which tripped along, now and then bending to pluck a choice flower from each side, and fearing his presence might prevent her approach, he hid himself behind a hazel bush by the end of the bridge. Thus, in perfect security from being observed by any person coming nigh, he awaited with a beating heart, creating many lovely images in his own mind to correspond with the Highland maiden now fast approaching, and who, as he anticipated, on coming to the bridge halted within a few paces of his ambush. But what must have been his surprise and admiration in beholding in her a far lovelier and more beautiful creature than his wildest imagination could form, and rivalling the heroine of Loch Katrine—"The Lady of the Lake"—of which his own peculiar situation, and the similarity of both cases reminded him. The following lines of the famous Scottish poet, which were so applicable to the fairy form before him, flew to his memory:—
And ne'er did Grecian chisel trace
A Nymph, a Naiad, or a Grace,
Of finer form, or lovelier face;
What though the sun with ardent frown,
Had slightly tinged her cheek with brown;
The sportive toil, which short and light,
Had dyed her glowing hues so bright;
Served too in hastier swell to show,
Short glimpses of a breast of snow;
What though no rule of courtly grace
To measured mood had trained her pace;
A foot more light, a step more true,
Ne'er from the heath-flower dashed the dew;
E'en the slight hairbell raised its head,
Elastic from her airy tread;
What though upon her speech there hung
The accents of the mountain tongue,
Those silvery sounds, so soft, so dear,
The listener held his breath to hear!"
There, indeed, stood the counterpart of Ellen Douglas, although seemingly not so ripe in years.
For a few moments she remained in the same position, so still that no visible motion of her finely modelled form was perceptible save the heaving of her snow-white bosom which was partially uncovered.
She was clothed in a plain dress of Mackay tartan, with plaid and bonnet of the same material. Her unrivalled fair neck and shoulders were bare, contrasting admirably with her rich brown hair, which fell in natural ringlets round them.
