e now, besides themselves, except their mother, and the little
ones who were so thoughtless, making merry with the great cedar chips
which Angus Dhu sent, floating down the stream.

"Nobody but you and me to do anything; and what can _we_ do?" continued
the lad with a desponding gesture. "And my mother scarcely seems to
care to try."

"Whisht, Hamish dear; there's no wonder," said Shenac in a low voice.
"But about the land. Angus Dhu can never get it surely!"

"He has gotten the half of it already. Who is to hinder his getting the
rest?" said Hamish. "And he might as well have it. What can _we_ do
with it?"

"Was it wrong for him to take it, do you think, Hamish?" asked Shenac
gravely.

"Not in law. Angus Dhu would never do what is unlawful. But he was
hard on my father, and he says--"

Hamish paused to ask himself whether it was worth while to vex Shenac
with the unkind words of Angus Dhu. But Shenac would not be denied the
knowledge.

"What was it, Hamish? He would never dare to say a light word of our
father. Did you not then and there show him the door?"

Shenac's blue eye flashed. She was quite capable of doing that and more
to vindicate her father's memory.

"Whisht, Shenac," said Hamish. "Angus Dhu loved my father, though he
was hard on him. There were tears in his eyes when he spoke to my
mother about him. But he says that the half of the land is justly his,
for money that my father borrowed at different times, and for the
interest which he could not pay. And he wants to buy the other half;
for he says we can never carry on the farm, and I am afraid he is
right," added the lad despondingly.

"And what would become of us all?" asked Shenac, her cheeks growing pale
in the pain and surprise of the moment.

"He would put out the money in such a way that it would bring an income
to my mother, who could live here still, with Colin and little Flora.
He says he will take Dan to keep till he is of age, and Elder McMillan
will take Hugh. You are old enough to do for yourself, he says; and as
for me--" He turned away, so that his sister might not see the working
of his face. But Shenac was thinking of something else, and did not
notice him.

"But, Hamish, we have written to Allister, and he will be sure to come
home when he hears what has happened to us."

Hamish shook his head.

"Black Angus says Allister will never come back. He says he was an
unsettled lad before he went away. And,