-black
current that came whirling down the strath seemed to bring with it the
dull, constant thunder of the distant falls. The western hills looked
wild and stormy; there was half a gale of wind tearing along the valley;
and, if the torrents of the night had mitigated, there were still flying
showers of rain that promised to make of the expedition anything but a
pleasure excursion.

"Tell me if it is any use at all!" Lionel insisted, for it must be
confessed that the keepers looked very doubtful.

"Well, sir," said the bushy-bearded Roderick, "the deer will be down
from the hills--oh, yes--but they'll be restless and moving about--"

"Do you expect I shall have a chance at one--that's all I want to know,"
was the next demand.

"Oh, yes, there may be that; but you'll get ahfu wet, sir--"

"I'm going," said he, definitely; whereupon the pony was straightway
brought up to the door.

And here was Miss Georgie Lestrange, in a charming morning costume,
which the male pen may not adequately describe, and she held a small
packet in her hands.

"I told Honnor Cunyngham it was my turn," she said, with a kind of
bashful smile, as she handed the little present to him, "and she only
laughed--I wonder if she thinks she can command all the luck in
Ross-shire; has she got a monopoly of it? Well, Mr. Moore, they all say
you'll get fearfully wet; and that is a silk handkerchief you must put
round your neck; what would the English public say if you went back from
the Highlands with a hoarse throat!"

"I'm not thinking of the English public just at present," said he,
cheerfully. "I'm thinking of the stag that is wandering about somewhere
up in the hills; and I am certain your good wishes will get me a shot at
him. How kind of you to get up so early!--good-bye!"

This, it must be admitted, was a most hypocritical speech; for although,
as he rode away, he made a pretence of tying the pale pink neckerchief
round his throat, it was on the influence of Miss Cunyngham's lucky
sixpence--the pierced coin was secretly attached to his
watch-chain--that he relied. In fact, before he had gone far from the
lodge, he removed that babyish protection against the rain and stuck it
in his pocket; he was not going to throw out a red flag to warn the
deer.

After all, the morning was not quite so dismal as had been threatened;
for now and again, as they went away up the strath, there was a break in
the heavy skies; and then the river shone a deep