ed to go as a simple Highlander. Before the
day was over he had said farewell to his light-hearted old father
and to his gentle lady mother, and clad in a rough tartan kilt
and without a servant to follow him, the young laird was off to
the fair city of Edinburgh.

When Donald reached Edinburgh he wondered how he would see the
maiden of whose beauty and of whose cleverness he had so often
heard.

He had not long to wait, for he had scarce been a day in the city
when he heard that a great ball was to be given and to be graced
by the presence of the fair maiden whom he hoped to win as his
bride.

Donald made up his mind that he too would go to the ball, and it
was easy for him to do this, as there were many in the city who
knew the young laird.

When he entered the ballroom he saw that the lords and nobles
were dressed in suits of velvet or silk and satins, while he wore
only his kilt of rough tartan.

The lords and ladies too stared at the tall handsome young
Highlander in his strange garments, and some, who did not know
him, forgot their good manners and smiled and nudged each other
as he passed down the room.

But the young laird had no thought to spare for the crowd. He was
making his way to the circle, in the midst of which stood Lizzie
Lindsay. He had heard too often of the beautiful maiden not to be
sure it was she as soon as his eyes fell upon her face.

Young Donald, in his homespun tartan, stood on the outskirt of
the little crowd that surrounded her, listening. The lords in
their gay suits were doing their utmost to win the goodwill of
the maiden, but their flattery and foolish words seemed to give
her little pleasure. Indeed she was too used to them to find them
aught but a weariness.

Soon Donald was bowing before the maiden he had left his home to
win, and begging her to dance with him. And something in the
bright eyes and gallant bearing of young Donald pleased the
petted maiden, and, despite his rough suit, she had nought but
smiles for the young stranger from the Highlands.

The lords, in their silks and velvets, opened their eyes wide in
astonishment as Lizzie glided past them with young Donald; the
ladies smiled and flouted her, but the maiden paid no heed to
their words or looks.

Donald was not flattering her as she was used to be flattered, he
was telling her of the country in which he dwelt. And Lizzie as
she listened heard the hum of the bees, smelt the fragrance of
the heather. Na