Close at hand the country
lay green and bright under a brilliant sun, but over there in the east
some heavy clouds darkened the landscape, and the far hills seemed to be
placed amid a gloomy stretch of moorland. Would not Sheila have been
thrilled by this glimpse of the coming North? She would have fancied
that greater mountains lay far behind these rounded slopes hidden in
mist. She would have imagined that no human habitations were near those
rising plains of sombre hue, where the red-deer and the fox ought to
dwell. And in her delight at getting away from the fancied brightness
of the South, would she not have been exceptionally grateful and
affectionate toward himself, and striven to please him with her tender
ways?

It was not a cheerful journey, this lonely trip to the North. Lavender
got to Glasgow that night, and next morning he went down, long before
any passengers could have thought of arriving, to the Clansman. He did
not go near the big steamer, for he was known to the captain and the
steward, but he hung about the quays, watching each person who went on
board. Sheila certainly was not among the passengers by the Clansman.

But she might have gone to Greenock and waited for the steamer there.
Accordingly, after the Clansman had started on her voyage, he went into
a neighboring hotel and had some breakfast, after which he crossed the
bridge to the station and took rail for Greenock, where he arrived some
time before the Clansman made her appearance. He went down to the quay.
It was yet early morning, and a cool fresh breeze was blowing in across
the broad waters of the Frith, where the sunlight was shining on the
white sails of the yachts and on the dipping and screaming sea gulls.
Far away beyond the pale blue mountains opposite lay the wonderful
network of sea-loch and island through which one had to pass to get to
the distant Lewis. How gladly at this moment would he have stepped on
board the steamer with Sheila, and put out on that gleaming plain of
sea, knowing that by and by they would sail into Stornoway harbor and
find the wagonette there! They would not hasten the voyage. She had
never been round the Mull of Cantyre, and so he would sit by her side
and show her the wild tides meeting there, and the long jets of white
foam shooting up the great wall of rock. He would show her the pale
coast of Ireland; and then they would see Islay, of which she had many a
ballad and story. They would go through the