‘So you will.  I wish I could give it to you,’ cried Walter quickly.

’Do you?  You are very good.  You have always been so good and kind to me, Walter,’ she said dreamily.  ’Yes, that is Bourhill; and just think, you can see the sea from it—­the real sea, which I have never seen in my life.’

‘You’ll get everything and see everything you want soon,’ he said in a quiet, dull voice; ‘and then you’ll forget all that went before.’

‘We shall see.’

She was hurt by the abrupt coldness of his manner, and, having her own pride of spirit, did not seek to hide it.

’See, that is Mossgiel there, and we have no time to go up.  I think Mr. Fordyce said we must turn here,’ she said, changing the subject, woman-like, when it did not please her.  ’But when it is summer you and I will come to Mauchline for a day together, and gather some daisies from the field where Burns wrote his poem to the daisy—­that is,’ she added, with a smile, ’if you are not disagreeable, which I must say, Walter, you are to-day—­most disagreeable indeed.’

She turned and looked at him then for a moment with an earnest, somewhat critical look, and she saw a tall, slender youth, whose figure had not attained to its full breadth and stature, but whose face—­grave, earnest, noble, even—­spoke of the experience of life.  These two years had done much for Walter Hepburn, and she became aware of it suddenly, and with secret amazement.

‘Why do you look at me like that?’ he asked almost angrily.  ’Is there anything the matter with my clothes?’

’No, nothing, you cross boy.  I was only thinking that you had grown to be a man without any warning, and I am not sure that I did not like you better as a boy.’

‘That is more than likely,’ he answered, not in the least gently; but Gladys only smiled.  Her faith in him was so boundless and so perfect that she never misunderstood him.  In her deep heart she guessed that the shadow of the coming parting lay heavy on his soul.  It lay on hers likewise, but was brightened in some subtle fashion by a lovely hope which she did not understand nor seek to analyse, but which seemed to link the troubled past and the unknown future by a band of gold.  Wherever she might go, or whatever might become of her, she could never lose Walter out of her life.  It was the love of the child merging into the mysterious hope of the woman, but she did not understand it yet.  Had he known even in part how she felt, it had saved him many a bitter hour; but as yet that solace was denied him.  That hot, rebellious young heart must needs go through the very furnace of pain to bring forth its fulness of sweetness and strength.

As the two came side by side up the middle of the village street, the lawyer and the minister stood upon the steps at the inn door.

‘Is it a case of love’s young dream?’ asked the latter significantly.

Mr. Fordyce laughed as he shook his head.