I am not the sort of person to put up with that , my lad . '' The restrained power in his tone and look cowed Neil . The latter turned sullenly away , with another muttered curse , and plunged into the shadow of the firs . Eric , not a little ruffled under all his external composure by this most unexpected and unpleasant encounter , pursued his way along the lane which wound on by the belt of woodland in twist and curve to the Gordon homestead . His heart beat as he thought of Kilmeny . What might she not be suffering ? Doubtless Neil had given a very exaggerated and distorted account of what he had seen , and probably her dour relations were very angry with her , poor child . Anxious to avert their wrath as soon as might be , he hurried on , almost forgetting his meeting with Neil . The threats of the latter did not trouble him at all . He thought the angry outburst of a jealous boy mattered but little . What did matter was that Kilmeny was in trouble which his heedlessness had brought upon her . Presently he found himself before the Gordon house . It was an old building with sharp eaves and dormer windows , its shingles stained a dark gray by long exposure to wind and weather . Faded green shutters hung on the windows of the lower story . Behind it grew a thick wood of spruces . The little yard in front of it was grassy and prim and flowerless ; but over the low front door a luxuriant early-flowering rose vine clambered , in a riot of blood-red blossom which contrasted strangely with the general bareness of its surroundings . It seemed to fling itself over the grim old house as if intent on bombarding it with an alien life and joyousness . Eric knocked at the door , wondering if it might be possible that Kilmeny should come to it . But a moment later it was opened by an elderly woman -- a woman of rigid lines from the hem of her lank , dark print dress to the crown of her head , covered with black hair which , despite its few gray threads , was still thick and luxuriant . She had a long , pale face somewhat worn and wrinkled , but possessing a certain harsh comeliness of feature which neither age nor wrinkles had quite destroyed ; and her deep-set , light gray eyes were not devoid of suggested kindliness , although they now surveyed Eric with an unconcealed hostility .
Her figure , in its merciless dress , was very angular ; yet there was about her a dignity XXXXX carriage and manner which Eric liked .
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