on upon a man without the
slightest ground. Potts is not exactly a lofty-souled creature. In fact,
he is pronouncedly a bounder, though I confess I did borrow money of
him; but I'd borrow money of the devil when I'm in certain moods. A man
may be a bounder, however, without being a criminal. No, I have thought
this thing out as far as I can, and I've made my mind up that I've got
to face it myself. I've been a fool, ah, such a fool!" A shudder shook
his frame. "Oh, Dunn, old man, I don't mind for myself, I can go out
easily enough, but it's my little sister! It will break her heart, and
she has no one else; she will have to bear it all alone."

"What do you mean, Cameron?" asked Dunn sharply.

Cameron sprang to his feet. "Let it go," he cried. "Let it go for
to-night, anyway." He seized a decanter which stood all too ready to his
hand, but Dunn interposed.

"Listen to me, old man," he said, in a voice of grave and earnest
sadness, while he pushed Cameron back into a chair. "We have a
desperately hard game before us, you and I,--this is my game, too,--and
we must be fit; so, Cameron, I want your word that you will play up for
all that's in you; that you will cut this thing out," pointing to the
decanter, "and will keep fit to the last fighting minute. I am asking
you this, Cameron. You owe it to yourself, you owe it to me, you owe it
to your sister."

For some moments Cameron sat gazing straight before him, his face
showing the agony in his soul. "As God's above, I do! I owe it to you,
Dunn, and to her, and to the memory of my--" But his quivering lips
could not utter the word; and there was no need, for they both knew that
his heart was far away in the little mound that lay in the shadow of the
church tower in the Cuagh Oir. The lad rose to his feet, and stretching
out his hand to Dunn cried, "There's my hand and my honour as a
Highlander, and until the last fighting moment I'll be fit."

At the party that night none was gayer than young Cameron. The shy
reserve that usually marked him was thrust aside. His fine, lithe
figure, set off by his Highland costume, drew all eyes in admiration,
and whether in the proud march of the piper, or in the wild abandon of
the Highland Fling, he seemed to all the very beau ideal of a gallant
Highland gentleman.

Dunn stood in the circle gathered to admire, watching Cameron's
performance of that graceful and intricate Highland dance, all
unconscious of a pair of bright blue eyes