Suppose, by holding back Neil, the girl should have helped to hang her father, I thought she would never forgive herself this side of time.

And suppose there were others pursuing me that moment, what kind of a gift was I come bringing to Alan?
and how would I like that?
I was up with the west end of that wood when these two considerations struck me like a cudgel.

My feet stopped of themselves and my heart along with them.

"What wild game is this that I have been playing ?" thought I; and turned instantly upon my heels to go elsewhere.
This brought my face to Silvermills; the path came past the village with a crook, but all plainly visible; and, Highland or Lowland, there was nobody stirring.

Here was my advantage, here was just such a conjuncture as Stewart had counselled me to profit by, and I ran by the side of the mill-lade, fetched about beyond the east corner of the wood, threaded through the midst of it, and returned to the west selvage, whence I could again command the path, and yet be myself unseen.