lations. Annie looked anxious and
eager.

When the package was deposited before the door, and the glee of the
party was at the highest, the children capered and shouted. Annie
quietly checked this, and kept them by her side; whereupon Lady Carse
smiled at Mrs Ruthven, and said she pitied people who were grave when
good fortune befell their friends, and who could not bear even to let
children sympathise in it.

"You mistake me, madam," said Annie. "If this package was from
Edinburgh, I should feel more like dancing myself than stopping the
children's dancing; but I sadly fear this comes from no further off than
Skye. I know the Skye packages."

"Nonsense!" cried Lady Carse. "I know nobody in Skye. I hate croakers.
Some people take a pleasure in spoiling other people's pleasure."

"That is a temper that I do not approve of," observed Mr Ruthven.
"This life is to some such a vale of tears that I think it is ungrateful
not to pluck the few flowers of innocent pleasure which grow by the
wayside. I should think that a Christian temper would be ready to
assist the enjoyment. Here, my good men--"

"What stupid fellows those men are!" cried Lady Carse. "They are
actually going away without helping us to uncord the package."

She called after them; but in answer to her scolding, the men only
stared; which made Lady Carse tell them they were idiots. A word or two
from Annie in Gaelic brought them back directly, and obtained from them
what aid was needed.

"Shall I enquire, madam," asked Annie, "anything that you may wish to
know?"

"No," replied Lady Carse, sharply. "_You_ speak Gaelic, I think," she
said to Mr Ruthven. "Will you learn from the men all you can about
this package, and tell me every word they say?"

Mr Ruthven bowed, cleared his throat, and began to examine the men.
Lady Carse meantime said to Mrs Ruthven, in Annie's hearing, that she
must wait, and restrain her patience a little while. There was no
saying what might be in the package, and they must be by themselves when
they opened it.

Mrs Ruthven said she would send the children away; and Annie offered to
take them home with her.

"The children!" exclaimed Lady Carse. "Oh, bless them! what harm can
they do? Let _them_ stay by all means. I hope there will be nobody to
spoil _their_ pleasure."

Annie curtseyed, and withdrew to her own house. As she shut the door
and sank into a chair, she thought how bad her rheumatic pains were.
H