They had just passed a great stone on the roadside, at the foot of which Aggie had been for some time seated, waiting for Cosmo, whom she expected with the greater confidence that, having come to meet him the night before, and sat where she now was till it was dark, she had had to walk back without him. Recognizing the voices that neared her, she waited until the pair had passed her shelter, and then addressed Cosmo with a familiarity she had not used since his return--for which Aggie had her reasons. “Cosmo!” she called, rising as she spoke, “winna ye bide for me? Ye hae a word for twa as weel ’s for ane. The same sairs, whaur baith hae lugs.” The moment Cosmo heard her voice, he turned to meet her, glad enough. “Eh, Aggie!” he said, “I’m pleased to see ye. It was richt guid o’ ye to come to meet me! Hoo’s your father, an’ hoo’s mine?” “They’re baith brawly,” she answered, “an’ blithe eneuch, baith, at the thoucht o’ seein’ ye. Gien ye couldna luik in upo’ mine the day, he wad stap doon to the castle. Sin’ yesterday mornin’ the laird, Grizzie tells me, hasna ristit a minute in ae place, ’cep’ in his bed. What for camna ye thestreen?” As he was answering her question, Aggie cast a keen searching look at his companion: Elsie’s face was as red as fire could have reddened it, and tears of vexation were gathering in her eyes. She turned her head away and bit her lip. The two girls were hardly acquainted, nor would Elsie have dreamed of familiarity with the daughter of a poor cotter. Aggie seemed much farther below her, than she below the young laird of Glenwarlock. Yet here was the rude girl addressing him as Cosmo--with the boldness of a sister, in fact! and he taking it as matter of course, and answering in similar style! It was unnatural! Indignation grew fierce within her. What might she not have waked in him before they parted but for this shameless hussey! “Ye’ll be gaein’ to see yer sister, Miss Elsie?” said Agnes, after a moment’s pause. Elspeth kept her head turned away, and made her no answer. Aggie smiled to herself, and reverting to Cosmo, presently set before him a difficulty she had met with in her algebra, a study which, at such few times as she could spare, she still prosecuted with the help of Mr. Simon. So Elsie, who understood nothing of the subject, was thrown out. She dropped a little behind, and took the role of the abandoned one. When Cosmo saw this, he stopped, and they waited for her. When she came up, “Are we gaein’ ower fest for ye, Miss Elsie?” he said. “Not at all;” she answered, English again; “I can walk as fast as any one.” Cosmo turned to Aggie and said,