The White People

or my walks. I was kept in the open air a great deal, and Angus would walk by the side of my small, shaggy Shetland pony and lead him over rough or steep places. Sheltie, the pony, was meant for

and play in my own way. I do not think it was in a strange way. I think I must have played as almost any lonely little girl might have played. I used to find a corner among the bushes and pretend it was my house and that I had little friends who came to play with me. I only remember one thing which was

lways carried plaids enough to keep us warm and dry. So on this day I speak of we did not turn back when we found ourselves in the mids

nturous child. I was, in fact, in a more than usually quiet mood that morning. The quiet had come upon me when the mist had begun to creep about

t," I said to Angus when he l

e them. They mi

ld hurt ye, bairn

id. I had never been afraid that

began to "listen." After a while I knew that Jean and Angus were watching me, but it did

f the other sounds-the jingling of arms and chains and the creaking of leather one notices as troopers pass by. Armed and mounted men were coming toward me. That was what the sounds me

hard travel and fight. I did not know-or even ask myself-why they did not frighten me, but they did not. Suddenly I seemed to know that they were brave men and had been doing some brave, hard thing.

re him he held close with his left arm a pretty little girl dressed in strange, rich clothes. The big man's hand was pressed against her breast as he held her; but though it was a large hand,

ms, bent down and set her gently on her feet on the mossy earth in the mist beside me. I got up to greet her, and we stood smiling at each other. And in that moment as we

not really matter. It was in that way the thing happened, and it did not even seem strange to me. Anyt

r stand and look wonderingly at the dark-red stain on the embroideries on her childish breast. It was as if she were asking herself how it came there and

the mist lifted and the sun shone, and we were deep in a wonderful game of being hidden in a room in a castle because something strange was going to happen which we were not told

asked them, turning my

ely, and both of them were pal

he, Ysobel

ught to play with me," I ans

n-the big one with the star here." I touche

forgot himself. Yea

Glen," he broke out

hite-quite wh

did s

m, shaking arms and hugg

he will come again. She'll come often, I dare say. But she's gone

have asked one another questions as I rode on Sheltie's back, with Angus leading us. But they asked me nothi

glad," was

one brief que

to you, bair

te a long time. Then I shook my h

But I had known what she wanted me to understand, and she had known what I migh

leep; she was obliged to sit rather a long time, because I was so happy with my memories of Wee Brown Els

or she found me upon the moor; and often she appeared in my nursery in the castle. When we were together Jean Braidfute seemed to prefer that we should be alone, and was inclined to keep the under-nurse occupied in other parts of the wing I lived in. I never asked her to do this, but I was glad that it was done. Wee Elspeth was glad, too. After our first meeting she was dressed in soft blue or white, and the red stain was gone;