ever to bother to look forward to a
college course. They chatted away happily and she told him about their
search for the Harebell, telling him that Uncle Neil said he would
know, and he quoted long stanzas from "The Lady of the Lake," and
"Marmion." And they discussed the new song-book he had bought and
quarrelled over their favourite Scotch song. And he did not confess
that his was the one she had heard him singing that afternoon as he
ploughed the back field.

They crossed the end of the Slash, where Gavin had to help her through
the tangle of bushes. And did she remember how she had given him her
berries that day, he asked.

Christina laughed, but Gavin was sober. "It was a beautiful thing to
do," he said, "and now you have done it again for Sandy."

"No, no," said Christina, "it was nothing; I could not be happy to go
and let Sandy stay."

"But you will go some day?" added Gavin, his voice sunk to a tremulous
whisper.

"Yes, perhaps next Fall, Allister and John both say, if the crops turn
out well next summer. But it's a long way to look ahead."

They had come down to the level again, along the back lane and up to
the little gate that led in from the barnyard.

Gavin put the flowers into her arms and handed her the many gifts.

"Won't you come in, Gavin?" she asked. "There might be a letter from
Sandy."

"Thank you," he said gratefully. "No, I must not be going in to-night,
Christine. Thank you for your visit. You made my Aunties very happy.
And you have made me very happy, too," he added in a whisper. He saw
the look of embarrassment on her face and instantly stopped. Gavin was
a true gentleman at heart and guessed when he was bordering on
forbidden ground. He walked away and Christina went slowly up the path.

Perhaps, after all, there was something in the saying that homekeeping
hearts are happiest, she reflected. It did not seem quite so dreary to
look forward to always living in Orchard Glen.

CHAPTER V

"HEY! JOHNNIE COPE"

After that visit to Craig-Ellachie Gavin was a new person to Christina.
She was humiliated to remember that she had ever presumed to make fun
of him. He was good and kind and chivalrous, and Sandy was right when
he declared that Gavin knew far more than half the fellows around the
village who thought themselves so much smarter. Christina thought
about him often these soft slumbrous Autumn days and said to herself
that, should he ever ask to walk home