'You must be drenched by this drizzling mist, Miss Brown, and it will take you more than an hour to reach the inn by the road. You had much better accompany us to Inchbracken, where Lady Caroline will be charmed to see you made comfortable, and we will drive you home to-morrow morning. Here, Duncan! you will find a short cut over the hill. Find Mrs. Sangster at the inn, and tell her, with my compliments, I have insisted on Miss Brown's remaining at Inchbracken for the night. She is too much fatigued and wetted to make it safe for her to go farther to-night.' Mary demurred and resisted as well as she could, but the old gentleman was somewhat autocratic, and not used to being gainsaid on his own land. Her remonstrances were over-ruled or disregarded, and she had to submit, with no great reluctance after all, for she was chilled miserably, and thoroughly wet, and the prospect of an hour's ride ending in the make-shift drying to be obtained at a wayside inn was not very alluring. Having exchanged her wet shawl for a dry plaid and a mackintosh, she found herself riding along the hill track at a brisk pace, the General on one side and Kenneth on the other, the men having orders to remain and fire their guns occasionally till Captain John and his friends should reach the rendezvous. It was later that afternoon when Miss Julia Finlayson entered the housekeeper's room at Inchbracken. In her character of young lady, if not daughter of the house, she had taken on herself the care of its floral decoration, a matter less generally thought of thirty years ago than now, and therefore even less to be entrusted to the servants. She had made the round of the conservatories, and carried on her arm a large basket of flowers to be arranged in vases which William the footman was then bringing in. There she found the lady's maid preparing tea to carry up-stairs. 'Has Lady Caroline a headache, Mrs. Briggs? I do wish she would vary the dissipation a little. Tea before getting up!--more tea at breakfast!--tea before dressing for dinner, and tea after dinner again! Why will Dr. Pilcox not intervene, and save her poor nerves? But nobody ever does venture to advise rich people till it is too late. But tea after luncheon as well! I almost think I must take upon me to suggest a little Madeira, unless the headache is very severe.