sant excitement showing in his face.

"I've a present for you," he said, going over to Nancy, who had not
left the table.

"For me?" she asked.

"For you--though I'm far from sure that you deserve it, for if there's
a man in Edinburgh this morning whom ye haven't in love with ye, he's
blind. However," he laughed, "we'll waive that," and he took a box from
his pocket and held it above his head.

"Will ye kiss me for it?" he cried.

"I will not," said she decisively.

"Then you sha'n't have it," he said with great determination, moving as
though to put it in his pocket.

"I'll go and write some letters, then," she remarked calmly, starting
toward the door.

Afraid of losing her society for the morning, mayhap, he put the box on
the table and pushed it toward her.

It was a small silver case, strong and firm, with a smaller box of
white velvet inside, in which lay a ruby ring--a gem for which men
commit crimes and women sin; a gorgeous, sparkling, rosy stone, sending
rainbow spots upon the wall, and rendering Nancy radiant and speechless
as she slipped it on her finger.

"Is it for me, Dand?" she asked, almost in a whisper.

"For whom else would it be, Little Girl?" he answered, and the delight
he had in her pleasure was a beautiful and husband-like thing to see.

"But why!" she asked. "Can I take it from him, Jock Stair?" she said,
turning to me suddenly.

"A woman can surely take a gift from her future husband with no
impropriety," I answered.

"That's true," she said; "but you see there is no betrothal between us,
and at the year's end I might have to send it back for some other woman
to wear, which would go far toward bringing me to my grave. I am afraid
I can't take it yet, Danvers."

"Wear it," he answers. "If ye can't wear it as my betrothed wife, wear
it in sign that I love you. Lord Stair hears that I hold it as token of
nothing save my own love for you. If it gives you pleasure, Nancy, it's
all I ask." At which she did the thing least expected of her by putting
her head suddenly down on her hands and bursting into a flood of tears.

"Oh," she cried, "these things are just putting me out of my mind. I
wish I was in Heaven, where there is no marrying or giving in
marriage!"

There was one point gained, however, for she wore the ring; and with it
upon her finger Danvers could never be kept long from her thoughts.

At luncheon of this same day, old Janet McGillavorich, from Mauchline,
whom Nan