ls beyond. The only blink of sunshine which came
that day rested on them as they crossed the foot-bridge and came into
the broken path which led to the farm of Wind Hill. A hedge bordered
the near fields, and a few trees rose up bare and black on the hillside;
and all the rest of the land, as far as they could see, lay in unsullied
whiteness.

"A clean, clean world!" said Marjorie. "It looks like a strange
country. It's bonny; but I think I like the green grass best, and the
gowans."

"Weel, ye may take a good look o' it this day, for it winna lie long
clean and white like this," said Allison, as a soft warm wind met them
as they turned. They went up and down where the snow lay lightest, and
then crossed the burn at the end of the green.

"Are you sure ye're nae cauld?" said Allison.

"That I am not. And, Allie, I havena given a cough since I came out."

"But we'll need to gae hame now. If we dinna make your mother anxious
this time, she will be the readier to let us take another turn some fine
day."

Marjorie's face fell for an instant.

"No, Allie, I'm no' going to be fractious. But we might just look in
and ask for Mrs Beaton, as we are so near. And Robin says John is
coming home, and we might ask about it."

But Allison shook her head.

"We got no leave to go and see anybody. And if we take the street we'll
hae twa or three idle folk glowerin' an' speerin' this and that at us.
I like the bonny quiet lane best."

Marjorie's shrill laugh rang out at that.

"Are ye feared at the folk, Allie? They ay mean it for kindness. But I
like the lane, too. And maybe my mother will let us come and see Mrs
Beaton next time."

The end of Mrs Beaton's house skirted the green, and so did the narrow
strip of garden which was behind it. The road home was as short the one
way as the other. If they crossed the green toward the right it took
them to the street, and if they turned the other way they took the path
behind the gardens, or rather the kail-yards of the houses on the
street. Before they entered this path they turned to take a last look
of the long, snowy slope of the hills with the sunshine on them.

"The snow is pleasanter just to look at than to wade about in," said
Allison.

"But, Allison, that is because ye dinna ken. O! I would like weel to
wade about in it, as the other bairns do."

"O! I ken fine what it is like. I have been in far deeper snaw whiles,
following the sheep--"

"Have