been in great haste all the time.

They sat down to the table immediately, and for a while the rapture of
having Christina sitting at his right hand almost overcame him and he
had very little to say. But he shared the Aunties' spirit of
hospitality, Christina was his guest and he soon found courage to wait
on her and see she was well served. Auntie Elspie, sitting opposite
him with the tea-pot and the cups and saucers, understood, and did all
she could to make things easy for him. Though the three Aunties loved
Gavin with equal devotion, Auntie Elspie had been more of a mother to
him. She read her boy and had long ago guessed at his devotion to
Christina. She was sure of it now and was very happy. With the
optimism of youth she saw nothing but success ahead for Gavin and was
overjoyed that he had chosen so wisely and well--one of Mary Lindsay's
girls. What better could happen?

As for Christina, she was feeling strangely at home and yet in entirely
new surroundings. Gavin Grant at the head of his own table dispensing
hospitality to his guest was a different person from the shy boy she
knew. Here he was a man with an air of authority, strong and yet kind
and gentle.

He soon forgot his embarrassment in the joy of her presence. They grew
very merry over Auntie Elspie's beau again, Gavin taking great credit
to himself for having arranged the match.

"She'll be goin' off with him one o' these days," prophesied Auntie
Janet, "and indeed, we'll all leave ye, if you don't mind and let us
work out in the field when we like," she threatened.

"Indeed you ought to let the girls help you with that field of
potatoes, Gavie," said Auntie Elspie. "He won't let one of us do a
hand's turn beyond the house, Christina," she complained, turning to
her guest. "Did ye ever hear the like?"

A telegraphic message flashed across the table between Auntie Flora and
Auntie Janet which Gavin did not see.

"We jist have no life with him at all," said Auntie Flora, "he's that
thrawn."

"I think I'll jist have to take him in hand, myself," said the lively
Auntie Janet.

"I can manage them all but Auntie Janet," Gavin said brazenly. "I
didn't start early enough with her. I brought up the other two better.
But I'll get her broken in, in time."

The three Aunties went off into loud gay laughter that echoed far out
over the bright garden. They declared he was quite beyond them, and
how did Christina suppose they ever put up w