The Last of Their Race

journey, took in her father'

dear?" he said, looking at the tr

anach, because I found when I started out to answ

xpress himself better. I thought that was a lawyer's business. But it seems

ive me to Balquhidder. So good-bye, dear. Diarmid will look aft

om all immediate happenings, and he lived more and more in the past. Even

el dogcart her eyes even sparkled. There was now no horse of any kind, nor was there any carriage in the stabl

at could not endure a policy of drift. They had been drifting so long with the ebb tide

e best course to pursue. Her judgment was singularly clear, and she was not now in th

to Isla's chagrin, directly she appeared on the platform a tall young man in a tweed

is an uncommon bit of lu

e unwillingly ad

luck as I drove over the hill from Garrion, but if I

t friendship by periodically asking her to marry him. The expression in his eyes now indicated that very little provocation would make him ask her again on the spot, fo

finely-built, good-looking young fellow, with an honest, kindly face, with not a very high type of intellect perha

own no other home. Kitty and Isla were friends, of course, though there was not so very much in c

as they began to pace to and fro on the platform--objects o

coming to Garrion? Aunt Betty is

n, and I haven't either a horse or a bicycle; but

All you have to do is to say the word, and the best bit

rather quickly. "Father seems

bout Malcolm's coming home. It was not that she could not trust Neil Drummond, but the shame

it?" said Neil, looking down with a slightly ruefu

we found rather difficult to answer, so I came to the conclusion that it mig

e, can't you? St. Enoch's Hotel, one sharp. I'm onl

ed, but fina

ppens to prevent me from keeping the appointment,

tter day--and no mistake. Shows that a fellow never kn

ish at the moment that Isl

ad the smallest effect. Here's the train. Now I warn you I won't speak to you on the journey, because I have heaps a

anybody else from speaking to you, I shan't grumble," said Neil

ad he dared he would have paid the difference for the privilege of havi

m to his destination at the south-side, he put Isla in and drove her the short distance to the lawyer's door. Then with

much was she respected in the office that Cattanach turned over a rather important client to

tanach," said Isla as they shook hands. "It was of such importan

ittle stern in repose. But, when his genial smile irradiated his face, the sternness was forgotten. His reputatio

his son, who had done much more for the Mackinnons than they could have had the right to expect from their man of business or than could ever be repaid. He had indeed helped young Mackinnon out of several scrapes for his fat

he is failing, I think," she said rather sadly. "I came

mail. She did not immediately pass it over, however, or read any extract from it, but, leaning slightly forward in her chair, she fixed her cl

ake up quite a lot of your time this morning--an hour p

the pleasure of takin

it, I am afraid. He sent the message to you," she added with a faint, wandering smile, "that he was surprised that a lawyer did not express himself bette

ht have amused Cattanach hugely. Out in the hard world of men and business things were called b

pared to meet her and to help her, not only to the best of his ability but even beyond what his prudence and his better judgment would have permitted. And it would not be the first time in the r

s Mackinnon, quite the best type of educa

forget them? Their flying motors with screaming hooters, their impossible costumes, their disregard for our quiet Sabbaths, their noise--all were indescribable. I should not like such people as they at Achree. But, indeed, I don't suppo

dingly. He also had some a

sh the place for retirement on account of Mrs. Rosmead, who is recovering from a long illness, and for their elder daughter, who has just had an unpleasant experience in the Divorce Cou

and had she a

e, and there is also a boy at Yale or Harvard, who would spend only his summer here. I think you would l

d Isla, and her eyes ha

and she was certainly made for the gracious dispensation of great wealth. But she had had to count the p

n three hundred; then two could be l

thing in the eager question, almost childi

last. "I gather from what you say that you would be willin

d the strings of the leather bag again and produced her

him quite changed and perceptibly hardened. When he refolded it again it was a moment before the suitable word came to him. He knew that words of pity or condolence would be quite out of place, if spoken to Isl

him to Achree to see you. He is in the city this week. He has many friends here connected with the engineering profession.

eming it best to direct Miss Mackinnon's tho

nd rather dilapidated. But if he wanted even a tithe of the things that Lady Eden's tenants asked

and, further, they are so anxious for the place that they will take it at your terms. Y

we could be quite comfortable there. Of course, it is small, but I would give up the dining-room to my

, "and the road across the moor is nothi

ts remoteness won't matter to me, and, as for my brother, perhaps it w

h nodded

uestion to him of a mo

the offences, I mean? They must be grave, of course, because it is so

g her question. "What your brother says about injustice is, of course, nonsense. It exists in small things i

se to her feet. He had not sp

culties don't permit him to grasp the affairs of life. He understands that Malcolm is coming home, and he is full of wrath at the amount of leave allowed in the service in these days. It will thus be all

eyes that agony of appeal which a far less kind-

s get the question of the tenancy of Achree settled, and then we shall have time to tackle th

m arrives. He would create all sorts of difficulties, and it

our fa

times I have been very near it. Yesterday I thought I was, but to-day, when I woke up, I

I can come down to Achree if you think I can b

l be quite pleased to go to Creagh, I believe, and he will not understand why we have to leave Achre

tedly i

er have a moment's peace. I'm going to talk very straightly to him when he comes. He has always got off

brother could do would be to emigrate to one of the new countries--to Canada, or the Cape, or

it at other people's expense he will have it. About this money he owes? I will do my utmost to save for it out of the money the Americans wil

usiness for your brother and me to settle between us. You may trust me t

kind. Things seem easier when one has seen you. Good-bye, then. And you will se

helf struck, and she m

eil Drummond of Garrion at

put her into a cab, and, as he returned slowly up

to the innermost fibre of her being! Where would our old families be but for such as she--but for the fine fi