The Last of Their Race

hing with his chubby hands at the side of his cage and smiling

id Isla forget him,

d his cheek was laid against hers with a coo of delight. Elspeth stood smilin

asier," she said quaintly. "It's not for me to say, put I whiles think that if there had peen ither laddies

tle bairns," she said with a sigh. "My life-work is cut out plainly enough--

b," said Elspeth with such yearning in her eyes that Isla, feeling her composure

-he would make money by it. It's the clever

hands. It makes up for the gift of the gab which he hass not got. I never saw a

Eppie. Don't you ever miscall D

which hid a tear. "Good-bye, Miss Isla, my ponnie dear, and may t

y, not daring to trust h

of the islands of the western seas, owned by kinsfolk of the Achree Mackinnons, and h

nd with a wave of the hand dismissed the dogs, who went off with hanging heads, as if they were conscious of having missed something in their walk. They knew--for there are few people wiser than the dumb creatures t

them rather worn and bare, as it was a long time since a Mackinnon had stalked a deer in the forest of Achree. Some fine antlered heads stood out upon the wall between the stout wooden beams that supported it and were now black with

became a winding one leading to all sorts of nooks and crannies having small and unexpected landings, with doors opening abruptly off them--a bewildering house, and very "ill-convenient" to quote once more the langu

ease God," she said under her breath, as she cas

he faded red-baize door that shut off the servants

unch time, Diarmid?" she s

er by the library fire, Miss Isla," said the

was in reality genuine and valuable furniture of the Chippendale period. Many old and very discoloured family portraits covered the walls, and the carpet, once a

t be--and on most occasions it was simple enough--the table was always so laid that the best in the land could have been welcomed to it w

gainst it, spoke to the old man who had serve

Mr. Malcolm, Diarmid.

suddenly, so that the glasses r

ishly. "But why will he come home? Is

ling you, because you love us all so much and understan

Malcolm comes home he comes hom

home on furlough. We must make up something

ere in the glen, for sure he is a great big, strong gentleman--glory

ly. "My head aches and aches with thinking. I sometimes w

go down upon the glen for efer and efe

hind the house; he had watched her grow from sweet girlhood to womanhood, and his heart had rebelled against the hardness of her destiny. She had never had her due. Other

he worshipped had fallen asleep over the affairs of Achree. Of late, his rebellion had become acute. In the silence of his dingy pantry he ha

is only home on furlough," she pursued. "I must make it right with

Mr. Malcolm, he is

re, I must guard my tongue. The days are very dark over Achre

Keep up your brave heart, Miss Isla. I haf seen it fery dark over the loch of a morning, and

Achree. His hands trembled very much as he proceeded with his table duties, while his young mistress made her way across the hall again to the library, a queer little octagon room on the south side of the house, with no view to speak of from its high

late, and seldom caring to ascend the winding

chair--principally because there were very few of the other sort in the old Castle of Achree, and because there was no money to buy them with, but she could see the droop of the shoulders as they rested against the small cushion that she had filled with down to give him a little ease. He wore a velvet sk

n his full complement of hearts. Even now the classic outline of his face was plainly discernible, and he reminded one of some old war-hor

ather?" asked Isla's

et with that fine courtesy towards

in gentle repr

can keep your fine manners for the great ladies who never, never now come to Achree. Your litt

ried till late in life, and he had then made a marriage which had been the one mistake of his life, and into which he had been led by the so

nnon's heart. There was no fight in the General now. He was a broken old man--very gentle, not altogether comprehending, a mere cypher in his ow

why her father should not live for other ten years. Only he mustn't have any shock. He so often insisted upon this that Isla would ask herself after he had gone how, as

ve you be

ie. You know how her tongue wags. Sit down, dear, and let m

. There is one from Cattanach, but I don't understand it.

a big legal firm in Glasgow that had admini

But as her eyes quickly covered the typewritten words, lo! a great relief was hers. Th

she asked, drawing her chair to his s

hree. You can write to him, Isla, and tell him that we are not in a position to entertain, as we us

ing," said Isla eagerly. "Let me read it over to y

INCENT

GOW,

on the subject of this letter, but a client of mine is

lace in your neighbourhood to rent for the season. He wants it for six months at least

ee which, as I told him, is not in the market. They saw it in course of a motor tour last autumn, and

decision. They are Americans of the best type

hat the letting of places to people of this type has become so common among t

is anxious to get settled. Hoping you feel yourself better with the approach of s

DER CAT

d wandered and, though his eyes had not fixed themselves on the paper again, Isl

hs and to pay a high rent--a very high rent--for it. Why shouldn't we let it? Look how

ia, Isla. It's the aftermath of the war. Heavens, we'll never

pelessness of the present acuter stage in it, that she could not get her father to comprehend facts and details which were of

r down she drew her brother's

you can't read Malcolm's scrawl, which seems to grow mor

no use for," he said with a sudden touch of querulousness. "I can't understand why a boy that has

oming home, father. He wi

rs I served in Northern India without a break--and never a murmur; and I've known men who served thirty. Now it's leave ev

out a

leave business. It's bad for the men, bad for the officers, bad for the service all through, and accounts for its unpopularity and inefficiency.

ad been born a soldier, and the medals he had won could not be pinned all at one time on his breast. But his failing powers prevented him from being able to adjust his

e is coming home just now, father, for, as you say, there is nothing to kill and Ma

n? Or was he writing only for his own amusement to earn six-and-eightpence

is eyes glued themselves again to his paper, i

y to the table to glance through her father's

hing whispered that she, and she a