ttle regard for
the laws of her country, that she invoked Heaven knows what--Heaven does
know what--blessings on the head of the very man who had carried her
child into slavery.

"And the first time I am going over to Oban," said he, "I will take him
with me, and I will get a photograph of him made, and I will send you
the photograph. And did you get the rabbits?" said he.

"Yes, indeed, sir, I got the rabbits."

"And it is a very fine poacher your son promises to be, for he got every
one of the rabbits with his own snare, though I am thinking it was old
Hamish was showing him how to use it. And I will say good-by to you
now."

The poor woman seemed to hesitate for a second.

"If there was any sewing, sir," wiping her eyes with the corner of her
apron, "that I could do for your good lady, sir--"

"But I am not married," said he, quickly.

"Ah, well, indeed, sir," she said with a sigh.

"But if there is any lace, or sewing, or anything like that you can send
to my mother, I have no doubt she will pay you for it as well as any one
else--"

"I was not thinking of paying, sir; but to show you I am not
ungrateful," was the answer; and if she said _hun-grateful_, what
matter? She was a woman without spirit; she had sold away her son.

From this dingy court he made his way round to Covent Garden market, and
he went into a florist's shop there.

"I want a bouquet," said he to the neat-handed maiden who looked up at
him.

"Yes, sir," said she; "will you look at those in the window?"

"But I want one," said he, "with a single rose--a red rose--in the
centre."

This proposition did not find favor in the eyes of the mild-mannered
artist, who explained to him that something more important and ornate
was necessary in the middle of a bouquet. He could have a circle of
rose-buds, if he liked, outside; and a great white lily or camellia in
the centre. He could have--this thing and the next; she showed him how
she could combine the features of this bouquet with those of the next.
But the tall Highlander remained obdurate.

"Yes," said he, "I think you are quite right. You are quite right, I am
sure. But it is this that I would rather have--only one red rose in the
centre, and you can make the rest what you like, only I think if they
were smaller flowers, and all white, that would be better."

"Very well," said the young lady, with a pleasing smile (she was rather
good-looking herself). "I will try what I can do for y