natural hours； there was weariness enough in the work of the day to
prevent even David from reading； in the hours of bodily rest；
anything that necessitated mental labour。
Janet and Margaret betook themselves to the reaping…hook； and the
somewhat pale face of the latter needed but a single day to change
it to the real harvest huethe brown livery of Ceres。 But when the
oats were attacked； then came the tug of war。 The laird was in the
fields from morning to night； and the boys would not stay behind；
but； with their father's permission； much to the tutor's
contentment； devoted what powers they had to the gathering of the
fruits of the earth。 Hugh himself； whose strength had grown
amazingly during his stay at Turriepuffit； and who； though he was
quite helpless at the sickle； thought he could wield the scythe；
would not be behind。 Throwing off coat and waistcoat； and tying his
handkerchief tight round his loins； he laid hold on the emblematic
weapon of Time and Death； determined likewise to earn the name of
Reaper。 He took the last scythe。 It was desperate work for a
while； and he was far behind the first bout； but David； who was the
best scyther in the whole country side； and of course had the
leading scythe； seeing the tutor dropping behind； put more power to
his own arm； finished his own bout； and brought up Hugh's before the
others had done sharpening their scythes for the next。
〃Tak' care an' nae rax yersel' ower sair； Mr。 Sutherlan'。 Ye'll be
up wi' the best o' them in a day or twa； but gin ye tyauve at it
aboon yer strenth； ye'll be clean forfochten。 Tak' a guid sweep wi'
the scythe； 'at ye may hae the weicht o't to ca' through the strae；
an' tak' nae shame at bein' hindmost。 Here； Maggy； my doo； come an'
gather to Mr。 Sutherlan'。 Ane o' the young gentlemen can tak' your
place at the binin'。〃
The work of Janet and Margaret had been to form bands for the
sheaves； by folding together cunningly the heads of two small
handfuls of the corn； so as to make them long enough together to go
round the sheaf； then to lay this down for the gatherer to place
enough of the mown corn upon it； and last； to bind the band tightly
around by another skilful twist and an insertion of the ends； and so
form a sheaf。 From this work David called his daughter； desirous of
giving Hugh a gatherer who would not be disrespectful to his
awkwardness。 This arrangement； however； was far from pleasing to
some of the young men in the field； and brought down upon Hugh； who
was too hard…wrought to hear them at first； many sly hits of country
wit and human contempt。 There had been for some time great jealousy
of his visits at David's cottage； for Margaret； though she had very
little acquaintance with the young men of the neighbourhood； was
greatly admired amongst them； and not regarded as so far above the
station of many of them as to render aspiration useless。 Their
remarks to each other got louder and louder； till Hugh at last heard
some of them； and could not help being annoyed； not by their wit or
personality； but by the tone of contempt in which they were uttered。
〃Tak' care o' yer legs； sir。 It'll be ill cuttin' upo' stumps。〃
〃Fegs！ he's taen the wings aff o' a pairtrick。〃
〃Gin he gang on that get； he'll cut twa bouts at ance。〃
〃Ye'll hae the scythe ower the dyke； man。 Tak' tent。〃
〃Losh！ sir； ye've taen aff my leg at the hip！〃
〃Ye're shavin' ower close： ye'll draw the bluid； sir。〃
〃Hoot； man！ lat alane。 The gentleman's only mista'en his trade； an'
imaigins he's howkin' a grave。〃
And so on。 Hugh gave no further sign of hearing their remarks than
lay in increased exertion。 Looking round； however； he saw that
Margaret was vexed； evidently not for her own sake。 He smiled to
her； to console her for his annoyance； and then； ambitious to remove
the cause of it； made a fresh exertion； recovered all his distance；
and was in his own place with the best of them at the end of the
bout。 But the smile that had passed between them did not escape
unobserved； and he had aroused yet more the wrath of the youths； by
threatening soon to rival them in the excellencies to which they had
an especial claim。 They had regarded him as an interloper； who had
no right to captivate one of their rank by arts beyond their reach；
but it was still less pardonable to dare them to a trial of skill
with their own weapons。 To the fire of this jealousy； the
admiration of the laird added fuel； for he was delighted with the
spirit with which Hugh laid himself to the scythe。 But all the
time； nothing was further from Hugh's thoughts than the idea of
rivalry with them。 Whatever he might have thought of Margaret in
relation to himself； he never thought of her； though labouring in
the same field with them； as in the least degree belonging to their
class； or standing in any possible relation to them； except that of
a common work。
In ordinary； the labourers would have had sufficient respect for
Sutherland's superior position； to prevent them from giving such
decided and articulate utterance to their feelings。 But they were
incited by the presence and example of a man of doubtful character
from the neighbouring village； a travelled and clever ne'er…do…weel；
whose reputation for wit was equalled by his reputation for courage
and skill； as well as profligacy。 Roused by the effervescence of
his genius； they went on from one thing to another； till Hugh saw it
must be put a stop to somehow； else he must abandon the field。 They
dared not have gone so far if David had been present； but he had
been called away to superintend some operations in another part of
the estate； and they paid no heed to the expostulations of some of
the other older men。 At the close of the day's work； therefore；
Hugh walked up to this fellow； and said：
〃I hope you will be satisfied with insulting me all to…day； and
leave it alone to…morrow。〃
The man replied； with an oath and a gesture of rude contempt；
〃I dinna care the black afore my nails for ony skelp…doup o' the lot
o' ye。〃
Hugh's highland blood flew to his brain； and before the rascal
finished his speech； he had measured his length on the stubble。 He
sprang to his feet in a fury； threw off the coat which he had just
put on； and darted at Hugh； who had by this time recovered his
coolness； and was besides； notwithstanding his unusual exertions；
the more agile of the two。 The other was heavier and more powerful。
Hugh sprang aside； as he would have done from the rush of a bull；
and again with a quick blow felled his antagonist。 Beginning rather
to enjoy punishing him； he now went in for it； and； before the other
would yield； he had rendered his next day's labour somewhat
doubtful。 He withdrew； with no more injury to himself than a little
water would remove。 Janet and Margaret had left the field before he
addressed the man。
He went borne and to bedmore weary than he had ever been in his
life。 Before he went to sleep； however； he made up his mind to say
nothing of his encounter to David； but to leave him to hear of it
from other sources。 He could not help feeling a little anxious as
to his judgment upon it。 That the laird would approve； he hardly
doubted； but for his opinion he cared very little。
〃Dawvid； I wonner at ye；〃 said Janet to her husband； the moment he
came home； 〃to lat the young lad warstle himsel' deid that get wi' a
scythe。 His banes is but saft yet； There wasna a dry steek on him
or he wan half the lenth o' the first bout。 He's sair disjaskit；
I'se warran'。〃
〃Nae fear o' him； Janet； it'll do him guid。 Mr。 Sutherland's no
feckless winlestrae o' a creater。 Did he haud his ain at a' wi' the
lave？〃
〃Haud his ain！ Gin he be fit for onything the day； he maun be
pitten neist yersel'； or he'll cut the legs aff o' ony ither man i'
the corn。〃
A glow of pleasure mantled in Margaret's face at her mother's praise
of Hugh。 Janet went on：
〃But I was jist clean affronted wi' the way 'at the young chields
behaved themselves till him。〃
〃I thocht I heard a toot…moot o' that kin' afore I left； but I
thocht it better to tak' nae notice o't。 I'll be wi' ye a' day the
morn though； an' I'm thinkin' I'll clap a rouch han' on their mou's
'at I hear ony mair o't frae。〃
But there was no occasion for interference on David's part。 Hugh
made his appearancenot； it is true； with the earliest in the
hairst…rig； but after breakfast with the laird； who was delighted
with the way in which he had handled his scythe the day before； and
felt twice the respect for him in consequence。 It must be confessed
he felt very stiff； but the best treatment for stiffness being the
hom渙pathic one of more work； he had soon restored the elasticity of
his muscles； and lubricated his aching joints。 His antagonist of
the foregoing evening was nowhere to be seen； and the rest of the
young men were shame…faced and respectful enough。
David； having learned from some of the spectators the facts of the
combat； suddenly； as they were walking home together； held out his
hand to Hugh； shook his hard； and said：
〃Mr。 Sutherlan'； I'm sair obleeged to ye for giein' that vratch；
Jamie Ogg； a guid doonsettin'。 He