bright in the sky, and the moon sometimes as light as day. Oh, no; I
wouldn't be unhappy," and stretching her arms out wide, she turned her
face up to the glowing sky. "I love it all," she said, "and I do not
want a lover."

Catching sight of the blue smoke curling up from the heather mound
behind which Sara's cottage was buried, she rose, and dropping her
sober thoughts, ran homewards, singing and filling the sweet west wind
which blew round her with melody. But ere she reached the cottage
door, there came a whistle on the breeze, and, turning round, she saw
Will standing at the corner of the Cribserth, just where the rocky
rampart edged the hillside. She turned at once and slowly retraced her
footsteps, Will coming to meet her with more speedy progress. He had
changed his clothes, and in his work-a-day fustian looked far better
than he had in the black cloth suit which he had worn to church.

"Well, indeed, Morva lass, thou runn'st like the wind; I could never
catch thee. Come and sit down behind these bushes, for I want to talk
to thee. Wert offended at what my father said just now?"

"Offended! no," said the girl. "Garthowen has a right to say what he
likes to me, and besides, he was right, Will. I must learn to treat
thee with more respect."

"Respect!" said Will, laying hold of her hands, "'tis more love I want,
lass, and not respect; sometimes I fear thou dost not love me."

"But I do," said the girl calmly; "I do love thee, Will. 'Tis truth
that I would lay down my life for thee and all at Garthowen. Haven't
you been all in all to me--father, sister, brother? and especially you