s them. "I would rather be with
them than with you!" But she refrained and entered into new
explanations. The Princess had heard the most part before, but she never
wearied of being reassured.

"Now, listen! Uncle Ju is with Stair Garland. No one will hurt him for
that reason. In our country Stair Garland has more real power than the
Lord Lieutenant, or even my father. No, he is no ignorant peasant. I do
not think he could dance so well, but he could talk better than any of
the partners who fall to my lot at the court balls. The Bothy on the
Wild? Well, I will try and tell you. It is certainly dark inside, but on
the side opposite to the wind a little window is always kept open, and
on the table where they read, write, and take their meals a lamp will
certainly be lit. Uncle Ju will be stretched on the long couch among the
pillows, reading. That is where Stair sleeps at night. His feet are
towards the fire and the light shines down on his book from the four
little panes of glass. These are open to the sky but carefully masked
from the sight of any passer-by (if such a thing could be thought of on
the Wild of Blairmore) by a firmly packed wall of snow.

"Stair moves about getting ready the next meal, and as like as not he
calls on Uncle Ju to take his turn at scouring the pans or peeling the
potatoes."

At this flight of imagination the Princess suppressed a cry of
indignation.

"Oh, that is nothing," Patsy went on, unsympathetically, "of course he
is glad to do it. It is good wholesome exercise and helps to pass the
time, though digging themselves out in the morning when the drift is
over the chimney top is better, besides the making of little paths to
the outside peatstack and--"

"But your uncle--an ambassador--a favourite at courts--not a court like
our dear Sleepy Hollow there at Windsor or the Rout of Circe at Carlton
House, but the Court of the Hapsburgs, the Court of Austria--to think of
Julian Wemyss there for your sake!--Why, Patsy, though I love you
dearly, I declare that you are hardly worth it!"

"Well, Stair Garland is there also," Patsy retorted, instantly, "and
just as much for my sake as Uncle Ju. And now the Duke has got his debts
paid, in far greater danger, for Uncle Ju would get off with a year in
prison, but Stair they would hang for those slugs in the Prince's thigh,
which, thank Heaven, they can't dig out!"

"But your Stair Garland is accustomed to such a life, while my poor
Julian--"