time since she came to Glamerton, the harvest began without her. But
when Tibbie got a little better, she used to run out now and then to
see what progress the reapers were making.

One bright forenoon Tibbie, feeling better, said to her,

"Noo, bairn, I'm a hantle better the day, and ye maun jist rin oot and
play yersel'. Ye're but a bairn, though ye hae the wit o' a wumman.
Ye'll be laid up yersel' gin ye dinna get a stammachfu' o' the caller
air noo and than. Sae jist rin awa', an' dinna lat me see ye afore
denner-time."

At Howglen, there happened, this year, to be a field of oats not far
from the house, the reaping of which was to begin that day. It was very
warm, and glorious with sunshine. So, after a few stooks had been set
up, Alec crawled out with the help of his mother and Kate, and lay down
on some sheaves, sheltered from the sun by a stook, and watched. The
men and women and corn leaned all one way. The oats hung their curved
heads of little pendulous bells, and gave out a low murmuring
sibilation--its only lament that its day was over, and sun and wind no
more for it. Through the high stalks gleamed now and then the lowly
corn flower, and he watched for the next blue star that would shine out
as they cut the golden cloud away. But the sun rose till the stook
could shelter him no more. First came a flickering of the shadows of
the longest heads athwart his face, and then the sun shone full upon
him. His mother and Kate had left him for a while, and, too weak or too
lazy to move, he lay with closed eyes, wishing that some one would come
to his help. Nor had he to wait long. A sudden shadow came over him.
When he looked up to find the source of the grateful relief, he could
see nothing but an apron held up in two little hands behind the
stook--hiding both the sun and the face of the helper.

"Who's there?" he asked.

"It's me--Annie Anderson," came from behind the un-moving apron.

Now why would not Alec accept this attention from Annie?

"Dinna stan' there, Annie," he said. "I dinna want it. My mother will
be here in a minute. I see her comin'."

Annie dropped her arms, and turned away in silence. If Alec could have
seen her face, he would have been sorry that he had refused her
service. She vanished in a moment, so that Mrs Forbes and Kate never
saw her. They sat down beside him so as to shelter him, and he fell
fast asleep. When he woke, he found his head in Kate's lap, and her
parasol casting a c