The Last of Their Race

e full of people, for the young Mackinnons were a gay crowd, never happier than when surrounded by their friends. Somebody had sai

chance of having a word with her. He came up to her jauntily with an air of the

you doing in the purlieus of the Edgeware Road? Don't you know t

le tartly, and her eyes, which seemed to have acqu

commission for a pal in India--and, as I'd made up my mind to go north with

t on his smiling face. Never did man look more innocent and ingenuous. There was not the flicker of a lid or a t

alcolm," was all she said. "But please,

er futility of trying to get to the bottom of Malcolm's mind or of ever reaching

ulties of pleasing and could attract those with whom he came into contact, nobody need wonder at his gay aplomb. Nothing could greatly matter, for whoever might suffer or go under, it would not be Malcolm. He woul

change in her outlook upon men and things and had made her judgment a little merciless. In fact this was a very critical moment in the hi

is aunt's rather pressing

ion and interest which even old women found so charming. "Behold the gloom on Isla's face! She represents my duty. I shall tak

on nodded, w

ll never be satisfied till you see them in all their b

colm with extreme satisfaction

eyes wandering in the direction of her niece. "As I told her last night, it is you who ought to bear the

off decidedly

ttle shrug which expressed

ther side of him--the grave, quiet, attentive side, w

l bed for thinking of all the gas I had let out. It was pure exuberance of joy at again finding myself in such an atmosphere after hard service and a m

possible. Next morning the whole family were at Euston to see the brother a

ncle Tom had secured them a compartment to themselves, in which they could talk of their private affairs. "Now, it

to have told Uncle Tom and Aunt Jean. Didn't you feel that we were there under false pretences

ssed his cap to the rack, and

intrude unpleasant topics until one can't avoid them? That's a pretty good and sa

o London again, that is, if you were

d it have done to have told them the real state of affairs? It would only have depressed them and made us all most b

eil Dru

ve told him? Are you engaged to him--or what? There must be some re

d on me," she said rather coldly. "But you need not b

ll me something about this American chap.

a gentlema

u mean that he wears good cl

on't mea

ugh good chap that

, strong, fine face in front of her,

" asked Malcolm,

ht have declined the honour of Malcolm's acquaintance. She told herself, however, that she must try not to break the bruised reed. Y

ndian experiences. More than once she felt herself almost completely succumbing t

ion at Lochearnhead, where the wagonet

ind. She was not sorry that it was so. Once more back in the Glen, she experienced a return of all her cares, accentuated, because the biggest one, embodi

way line was coming near the head of the Loch. It had been started only a year when Malcolm last we

ul off the Railway Companies, but that's just our luck all through. We miss it every time by the skin

olm. I want to get home to f

after he had resumed his seat they began the gradual ascent of Glenogle. She was conscious of a quickened h

chree has never been illuminated like that within the memory of

anxious that whoefer hass things to sell in the Glen shall pring them to Achree. There are not many like that come now to the Glen,

d Malcolm drily, the meaning of w

to-morrow if I'm a living man, Americans or no Amer

d her voice shook a little, for she too felt a qua

artily sick of it before they drew up at the unpretentious whi

oach to the young Laird's face, Malcolm himself seemed quite unaware of it. He grasped the old man's hand cordially, asked for his welfare, and then passed i

colm Mackinnon as his sister's appealing eyes had altogether failed to do. He now realized that if his father was ever able to grasp the fact of his dismissal from the

, sir?" falt

mor in his voice, placed that bit of genuine feeli

e to. Ask Isla about that. She's the culprit, but it's a very comfortable plac

Malcolm, though in truth he did not thi

Isla, and a look passed between father and daug

f his journey washed off and his dinner-jacket on, he came to the queer little room for the eve

" he said in his most aggressive tones.

of his son seemed to awaken him for a l

Achree cellar, Diarmid?" he asked

the cellar at Achree had fallen and how its precious store ha

ral, being forbidden all stimulants except a little whi

d, with the air of old times, when there had been big parties roun

ploringly at his young mistres

n one bottle of champagne in order that her father might not be disappointed. So it was brou

urable prosperity to you and to Achree. God bless you a

bend his head in honest shame. The General did little more than taste

id. "Never mind, Malcolm. When we go back to A

dinner, and his rambling thoughts could not be kept in check. He babbled a good deal of old days,

that her father was less and less likely to disturb himself about any untoward happenings

own about ten o'clock from seeing him safely in bed. "He can't last

that I can see. Of course the excitement to-night

ng him up here. There isn't even decent comf

comfortable," said Isla, stout

its full share, we shall fight like Kil

a moment, said quite straightly. "But surely you won't stop long i

lessly. "I must say it's very cold cheer you have for a chap, Isla, after three years' absenc

e crackling embers of the

ess. I thought them all slack when I was home before, and Heaven only knows what they'll be like now. Then, I must b

ght. She had had just about as much as her

s that beat upon her brain throu