224 Winter 



would hinder him from keeping his word, 'not a 

 penny will you get from me.' 



The truth was that he had quite another scheme 

 in his head. Why should Kitty look beyond his son 

 Aleck ? True, they were cousins, but the prejudice 

 against cousins marrying was not strong in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and then what advantages there were ! 

 Kate was a splendid manager, and Aleck, though he 

 had not his father's spirit and cleverness, was a hard 

 worker and very careful, too careful, some people said, 

 for, whereas his father was only keen and saving, he 

 was as mean and hard as a miser. But in match- 

 making these are not defects to make a party in- 

 eligible, and, best of all, thought Adam, 'there'll be 

 no need to divide the money.' And accordingly he 

 spared no effort to enforce his will, so that poor Kitty 

 had a hard time of it, what with her uncle's threats 

 and the no more agreeable persuasions of her money- 

 grubbing suitor. Yet she was far too spirited to 

 yield, and in her inmost mind was resolved to have 

 both the sweetheart and the money, for who needed it 

 if not careless, squandering Willie ? 



It was no fault in her eyes that her lover cared 

 nothing whatever for her fortune, though she would 

 scold and rate him well for his indifference. One 

 winter night as she was returning from a neighbouring 

 village about three miles off, to which she had been 

 sent by her uncle, Willie quite accidentally met her, 

 and they had a happy walk homeward along a lane 



