"The deil's aye kind to his ain.
Haste ye back, Mem, and be sure I'll tak' guid care o' your leddy cousin." The proper way to the Mains of Garple was either by the station and the Ayr road, or by the Auchenlochan highway, branching off half a mile beyond the Garple bridge.

But Dickson, who had been studying the map and fancied himself as a pathfinder, chose the direct route across the Long Muir as being at once shorter and more sequestered.

With the dawn the wind had risen again, but it had shifted towards the north-west and was many degrees colder.

The mist was furling on the hills like sails, the rain had ceased, and out at sea the eye covered a mile or two of wild water.

The moor was drenching wet, and the peat bogs were brimming with inky pools, so that soon the travellers were soaked to the knees.