t was to dally in the post
office as long as possible, in the hope of meeting the real Mr Elgood;
and to this end she turned over several packets of views, making the
while many inquiries; and the spotted man was delighted to expatiate on
the beauties of his native land, the more so, as, presumably, it was not
often that so lavish a purchaser came his way.

They were in the middle of the fourth packet of views, and the selected
pile of cards had reached quite a formidable height, when a familiar
whistle from the doorway started Margot into vivid attention, and a
minute later a tall dark man stepped hastily into the shop.

What a marvellous thing is family likeness! In height, in complexion,
and feature alike this man appeared diametrically the opposite of the
stout little person encountered outside the inn; yet in his thin,
cadaverous face there was an intangible something which marked him out
as a child of the same parents. The brother on whom Margot was now
gazing was considerably the younger of the two, and might have been
handsome, given a trifle more flesh and animation. As it was, he looked
gaunt and livid, and his shoulders were rounded, as with much stooping
over a scholar's desk.

"A fine big bundle for ye the day, Mister Elgood! I'm thinking the
whole of London is coming down upon ye," the postmaster declared
affably, as he handed over a formidable packet of letters. Envelopes
white and envelopes blue, long manuscript envelopes, which Margot
recognised with a reminiscent pang; rolled-up bundles of papers. The
stranger took them over with a thin hand, thrust them into the pockets
of his coat, with a muttered word of acknowledgment, and turned back to
the door.

Now for the first time Margot stood directly in his path, and waited
with a thrill of curiosity and excitement to see whether he would echo
his brother's welcome. In this Highland glen the ordinary forms and
ceremonies of society were hopelessly out of place, and it seemed as if
perforce there must be an atmosphere of _camaraderie_ between the few
visitors whom Fate had thrown together in the spirit of holiday-making.

Margot's prettiest smile and bow were in waiting to greet the faintest
flicker of animation on the grave, dark face, but it did not come. Mr
Elgood's deep-set eyes stared at her with an unseeing gaze--stared as it
were straight through her, without being conscious of her presence. She
might have been a chair, a table, a post