e old laird, or even his grandfather. And after a few minutes he
said that he would go out to the fir-tree. Alexander helped him there.
Gilian took the Bible and placed it beside him.

"Open at eleventh Isaiah," he said. "'_And there shall come forth a
rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his
roots--_'"

Gilian opened the book. "You read," and she sat down beside him.

"I wish to talk to you," said Alexander to her. "When--?"

"I am going to town to-morrow afternoon. I'll walk back over the
moor."

When he came upon the moor next day it was bathed by a sun half-way
down the western quarter. The colors of it were lit, the vast slopes
had alike tenderness and majesty. He moved over the moor; then he sat
down by a furze-bush and waited. Gilian came at last, sat down near
him in the dry, sweet growth. She put her arms over her knees; she
held her head back and drank the ineffable rich compassion of the sky.
She spoke at last.

"Oh, laird, life's a marvel!"

"I feel the soul now," he said, "of marigolds and pansies. That is the
difference to me."

"What shall you do? Stay here and grow--or travel again and grow?"

"I do not yet know.... It depends."

"It depends on Ian, does it not?"

"Yes.... Now you speak as Gilian and now you speak as Elspeth."

"That is the marvel of the world.... That Person whom we call Being
has also a long name.--My name, her name, your name, his name, its
name, all names! Side by side, one over another, one through
another.... Who comes out but just that Person?"

They sat and watched the orb that itself, with its members the
planets, went a great journey. Gilian began to talk about Elspeth. She
talked with quietness, with depth, insight, and love, sitting there on
the golden moor. Elspeth--childhood and girlhood and womanhood. The
sister of Elspeth spoke simply, but the sifted words came from a
poet's granary. She made pictures, she made melodies for Alexander.
Glints of vision, fugitive strains of music, echoes of a quaint and
subtle mirth, something elemental, faylike--that was Elspeth. And
lightning in the south in summer, just shown, swiftly withdrawn--power
and passion--sudden similitudes with great love-women of old
story--that also was Elspeth. And a crying and calling for the Star
that gathers all stars--that likewise was Elspeth. Such and such did
Elspeth show herself to Gilian. And that half-year that they knew
about of grief and madness--it was no