ear.

"Children," said Shenac, "you are to come home. And mind, you are not
to set foot on this bank again without our mother's leave. It's Angus
Dhu's land now, he says, and not ours."

The creek--that part of it near which the willows grew, and where the
old ashery used to stand--had been their daily resort every summer-day
all their lives; and they all looked at her with astonishment and
dismay, but none of them spoke.

"Come home to our mother, boys.--Flora, come home." And Shenac lifted
her little sister over the foundation of great stones, and beckoned to
the boys to follow her.

"Come, Hamish, it's time we were home." And Hamish obeyed her as
silently as the rest had done.

"Hamish," said the elder, "speak here, man. You have some sense, and
tales such as yon wild girl is like to tell may do your father's cousin
much harm."

In his heart Hamish knew Shenac to be foolish and wrong to speak as she
had done, but he was true to her all the same, and would hold no parley
with the enemy. So he gave no heed to the elder's words, but followed
the rest through the field. Shenac's steps grew slower as they
approached the house.

"Hamish," she said a little shamefacedly, "there will be no use vexing
our mother by telling her all this."

"That's true enough," said Hamish.

"But mind, Hamish, I'm not sorry that I said it. I have aye meant to
say something to Angus Dhu about the land; though I daresay it would
have been as well to say it when that clattering body, Elder McMillan,
was out of hearing."

"And John and Rory McLean," murmured Hamish.

"Hamish, man, they never could have heard. Not that I am caring,"
continued Shenac. "It's true that Angus Dhu has gotten half our
father's land, and that he is seeking the other half; but _that_ he'll
never get--_never_!" And she flashed an angry glance towards the spot
where the men were still standing.

Hamish knew it was always best to leave his sister till her anger
cooled, so he said nothing in reply. He grieved for the loss of the
land as much as Shenac did, but he did not resent it like her. Though
he believed that Angus Dhu had been hard on his father, he did not
believe that he had dealt unjustly by him. And he was right. Even in
taking half the land he had taken only what he believed to be his due,
and in wishing to possess himself, of the rest, he believed he was about
to do a kindness to the widow and children of his dead cousin. He
believe