"She maunna lat it pass."
"It was a lee! It was a lee!" gasped Elsie.
Cosmo ran, and from the top of the rise called aloud,
"Aggie! Aggie! come back."
Beyond her he saw another country girl approaching, but took little
heed of her. Aggie turned at his call, and came to him quickly.
"She confesses it's a lee, Aggie," he said.
"She wadna, gien she hadna seen I was gaein' straucht til her
father!" returned Agnes.
"I daursay; but God only kens hoo to mak the true differ 'atween
what we du o' oorsel's, an' what we're gart. We maun hae mercy, an'
i' the meantime she's ashamed eneuch. At least she has the luik o'
't."
"It's ae thing to be ashamed 'cause ye hae dune wrang, an' anither
to be ashamed 'cause ye're f'un' oot!"
"Ay; but there compassion comes in to fill up; an' whan ye treat a
body wi' generosity, the hert wauks up to be worthy o' 't."
"Cosmo, ye ken maist aboot the guid in fowk, an' I ken maist aboot
the ill," said Aggie.
Here the young woman who had been nearing them scarce observed
while they talked, came up, and they turning to go back to Elsie,
where she still stood motionless, followed them at her own pace
behind.
"I beg yer pardon, Aggie," said Elsie, holding out her hand. "I was
ill-natert, an' said the thing wasna true. My father says there
isna a better gatherer i' the countryside nor yersel'." Aggie took
her offered hand and said,
"Lat by-ganes be by-ganes.
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