The Last of Their Race

been expected. She walked with alacrity to the

seeing him. I should not be at all surprised to find him in the dungeon-room," she s

ed the drawing-room, full

cating hand. "It has got to be done, so

done. Why, it will kill the General! D

m, but he can't understa

m the old house. Why, it's the house he was born in, and he can't leave it now when h

ave reached the end of my tether. If somebody could awaken

e heir, you know, and a step--a big, drastic, horrible step like letting a prop

rily as she drop

rstandable and natural; but, oh, if p

, but it was too new and raw then. Of course, that was the business I had to see Catta

that he was altogether astonished, since he knew Malcolm Mackinnon, and

ly. "Soon it will be the common property of th

d Drummond, and his fresh, kindly fac

no

enders, and our account is over-drawn at the bank. So

dismal smile just hovered about t

Garrion, nor could he have felt it more acutely. He took a turn across the floor, and then he came and stood

at are friends for--that's what I'd like to know? Your silence just s

er? And the dearer the friends are, the more impossible it would be to take money from them. You must understand that. Yo

half-eagerly, half-wistfully. "It's been spread ove

centuries. To-day I fe

you gave me leave to speak. Won't you let me step into the breach, Isla? Marry me, and I'll do my best to smooth things over, and the General shall certain

ook he

an't! Don't say ano

be, fight for you. Malcolm is your brother, Isla, but I'd like to get into grips with him just once to punish him for all these lines that have come on

her to go down on her knees and thank God because he is safe from all hurt and evil. She does not begin to know the meaning of sorrow, as we know it here. I have only one consolation--that my father will never now be able t

that God-forsaken hole? Oh, my dear, Garrion may be bad, but at least it is get-at-able. Shut up i

ou must have thought the Americans quite nice people. He is charming, I think

said sourly. "Don't let us talk about him. I'm waiting for an answer to my question. It isn't much I ask, Isla. I promi

t marry you," she answered frankly, but a little wearily. "Yo

s way of the lover. "At least, promise me that if you should change your mind, that if things should get desperat

eloquence and this devotion coul

tell me about Malcolm. What is the meaning of this

he thinks he has been unjustly treated. Somebody is always treating Malcolm u

e been any other communication--anything from h

three weeks' time, Malcolm will be at home, loafing about idle in the glen, and I shall never know a moment's ease of mind. That's the redeeming featu

her thoughts had flown with a curious sense of restfulness and hope to the man who had just left them. The hated man had said that the business of h

ng in Isla's mind, and, after a little more desultor

-bye, her fingers aching under his strong, almost painful, pressure whi

e I go to Creagh," she added. "Yes, of course, tell her about Malcolm to

gnificant fin

row, ascended to his high perch on the dogcar

ssed in a whirl of busi

from Lochearn to drive her to Creagh. The sun was shining so brightly and the air was s

as standing in the doorway, enjoying the air, whe

for this morn

rticular business to do at Creagh this morning, and it's so del

d, at the same time taking a critical look at the stout roan cob that had com

sunshine, mounting slowly all the time until they reached the broad plateau of the moor of Creagh, which w

a shelter for sportsmen. It was well protected by a clump of sturdy fir trees, and it had even a fertile bit of garden ground behind, with a small glass-hou

er her employers were there to see her or not, and she was not a

rior did not seem at all amiss. All the windows were open to the sun, and Isla's s

ey stood for a moment in the porch before entering the hous

, child. Many a happy day have I spe

t unhandsomely furnished in oak, the carpet rolled up in the mid

s of the winter, had a certain rugged beauty of its own. A low hill rose immediately behind the house, from which a glorious prospect

s she grasped the possibilities of the simpler l

rapid survey of the dismantled house, the result of which showed her th

o come in at Easter. You will thoroughly air and fire all the house, but more especially my father's room above the dining-room. These

ny will come up from Achree

much, your niece, Annie Chisholm, could be got. Perhaps this will be necessary when we have Mr.

he soul of Margaret Maclaren, she suffere

forgotten. She saw that her father, too, was pleased. He enjoyed his walk about the place and cons

down, Jamie," said Is

a low voice which there was no possible chance of Jamie overhearing as he was rather deaf at the be

Will you mind very much if we come up

answered, unexpectedly. "But you wo

came yesterday--the Americans, didn't you? I sa

what brought them to Achree? I don

stranger--a rich American, and I ha

demonstration of feeling that would vex and alarm her soul and would harm the old man. But when, made an

our own way. I dare say we could be very comfortable in Creagh unless, indeed, we have a wet summer. Then we would

ly reasonable, I'm sur

art of the sad and sorry business should prove as easy to arrange as the first had been--why, then, perhaps she had been torturing hersel

shall go to Plymouth to meet Malcolm's boat. I haven't had a holiday for four years, father, and in the letter I had from Aunt Jean the other d

e his faith and his trust in Isla that

after which a small correspondence began between Isla and Rosmead concerning ce

he purpose of explaining to her that what he wished to effect was only a few sm

and tell the man that he could either take the house as it was or leave it. But she could not affor

asion of his coming to pay his second call. But when she saw him, she was ashamed t

alterations on the house. The stove that I wrote about is an American invention for the heating of unsatisfactory country houses where, for some reason or other, the ordinary heating is difficult to arrange. It will greatly ad

te like that about the stove. You see," she added with her wandering smile which to him was w

ear, kind gaze, and the immensity of comfort and str

is absolutely necessary that she be kept warm and that no damp should be allowed to come near her. We are charmed with the house and with the kindness wh

Creagh we shall be very much ou

ar annihilates distan

quick little ge

when I have settled him in it I am going to London for a few days. The house will be quite empty and ready for you f

London?" he said

other's boat at Plymouth.

ering the General's rank and wondering

Nothing can be settled, however, till my brother comes home," she answered, hating hers

ant ways and curious suggestion of power and strength, was only a rich, new-made American, who could n

were as changeful as the face of Loch Earn. He was a builder of bridges

d bide