nswered. "Better much for hearing your kind voices and seeing
your bright faces."

I dare say I looked over-long into one of the bright faces, and for a
punishment was snatched into confusion by my malapert sister.

"I didn't know you had heard my kind voice yet," mimicked Miss Madcap.
"And are you thinking of holding Aileen's hand all day?"

My hand plumped to my side like a shot. Both of us flamed, I stammering
apologies the while Cloe no doubt enjoyed hugely my embarrassment. 'Tis a
sister's prerogative to teach her older brothers humility, and Cloe for
one did not let it fall into neglect.

"To be sure I do not know the Highland custom in the matter," she was
continuing complacently when Aileen hoist her with her own petard.

"I wass thinking that perhaps Captain Macdonald had taught you in the
armory," she said quietly; and Cloe, to be in the fashion, ran up the red
flag too.

It appeared that my plan for an immediate departure from England jumped
with the inclination of Miss Macleod. She had received a letter from her
brother, now in Scotland, whose plans in regard to her had been upset by
the unexpected arrival of the Prince. He was extremely solicitous on her
behalf, but could only suggest for her an acceptance of a long-standing
invitation to visit Lady Strathmuir, a distant relative living in Surrey,
until times grew more settled. To Aileen the thought of throwing herself
upon the hospitality of one she had never met was extremely distasteful,
and she hailed my proposal as an alternative much to be desired.

The disagreeable duty of laying before my lawyer the involved condition of
my affairs had to be endured, and I sent for him at once to get it over
with the sooner. He pulled a prodigious long face at my statement of the
gaming debts I had managed to contract during my three months' experiment
as the prodigal son in London, but though he was extraordinarily severe
with me I made out in the end that affairs were not so bad as I had
thought. The estate would have to be plastered with a mortgage, but some
years of stiff economy and retrenchment, together with a ruthless pruning
of the fine timber, would suffice to put me on my feet again. The
expenditures of the household would have to be cut down, but Mr. Brief
thought that a modest establishment befitting my rank might still be
maintained. If I thought of marrying----

A ripple of laughter from the lawn, where Aileen and Charles were
arranging fishin