for this winter was a very busy time with
her. True, her work did not press upon her, so as to make her anxious
or impatient, as it sometimes used to do in summer; but she was never
idle. There were sewing and housework and a little wool-spinning, and
much knitting of stockings and mittens for them all. The knitting was
evening work, and, when Hamish was not reading aloud, Shenac's hands and
eyes were busy with different matters. She read while she knitted, and
enjoyed it greatly, much to her own surprise, for, as she told Hamish,
she thought she had given up caring about anything but to work and to
get on.

They had more books than usual this winter, and more help to understand
them, so that instead of groping on alone, sometimes right and sometimes
wrong, Hamish made great progress; and wherever Hamish was, Shenac was
not far away. It was a very quiet winter in one way--there was not much
visiting here and there. Hamish was not fit for that. Shenac went
without him sometimes now. She was young, and her mind being at ease,
she took pleasure in the simple, innocent merry-makings of the place.
She was content to leave Hamish when she did not have to leave him
alone, which rarely happened now. The master lived in the house of
Angus Dhu, but it seemed that the humbler home of the widow and the
company of Hamish suited him best, for scarcely two evenings passed
without finding him there; and Shenac could go with a good heart,
knowing that her brother was busy and happy at home.

Afterwards, when changes came, and new anxieties and cares pressed upon
her, Shenac used to look back on this winter as the happiest time of her
life. It was not merely that the summer's work had been successful, but
that the summer's success seemed to make all their future secure. There
was no doubt now about their being able to keep together and carry on
the farm. That was settled. She was at rest--they were all at rest--
about that. Their future did not depend now upon Allister's uncertain
coming home. It would not be true to say she saw no difficulties in the
way; but she saw none to daunt her. Even Dan seemed to have come to
himself. He seemed to have forgotten his self-assertion--his
"contrariness," as Shenac called it--and was a boy again, noisy and full
of fun, but gentle and helpful too. The little ones were well and
happy, and getting on well in school, as all the Macivors were bound to
do. The mother was comparatively