DeepinherheartJanetBalchrystiecherishedagreatambition。Whentheearliestblackbirdawokeandbegantosing，whileitwasyetgraytwilight，Janetwouldbeupandatherwork。Shehadanambitiontobeagreatpoet。Nolessthanthiswouldserveher。Butnotevenherfatherhadknown，andnootherhadanychanceofknowing。Intheblackleatherchest，whichhadbeenhermother’s，upstairs，therewasaslowlygrowingpileofmanuscript，andtheeditorofthelocalpaperreceivedeveryotherweekapoem，longerorshorter，forhisPoet’sCorner，inanenvelopewiththeNewDalrypostmark。Hewasanobligingeditor，andgenerallygavethecloselywrittenmanuscripttotheseniorofficeboy，whohadpassedthesixthstandard，tocutdown，tinkertherhymes，andlopeanysuperfluityoffeet。Theseniorofficeboy\"justspreadhimself，\"ashesaid，anddelightedtodothejobinstyle。Buttherewasawomanfadingintoagrayold-maidishnesswhichhadhardlyeverbeengirlhood，whodidnotatallapproveofthesecorrections。Sheenduredthembecauseoverthesignatureof\"HeatherBell\"itwasajoytoseeintherich，closeluxuryoftypeherownpoetry，eventhoughitmightbeatrifletatteredandtossedaboutbyhandsruthlessandalien——those，infact，oftheseniorofficeboy。
Janetwalkedeveryotherweektothepost-officeatNewDalrytopostherletterstotheeditor，butneitherthegreatmannoryettheseniorofficeboyhadanyconceptionthattheversesoftheir\"esteemedcorrespondent\"werewrittenbyawomantooearlyoldwhodweltaloneatthebackofBarbraxLongWood。
OnedayJanettookasuddenbutlong-meditatedjourney。ShewentdownbyrailfromthelittlestationofTheHutstothelargetownofDrum，thirtymilestotheeast。Here，withthemostperfectcourageanddignityofbearing，sheinterviewedaprinterandarrangedforthepublicationofherpoemsintheirownoriginalform，nolongerstaledandclapper-clawedbythepenciloftheseniorofficeboy。Whentheproof-sheetscametoJanet，shehadnowayofindicatingthecorrectionsbutbyagainwritingthewholepoemoutinaneatprinthandontheedgeoftheproof，andunderscoringthewordswhichweretobealtered。This，whenyouthinkofit，isaverygoodway，whenthehappiestpartofyourlifeistobespentinsuchconcretepleasuresofhope，asJanet’swereoverthecracklysheetsoftheprinterofDrum。Finallythebookwasproduced，asmallratherthickishoctavo，onsufficientlywretchedgraypaperwhichhadsufferedfromwantofthoroughwashingintheoriginalpaper-mill。Itwasboundinapeculiarlydeadlyblue，ofarectifiedReckitttint，whichgaveyoudazzlesintheeyeatanydistanceundertenpaces。
Janethadselectedthisasthemostappropriateofcolours。Shehadalsomanyyearsagodecideduponthetitle，sothatReckitthadprinteduponit，backandside，\"TheHeatherLintie，\"whileinsidetherewastheacknowledgmentofauthorship，whichJanetfelttobeasolemndutytotheworld：\"PoemsbyJanetBalchrystie，BarbraxCottage，byNewDalry。\"Firstshehadthoughtofwithholdinghernameandstyle;but，onthewhole，afterthemostprolongedconsideration，shefeltthatshewasnotjustifiedinbringingaboutsuchacontroversyasdividedScotlandconcerningthat\"GreatUnknown\"whowrotetheWaverleyNovels。
AlmosteverysecondorthirddayJanettrodthatlonglochsideroadtoNewDalryforherproof-sheets，andreturnedthemonthemorrowcorrectedinherownway。Sometimesshegotaliftfromsomefarmerorcarter，forshehadwornherselfwithanxietytotheshadowofwhatshehadoncebeen，andherdrybleachedhairbecamegrayandgrayerwiththefervourofherdevotiontoletters。