This noun for gleam or shine has a Scottish meaning of glance.  Here’s that crossover again between the light and the view of the light – Aha!  the verb “glint” – to shine with a flashing light – has a Scottish meaning of quick movement, specifically including a quick movement of the eyes, therefore to peep.

The word comes from “glent”, a lovely obscure word for quick motion, related to glide, slide and here’s a clue!

The original sense is probably that of quick motion, the application to light being secondary;

Quick motion of light.  There we go.

• 06.067 Also he could see the glint of the moon
• 08.071 and white gems glinted on their collars
• 13.009 there was a pale white glint,
• 13.018 they caught a glint
• 13.019 shot with glints of the rainbow.
• 16.036 in a net woven of the glint of frosty stars.

“glint, n.1.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.

“glint, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.