i ll n o t heed the i r

test i m o ny

experi ence

Faith
of

is

the only charm by wh i ch the

o ne bec o mes a vantage gr ound for the

start Of an o ther

C H A PT E R

! VI

S HAM L OV E

ON E day

went t o castle W e e l s e t t o see he r

Ph e m y

aunt and walking down t he garden t o nd her me t

,

the young laird

Through respect for the m emory of his father he

,

had j ust received from the E ast India Company a

comm i ssion in his father s regiment ; and having in

about

s ix

weeks

pass the slight examination

to

quired and t hen sail to j oin it had come to

,

mother and bid her good bye

-

see

H e was a youth

re

his
n

l o nger but a handsome young fellow with a pale face

,

and a rather weary the ref o re what some would call

,

an interesting look
leading

an

idle life

For many mon t hs he had been

HE A THE R

76

usually pretty girl

SN O W

A ND

although he had long ceased

admire hi s mother he still adm i red the s o rt

,

sh e

once had

d ressed ,

He

saw

on e of

and being
,

sh e

also that

of

to

beauty

was very p rettily

those men who imagining

,

themselves gentlemen feel at liberty t o take libert i e s

,

with women socially the i r inferiors he plucked a

,

p heasant eye narc i ssus i n the border and said a t

-

the same time taking the leave he asked

L et me n i sh your dress by adding this to it !

all y o u wanted t o

H ave yo u got a p in 2There

make you j ust perfect

H er face

w as

in a very ame

now

She

right in the ower h e had chosen and he

,

saw

sa w

he

w as

not

h is

artistic success only but her recogn i t i on of it as well

,

and

w as

gratied

He

had a keen feeling of harmony

in form and c o lour and attered women wh i le he

,

paraded

h is

their dress

ow n

i nsight by bringing it to bear

,

The ower in its new position seemed ra diant w i th

,

something
w as

l i ke

of

the same beauty in wh i ch i t was

se t

it

the face ab ove i t and hinted a sympathetic

,

S H A M L O VE

relat i on with the wh o le dainty p erson

of

the g i rl

77

B ut

in truth there was more expression in the ower than

w as

yet in the face

thinking

as

girl

was

i ng

of

of

The ower expressed what G o d

when he m ade i t ; the face what

of

th i nk i ng

herself

herself then l i ke the ower

,

what God

w as

sh e

When
,

th e

ceas e d th i nk

sh e

w o uld

think i ng Of when he made her

Sh ow

Francis like the m an he was th o ught what a da i nty

,

little lady S he would m ake i f he had the making

of

her

and at once began talk i ng a s he never would have ta l k e d

sh e

had

is

been what

conventiona l ly c a lled a lady

w i th a familiarity namely t o wh i ch their Ol d acquaint

,

ance gave him no right and wh i ch

,

his sister s keeper

S howed

hi m not

She poor child was pleased Wi th

h is

presum p t io n taking it for a S ign that he regarded

her

as

least
all

a lady ; and fr o m that moment her head at

w as

sh e

full

of

the young laird

came about

down the garden

She had forgotten

When he turned and walked

sh e

walked al o ngs i de

linnet by a tall stork who thought

,

pretty green fr o g
V OL

of

of

him like a

her

as

a very

L ost in delight at h i s k i ndness

12

HE A THER A ND SNO W

78

and yet more at his admiration

felt as safe in

sh e

hands as if he had been her guardian angel

n o t convinced her that her notion
correct

sh e w a s

herself was

of

sh e

was

Sh e

lovely or not than this great

handsome perfect gentleman

tion of p ropriety

had he

Who should know better whether

a lady whether

h is

U nchecked

by any ques

accom p anied him without hesita

ti o n into a little arbour at the bottom of the garden

and s a t down with him on the bench there provided for

th e

weary and the idle i h this case a going to

-

be

gallant O fcer bored to death by a week at home

,

with his mother and a girl who sp ent the most of

,

time in making alter i ng and wearing her dresses

,

H ow good it was of you

c o me and

se e

me

P h e m y,

he said

her

to

was ready to cut my thr oat for

want Of something pretty to look at

I was thinking

it the ugl iest place with the ugliest of people wonder ?

,

ing how I had ever been able to live in i t

unfair
I

was

am

ing what

so

The whole country

glad answered poor

sh e

said

is

beautiful

P h e m y,

H ow
now

hardly k now

it was to her the story of a sad

HE A THER A ND S N O W

80

tion

There

im s ie s t

act i ve

no poetry in Gordon and but the

was

sent i ment in

h is

of

full

Ph e my

H er mind was feebly

ted i um

temptation from him and

,

of

usurping the government

H ers

h is

w as

Open to any

t o the temptation

of

her world of c o nstitut in g

,

himself the benefactor Of this i nnocent creature and

,

enriching her life with the bliss

Obj ect
of

Of

of

lov i ng a noble

course he meant noth i ng serious ! E qually

course he would do her no harm

To lose him

would make her miserable for a while but

,

sh e

would

not die Of love and would have something to thi n k

,

about all her dull life afterward

P h e m y at

length got frightened at the thought of

being found w i th him and together they went t o look

,

for her aunt

Finding her in an outhouse that

w as

used for a laundry Francis told Mrs Bremner that

.

they had been in the garden ever so long searching fo r

her and he
,

ing ab o ut
w as

w as

h is

very glad

ol d

fr i end

of

the Opportun i ty

Ph e m y s

father

not qu i te pleased! but said little

The following Sunday

sh e

of

Th e

hear
aunt

t o ld the schoolmaster

'

S H A M L O VE

81

what had taken place and came ho m e in a rage at the

,

h is

idiocy o f a man who would not open

house was

on

re

It was

a ll

eyes when his

her sister s fault she

said for hav i ng married such a book i diot !

-

She felt

indeed very unco m fortable and did her best i n the

,

way

of

warning ; but

P h e m y seemed

incapable

so

of

understanding what ill could come o f letting the young

laird tal k to her that she despaired of rousing in her
,

of

any sense

danger and having

,

no

was driven to silence for the present

spoken to her mistress had
,

she

authority over her

.

She would have

not plainly f o reseen

t hat i t w o uld be of no use that she would either laugh

,

and

say

young men must have their way or y into a

,

Ph e m y

fu r y wi th

for trying to entrap

he r

son and
,

with Mrs Bremner for imagi ning he would look at

.

the hussey ; while

on e

thing was certain that if hi s

mother Op p osed him Fr ancis would persist

,

C H A PT E R XV II
A N

P HE MY

OVE L

AB DUCT I

went seldom t o the castle but the young

,

laird and

sh e

met pretty Often : there was solitude

enough in that c o untry for an army

or

twice Gordon at
,

h er

tea w i th
by

th e

ON

Ph e m ys

of

lovers

entreaty went and took

,

at her father s and was cordiall y rece ived

schoolm aster who had no sense of

p r i e tyi n

O nce

the i r str o lling

ou t

i m p ro

together afterward leaving

,

hi m well content with the company

Before this had happened twi ce

a ll

talk i ng about it and p redicting evil

,

of

his books

the town was

P h e m y heard

n o thing and feared nothing ; but if feeling had been

weather and talk tempest she would have been glad
,

en o ugh t o kee p w i thi n

So rapidly however did

,

th e

HE A THER A ND SNO W

84

fo r

and were the poor child s feelings to go

She had no hope that

lati o n from her but

listen to expost a

must in fairness before she

sh e

di d

P h e m y w o uld

anything have some speech with her

She made repeated e fforts therefore

,

but w i thout success

nothing ?

see her

to

She tried one tim e o f the day

after another but now by accident and n o w by clever

,

contrivance
Of

P h e m y was

lat e grown tricky

not to b e come at
O ne

She had

of the w i ndows of the

sch o olmaster s house commanded the stree t in both

directions
When

sh e

and

Ph e m y

com m an ded

the window

saw Kirsty coming she would

,

ru n

into the

garden and take refuge i n the sum mer house telling

-

th e

'

s e rv a n t

on her way that

sh e

was going

did n o t know what t i me she would be in

occasions than one
Ph e m y,

ou t,

On

an d

more

Kirsty said she would wait when

,

learning she was not gone went

,

ou t

in

earnest and took care she had e nough of waiting

,

Such shifts of cun ning no doubt served laughter to

the lovers when next th ey met but they sh owed that
,

P h e m y was

in some de gree afrai d of Kirsty

A NO VE L A B D U CT I ON

85

H ad Kirsty known the sch oolmaster n o better than

his sister

ih

law knew him

gone to him

sh e

would like her have

,

but she was perfectly certain that it

would be almost i mpossible to rouse him and that

once convi nced that h i s c o ndence had been abused

he woul d be utterly fur ious and probably bear himself

,

in

such fashion as to make

make her hate him

As

P h e m y desperat e ,

it was he turned a deaf ear

,

an d ind i gnant heart to every one

reached him
child

perhaps

of

the rep o rts that

To listen to it would b e to doub t h i s

Why should not the youn g laird fall in love

wi th her ?

What more natural ?

Was she n o t

orth

as much honour as any man be he who he might

,

could confer upon her ?

H e cursed the gossips

t o wn and returned t o hi s book

,

Convinced at length that

of

the

Phemy

declined an

terv i ew Kirsty resolved to take her own way

,

her way was a somewhat masterful one

in

A nd

About a mile from castle W e e l s e t in the direction

,

of

Til to w i e

close

a n k e d

the road

w as,

for a few hundred yards

by steep heathery braes

N ow Kirsty

HE A THER A ND S N O W

86

had

P h e m ys

heard Of

th i s road
described
brae

of

late

sh e

being several times seen

and near the part

resolved to waylay her

th e side next C orbyk n ow e

on

of

sh e

i t I have j ust

sh e

watched in vain

pass together more than once and

,

p ass alone but

,

O ne

look

sh e

had never seen

From the

could

road for some distance in either direction

For a week

see

She

saw

the tw o

sh e

sa w

Franci s

P h e m y alone

Mrs Bremner in the r o ad below comin g

.

from the castle and ran down to speak to her

,

Francis

of

fo r L ondon

th e

r te d g
a
p

Ol d

S he

In

learned th at

the next morning

woman resuming her walk

Kirsty climbed the brae and sat do w n i n

T i l to w i e ,

the heather

their c o nversation

t o start

w as

When they
to

ou t

the course

th e

morning j ust as she arrived at her usual

sh e s a w

on

She was more anxious than ever

She

had done her best but it had come to nothing an d

,

now

sh e

had but one chance more

G ordon was going away

w

hat might

n ot

t he same time

so

That Franci s

soon was good news bu t

,

happen even yet before he went

sh e

could think

Of

At

nothing b etter than

HE A T HER A N D S N O W

88

p assed with a sti ff greeting

front

of

But Kirsty stood i n

her and would not permit her

,

What do you want Kirsty B arclay ? demanded

P h e m y,

who had with i n the last week or two advanced

considerably in condence of manner

I am in a

hurry
Ye re in a waur hurry nor ye ken for yer

su d

be the i ther gait

a
i
n
e
g

t o turn ye

ohn heard a bit

answered Kirsty ;

at least no

or

ga e in

h urry

and I m

to lat ye gang

the trowth frae a wo m an aulder

nor ye r s e l

L assie ye seem t o think naebody worth

h e a rk e n i n

til a word frae cep

to hearken to me

ae

man but I mean ye

,

Ye dinna ken wh t ye re aboot

I ken Francie Gordon a heap better nor you and

,

though I ken nae ill

h im , I

ken as lit tle guid

he

never did naething yet but t o please himsel and there

,

never cam salvation

bairn frae

on y

or

comfort to man wo m an
,

pu i r cratur like

or

hi m

H ow dare you speak such lies Of a gentlema n behind

his back

cried

P h e m y,

friend of mine and

,

her eyes ashing

He

will not hear him maligned

is a

A NO VE L A B D U CTI ON
There s

trowt h

sm a

h a irm

P h e m y!

answered Kirsty

Ill

afore me and

can com e to

sa

on y

what I m sayin t o yo u ahint his back

Miss B arclay

man frae the

Set the man

p i tiable attempt at dignity

P h e m y,

rej oined

w i th a rather

I can p ermit no one to

call me by my Christ i an name who speaks ill

m an to whom I am engaged !

That

lat you ca m e a the ill nam es i n the

ye to

h e a rk t o

true as death

me

the

But I wud

d i cti o n a r

to get

I m tellin ye naething but what s

I call no one names

I a m always c i vi l t o my

I will not listen

neighbours whoever they m ay be !

to you

of

b e as ye p lease M i ss Craig

89

word for word i ntil his face

E h lassi e there s but

,

fe o w

o yer

n e e b ou r s

to yer name whatever they be to ye r s e l

,

hardly ane

has

a guid word for ye

c e e vi l

There s

P h e m y! Mi ss

CraigI beg yer pardon

Their lying

know what

ton g ues are

am about !

nothing t o me !

I will not stay a momen t

HE A THER

90

longer with you

ment

SNO W

A ND

I have an i mportant engage

O nce

m o re

as several times already she would

have p assed her

Of

front

her

but Kirsty stepped yet again in

I can weel tak ye r word

replied Kirsty

at ye

!
,

hae an engagement ; but ye said a minute ago

was engaged til him te l l me in
Gordon promised t o merry ye ?

ae

ye

at

word has Francie

H e h a s as good as asked me answered P h e m y who

had ts
NOO
be

Of

a p prehensive recoil from a downright lie

there I cud

m aist

ill eneuch for Francie

leear
But

lang s

sae

fo r

believe ye
He

A y,

never was a

that

w ud

d o o n r i ch t

kenned him ony mair nor ye r s e l

God s sake

P h e m y,

dinna ima g ine he l l ever

merry ye for that h e wu l l not

,

This is really i nsu fferable ! cried

P h e m y,

i n a voice

that began to tremble from the approach of angry

tears

Pray have yo u a claim upon

,

N ane no a s h e d o w
,

h im

ane returned Kirsty

my father and his father war like

b r i th e r s ,

But

and we hae

HE A THER A ND S N O W

92

P h e m y,

and i n the hope that her lover w o uld prove

,

with i n earshot began a piercing scream

sh e

It roused someth i ng in Kirsty which

afterward identify
with anger

do

sh e

sure it had nothing t o

w as

She felt

sh e

said as if
,

deal with a child who insisted

beside a barrel of gunpowder
did nothing but what

sh e

be

lady

as

sh e

if

ast o nished her that for a moment

neither m oved nor uttered a sound

,

sh e

the hug

She caught

had b een that

ever

of

the acti o n
two

or

sh e

The next how

,

b egan to shriek and struggle wildly

of

sh e

had bef o rehand in case of

ame naughty child and th e suddenness

so

had t o

A t the sam e t i m e

sh e

playing wit h re

on

the rep ul s e she expected resolved upon

up the little would

could not

as

if i n

a bear or the coils Of an a n aconda where

,

upon Kirsty closed her mouth with one hand while

Sh e

held her fast wi t h the other

pr o ceeding
an

d oubtless ,

w i th her toward

sh e

It

w as

a violent

but Kirsty ch o se to be thus far

offender and yet farther

B earing her as

best coul d i n

Til to w i e

until

sh e

on e

arm

sh e

ran

reached a place

A NO VE L A B D U C T I ON

93

where the road was bordered by a more practicable

s 10 pe ; there she took to the moorland and made for
,

C o r byk n o w e
Phe m y

H er resolve had been from the rst i f

,

would not listen to carry her like the

,

manageable child

sh e

uh

was hom e to the mother whose

,

voice had always been to herself the oracle of God

It

in a lovin g embrace though hardly a comfort

w as

able

on e

and to a heart full of pity that

,

the poor little runaway lamb

V

icar for all in trouble

to reason
labour

was

a strange abduction

out of sight

of

the road did

P h e m y,

NOO ,

hurrying

her mother was God s

she waded t hrough the heather

pressed

she would br i ng the chi ld

s imple and that way strange

sh e

H er heart beating m igh tily with love and

along the moor

It

but Kirsty was divinely

.

sh e

she sai d

N ot until they were

set her down

panting as

sh e

spoke

haud yer tongue like a guid lassie and come awa

,

po

yer ain feet

P h e m y to o k

at once to her heels and her throat

and ran shrieking back toward the road with Kirsty

,

V OL

13

HE A THER

94

SNO W

A ND

after her like a grayhound

Ph e m y

had for s o me

trying

to shriek and

time given u p struggling and

was therefore in better breath than K i rsty whose

lungs were pum p ing hard but she had
,

with her for there

P h e m ys

legs than in

more muscle in one

w as

whole body

of

sh e

sh e

could

She gave way and burst into tears

Kirsty relaxed her hold

Kirsty s

In a moment

had her in her arms aga i n and so fast that

not even kick

a chance

n ot

i
n
a
e
g

What are you

to

du

me ? sobbed P h e m y

I m takin ye to the b est place I ken hame to my

mother answered Kirsty striding on for home heaven

as straight as S he could go

I winna gang ! cried

returned with her tears

Ye

a re

g a e in ,

returned Kirsty dryly

I m takin ye and that s neist best

,

What for ?

said

Na

I never did ye an ill tur n

P h e m y,

pity and sense

at least

whose Scotch had

Ph e m y,

of

at

I ken

and burst afresh into tears of self

wr ong

my bonny doo

answered Kirsty

ye never

HE A THER

96

SNO W

A ND

cause ye ca nn a get him ye r s e l

He

wud never luik

at a lass lik e you

It s weel a body sees na

the same een

Gie n I had yer Francie i the parritch pat

pike him
a that

hae a

father and his

h a i l l S ide

lO d

w as

cornel

A l l ooi n

Kirsty and it s no like ye t o

so

was all K i rsty s answer

die r

and his

Please

my knees til ye

p layed him fause

P h e m y betook

L at me gang Kirsty !

I ll gang do o n o

I canna bide him to th i nk I ve

H e ll play you fause my lamb whatever ye

,

It mak s my hert sair to ken

w i ll your hert get

on y

h is

H e

at

du

or

n o guid

no see ye the n i cht

gait

Phe my

my

the regiment

herself to entreaty

he think

Your father was a co m mon

For

my hert saft til h i m

b r ith e r s

like

That canna be
blaw !

I w u dn a

but ing frae me pat and parritch

o o t,

P h e m y!

uttered a childish howl but immediately

choked it with a p roud

s ob

A NO VE L A B D U C TI ON
Ye re

or so Of s i lence

I ll

said af t er a minute
,

L at m e doon and I ll gang straucht

hame to my father

sh e

me Kirsty

h u r ti n

promise ye

ye doon answered Kirsty

but ye

set

c o me ha m e t o my mither

m aun

What ll my father think

I s n o forget yer father

said Kirsty

She sent out a strange p i ercing cry set

.

dow n took her hand in hers and went

,

mak i ng no resistance

to Kirsty
.

Ph e m y

In about t hree m i nutes there

was a noise in the heather and

p e a re d

on

Ph e m y

came rushi n g

Sn o o ti e

A few m o ments more and Steenie

He

li fted his bonnet to

waiting his sister s commands

P h e m y,

ap

and stood

Stee n ie

sh e

said

tak the dog

doon to the t o on and tell Mr Craig

.

comin hame

at

m e to bide the nicht

,

ye and rin
,

Ph e m y here

Ye w i nna be

langer n o r ye canna help and ye ll come t o the hoose

,

af o re ye gang to
I ll

du

th e hill ?

that Kirsty
,

Come doggie
,

Steenie never went t o the town of h i s

ow n

acc o rd

H E A THER A N D S N O W

98

and Kirsty never liked him to go for the boys were

,

rude

but

reached i t

to night it would be dark before he

-

hi d e

Ye re no surely gaun to gar me

P h e m y,

beginning again to cry

a nicht

said

am thatthe nicht and m aybe the morn s nicht

and ony nummer o n i chts till we re sure he s awa !

answered K i rsty resuming her walk

,

P h e m y wept

aloud but did not try to escape

,

A nd h i m g a e i n to promise th i s verra nicht

at

he

would merry me ! she cried but through her tears

and sobs her words were indistinct

Kirsty sto p ped and faced round on her

,

He

promised to merry ye

I didna say that

nich t

s on

said

said he was g a e i n t o promise the

A nd noo h e ll be gane and never a word said !

He

nicht

sh e

pro m ised did he

,

he

at

th e

ould promis e

E h Francie ! Francie ! ye re no yer father s

H e promised to promise t o m erry ye !

E h ye
,

puir gowk o a bonny lassie

Gien I m et him the nicht

a y,

it cam to that

HE A THER A ND S N O W

2 00

from

him

thistles

no

grapes

or

and

only thorns

P h e m y made

t hink well

her

gs

Of

no reply
He

herself ?

to believe

sh e

was not quite ready

to

divine what was passing in her

A man

himsel

to

Kirsty seemed
thought

not every ri gh t

had never said anything to

that subj ect which

on

sh e

had

sh e

no

said

l ik l y to

disna tell ye t he trowth aboo t

at

tell ye the trowth ab oot

you r sel

D id he tell ye hoo mony lassies he had said the same

thing til afore ever he cam to you ?

sa e

as

lang as they war lasses as

It

h e r tl e s s

m a i te r e d

and toom beidi f

-

bu t

himsel and ower weel used to sic havers

,

lassie like you

at

never afore

h e a rk e n t

to sicl ike

taks them a for trowth and the lee i n sough

gars her trow there

cratur as her !
mair nor
s i clike as

What

pl e e su r

can fa d do m

m ony

she

hi m

w o n e r fu

there can be i leein

Ye re j i s t a gey bon nie lassie

anither ; but gien ye war a glorious

w i thin like the queen

,

never on earth sic a

w as

li tt l e

Sheba

or w

h a e ve r

she may

A NO VE L A B D U CTI ON

20 1

happen to hae been there wad be naething to b e

,

p r oo d

o i that

ye d i dna contrive ye r s e l

s e e in

stane to bigg ye r s e l hae

,

ge

putten

u po

No

ae

the tap

anither
nowise capable of understanding su ch

Ph e m y w a s

statement and deduction

told her and as she
,

saw

If she was lovely as Frank

,

in the glass

not be pleased with herself ?

m ade like her

she

P h e m y,

B eside

O l ympian

h y should

If Kirsty had been

saw

goddess beside th e
,

sh e

to be and never thought about it

,

aiad of a brook
was what

she

had

pitiful

so

that Ki rsty s hear t lled afresh with compassi o n

the mother

sh e

the

sank down in the heather declaring she

,

her

sh e

of

the beauty

could go no farther and looked so white and

in

sh e

Kirsty walked like an

A nd Kirsty was a goddess for

Ph e m y

would have been j ust as vain as

A ll her life the doll never

woman

sh e

was

sh e

L ike

took the poor girl yet again

arms and carry i ng her quite easily now that

,

did not struggle walked with her straight int o

,

her mother s kitchen

HE A THER A ND SNO W

Oo
t

Mrs Barclay

sa t

darning the stocking which would

have been Kirsty s a ffair had she not been stalking

Ph e m y

She took it out of her mother s hands and

laid the girl in her lap

There s a new bairnie til ye mother

,

daut her a wee she s unco tired

sh e

herself

said and seating

,

Mistress Barclay looked down on

a face

Ye maun

a stool went on with the darning of the

on

stocking

P h e m y with

such

lov i ng benignity that the p oor miserable girl

Of

threw her arms round her neck and laid her head on
,

her bosom

Instinctively the m other began t o hush

and soothe her and in a moment more was s i nging

,

a lullaby to her

Phem y

fell fast asleep

Kirs t y told what sh e had done and while

,

the mother sat silent

thinking

broodi ng and
,

Then

sh e

spoke

b u s h in g

and

29

HE A

A N D SN O W

THER

Forbid it bairn ! Yer father says m an or wu m an

,

there s no ane i the countryside like ye u p o beast

back

They tak to me the craturs

,

It was

learnt me t o ride ! ans w ered K i rsty as

,

riding whip from the wall

kitchen

sh e

and went out

took a
of

the

The mare looked round when

and whi nni ed
h er two

of c

ats and w hi le

on

a m an s but

her father had t aught her far better

,

hi s

sh e

w as

there was no

Kirsty could ride well

enough sideways

h er back

on

side saddle about the farm

had in

entered the stable

,

three handfuls

or

sh e

Kirsty p etted and str o ked her gave

eating strap p ed a cloth

sh e

th e m s e l s

sh e

liked the way

U tterly

fearless

training from childhood until he could

do no more for her grown a horsew o man such as few

,

The moment the mare had n i shed her oats

bridled her led her
,

o u t,

and sprang on her back

,

gate

sh e

sh e

where sitting as on a p ill ion she rode quie t ly out

the farm close

Of

The moment she was beyond the

leaned back and throwing her right foot

,

P HE M Y S

C H A M P I ON

29

o ver the m are s crest r o de like an A maz o n at ease

and w ith mastery

The same moment the mare

w as

away u p h i ll and down dale almost at racing speed

,

H ad the c o ming moon been above the hori zon the

,

A mazon farm gi rl would have been worth meeting !

-

sh e

So perfectly did

y i eld her lithe strong body

,

to

every motion of the mare abrupt or undulant tha t

,

neither ever felt a j ar and their

,

the outcome

of

m ovements

a v i tal f o rce common

Kirsty never thought whether

sh e

to

seemed

the two

was riding well or

ill gracefully o r o therwise but the m are knew that all

,

w as

right between them

Ki rsty never touched the

bridle exce p t to moderate the

m are

was too much excited to heed what

D oubtless to many eyes
,

better

a riding habit but

in

an eagle in a n i ghtgown
petticoat wh i ch
,

sh e

of the same c o l o ur
On

her head

she
sh e

'

s p ace when

sh e

sh e

said to her

would have l o oked

would have felt like

She wore a full winsey

m anaged perfectly and st o cking s

,

sh e

had nothing but the s i lk net

at

t hat time and in that quarter much worn by y o ung

HE A THER A ND S N O W

20 6

u n married women
S lip

of

the gallo p it

sh e

p ut the net in

In the rush

ped and i ts content escaped

,

her pocket and cast a knot up on her long ha i r as if i t

,

had been a rope

Th i s

sh e

did without even slackening

her speed transferri ng from her hand to her teeth the

,

sh e

whip

carr i ed

It was one col o nel Gord o n had

given her father in rem embrance

had

they
night

a little adventure

of

together in which a lash fro m it in the dark

,

w as

mistaken for a sword cut and did them n o

-

small service

By the time they reached the castle the moon

,

above the h o rizon

was

Kirsty br o ugh t the mare to a walk

and resum i ng her pill i on seat remanded her hair to

-

its cage and readj usted her skirt ; then setting herself
,

as in a side saddle
-

do o r
A
w

s he

r o de gently u p to the castle

manservant happening t o
,

se e

her from the hall

ind o w saved her having to ring the bell and greeted

,

her respectfully for everyb o dy knew

,

Ki rsty

She said

sh e

wanted to

see

C o r b yk n o w e

Mr Gordon and
.

suggested that perhaps he would be kind enough t o

HE A THER A ND S N O W

20 8

and Kirsty sat motionless until he was near en o ugh

for a low voiced conference
-

What are ye aboot w i

P h e m y Craig ,

began without a word of greeting

,

Kirsty

w a s on e

is

w as,

She spoke to the tall handsome

and with the same forms

He

length

the few wh o p ractically deny

of

time ; with whom what

girl together

what i s will be
,

when they were

as

had meant their conversa tion to be at arm s

h is

t o say but

so

intention brok e down at

I ken naeth i ng abo o t her

answered

What for

sh e

I ken ye dinna ken whaur

su d

he

Puir lassie

sh e

That s a

is ,

for I div

re

Ye answer a quest o n I never s p eired

What are ye ab oo t

'

turned Kirsty

b o y and

in the same t o ne

man

once and he answered her in the same style

she

Francie

i P h e m y,

I challenge ye again

has nae br it her to

verra weel

began then stop p e d

but ye

the word !

see

Kirsty

he

and having stared at her a

mo ment i n silence excl a i med

,

sa y

L ord what a S p lendid

,

P HE

MY S C H A MP I ON

29 9

woman you ve grown H e had p robably been dri n k

ing w i th
K i rsty
soldier
h is

sa t

sentence
I

speechless mo t i onless
,

guard

on

As

mo ther

h is

cha n geless a s a

Gord o n had to resume and n ish

w as

goi n g to

s a y,

yo u

a br o ther to her Ki rsty else

,

can t take the p lace

of

should know h o w

to

answer y o u It s awkward when a lady takes

you t o

task he added with a draw !

,

D inn a tr o uble yer he i d aboot that Fr a nc i e

,

ye hae little t o tr o uble ab o ot

Kirsty
sh e

Then chan g i n g

went

on :

to

on ythi n g

E nglish

as

h er t

rej oi n ed

he had done

I cl a im n o c o ns i derati o n o n t h at

score!
Francis Gordon felt very unc o mfortable

It wa s

deuced hard to b e b u lli e d by a wo m an !

He

st o od s i lent because he had noth i ng t o

DO

Kirsty

y o u m ean to m arry my

Phe my

asked

R eally Miss Barclay

,

interrupted
VOL

sa y

him

Francis began but K i rsty

,

14

HE A THER A ND SNO W

210

Mr Gordon
.

ans w er m e

said sternly

she

be a man and
,

If you mean to marry her

and tell her fathero r my father

0
g

if

and

sa y so ,

y o u p refer

She i s at the Knowe miserable p o or chi ld ! t hat

she

did not meet you to n ight

sh e

could not help herself

Tha t was my doing

Gord o n broke i nt o a strained laugh

Well you ve got her and you c an keep her

s aid

have no t answered my questi o n

R eally Miss B arc l ay

,

a m an

he must

sa y

you must not be too hard

at once wh e ther

or

not he i ntends t o

A nsw er my ques t ion

is

a ridicul o us

Y ou

have been

It

Is a fellow not to speak t o a w o man bu t

marry her ?

he

You

on

one

tr ys ti n

with her al mo st ever y

night for s o m e t hing like a m onth

and the ques t i o n

is

rej o i ned Kirsty

not a t all ridicul ous

L et i t be granted t hen and let t he pr o per person

,

ask m e the questi o n and

,

w ill answer it

You

HE A THER A ND SNO W

21 2

V ery

choose

well returned Francis angrily

,

to

be treated

illy

wouldn t m arry the girl i f the

A common

c o untry bred i rt ! ready for

anything a

y o u went

on

since you

your knees to me

of

two

a man and tell me I am no

as

gentleman I tell you

m an

Kirsty s whi p descended upon hi m wi th a m erciless

l a sh

i t cut the air with all

th e

force of her str o ng arm star tled her mare and

sh e

The hiss o f it

as

sprang as i de

tha t Kirsty who leaning forward

so

had thr o wn the strength

Of

her whole body i nto t he

bl o w c o uld not but lose her seat

,

stand u p right

enemy antagonist
,

w as

grasping

blinded hi m

her feet

on

h is

fr o nting her call him

G ordon

head : the blow had for a moment

That s frae yer father

h im

But i t was o nly t o

v i ctim what you will

for

She gave him an o ther stinging cut

acr o ss he hands

s w o o rd

The whup was his and h is

never d i d fa i rer wark

what I cud

sh e

sai d

she added in a

hae dune

l ow

sorr o wful

v o ice and ste pp ed back as having fullled her mission

,

MY S C HA M P I ON

P HE

He

w o rds

21

rushed at her with a sudden t o rrent of evil

But he

no match for her in agil i ty

was

in

am al m o st certain he would have p r o ved none

,

strength had

allowed hi m t o close with her

sh e

sh e

had more than once j i n ki l a

sh e

av o ided hi m as

as,

charging bull every now and then dealing h i m another

,

h is

shar p bl o w fro m
began to br i ng

him

father s whi p

to

F o r God s sake

h a il l

ho o se

c ot ,

of

her

he cried

be h a u d

and what ll come

I d o o bt

think

senses

h is

Kirsty

attempts t o lay h o ld

The treat m ent

ceasing his

or

we ll hae the

me than

I ll never hear the last

daurn a

as t is

A m I to trust ye Francie
,

I winn a lay a nger upo ye damn ye

mingled wrath and humiliation

he said

in

Thr o ughout Kirsty had held her m are by the bridle

,

and

sh e

although b ehav i ng as well a s

she

could had
,

in the fright the laird s rushes and the sounds o f the

whip caused her added not a little to her m istress s

di fculties

ust

as

she s p rang

on

o pened and faces l oo ked peering

,

her back the door

,

ou t

whereupo n

21

HE A THE R

with a cut

or

sh e

two

SNO W

A ND

encouraged a few w i ld

gambols s o that all the tro uble seem ed to have been

,

with t he m are
gate

sh e

Then

rode quietly through the

G ordon st o od in a m o tionless fury until he he ard

t he soft thunder

of

the mare s hoofs

Kirsty rode hom e at a erce gallop

on

the turf as

t hen he turned

and went into the house not to communicate what

,

had t aken place but to lie about it as like truth

,

migh t nd possible

as

he

A bout half way home on the side of a hill acr o ss

-

which a low wind the long dea t h moan Of autumn

-

blew with a hopeless undulant but not intermittent

,

wail among the heather Kirsty broke into a passionate

,

of

weeping but ere she reached home all traces

,

her t ears had vanished

of

Gordon did not go the next day nor the day after
,

but he never

sa w

P h e m y again

It was a week bef o re

he showed himself and then he was n o t a beaut i ful

,

sight

H e attr i buted the

and t emple

to

on e

visible wale on

hi s

cheek

a blow from a twig a s he ran i n the dusk