of his time? None of us could guess, for Somerled
is a puzzle too hard to read. Not even Aline (who was so nervous that,
figuratively speaking, she started at every sound in the enemy's camp)
believed that Somerled would try to run away with the girl. I soothed
her by saying that I thought it very doubtful whether Somerled would ask
the girl to marry him, even if everything were in his favour. I still
tried to believe that in his opinion she was too young and had seen too
little of life to settle down as a married woman. He might be in love
with her--to me it was beginning to seem impossible that a man could
know her and not be in love--but with a strong, self-controlled man of
Somerled's calibre, falling in love and marrying need not be the same
thing.

Mrs. Bal, after the "scene" (in which she too, apparently, played a
stormy part) had angrily consented to give Barrie her own way, but only
on the girl's threat to decline making the trip with us, if thwarted.
Something in Barrie's eyes had warned the lady not to go too far, and on
her promise to return directly Mrs. James had gone, Mrs. Bal sulkily
waived her objections.

"Why don't you, too, see Mrs. James off?" suggested Aline. "You've been
great friends. She ought to be complimented. And you might take her some
flowers. That would please Barrie, who is now worshipping Ian as a tin
saint on wheels because he has found Mrs. James's husband and offered to
finance him to success. You ought to do _something_."

I thought this a good idea, and on the top of it had one of my own,
which I didn't mention to Aline, lest it should fail. Not only did I buy
flowers, the prettiest and most expensive I could find (worthy of Barrie
or Mrs. Bal), but a box of sweets, another of Scotch shortbread, a few
cairngorm brooches, and amethyst and silver thistles picked up at
random, and a copy of Aline's and my last book which I found (well
displayed) on the station book-stall. When Aline sees only one copy she
will not buy it, as she thinks it a pity the book should disappear from
public view; but this was an occasion of importance, and I didn't
hesitate to pluck the last fruit from the bough.

When Mrs. James, Barrie, and Somerled arrived (Vedder being left in
charge of the car) there was I waiting, laden with offerings. I stuck to
the party till the end, waving my farewell as the train slowly moved
out, and then I summoned up courage (or impudence, depending on the
point of view) to