A scarlet bootie
shawl covered her shoulders. In her hand she carried a basket
filled with kitchen vegetables from the farm.
As we walked our attention was directed to a number of fishing
boats putting out to sea, and to the slow and mournful song of the
fishermen as they set out, with the creaking of their long oars
keeping time to the music of their voices. Then the red mainsails
were hoisted to catch the light breeze blowing over from the region
of the setting sun, and we stood and watched the boats.
But presently, as I looked further down the hillside where we were,
I saw the figure of a man leaning upon a low stone wall. He was
looking across to the wild headland of Hoy, where the red beetling
cliffs reflected the sunlight.
"Jessie," I said, "is that Captain Gordon standing down there?"
Jessie turned her eyes in the direction I pointed, and her cheeks
were flushed with the red light that fell upon them.
"Oh, Halcro!" she exclaimed, "I've forgotten to bring the butter.
We must go back to the farm."
"Never mind, Jessie; I'll run back for it," I said, though I would
have been glad to see the captain again.
She, however, made no objection, but let me go back to Lyndardy,
while she continued her way towards Stromness.
I had been gone something like a half hour, and as I was returning,
walking briskly over the heathery braes and skipping across the
rippling burns, down the hillside in front of me I saw Jessie
standing with Captain Gordon, and his arm was round her waist.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193