g here in the morning. The barley will be all down by dinner-time,
and they'll take their dinner here, and we'll go up together."

"But, Dan, lad, they have barley of their own. What will Shenac say?
Have you spoken to your sister about it?" asked his mother anxiously.

"Oh, what about Shenac?" said Dan impatiently. "They will be glad to
come. What's a short forenoon to them? And I believe Shenac hates the
sight of one and all. What's the use of speaking to her?"

"Did you tell them that when you asked them?" said Shenac Dhu dryly.

"I haven't asked them yet," said Dan. "But what would they care for a
girl like Shenac, if I were to tell?"

"Try and see," said Shenac Dhu. "You're a wise lad, Dan, about some
things. Do you think it's to oblige you that Sandy McMillan is hanging
about here and bothering folk with his bees and his bees? Why, he would
go fifty miles and back again, any day of his life, for one glance from
your sister's eye. Don't fancy that folk are caring for _you_, lad."

"Shenac Dhu, my dear," said her aunt in a tone of vexation, "don't say
such foolish things, and put nonsense into the head of a child like our
Shenac."

"Well, I won't, aunt; indeed I dare not," said Shenac Dhu, laughing, as
at that moment Shenac Bhan came in.

"Shenac, what kept you?" said her mother fretfully. "Your dinner is
cold. See, Dan has finished his."

"I could not help it, mother," said Shenac, sitting down. "It was that
Sandy McMillan that hindered me. He offered to come and help us with
the barley."

"And what did you say to him?" asked Shenac Dhu demurely.

"Oh, I thanked him kindly," said Shenac, with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I must see him. Where is he, Shenac?" said Dan. "He must come
to-morrow, and the Camerons, and then we'll go to the raising together.
Is he coming to-morrow?"

"No," said Shenac sharply; "I told him their own barley was as like to
suffer for the want of cutting as ours. When we want him we'll send for
him."

"But you did not anger him, Shenac, surely?" said her mother.

"No; I don't think it. I'm not caring much whether I did or not," said
Shenac.

"Anger him!" cried Dan. "You may be sure she did. She's as grand as if
she were the first lady in the country."

This was greeted by a burst of merry laughter from the two Shenacs.
Even the mother laughed a little, it was so absurd a charge to bring
against Shenac. Dan looked sheepishly from one to the other.

"