such a passion in you. Because I wrote to you about the
Highlands? Because I sent you that collection of legends? Because it
seemed to me, when I was in a wretched hotel in some dirty town, I would
rather be away yachting or driving with some one of the various parties
of people whom I know, and who had mostly gone to Scotland this year? If
you are jealous of the Highlands, Carry, I will undertake to root out
the name of every mountain and lake that has got hold of my affections."

She was turning away again, with a quiet smile on her face, when her
younger sister arrested her.

"What's that?" said she, so sharply, and extending her forefinger so
suddenly, that Gertrude almost shrank back.

"What's what?" she said, in dismay--fearing, perhaps, to hear of an
adder being on her shoulder.

"You know perfectly well," said Miss Carry, vehemently, "it is the
Macleod tartan!"

Now the truth was that Miss White's travelling-dress was of an
unrelieved gray; the only scrap of color about her costume being a tiny
thread of tartan ribbon that just showed in front of her collar.

"The Macleod tartan?" said the eldest sister, demurely. "And what if it
were the Macleod tartan?"

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Gerty! There was quite enough
occasion for people to talk in the way he kept coming here; and now you
make a parade of it; you ask people to look at you wearing a badge of
servitude--you say, 'Oh, here I am; and I am quite ready to be your wife
when you ask me, Sir Keith Macleod!'"

There was no flush of anger in the fair and placid face; but rather a
look of demure amusement in the downcast eyes.

"Dear me, Carry!" said she, with great innocence, "the profession of an
actress must be looking up in public estimation when such a rumor as
that could even get into existence. And so people have been so kind as
to suggest that Sir Keith Macleod, the representative of one of the
oldest and proudest families in the kingdom, would not be above marrying
a poor actress who has her living to earn, and who is supported by the
half-crowns and half-sovereigns of the public? And indeed I think it
would look very well to have him loitering about the stage-doors of
provincial theatres until his wife should be ready to come out; and
would he bring his gillies, and keepers, and head-foresters, and put
them into the pit to applaud her? Really, the role you have cut out for
a Highland gentleman--"

"A Highland gentleman!" exclaimed