reyhound in speed, Elliot had flown to
us and was kneeling to the Maid, who, with a deep blush and some anger in
her face--for she loved no such obeisances--bade her rise, and so kissed
and embraced her, as young girls use among themselves when they are
friends and fain of each other. I had turned myself to go apart into the
shadow of the corner, as secretly as I might, when I ran straight into
the arms of the archer that followed close behind us. On this encounter
he gave a great laugh, and, I believe, would have kissed me; but, the
Maiden looking round, he stood erect and grave as a soldier on guard, for
the Maiden would suffer no light loves and daffing.

"Whither make you, damsel, in such haste?" she cried to me. "Come, let
me present you to this damsel, my friend--and one of your own country-
women. Elliot, ma mie," she said to my mistress, "here is this kind
lass, a Scot like yourself, who has guided me all the way from the castle
hither, and, faith, the way is hard to find. Do you thank her for me,
and let her sit down in your house: she must be weary with the weight of
her basket and her linen"--for these, when she spoke to me, I had laid on
the ground. With this she led me up to Elliot by the hand, who began to
show me very gracious countenance, and to thank me, my face burning all
the while with confusion and fear of her anger.

Suddenly a new look, such as I had never seen before on her face in her
light angers, came into her eyes, which grew hard and cold, her mouth
also showing stiff; and so she stood, pale, gazing sternly, and as one
unable to speak. Then--

"Go out of my sight," she said, very low, "and from my father's house!
Forth with you for a mocker and a gangrel loon!"--speaking in our common
Scots,--"and herd with the base thieves from whom you came, coward and
mocking malapert!"

The storm had fallen on my head, even as I feared it must, and I stood as
one bereft of speech and reason.

The Maid knew no word of our speech, and this passion of Elliot's, and so
sudden a change from kindness to wrath, were what she might not
understand.

"Elliot, ma mie," she said, very sweetly, "what mean you by this anger?
The damsel has treated me with no little favour. Tell me, I pray, in
what she has offended."

But Elliot, not looking at her, said to me again, and this time tears
leaped up in her eyes--"Forth with you! begone, ere I call that archer to
drag you before the judges of the good town.