furtive glance or two towards him whilst chatting with her host, and altogether thought the first impression a satisfactory one. Tall, manly, brown, with something of the bear about him-the good benevolent bear, I mean; a hairy bear too, for, rather to Norah's sorrow, Geoffrey Lindsay possessed a beard. It suited him, though, she confessed; and no kinder, nicer brown eyes had she ever seen than those which looked down on her as he asked if she recognised the sketch.

'Perfectly I know that spot well; the stream and bank near the house, and Ben Wyvis in the distance;' and Norah contemplated the clever sketch with interest, while Geoffrey looked with greater pleasure at the pretty living picture by his side, wishing he might draw her just as she stood now, with the evening sun touching the lights and shades of her hair, and resting on the bright sweet face. He always said he was a confirmed bachelor, this Mr. Lindsay, wedded to his paint-brush and palette-a very satisfactory arrangement, no doubt.

The door opened just then, and the before-mentioned Mr. Leicester entered, greeted Norah with empressement, and asked a hundred and one questions about her journey, &c.; then sank into a comfortable armchair, which he had first pulled up opposite hers, and looked supremely happy. He was not to be allowed to remain so, however, for in the middle of one of his remarks Norah observed gravely,

'There is a footstool under that table, Mr. Leicester.'

Up bounded the youth, charmed to serve her, brought the stool, and placed it at her feet.

'You don't suppose I need such things, do you, Mr. Leicester? Norah said, with surprise.

'I merely thought you might be the better for one; and you can't imagine how much more comfortable these chairs are with a soft cushion at the back.'

Poor Leicester was once more rushing off to procure one, when a laugh from Mr. Ross, who had stood by much amused, informed him that it was again his and not her own comfort the satirical Norah had been thinking of.

It was too bad of her to tease the poor fellow; but the temptation to do so was always strong on her when she looked at his languishing and sentimental eyes, and noticed his lazy manners.

Fanny came in, dinner was announced immediately, and the rest of the evening passed quickly and pleasantly.

Said Mrs. Ross to her husband in their own room that night,

'I have such a nice plan in my head concerning Norah.'

'A match-making plan, of course, silly woman.'

Well, and if it is, where is the harm? Ned, wouldn't Norah and Mr. Lindsay make a splendid couple?

My dear girl, Norah is twoand-twenty, isn't she, and Geoffrey over five-and-thirty? He's old enough to be her

'And yet,' observed Mrs. Ross demurely, 'I do remember a girl who married, not so very many years ago, a man much older than herself; of course she soon found out her mistake-after it was too late, though.'

Ned stopped his little wife's mouth with kisses.

'Geoffrey and Norah shall marry fifty times over if they please, dearest, and your old husband will aid and abet them to the best of his ability. Will that please you?'

Thanks, once will be enough,' murmured Fanny as she dropped asleep.

CHAPTER II.

'I said I would die a bachelor.'

SHAKESPEARE.

'No letters till eleven, I suppose,' said Norah, as she entered the dining-room next morning, looking very fresh and trim in her tight-fitting blue serge and pretty ruffles. Good morning, Mr. Ross; good-morning, Mr. Lindsay. What a glorious day! Come and kiss me, Ted, or I won't spread you any bread-andmarmalade.'

'Do you expect letters already, Miss Grant, and only arrived yesterday evening? What indefatigable writers ladies are, to be sure!' laughed Mr. Lindsay.

No, when I come to consider, I could hardly get one yet; but, whether I am expecting any or not, the sound of the postman always gives me such a pleasant feeling. That's one of the comforts of living in a town.'

'Discomforts I should call

them,' said Mr. Ross, but I suppose you feel like Mr. Micawber, that "something may turn up." I'm afraid you'll have to wait as long for your letters this year as last, for there is no improvement in that respect, and Ted still waits at the gate at eleven, to act postman up to the house. But here's Fanny, so come to breakfast, good people all. I, for one, am hungry, as I've had half an hour's walk already. It's a perfect morning, I only hope not too bright to last.'

Mr. Leicester had not as yet made his appearance; but no one seemed surprised at that, evidently being well accustomed to the young man's unpunctual ways.

Towards the end of breakfast he came in, marvellously attired in a bright tartan kilt, and looking more like a young Englishman than ever. He made a thousand apologies to Fanny; as, however, they, as well as his unpunctuality, were every-day affairs, she received them very quietly, only asking if he would take tea or coffee.

'What's the order of the day?' asked Mr. Ross, as they finished breakfast. Leicester, I see you're got up in shooting costume. Lindsay, what will you do, shoot, fish, or sketch? I suspect the ladies won't care to do much to-day, as we must break Miss Grant in by degrees, and not finish her up entirely the first day.'

'Little fear of that,' answered Norah brightly; 'I never felt stronger or better in my life, and am equal to whatever Fanny likes. Don't put me down as a thorough Cockney, please, Mr. Ross.'

No, I won't, for you don't deserve such treatment, after the plucky ways of last year, when you certainly climbed more like a Scotch than an English girl.'

'Well,'remarked Fanny, Norah may soon have a chance of displaying her climbing to a thoroughly English girl, for Kate Tennant arrives on Saturday. She is rather fond of gaiety, I fancy, and has never been in the Highlands before, so I hope she won't find us very dull up here.'

'If she does, she doesn't deserve to come,' laughed Norah. 'Are you going to shoot, Mr. Ross?'

Yes, Leicester and I will see what we can kill to-day, if you are sure you would prefer a turn at the fish, Lindsay. I'm only afraid it is too bright for them to take well to-day.'

'Never mind; if they don't, I can finish my sketch. I am not quite such an ardent sportsman

as yourself, you know, Ross, and two days like yesterday over the moors are rather more than I care for; so I wish you every luck, and shall potter about at home to-day, I think. Are you "for out" already, Miss Grant, as the good people here say?' as Norah came into the room, after following Teddy up-stairs, to put on her hat for the promised expedition with that young torment.

'Yes, Ted and I arranged a walk yesterday evening, and even settled how long my breakfast was to last,' laughed Norah. No, Mr. Leicester, I'm afraid our walk was to be a tête-à-tête,' as that gentleman was preparing to offer his company; 'you know Ted and I are old friends, and we've such a round of calls to make together, that you would be quite tired out, and, besides, be late for the shooters. We're going first to see old Duncan,' she said, turning to Fanny. I really have some compunction in showing myself to him; for last year, when I wished him good-bye, he said, "Ah, Miss Nory, may ye soon be safe in Abraham's bosom;" so perhaps he will be disappointed at seeing me still in this vale of tears.'

66

'I suppose he meant much the same as the Irish do, when they hope you're bed in heaven may be aisy," remarked Mr. Lindsay. 'He's a fine old man, that Duncan, and I admire Ted's sense in the bestowal of his friendships; if only he could sometimes give a straight answer, he would be perfect.'

'Don't expect that,' said Norah, 'it's not in his constitution; it is a trial, though, particularly if one is in a hurry. Fanny says it comes from their speaking so much Gaelic, where there are no such words as "yes" and "no ;" but I think it is a little peculiarity in their organisation which they can't possibly help.'

Ted had meanwhile been making frantic signs to Norah from the lawn; so she followed him now, and disappeared down the path leading to the lake. Mr. Leicester watched her depart, and then muttered to himself, 'Confound that shooting! I never meant to go out at all to-day; and if the simple fact of wearing a kilt makes them think I mean to shoot, I declare I'll wear black clothes all the rest of my visit;' and he went rather disconsolately to prepare for his expedition.

'Isn't that a dear nice girl?' said Mrs. Ross to Geoffrey as they stood in the window, after Norah had disappeared from view.

'She seems so indeed, and it is certainly a rarity nowadays to find a pretty girl seemingly so unspoilt.'

'And really so,' said Fanny eagerly, for her love for Norah was very true and warm, and she was never tired of singing her friend's praises; besides, to tell the truth, just at present she had an object in doing so.

'You can't think, Mr. Lindsay,' she continued, 'what that girl is at home; and that's the place to try character. Ever since her husband's death, Mrs. Grant has had very poor health, and almost all the housekeeping now devolves on Norah (a more difficult task indeed than if she had entire management). They are not very rich, though comfortably off; and yet I am sure that Norah, with her small allowance, does more good than many girls with double the amount. She is never idle, and finds time with all her other duties to help her little sister with her lessons; in fact,' added Fanny, 'I can't say more than that she is really good-below the surface, I mean-and, as you see, with no prudery.'

"A maid who can be merry, And yet devout at prayer," quoted Geoffrey half shyly-perhaps that's the secret, Mrs. Ross.'

Fanny looked up surprised; as a rule Geoffrey Lindsay was so quiet and self-contained, she hardly expected such words from him, though she liked him all the better for them.

'Yes, I think that is just it, Mr. Lindsay; and I speak from experience, for I have known Norah Grant many years now. She has of course, like the rest of us, her own faults, but they lie much on the surface; and I think, among all my friends, I know no girl who would make a better wife to a good husband, some day, than Norah. But when I get on this subject I never know when to stop; so I will run away and order my household, or you will get no dinner to-night, and what would you all say then?' and Mrs. Ross hurried away, well pleased with their little conversation,

Geoffrey stood where she had left him, enjoying the glorious view and delicious air, frosty, as the early mornings so often are by the beginning of September in the Highlands; rather smiling to himself the while, for he thought he understood his kind little hostess's wishes for himself, and this friend she had been praising up to the skies for the last ten minutes, at her busiest time in the morning. But the little woman was so evidently only anxious that those she loved should be as happy as herself (though perhaps these things are better left to arrange themselves), that no one could possibly be offended with her. But Geoffrey was amused; it was still such very early days to think of such a thing. Why, he had been in the house with this Miss Grant barely one day, and though all he had seen of her certainly

attracted him, he felt no inclination to fall in love with her; besides, he was a sworn bachelor, and would in all probability die one; he was getting too old to settle down into married life; and he walked off whistling a verse of a song, the words of which, could Fanny have heard them, would have cast her hopes to the ground.

Geoffrey got his fishing apparatus together, saw the shooters off, and then strolled down towards the lake, on the look-out for Duncan. The Lodge stood on high ground, commanding a lovely view; from the lawn in front a gate led into a thick fir-wood, and walking on through this brought you to the lake. Into this wood Geoffrey sauntered, thinking that he would come some morning early and take a sketch, for the sun was shining through the branches in a way that delighted his artist eye. As he came out of the wood and in sight of the lake he looked about, expecting to see Duncan at his usual occupation of mending the trout-nets; but he was not in sight, and Geoffrey descended to the shore to look for him. As he did so he heard Teddy's clear voice, and, turning round, espied him at a little distance, perched on the keel of a boat Duncan was mending, and Norah leaning against it, chatting to the old man, who looked perfectly happy and pleased. They had their backs to him, and as he came up he overheard Duncan's answer to Norah's last remark.

'Weel, Miss Nory' (he never could be induced to call her by her proper name), 'weel, Miss Nory, ye're just aboot richt, an it's no vary freaquent a' mak a meestak aboot the waither, far you see, mem, a've bin born an' bred i' the place whatever, an' am maybe pretty flu'nt wi' the aili

ments; though it's no' for the like o' me to be prood o' that, the Lord be thankit. Still a'

do think, Miss Nory, ye need na be feared for the waither the day; far if it doesna' turn shoory, it's pratty shure to be faire.'

'A truly Highland speech,' thought Geoffrey, as he came round to the trio. 'How are you to-day, Duncan? Miss Grant, I didn't expect to find you here yet, but I suppose Ted brought you to see his friend Duncan first thing.'

'Course,' said Ted from his perch, Miss Grant wanted to ask about the weather, Mr. Geoff.'

'I

'And have got a very satisfactory answer,' said Norah, looking up with a laugh in her eye. daresay you may have overheard it as you came up, Mr. Lindsay; it has quite set my mind at rest for this day at least;' then raising her voice, for Duncan was very deaf, she said, 'We've been coaxing Duncan to give us a row this afternoon; it's just a day for the water, so still and lovely; and I have not had a row since this time last year, so I long for one.'

'Ay, ay, mem; ye shall have yer row, an' the young genleman too; an' Donal', he'll just help me clane oot the boat, an' mak it worthy o' ye.'

Norah begged he would not take any trouble about it; and calling rather in haste to Teddy, who she saw was meditating the experiment of a paddle with his boots and stockings on, she told him if they did not go at once they would never be at the gate by eleven.

'You don't know what a lot we have to do this morning, Mr. Lindsay,' she said, turning to him, laughing; 'we've already called on Carlo, but he was out, and we only left cards; and on the large Hen family, who were nearly all at home, but at breakfast,

so it would not have been good manners to stay long and watch them. Now our call on Duncan is finished, and we have still a visit to pay to Mrs. Macintosh, and after that to some pet puppies of Ted's in the stable; so you see we must not waste our time here. Good-bye for the present; come, Teddy.'

Geoffrey watched her retreating figure, thinking to himself what a graceful one it was. It had wisely been left much to Nature to form, and she had been very kind to it, as she usually is when she gets a chance; Norah consequently had a handsome easy figure and a free unconscious carriage-great charms; and so thought Geoffrey, as he turned to arrange about his fishing expedition with old Duncan.

They met again at lunch, when Geoffrey came in rather disappointed at his bad sport; for it was far too bright for the knowing little fish to take. However, he said he would take a turn at his sketch in the afternoon, and make use of the fine weather while it lasted.

'When does your row come off, Miss Grant? is it to be a tête-à-tête again with your friend Teddy, or may I be allowed a seat too ?'

'You had better ask him,' she answered, with a smile, as it is his entertainment; but Milly is coming, and, Fanny, you are going to favour us too, are you not? so I should think you might get permission. Duncan said we might come about four.'

'Then I shall finish my sketch, and join you on the shore at that time, when I shall have earned a

row.'

Norah retired to her room after lunch, and wrote diligently for some time. It was not an employment she much cared about-re