Sinsyne woods have been plantit, and have grawn up and are bonny trees, and the joes sit in their shadow, and sinsyne auld estates have changed hands, and there have been wars and rumours of wars on the face of the earth.

And here I'm still--like an auld droopit craw--lookin' on and craikin'! But, Mr.Erchie, do ye no think that I have mind o' it a' still?
I was dwalling then in my faither's house; and it's a curious thing that we were whiles trysted in the Deil's Hags.

And do ye no think that I have mind of the bonny simmer days, the lang miles o' the bluid-red heather, the cryin' of the whaups, and the lad and the lassie that was trysted?
Do ye no think that I mind how the hilly sweetness ran about my hairt?
Ay, Mr.Erchie, I ken the way o' it--fine do I ken the way--how the grace o' God takes them, like Paul of Tarsus, when they think it least, and drives the pair o' them into a land which is like a dream, and the world and the folks in't' are nae mair than clouds to the puir lassie, and heeven nae mair than windle-straes, if she can but pleesure him! Until Tam dee'd--that was my story," she broke off to say, "he dee'd, and I wasna at the buryin'.

But while he was here, I could take care o' mysel'.

And can yon puir lassie ?" Kirstie, her eyes shining with unshed tears, stretched out her hand towards him appealingly; the bright and the dull gold of her hair flashed and smouldered in the coils behind her comely head, like the rays of an eternal youth; the pure colour had risen in her face; and Archie was abashed alike by her beauty and her story.