lf in a rage, hugging my anger with the baby
thought that she would some day scourge herself for this after I were
killed in battle. Here is a fine return for loyal service rendered, and
the front of my offending is nothing more than the saluting an old
playmate.

"Man, Kenneth, but you hae played the cuddie brawly," was Donald's
comforting remark to me after we had left. "You maun hae made an awfu'
bauchle of it. When last I saw the lady she hoisted a fine colour when I
daffed about you, and now she glowers at you in a no' just friendly way."

I admitted sadly that 'twas so and told him the reason, for Donald Roy had
a wide observation of life and a varied experience with the sex that made
him a valuable counsellor. The situation amused him hugely, but what he
could find of humour in it was more than I could see.

"Deil hae't, but yon quean Antoinette will be a geyan ettercap (madcap).
Tony Creagh has been telling me about her; he's just a wee thingie touched
there himsel'."

"Pardon me," I interrupted a little stiffly, "but I think I did not give
the name of the lady."

The Highlander looked at me dryly with a pawky smile.

"Hoots, man! I ken that fine, but I'm no a fule. You named over the party
and I picked the lady that suited the speceefications." Then he began to
chuckle: "I wad hae liked dooms weel to hae seen you stravaiging
(wandering) through the grosset (gooseberry) bushes after the lass."

I told him huffily that if that was all he could say I had better have
kept the story to myself. I had come for advice, not to be laughed at.
Donald flashed his winsome smile and linked an arm in mine.

"Well then, and here's advice for you, man. Jouk (duck) and let the jaw
(wave) go by. Gin it were me the colder she were the better I wad like it.
Dinna you see that the lass rages because she likes you fine; and since
she's a Hieland maid brought up under the blue lift she hasna learnt to
hate and smile in the same breath."

"I make neither head nor tail of your riddles," I told him impatiently.
"By your way of it so far as I can make out she both likes and hates me.
Now how can that be?"

Captain Macdonald's droll eye appeared to pity me. "Kenneth, bairn, but
you're an awfu' ignoramus. You ken naething ava about the lassies. I'm
wondering what they learnt you at Oxford. Gin it's the same to you we'll
talk of something mair within your comprehension." And thereupon he
diverted the conversation to the impending