ed
of the two. The cloud fell again, however, when they came to the turn
of the road that took them to Mary Matheson's.

"I have to go down to the McDonalds', Shenac. Just go on, and I will
follow you in two or three minutes."

"To the McDonalds'!" repeated Shenac Dhu. "Not to John Firinn's surely?
What in all the world can you have to do with him? You had better take
me with you, Shenac. They say John has a trick of forgetting things
sometimes. You might need me for a witness."

Shenac Bhan laughed and shook her head.

"There's no need. Go on to Mary's, and tell her I am coming. I shall
not be long."

She wished heartily that Hamish had been with her, or that she could
have honestly said her mother had sent her; for it seemed to her that
she was taking too much upon her to be trying to make a bargain with a
man like John Firinn. There was no help for it now, however, and she
knocked at the door, and then lifted the latch and went in with all the
courage she could summon.

She did not need her courage for a little time, however; but her tact
and skill in various matters--her "faculty," as Mr Rugg called it--
stood her in good stead for the next half-hour.

Seated on a low chair, looking ill and harassed, was poor Mrs McDonald,
with a little wailing baby on her knee, and her other little ones
clustering round her, while her husband, the formidable John himself,
was doing his best to prepare dinner for all of them. It was long past
dinner-time, and it promised to be longer still before these little
hungry mouths would be stopped by the food their father was attempting
to prepare. For he was unaccustomed and inexpert, and it must have
added greatly to the sufferings of his wife to see his blundering
movements, undoing with one hand what he did with the other, and using
his great strength where only a little skill was needed. Shenac
hesitated a moment, and then advanced to Mrs McDonald.

"Are you no better? Can I do anything for you?--Let me do that," she
added hastily, as she saw the success of the dinner put in jeopardy by
an awkward movement of the incompetent cook. In another moment Shenac's
black dress was pinned up, and soon the dinner was on the table, and the
father and children were seated at it. To her husband's entreaty that
she would try and eat something, the poor woman did not yield. She was
flushed and feverish, and evidently in great pain.

"I am afraid you are in pain," said Shena