"
So he remained where he was, and the general heart of the Seaton was
not a little revived by the return of one whose presence reminded
them of a better time, when no such cloud as now threatened them
heaved its ragged sides above their horizon.
The factor was foolish enough to attempt inducing Meg to send her
guest away.
"We want no landloupin' knaves, old or young, about Lossie," he
said. "If the place is no keepit dacent, we'll never get the young
marchioness to come near's again."
"'Deed, factor," returned Meg, enhancing the force of her utterance
by a composure marvellous from it's rarity, "the first thing to
mak' the place--I'll no say dacent, sae lang there's sae mony
claverin' wives in't, but mair dacent nor it has been for the last
ten year, wad be to sen' factors back whaur they cam' frae."
"And whaur may that be?" asked Mr Crathie.
"That's mair nor I richtly can say," answered Meg Partan, "but auld
farand fouk threepit it was somewhaur 'ithin the swing o' Sawtan's
tail."
The reply on the factor's lips as he left the house, tended to
justify the rude sarcasm.
CHAPTER LVI: MID OCEAN
There came a breath of something in the east. It was neither wind
nor warmth. It was light before it is light to the eyes of men.
Slowly and slowly it grew, until, like the dawning soul in the
face of one who lies in a faint, the life of light came back to
the world, and at last the whole huge hollow hemisphere of rushing
sea and cloud flecked sky lay like a great empty heart, waiting,
in conscious glory of the light, for the central glory, the coming
lord of day.
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