It passed with her aunt and the helpers in the house.
Jarvis Barrow appeared to take no especial note if women laughed or
sighed, so long as they lived irreproachably.
The leaves bronzed, the autumn rains came, the leaves fell, the trees
stood bare, the winds began to blow, there fell the first snowflakes.
Gilian, walking home from the town, was overtaken on the moor by Robin
Greenlaw.
"Where is Elspeth?"
"We are making our winter dresses. She would not leave her sewing."
The cousins walked upon the moor path together. Gilian was fairer and
more strongly made than Elspeth. They walked in silence; then said
Robin:
"You're the old Gilian, but I'm sure I miss the old Elspeth!"
"I think, myself, she's gone visiting! I rack and rack my brains to
find what grief could have come to Elspeth. She will not help me."
"Gilian, could it be that, after all, her heart is set on the laird?"
"Did you know about that?"
"In part I guessed, watching them together. And then I saw how
Glenfernie oldened in a night. Then, being with my uncle one day, he
let drop a word that I followed up. I led him on and he told me.
Glenfernie acted like a true man."
"If there's one thing of which I'm sure it is that she hardly thinks
of him from Sunday to Sunday. She thinks then for a little because she
sees him in kirk--but that passes, too!"
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know.
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