his
taunt; he threw the book down and dashed a small fist in Young Islay's
face. There he found a youth not slow to reply. Down went the rod and
the book, and with the fishing-basket swinging and beating at his back,
Young Islay fell upon the zealous student. Gilian's arms, as he defended
or aimed futile blows, felt, in a little, as heavy as lead. Between
each blow he aimed there seemed to be a great space of time, and yet his
enemy was striking with rapidity.

"Are you beaten?" at last cried Young Islay, drawing back for a truce.

"No," said Gilian, gasping. "I'm only tired,'' but he looked bloody and
vanquished.

"It's the same thing," said Young Islay, picking up his rod. "You can
do nothing with your hands; I--I can do anything." And he drew up with a
bantam's vanity. He moved off. The torn book was in his path. He kicked
it before him like a football until he reached the ditch beside the
hunting road, and there he left it. A little later Gilian saw him in a
distant vista of the trees as an old hunter of the wood, with a gun
in his hand and his spoil upon his back, breasting the brae with long
strides, a figure of achievement altogether admirable.

CHAPTER X--ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE

Marget Maclean (or one of her sisters) was accustomed when the mails
contained a letter on His Majesty's Service for the Paymaster, to put
on a bonnet, and in a mild flurry cross the street, feeling herself a
sharer in the great matters of State. So important was the mission
that she had been known even to shut her shop door for the time of
her absence upon eager and numerous youths waiting the purchase of her
superior "black man," a comfit more succulent with her than with Jenny
Anderson in Crombie's Land, or on older patrons seeking the hire of the
new sensation in literature--something with a tomb by Mrs. Radcliffe.

"Tell your mistress I wish to see her," she would say on these occasions
with great pomp to Peggy, but even Miss Mary was not sufficiently close
to State to be entrusted with the missive. "Goodday, Miss Campbell, I
called to see Captain John on important business," and the blue document
with its legend and seal would be clutched with mittened hands tight to
the faded bodice.

Miss Mary shared some of this awe for State documents; at least she
helped out the illusion that they were worth all this anxiety on the
part of the post-office, and she would call the Paymaster from
his breakfast. His part on the oth