That a man of Carriston’s rank, breeding and should meet his fate within the walls of a lonely farm-house, beyond the Trossachs, seems incredible. One would scarcely expect to find among such surroundings a wife suitable to a man of his stamp. And yet when I saw the woman who had won him I neither wondered at the conquest nor did I blame him for weakness.  
I made the great discovery on the morning after my arrival. Eager to taste the freshness of the morning air, I rose betimes and went for a short stroll. I returned, and whilst at the door of the house, was startled by the beauty of a girl who passed me and entered, as if she was a regular inhabitant of the place. Not a lassie, such as one would expect to find to the soil; but a slim, girl, with delicate classical features. A girl with a mass of knotted light hair, yet with the apparent anomaly, dark eyes, eyelashes, and eyebrows—a combination which, to my mind, makes a style of beauty rare, , and dangerous above all others. The features which filled the oval of her face were refined and faultless. Her was pale, but its pallor in no way suggested anything save perfect health. To cut my enthusiastic description short, I may at once say it has never been my good fortune to cast my eyes on a lovelier creature than this young girl.
 
Although her dress was of the plainest and simplest[219] description, no one could have mistaken her for a servant; and much as I admire the bonny, healthy Scotch country lassie, I felt sure that mountain air had never reared a being of this ethereally beautiful type. As she passed me I raised my hat . She her golden head, and bade me a quiet but unembarrassed good-morning. My eyes followed her until she vanished at the end of the dark passage which led to the back of the house.
 
Even during the brief glimpse I enjoyed of this fair unknown a strange idea occurred to me. There was a between her delicate features and those, scarcely less delicate, of Carriston. This resemblance may have added to the interest the girl’s appearance awoke in my mind. Any way I entered our , and, a to curiosity, and perhaps, hunger, awaited with much the appearance of Carriston—and breakfast.
 
The former arrived first. Generally speaking he was afoot long before I was, but t............