Begins today :sx dramatic story of a Scots girl sold as a slave .sx A GIFT FOR THE SULTAN .sx THAT Scottish autumn of 1767 was a cold one .sx Ice rarely melted in the rutted country lanes , and the fields and hills were permanently blanketed in thick , white frost .sx Winter would come early and stay long , and in a country poverty-stricken since the disastrous uprising , the prospect was grim indeed .sx With strange English landlords usurping their chieftains' seats , the scattered clansmen were gradually deprived of home and hope .sx Sheep were a paying proposition , men were not , so the new " lairds " wanted land .sx By paying starvation prices for their tenants' crops , and cruelly raising the cost of food and fuel and rents , they got it .sx Faced with eviction and worse , men despairing of their children's future turned in their thousands to the bright New World that beckoned from across the sea .sx It was heartbreaking to go , but worse to stay , and soon every district had its share of deserted cottages and crofts .sx Even in the tiny Aberdeenshire village of Mill o' Steps there were smokeless chimneys and blank , unlighted doorways .sx But the windows of the blacksmith's cottage on that cold September night glowed warm and welcoming .sx In the living-room a blazing peat fire lit up the red-gold hair of a young girl who stirred an iron soup-kettle at the enormous hearth .sx She was listening with more amusement than respect to the old woman who sat hunched beside her , staring into the flames .sx " You can laugh , my girl , " the other reproved her .sx " But the day will come when you'll remember what I tell you now .sx You'll stand where eagles fly- " From the scullery there came a sudden angry snort , and an irritable voice called :sx " Will you stop this nonsense at once , Morag Paterson ?sx " But the woman at the fire ignored her , and pressed on unperturbed in her droning sing-song voice .sx " You'll stand where no woman ever stood- and be in mortal danger for it .sx And all about you there'll be cruelty undreamed of , and those who would kill you if they could .sx But there's love undreamed of for you , too , and some who'll live to serve you and die to prove it .sx You'll walk with a man beside you that men bow down to- " " Mistress Paterson !sx " the girl protested laughingly .sx But the other nodded her head solemnly .sx " Aye , it's the truth .sx And you'll be so high and mighty- " " She's that already !sx " The exasperated speaker appeared in the doorway .sx " Will you stop filling her head with such blether ?sx " she demanded .sx " Blether , is it , Jessie Gloag ?sx " retorted the other , stung .sx " And who was it sent for me to come and say what lies ahead ?sx Blether , indeed !sx " She turned to stare into the fire again .sx Quietly she said :sx " Nay , but it's true .sx She'll wear silks and laces and ride where others will walk , and we that hear of it will marvel at what comes to pass .sx " THE girl beside her laughed again , her green eyes dancing in the firelight .sx " Och , Mistress Paterson- you should be telling fortunes at a fair !sx " she teased .sx " It's rich you'd soon be , with such fine fates for the asking !sx " Old Morag shrugged , but before she could say more the woman she called Jessie turned on the younger one .sx " What ails you , girl ?sx " she snapped .sx " Himself will be in this instant and never a drop of hot water to be had .sx Will you fetch the bucket at once !sx " With a toss of her head , the girl flounced past her .sx " Say 'if you please' and I'll maybe send you a jewel from my crown , " she mocked and went , slamming the door behind her .sx Jessie's face darkened and the older woman eyed her shrewdly .sx " Don't be so hard on the lass , Jessie .sx It's envy that ails you- envy that your man had a child by the wife before you .sx But there'll be sons for you- aye , and happiness , too- when Helen's gone from your sight .sx " She sighed and turned back to the fire .sx " And that will be much sooner than you're thinking .sx " " It'll not come soon enough for me , " retorted the other ungraciously , and turned as Helen entered to berate her for leaving the outside door ajar .sx " I left it for himself , " the girl replied , her manner suddenly oddly subdued .sx " He and Uncle Donald are just coming .sx " She had moved the soup-kettle to one side and now began to fill the cauldron on the hob .sx But at the sound of footsteps on the path outside she half turned to the doorway , slopping the water badly as she did so .sx " Land sakes , will you look what you're about !sx " her irate stepmother exploded , as Andrew Gloag entered the room .sx " Och , hold your whisht , woman , " he said irritably .sx " We'll have none of you scowls and scolds on my brother's last night with his family .sx " Flushing , she turned on him .sx But before she could retort , she saw him slump heavily into a chair , and there was something in his attitude that silenced her .sx Watching him from the fireside , Helen was suddenly wildly elated .sx Forcing herself to be calm , she set the bucket down carefully and then stood to face him , her hands pressed together to still their trembling .sx For a long moment he sat silent and she glanced nervously at the young man who had followed him in .sx Reassured by his nod , she waited to meet her father's gaze , steeling herself against the remorse she knew she would feel at hurting him .sx AT last , with a shake of his head , Andrew raised his eyes to hers .sx " It's really what you want , lass ?sx " he said quietly .sx And , seeing the answer so clearly in her face , added in the same tone :sx " Then that will be the way of it .sx " " America !sx " she breathed , and for a moment could not make herself consider how her delight must wound him , compunction killed by the realisation of a thousand dreams .sx " You're sure you know what you're about , lass ?sx " he said , eyeing her searchingly .sx " Turning your back on all you've ever known- have you thought you'll likely never see your family or friends again ?sx " " I know it all , father .sx But I must go- I must go !sx " He sighed heavily .sx " And you will leave with Donald in the morning ?sx " " If you will let me .sx " FOR Jessie , this sudden turn of events seemed too good to be true .sx But as she saw the dispirited sag of her husband's shoulders she forced herself to speak to Helen .sx " You've no call to be leaving home , " she said , and flushed as she added , " if it's ought that I've said or done- " But old Morag cut across her words .sx " The kitchen's not been built that will hold two women- it's not your fault or the lass's .sx And don't you glare at me , Andrew Gloag !sx Your girl is seventeen and she'd be away from home soon enough , one way or the other .sx " Donald spoke for the first time .sx " She'll take no harm with me , Andrew .sx I'm sure you know it .sx " " Och , man , don't speak of it , " his brother answered .sx With an effort he smiled , and it broke the tension .sx Helen crossed to him and , in a rare show of affection , bent to kiss his cheek .sx " Uncle Donald must have someone to cook and clean and keep house for him , " she said eagerly .sx " And maybe he'll make a fine fortune and marry- and then he can buy me a passage to come back to see you .sx " She glanced hopefully at Morag , expecting support .sx But the old woman turned again to stare into the fire .sx " All that's as maybe , " she said flatly .sx " But you'll not change what's to come , though you talk till you drop .sx You'll follow the path that's been laid for you- aye , and Donald will follow his .sx " Sleep was a long time coming to Helen that night .sx There had been so much to talk about , so much to plan .sx It was only when she was alone at last in the curtained comfort of her wall cot that she could think at all clearly .sx She had grown up in the knowledge that a large part of her father's fondness for her was on account of her remarkable likeness to the mother she had hardly known .sx Now she suddenly saw that her absence might well be the best thing for them all .sx She had been touched and troubled by Jessie's obvious effort at conciliation , and knew it for what it was- a gesture of self-sacrifice for the man she loved .sx The evening's excitement seemed somehow to have brought a sharper awareness of her own thoughts and emotions , and now , ashamed , she realised that she had never before given a moment's consideration to Jessie's .sx It could not have been easy to try to take the place of an adored memory .sx And with a spoiled child to contend with as well , it must have seemed an almost hopeless task .sx She flushed suddenly in the darkness , remembering the times without number when she had deliberately scored off the young stepmother , childishly flaunting her ability to wheedle all she wanted from her doting father .sx She could see again Jessie's odd , strained expression at such times- and suddenly she recalled another face , another expression , and her cheeks grew even hotter .sx Uncle Donald .sx SEVERAL times in recent weeks she had caught his thoughtful , measuring gaze on her after some sharp exchange between herself and Jessie , and now she suddenly knew without any doubt that this was his reason for taking her away .sx Not because he needed her or particularly wanted her company , but because he thought the situation unfair to Jessie .sx It was Jessie who awakened her in the morning- a strangely different , quieter Jessie .sx For the moment , they were alone :sx the two men were over at the smithy and old Morag was washing at the pump in the yard .sx In the light of her new understanding , Helen would have dearly liked to take advantage of the moment and wipe out all past trouble between them .sx But in her inexperience she found it difficult even to act at all naturally .sx Then Jessie placed a bowl of porridge on the table and pushed Helen's own horn spoon towards it , and this small courtesy undid them both .sx After mumbling her thanks , the younger woman sat red-faced and unmoving until the other suddenly said in a tired voice :sx " I've not been much of a mother to you , Helen .sx You'd not be wanting to go away from your home if I had .sx " " It's not that , " Helen said lamely , then tried again :sx " I've not been much of a daughter to you , come to that .sx " JESSIE appeared not to have heard .sx " I meant to be , dear knows .sx There were plenty to say I'd rue the day , but I wouldn't listen .sx So certain sure I was that God had put me here on earth to care for Andrew Gloag and his child that nobody could tell me different .sx And now just look what it's come to !sx " She sat down suddenly and faced Helen across the table .sx " You'll break his heart if you go , you know that ?sx " Helen shook her head , all uncertainty amazingly gone .sx " No .sx I thought about it , last night .sx I think it's best for everybody .sx " As Jessie looked at her oddly , she hurried on :sx " I realised a lot of things , last night .sx Things I should have thought of sooner .sx " Embarrassed , she said :sx " I was thinking , you couldn't have been much above my age when- when you- " She broke off .sx She could not have said " married my father " for the life of her .sx She knew what marriage entailed , and only now did it occur to her that there could have been little of true marriage between Andrew Gloag and his second wife .sx " I was sixteen , " said Jessie , quietly .sx " Sixteen !sx " Helen repeated , startled .sx From the doorway , old Morag said :sx " Aye , but she'll not be twice that before she's bouncing her first-born on her knee .sx " " Don't talk so daft , woman !sx " Jessie said , with a return of her old spirit .sx