Now she was reincarnated in her niece, and now in Archie.

Now she saw, through the girl's eyes, the youth on his knees to her, heard his persuasive instances with a deadly weakness, and received his overmastering caresses.

Anon, with a revulsion, her temper raged to see such utmost favours of fortune and love squandered on a brat of a girl, one of her own house, using her own name--a deadly ingredient--and that "didna ken her ain mind an' was as black's your hat." Now she trembled lest her deity should plead in vain, loving the idea of success for him like a triumph of nature; anon, with returning loyalty to her own family and sex, she trembled for Kirstie and the credit of the Elliotts.

And again she had a vision of herself, the day over for her old-world tales and local gossip, bidding farewell to her last link with life and brightness and love; and behind and beyond, she saw but the blank butt-end where she must crawl to die.

Had she then come to the lees?
she, so great, so beautiful, with a heart as fresh as a girl's and strong as womanhood?
It could not be, and yet it was so; and for a moment her bed was horrible to her as the sides of the grave.