marriet. My
father and my brother were lost at sea.

"Oh! ay--and about bonny Allie. Weel, she lay down wi' her face upon
the sod, and lay lang there, and when she lifted it again it was white
as the snaw, but there wasna a tear upon it. Then there came the bark
o' a dog that I kenned weel. He was sent after me once, though Brownrig
denies it. So I made free to go in by; and says I, `Miss Allie dear, I
hear the bark o' the black dog, Worry, and I doubt his maister's nae
farawa'.'

"She was speakin' ower the wa' to the minister's son by that time, and
after a minute or twa she came awa', put her face down on the grave
again, and then she followed me. And when we came near to the foot o'
the brae, I garred (made) her take off her hose and shoon, and wade doon
the burn a bittie that the dog mightna follow the scent, and I laid doon
peats that she might step on them a bit o' the way between the burn and
my ain door.

"When she came in she sat still like ane dazed and spent, and never a
word spake she. But I stirred up the fire and boiled the kettle, and
said I:--

"`Did ye break your fast afore ye came awa'?'

"`There wasna time,' said she.

"`And ye had nae heart for your supper yestreen, and ye forgot ye're
denner, and nae wonder. But if ye're thinkin' o' winning awa' to
Aberdeen this day, or even the morn, ye'll need to tak' something to
make ye strong for the journey.'

"So she ate her bread and drank her tea, and then she lay down in my bed
and sleepit the hale day. I was unsettled mysel' that day, and I thocht
I would gang up the brae to the Meikles and get some buttermilk that the
mistress had promised me. So I darkened the window and locket my door.
But I didna leave my key in the thecking (thatch) as I do whiles, in
case any o' the neebors micht send a bairn wi' a sup o' milk, or a bit
from a new cut cheese. It's weel to gie them a chance to open the
door."

"And what then?" said Crombie, fearful of another digression. "What
happened then?"

"Oh! naething happened. I only thocht I would be as weel awa', in case
Brownrig sent or came himsel' to see what there was to see. So I gaed
awa' for a while, and when I cam' back I just set mysel' doon at the
door to wait for what would come next. Allie sleepit on, and had nae
appearance o' having moved when the sun was near set, which wasna early,
for the days were near their langest. But I made the fire burn up, and
b'iled the kettle to be ready,