he outside, and news of the mad people
my lassie's granddad had gathered about him. Small wonder, either!
For, indeed, no one had crossed the Moat for years except the
High-Church curate, who (as they said) went periodically to "confess"
Miss Orrin.

Even such things as coals and provisions were brought by the bailiff to
the end of the drawbridge in sacks, and from thence carried across on
the back of the powerful Jeremy, the same Jeremy whom we had seen that
day weeping like a child.

But it was then that I began first to understand what absence at
college might cost me. I looked at Elsie. She was still tying up the
little pink bundles of "bell heather," but her face was held down, and
there was a little conscious flush upon her cheek. I had never thought
it before, and it came on me like a judgment. Elsie was pretty.

I did not exactly wish she hadn't been, but oh, I did wish that nobody
had been able to see it but myself!

That English curate, with his curly poll and clear blue eyes, rode me
like a nightmare. I resolved to break his head, handsome as it
looked--aye, if he were the best man that ever stepped in shoe leather,
and had climbed all the mountains in Switzerland and given all that he
got for doing it to the poor, as they said he had done. I did not care
how good he was. I was desperate at the thought of losing Elsie. Not
for love--oh no, thank you. I had more sense than that. But just to
go about with, and be my little 'panion, as she had always said she
would be, and as I expected her to remain.

But the curate did not let grass grow under his footsteps. It was only
two days before he was back again at the little cottage at the Bridge
End. Nance had work that day, and if I had not had the sense to play
truant he would have found Elsie by herself, as no doubt he expected to
do. But I was there seated on the table, swinging my legs.

He began at once saying how sorry he was that Nance was out, and that
he had so much enjoyed the talk with her the other day. But under my
breath I kept saying, "Liar! Liar!" Because I knew quite well that he
was coming of purpose to see Elsie, and the thought gave me catchings
of the breath when I thought of going to college. I wasn't jealous a
bit, of course, only I couldn't bear to think of any other fellow being
friends with Elsie.

But after awhile I began to like the parson better. He had heard that
I could bowl more than a bit, and he asked me t