_The wine-cup is lifted by many hands;_ _The bride and bridegroom are smiling among their friends;_ _To-night the bonfires will blaze on the hills;_ _I hear the loud sound of the pipes._ _No gifts have I for the home-coming;_ _No amulet of secret virtue;_ _But the voice of the woman-bard[#] is welcome to her chief:_ _Young Donald will not despise what I send._ [#] _Banabhard._ _Salutations and blessings I send:_ _Happy may his days be with his love:_ _Long years, many friends, a warm heart—_ _These are the things I wish for him._ _For her also the same:_ _For her, the chosen one, the fair-haired one, the beautiful Saxon;_ _Many years, and love through all of them,_ _For the bride of Young Donald of Heimra!_ She carefully folded the paper and put it in her pocket. "This is to be mine," she said. "For if Young Donald despises that message from across the sea, Young Donald’s wife does not." THE END. LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. * * * * * * * * NOVELS BY WILLIAM BLACK. _Crown 8vo. 6s. each._ STAND FAST, CRAIG-ROYSTON! THE NEW PRINCE FORTUNATUS. IN FAR LOCHABER. THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A HOUSE-BOAT. A DAUGHTER OF HETH. KILMENY. THREE FEATHERS. LADY SILVERDALE’S SWEETHEART. IN SILK ATTIRE. SUNRISE. THE PENANCE OF JOHN LOGAN. SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON AND COMPANY, LTD., LONDON. A PRINCESS OF THULE. THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A PHAETON. THE MAID OF KILLEENA. MADCAP VIOLET. GREEN PASTURES AND PICCADILLY. MACLEOD OF DARE. WHITE WINGS. THE BEAUTIFUL WRETCH. SHANDON BELLS. YOLANDE. JUDITH SHAKESPEARE. THE WISE WOMEN OF INVERNESS. WHITE HEATHER. SABINA ZEMBRA. MACMILLAN AND CO., LONDON.