t. He followed a party of four, and went in
with them. There was a crowd on the waxed floor. They were dancing a
new measure called the polka; and conspicuous, both for her beauty and
her dress, he saw Sunna among them. Her partner was Kenneth McLeod,
and he was in full McLeod tartans. No doubt have I that Sunna and her
handsome partner made a romantic and lovely picture."

"What must be the end of all this? What the devil am I to think?"

"Think no worse than needs be."

"What did Boris do--or say?"

"He walked rapidly to Sunna, and he said, 'Miss Vedder, thou art
wanted at thy home--at once thou art wanted. Get thy cloak, and I will
walk with thee.'"

"Then?"

"She was angry, and yet terrified; but she left the room. Boris feared
she would try and escape him, so he went to the door to meet her.
Judge for thyself what passed between them as Boris took her home. At
first she was angry, afterwards, she cried and begged Boris not to
tell thee. I am sure Boris was kind to her, though he told her frankly
she was on a dangerous road. All this I had from Boris, and it is the
truth; as for what reports have grown from it, I give them no heed.
Sunna was deceitful and imprudent. I would not think worse of her than
she deserves."

"Rahal, I am much thy debtor. This affair I will now take into my own
hands. To thee, my promise stands good for all my life days--and thou
may tell Boris, it may be worth his while to forgive Sunna. There is
some fault with him also; he has made love to Sunna for a long time,
but never yet has he said to me--'I wish to make Sunna my wife!' What
is the reason of that?"

"Well, then, Adam, a young man wishes to make sure of himself. Boris
is much from home----"

"There it is! For that very cause, he should have made a straight
clear road between us. I do not excuse Sunna, but I say that wherever
there is a cross purpose, there has likely never been a straight one.
Thou hast treated me well, and I am thy debtor; but it shall be ill
with all those who have led my child wrong--the more so, because the
time chosen for their sinful deed makes it immeasurably more sinful."

"The time? What is thy meaning? The time was the usual hour of all
entertainments. Even two hours after the midnight is quite respectable
if all else is correct."

"Art thou so forgetful of the God-Man, who at this time carried the
burden of all our sins?"

"Oh! You mean it is Lent, Adam?"

"Yes! It is Lent!"

"I was nev