WEIR OF HERMISTON
so manifest and painful a devotion that my lord (who was not often curious) inquired as to its nature.
She blushed to the eyes. 'O, Edom, it's for you!' she said. 'It's slippers. I—I hae never made ye any.'
'Ye daft auld wife!' returned his lordship. 'A bonny figure I would be, palmering about in bauchles!'
The next day, at the hour of her walk, Kirstie interfered. Kirstie took this decay of her mistress very hard; bore her a grudge, quarrelled with and railed upon her, the anxiety of a genuine love wearing the disguise of temper. This day of all days she insisted disrespectfully, with rustic fury, that Mrs. Weir should stay at home. But, 'No, no,' she said, 'it's my lord's orders,' and set forth as usual. Archie was visible in the acre bog, engaged upon some childish enterprise, the instrument of which was mire; and she stood and looked at him a while like one about to call; then thought
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