ry and the development of his own soul----"

Michael Arranstoun laughed.

"Jolly old Mohammedan! You think women have none, I suppose!"

Henry Fordyce frowned, because it was rather true--but he denied the
charge.

"Nothing of the sort. Merely, I see things at their proper balance and
you cannot."

Michael leaned back in his chair; he was quieter for a moment.

"I only see what I want to see, Henry--and I am a savage--I cannot help
it--we have always been so. When I fancy a woman, I must obtain
her--when I want a horse, I must have it. It is always _must_--and we
have not done so badly. We still possess our shoulders and chins and
strength after eleven hundred years of it!" and he stretched out a
splendid arm, with a force which could have felled an ox.

An undoubtedly fine specimen of British manhood he looked, sitting there
in the June sunlight, which came in a shaft from the south mullioned
window in the corner beyond the great fireplace, the space between
occupied by a large picture of uncertain date, depicting the landing of
Mary, Queen of Scots, in her northern kingdom.

His eyes roamed to this.

"One of my ancestors was among that party," he said, pointing to a
figure. "He had just killed a Moreton and stolen his wife, that is why
he looks so perky--the fellow in the blue doublet."

Mr. Fordyce rose from his chair and fired his last shot.

"And now a female spider is going to paralyze the last Arranstoun, and
rule him for the rest of his days, sapping his vitality."

But Michael protested.

"By heaven, no!"

"Well, I'll leave you to think about it. I am going for another stroll
on this lovely day." He had got to the window by this time, which looked
into the courtyard on the opposite side to the balcony. "Goodness! what
a party of tourists! It is a bore for you to have them all over the
place like this! To own a castle with state rooms to be shown to the
public has its disadvantages."

Michael looked at them, too, a large party of Americans, mostly of that
class which compose the tourists of all countries, and which no nation
feels proud to own. He had seen hundreds of such, and turned away
indifferently.

"They only come here twice a week, and it has been allowed for such
ages--they are generally quiet, and fortunately their perambulations
close at the end of the gallery. They don't intrude upon my own suite.
They get to the chapel by the outside door."

Henry crossed the room and went on t