"I suppose," she said, rather coldly, "we must thank him, if we should see him." "I, for one, mean to do so, and very heartily," Käthchen said at once. "I think he was most kind and considerate—if—if a little—a little reserved. And not at all the wild savage I had expected—most distinguished-looking, I should call him——" "Come away down to breakfast, Käthchen," said Mary, taking her friend by the arm: she would hear no more on that subject. In the hall they encountered the little Highland lass who had been their guide on the previous night; and she, looking up with timid eyes towards this tall and beautiful lady whose smile was so gracious and winning, said— "Am I to be going home now?" "Home?" said Mary. "Have you had your breakfast?" "Oh, yes, indeed." "Very well, you need not go yet; you may as well wait and come with us in the carriage—for we want to thank your grandmother for her kindness to us. You can amuse yourself in the garden, if you like, until we are ready." She was obediently going away, but Käthchen stopped her. "I don’t think you ever told us your name." "Just Isabel," said the little maid, in her pretty fashion. "Of course you know Mr. Ross?" was the next question. "Oh, yes." "What was he doing up at your cottage last night?" "Käthchen!" said Mary; but the little girl did not notice the interruption: she answered quite simply,— "He came up to ask about the cow." "What cow?" But here Isabel did begin to look a little frightened; and she glanced anxiously at Miss Stanley. "Perhaps the lady will be angry—" she said, with shrinking eyes. "Oh, no, she won’t be angry," Käthchen interposed at once. "What about the cow? Tell me about the cow." "It was my mother’s cow that got into the bog and was drowned—’ "The bog we strayed into?" Käthchen exclaimed. "Do you mean to say that cattle have been swallowed up in that place?" "Ay, many and many a one," said the little girl. "I’ll have it fenced round at once," said Mary, in her usual prompt and emphatic way, "no matter what it costs!" "And the cow?" said Käthchen, encouragingly, to the little Highland lass. "What did Mr. Ross want to know about the cow?" "Mr. Ross," continued Isabel, "he was sending a message that my mother would ask Mr. Purdie and the lady for a cow in place of that one, and the money to be paid back bit by bit as we could do it; yes, and Mr. Purdie was to be asked for the cow; and Mr. Ross he came up last night to see if we were to get the cow. But we were not hearing about it from any one." Mary’s face flushed with vexation. "Why was I not told about this?" she said, turning indignantly to Käthchen. "What right had Mr. Purdie to decide—and go away without saying a word? I suppose he refused?—and that was to be all of it!" But the little girl, hearing the lady talk in these altered tones, grew frightened; and tears started to her eyes.