I don't know of anybody else. Maybe no outer thing has
anything to do with it. Sometimes we just have drumlie, dreary seasons
and we do not know why.... She loves the spring. Maybe when spring
comes she'll be Elspeth once more!"
"I hope so," said Greenlaw. "Spring makes all the world bonny again."
That was in November. On Christmas Eve Elspeth Barrow drowned herself
in the Kelpie's Pool.
CHAPTER XVII
There had been three hours of light on Christmas Day when Robin
Greenlaw appeared at Glenfernie House and would see the laird.
"He's in his ain room in the keep," said Davie, and went with the
message.
Alexander came down the stair and out into the flagged court. The
weather had been unwontedly clement, melting the earlier snows,
letting the brown earth forth again for one look about her. To-day
there was pale sunlight. Greenlaw sat his big gray. The laird came to
him.
"Get down, man, and come in for Christmas cheer!"
"Send Davie away," said Greenlaw.
Alexander's gray eyes glanced. "You're bringing something that is not
Christmas cheer!--Davie, tell Dandie Saunderson to saddle Black Alan
at once.--Now, Robin!"
"Yesterday," said Greenlaw, "Elspeth Barrow vanished from White Farm.
They wanted to send Christmas fare to old Skene the cotter. She said
she would take a basket there, and so she went away, down the
stream--about ten of the morning they think it was.
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