"Ye 'ill believe me noo, Peter, since ye've heard him. Did ye eversee sic a change? it really is maist astonishin'."

"Man, Hillocks, div ye no see he's gotten back his dochter, and it really ismade him anither man?"

Lachlan showed Flora a very new pair of shears he had bought in Muirtown,and a bottle of sheep embrocation, but she did not know he hadhidden his parcel in the byre, and that he opened it four separatetimes on Saturday.

From daybreak on Sabbath Lachlan went in and out till he returnedwith Marget Howe.

"Mrs. Howe iss fairly kind, and she will be coming to help you withyour dresses, Flora, for we will be wanting you to look well thisday, and here iss some tiny thing to keep you hot," and Lachlanproduced with unspeakable pride a jacket lined with flannel andtrimmed with fur.

So her father and Marget dressed Flora for the kirk, and they wenttogether down the path on which the light had shone that evening ofher return.

There were only two hound-carts in the Free Kirk Session, and Burnbraewas waiting with his for Flora at the foot of the hill.