“A’ thing to the p’int—wi’ me here to haud it richt atween ye.”
“Ca’ ye that haudin’ o’ ’t richt, to temp’ me to wrang ’im?” said Aggie, going steadily on at her gathering, while the grieve kept following her step by step.
“Ye’re unco short wi’ a body, Aggie!”
“I weel may be, whan a body wad hae me neglec’ my paid wark.”
“Weel, I reckon ye’re i’ the richt o’ ’t efter a’, sae I’ll jist fa’ tu, an’ len’ ye a han’.”
He had so far hindered her that Cosmo had gained a little; and now in pretending to help, he contrived to hinder her yet more. Still she kept near enough to Cosmo to prevent the grieve from saying much, and by and by he left her.
When they dropped work for the night, he would have accompanied her home, but she never left Cosmo’s side, and they went away together.
“Aggie,” said Cosmo, as soon as there was no one within hearing, “I dinna like that chield hingin’ aboot ye—glowerin’ at ye as gien he wad ate ye.”
“He winna du that, Cosmo; he’s ceevil eneuch.”
“Ye sud hae seen sae rouch as he was to Grizzie!”