Shenac sighed. "I suppose it is altogether mean and miserable in me not
to be glad all at once; and I'll try to be. I suppose we must stay here
now, Hamish," she added, glancing round the low room.

"Do you think so?" said Hamish in surprise. "No, you must not say so.
I am sure it would grieve Cousin Shenac."

"There are so many of us, Hamish, and our mother is a great care; it
would not be fair to Shenac. I must stay here and take care of my
mother and you."

There was a long silence.

"Shenac," said her brother at last, "don't think about this just now;
don't make up your mind. It is not going to happen soon."

"Allister says soon, but Shenac says not till--" She stopped.

"Well, soon or late, never mind; it will all come right. Let us be more
anxious to do right than for anything else. God will guide us, Shenac.
Don't let us say anything to vex Allister. It would vex him greatly, I
know, to think that you and all of us would not go with him and Shenac."

"But it would not be fair to Shenac herself. Think what a large family
there is of us."

"Whisht, Shenac, there may be fewer of us soon. You may marry
yourself."

"And leave my mother and you?" Shenac smiled incredulously.

"Stranger things have happened," said her brother. "But, Shenac, our
mother will not be here long, and Allister's house is her place, and you
can care for her all the same there--better indeed. I am glad of this
marriage, for all our sakes. Shenac Dhu is like one of ourselves; she
will always care for the little ones as no stranger could, and for our
mother. It _is_ a little hard that _you_ should not have the first
place in the new house for a while, till you get a home of your own,
after all the care and trouble you have had for us here--"

"Do you think that has anything to do with it, Hamish?" said Shenac
reproachfully. "It never came into my mind; only when Allister told me
it seemed as though I would be so little to him now. Maybe you are
right, though. Everybody seems to think that I like to be first. I
know I have thought a great deal about the new house; but it has been
for the rest, and for Allister most of all."

"Shenac, you must not vex yourself thinking about it," said her brother.
"I am more glad of this for your sake than for all the rest. I cannot
tell you how glad I am."

"Well, I am glad too--I think I am glad; I think it will be all right,
Hamish. I am not really afraid of anything that can