d
granite fortress.

"When do you go over to London, Anstruther?" said Major Hardwicke, for
he now nourished a scheme of "social employment" for the brilliant staff
officers. He was short only a groomsman.

"Not till after I am married," remarked the relative of the great
Viceroy. "I have done my duty to Her Majesty," he laughed, "and now, I
am going to do my duty to myself!" Whereat Harry Hardwicke was suddenly
aware that Cupid carries a double-barreled gun, sometimes. In her own
apartment, Nadine Johnstone listened to Janet Fairbarn's sobbing plaint,
as the heart-happy Mattie Jones flew around the rooms making her young
mistress's boxes. Nadine was still in an entrancing dream of freedom,
life, and love, and the cunning Scotswoman's plaint was all unheeded.
Major Hardwicke was announced, "upon urgent business."

"I cannot tell you yet, darling, just how we vanquished the old
ogre," said he. "Be brave, and remember that a feast of long-deferred
love-tidings awaits you to-night. I have already sent away all my own
luggage. A horse and a well-mounted orderly will be here at four, and
so I shall not lose you from sight even a moment until you are safe
in General Wragge's home at Edgemere. Let the maid return alone here
to-morrow and remove all your effects we may overlook. I will dispatch
the luggage and ride after your carriage."

"The proprieties, you know," he laughed, as he vanished, after stealing
a kiss.

"The master's in a woeful way," mourned Janet. "To think of your
father's only bairn leaving her ain house so! The master's half daft
with his troubles, for they've scattered and lost the bit bookie--the
work of years!

"Though there's the braw American scholar, tho', to aid him now.
He hates you, my poor bairn, for your poor dead mother's sake! It's
afearfu' hard heart these Frasers carried. I know them of old!"

"Do you mean to tell me that the 'Banker's Folly' is really my own
house?" said Nadine, her cheek flushing crimson at the insult to the
memory of her beloved dream mother.

"In truth, it's yer very ain, my leddy. Old Hugh bought it for his last
home," whimpered the housekeeper.

"Then you may tell Andrew Fraser," the spirited girl cried, "that I will
never cross the threshold again, where I have been kept under a
jailer's lock under my own roof tree! Let him write his wishes to
Douglas--Douglas is a gentleman. I will keep silent for the sake of the
man who was a kindly brother to me on my voya