once she took
Shenac Dhu up sharply--gave her a down-setting, as that astonished young
woman expressed it--because she did not take the coming of the money
quite as a matter of course, and ventured to express a little surprise
as well as pleasure at the news.

"And what is there surprising in it?" demanded Shenac Bhan. "Is our
Allister one whose well-doing need astonish any one? But I forgot. He
is not _your_ brother. You don't know our Allister, Shenac."

"Don't I?" said Shenac Dhu, opening her black eyes a little wider than
usual. "Well, I don't wonder that you are proud of your brother. But
you need not take a body up like that. I'm not surprised that he minded
you all, and sent the money when he got it; but it is not, as a general
thing, the good, true hearts that get on in this world. I was aye sure
he would come back, but I never thought of his being a rich man."

Shenac Dhu sighed, as if she had been bemoaning his poverty.

"She's thinking of Evan yonder," said Shenac Bhan to herself. "Our
Allister is not a rich man," she said gravely. "He sent enough to pay
the debt and the interest. There is a little over, because your father
won't take the interest for the last two years, having had the land.
But our Allister is not rich."

"But he means to be rich before he comes home," persisted Shenac Dhu;
"and neither he nor Evan will be content to bide quietly here again--
never. It aye spoils people to go away and grow rich."

Shenac Bhan looked at her with some surprise.

"I cannot answer for Evan, but our Allister says he is coming home to
stay. I'm not afraid for him."

"Oh, but he must be changed after all these years. He has forgotten how
different life is here," said Shenac Dhu with a sigh. "But, Shenac,
your Allister speaks kindly of our Evan--in the letter your mother got,
I mean."

"That he does," said Shenac Bhan eagerly. "He says they are like
brothers, and he says your father need not be sorry that Evan went away.
He needed hardening, and he'll win through bravely; and Allister says
he'll bring Evan with him when he comes. You may trust our Allister,
Shenac."

"May I?" said Shenac Dhu a little wistfully. "Well, I will," she added,
laughing. "But, Shenac, I cannot help it. I _am_ surprised that
Allister should turn out a rich man. He is far too good for the like of
that. But there is one good thing come out of it--my father has got
quit of the land. You can never cast that up