Mary felt obliged to do what her father told her, but in her heart she did not give up Alister, and felt sure Alister did not give up her, for he was a brave and honest youth.
"Of course Alister was always wanting to see Mary, and often he saw her when nobody, not even Mary herself, knew it.

One day she was out rather late on the hill, and when the gloaming came down, sat wishing in her heart that out of it Alister would come, that she might see him, though she would not speak to him.

She was sitting on a stone, Grizzie says, with the gloamin' coming down like a gray frost about her; and by the time it grew to a black frost, out of it came some one running towards her.
"But it was not Alister; it was a farmer who wanted to marry her.
He was a big, strong man, rich and good-looking, though twice Mary's age.

Her father was very friendly to him.

But people said he was a coward.
"Now just at that time, only it had not yet reached the glen, a terrible story was going about the country, of a beast in the hills, that went biting every living thing he could get at, and whatever he bit went raving-mad.