White Wings, Volume III

room where the two women were standing at the open window. He was flourishing a newspaper in his hand; delight, sarcasm, and desperate humour shone in his face. He would not notice that Q

the atmosphere of the room seemed to wake up into cheerfulness and life. "Have I

d at once dived into the mass of newspapers, and had succeeded in fishing out the report of the last meeting

e signal and able manner in which the fire brigade had done their duty on the previous Saturday at the great conflagration in Coulterside buildings; and he referred especially to the immense assistance given by the new fire engine recently purchased by the

rowned at t

e is talking Latin?" he as

inued his readin

d their efficiency in so distinct a manner, considering the outlay that had been incurred; and that now the inhabitants of the Burgh would perceive the

tions. They were making a great deal of noise about nothing. The fire was no fire at all; a servant-girl could have put it out with a pail. He had come from Glasgow by the eleven o'clock 'bus, and there was then not a trace of a f

d aloud in his joy; the mere reading of the ex

growlin', fashious crayture! He thinks there could not be any fire, just because he

he had given way too much to his love of pure and pith

ld not share the expense of maintaining the fire brigade. That was most proper-most judeecious. I'm thinking that after dinner I could not do

h our letters," said his hostess, turning away

the piano, s

it will sou

full and beautiful after our long listening to the monotonous rush of the sea. Then she put her h

le did my

st she c

must put a brave face on it. If the autumn kills the garden, it glorifies

, yes, we will show Miss Mary Loch Hourn; she will get some material for sketches there, depend on't. Just the

ania had uttered a slight exclamation as she glance

riedly opened one of the envelopes

ve, and inadvertently

he said, "he was t

ked at

he, and then she examined the letter furth

an whistling the air that his hostess had been playing. He turned over his let

teach ye the comparateevely trifling impor

letters about, only r

inner-time; our good friends will not ask us to dress on an evening like this, just before we have got everything on shore. Twenty-five meenutes, ma'am? Very well. If anybody has been abusing me in my absence, we'll listen to the poor fellow af

seemed t

h o' them. From what I hear, they are mostly given over to riding horses, and shooting pheasants, and what not. But never mind. I

obediently; and together t

to suggest to any one that anything had happened. It was not until many days afterwards that we obtained, bit by bit, an account of what had occurred, and e

were plenty of other flowers to take their place. Then he thought he and she might go and sit on a seat which was placed under a drooping ash i

old man, and speak frankly to ye. I have been wat

egged to draw his attention to the yacht in the bay, w

tain night on Loch Leven, and of a promise he had then made her. Would he be fulfilling that solemn undertaking if he did no

ulfilled. She was not in trouble. She hoped no one thought that. Everything that had happened was for the best. And

ossibilities that he, the Laird, had been dreaming about with the fond fancy of an old man. And rather timidly he asked her-if it were true that she thought everything had happened for the best-whether, after al

y earnest. She assured him that that was quite impossible. It was ho

racelets were stolen! Then what does she do? Would ye believe it? She goes and quarrels with that young Prince, and tells him to go away and fight his battles for himself, and never to come back and see her any more-just as if any one could fight a battle wi' a sore heart. Oh, she was a wicked, wicked lass, to be so proud as that, when she had many friends that would willingly have helped her.... Sit down, my girl, sit down, my girl, never mind the dinner; they can wait for us.... Well, ye see, the story goes on that there was an old man-a foolish old man-they used to laugh at him, because of his fine fishing-tackle, and the very few fish he caught wi' the tackle-and this doited old body was always intermeddling in other people's business. And w

with the hand that held hers. At last she

ou will not do that! Yo

-the Laird rose too, and still held he

e. "Foolish lass! Com

at could she perceive? Mary Avon was somewhat pale, and she was silent: but that had been her way of late. As for the Laird, he ca

ingle house in all Scotland where ye will not find an engraving of

he library. He would venture upon a small cigar. His sole companion was the person whose humble duty in

egs, lit his cigar, and held it at arm's length, as if i

iss Mary's American stock, eh?" said he, preten

es

t wa

Five p

about the val

h, perhaps 1

scoondrel carried away with him were to be sold the n

quired some

y about

ecause I was wondering whether the

nk-notes-more useful indeed, to

f the air of Queen's Maries that he returned to that performance. Oddly enough, howev

d strong. Seven thousand, three hundred. Girls are strange craytures. I remember what that young Doctor w

ueen's Maries

hat will not do. My neighbours in Strathgovan will never say that I deserted them, just when great improvements and serious work have to be looked forward to. I will not have i

aird

in the garden now: i

suddenly to perceive a pair of s

and then he added carelessly, "What bank

on and We

he emphatically. "I wonder ye do not take