into a conversation of the most up-to-date social
character. She had caught the trick from Ian, a little playful fencing
round the most alluring of subjects, yet it brought out the simplicity
of her character, while it also revealed its purity and intelligence.

Dancing had commenced when Mrs. Ragnor entered the room on the arm of
her son Boris. Boris instantly looked around for Sunna and she was
dancing with McLeod. All the evening afterwards Boris danced, but
never once with Sunna, and Adam Vedder watched the young man with
scorn. He was the most desirable party in the room for any girl and he
quite neglected the handsome Sunna Vedder. That was not his only
annoyance. McLeod was dancing far too often with Sunna, and even the
beautiful youth Ian Macrae had only asked her hand once; and Adam was
sure that Thora Ragnor had been the suggester of that act of
politeness. Girls far inferior to Sunna in every respect had received
more attention than his granddaughter. He was greatly offended, but he
appeared to turn his back on the whole affair and to be entirely
occupied in conversation with Conall Ragnor and Colonel Belton
concerning the war with Russia.

Every way the evening was to Sunna a great disappointment, in many
respects she felt it to be a great humiliation; and the latter feeling
troubled her more for her grandfather than for herself. She knew he
was mortified, for he did not speak to her as they walked through the
chill, damp midnight to their home. Mrs. Brodie had urged Adam and
Sunna to put the night past at her house, but Adam had been proof
against all her suggestions, and even against his own desires. So he
satisfied his temper by walking home and insisting on Sunna doing
likewise.

It was a silent, unhappy walk. Adam said not a word to Sunna and she
would not open the way for his anger to relieve itself. When they
reached home they found a good fire in the room full of books which
Adam called his own, and there they went. Then Sunna let her long
dress fall down, and put out her sandalled feet to the warmth of the
fire. Adam glanced into her face and saw that it was full of trouble.

"Go to thy bed, Sunna," he said. "Of this night thou must have had
enough."

"I have had too much, by far. If only thou loved me!"

"Who else do I love? There is none but thee."

"Then with some one thou ought to be angry."

"Is it with Boris Ragnor I should be angry?"

"Yes! It is with Boris Ragnor. Not once did he