But how is it that girls ready to cry more than their eyes out for what they call love when the case is their own, are so often hard-hearted when the case is that of another? There is something here to be looked into--if not by an old surmiser, yet by the young women themselves! Why are such relentless towards every slightest relaxation of self restraint, who would themselves dare not a little upon occasion? Here was Agnes, not otherwise an ill-natured girl, positively exultant over Elsie’s discomfiture and disappearance! The girl had done her no wrong, and she had had her desire upon her: she had defeated her, and was triumphant; yet this was how she talked of her to her own inner ear: “The impident limmer!--makin’ up til a gentleman like oor laird ’at is to be! Cudna he be doon a meenute but she maun be upon ’im to devoor ’im! --an’ her father naething but the cursin’ flesher o’ Stanewhuns! --forby ’at a’body kens she was promised to Jock Rantle, the mason lad, an wad hae hed him, gien the father o’ her hadna sworn at them that awfu’ ’at naither o’ them daured gang a fit further! Gien I had loed a lad like Jock, wad I hae latten him gang for a screed o’ ill words! They micht hae sworn ’at likit for me! I wad hae latten them sweir! Na, na! Cosmo’s for Elsie’s betters!” Elsie appeared no more in any field that season--staid at Muir o’ Warlock, indeed, till the harvest was over. But what a day was that Sunday to Cosmo! Labour is the pursuivant of joy to prepare the way before him. His father received him like a king come home with victory. And was he not a king? Did not the Lord say he was a king, because he came into the world to bear witness to the truth? They walked together to church--and home again as happy as two boys let out of school--home to their poor dinner of new potatoes and a little milk, the latter brought by Aggie with her father’s compliments “to his lairdship,” as Grizzie gave the message. What! was I traitor bad enough to call it a poor dinner? Truth and Scotland forgive me, for I know none so good! And after their dinner immediately, for there was no toddy now for the laird, they went to the drawing-room--an altogether pleasant place now in the summer, and full of the scent of the homely flowers Grizzie arranged in the old vases on the chimney-piece--and the laird laid himself down on the brocade-covered sofa, and Cosmo sat close beside him on a low chair, and talked, and told him this and that, and read to him, till at last the old man fell asleep, and then Cosmo, having softly spread a covering upon him, sat brooding over things sad and pleasant, until he too fell asleep, to be with Joan in his dreams.