ent.

"Oh, nothing particular," answered his father, "except that there have
been some mistakes and foolish concealments in connection with a certain
Reginald Redding, whom I fear I have been rather hasty in judging."

"Well, that needn't trouble you," returned Roderick, "for you've only to
explain the mistakes and confess your haste."

"Hm! I suppose I must," said McLeod, "and I rather think that Flora
will--"

A deep blush and an imploring look from Flora stopped him.

Just then a rustle was heard among the leaves outside the circle of the
camp-fire's light, and Kenneth cocked his gun as Sharpeye stalked
forward and sat solemnly down by the fire.

"I hope you haven't killed him, Sharpeye," said Kenneth, looking with
some anxiety at the Indian's girdle, as though he expected to see a
fresh and bloody scalp hanging there.

Of course the Indian gave no answer, but the minds of all were
immediately relieved by seeing the messenger return and sit down as he
had done before, after which he opened his bag, and, drawing out another
letter, handed it to McLeod.

"What! another letter? Why did you not deliver it with the first?
Forgot, I suppose--eh! What have we here? It's from--I do believe,
it's from Reginald Redding. The Indian must have called at the Cliff
Fort in passing, but however he got it, here it is, so I'll read it:--

"`Dear Sir,' (Hm, rather friendly, considering),--`After leaving you
on the occasion of our last unsatisfactory meeting,' (I should think
it was), `it occurred to me that such indignation on your part,' (not
to mention his own!) `must have been the result of some mistake or
misapprehension. After some reflection I recalled to mind that on the
night I first met you, and learned that the name of your property in
Partridge Bay was Loch Dhu, the sudden entrance of the messenger with
the sad and startling news of the wreck prevented my telling you that
I had become the purchaser of that property, and that, strange though
it may seem to you, I did not up to that moment know the name of the
person from whom I had bought it. This ignorance was owing to a fancy
of my friend, Mr Gambart, to conceal the name from me--a fancy which
I am still unable to account for, but which doubtless can be explained
by himself. If this "silence" on my part is, as I think probable, the
cause of your supposing that I intentionally "deceived" you, I trust
that you will find this e