"Certainly, that is a consolation," said Mrs. Aytoun, with her faint smile. "It is selfish of me, I am afraid, to be so loath to think of parting with Alice; and part I must one time or other, that is true, but still--a little longer, I think, she may be left to me. Your brother has been pressing an early time upon us, Miss Ross. I do not object that he should wish it--but you must do us the kindness to help me in deferring this a little." "I believe," said Anne, "that my brother Norman may be home--that we may expect him at the end of the year. I should like exceedingly that he could be present--that it were deferred until that time." Mrs. Aytoun pressed her hand gratefully--Alice, radiant with smiles and blushes, looked in at the door. "Oh! Anne is here--she has come," she exclaimed as she ran to Anne's side--Lewis was behind her. "So my mother has been bringing you over to our side," said James Aytoun, when the evening was considerably advanced, as he took a seat near Anne. "Mrs. Catherine is wavering. I fear to find her throw her mighty forces into alliance with the active, serviceable, energetic troops whom Lewis himself brings into the field. We are by no means pleased to have our little Alice carried off from us so rapidly. I begin to fear Mrs. Catherine is anything but a safe guardian for young ladies; I certainly shall not advise any client of mine to send favorite daughters or sisters to the Tower, if he wants to keep them out of harm's way." "What is that you say?" said Mrs. Catherine, "do you make light of my good name, James Aytoun? and do you, Anne, sit still and hear? you are an irreverent generation! Never you heed, Alison. It is because you are overlooking the rule of Laban, the son of Bethuel, and cheating him of his elder right." "If you will come to Merkland, James," said Lewis, "I will say a good word for you to Marjory Falconer. By the bye, I forgot my great news--have you heard about Marjory, Anne?" "What about her?" "In the first place, she has made a silent recantation--if one may guess from appearances. A hint of Walter Foreman's the other day, about the rights of women, instead of setting her off at a tangent, as such a thing used to do, threw her into an agony of blushing, and made her dumb. That is great enough for one report; but I have another. Marjory Falconer--listen to me all who know Strathoran--Marjory Falconer is about to be married!" "To be married!" echoed little Alice, with a look of laughing wonder and dismay. These two, Lewis and his betrothed, had not got the slightest glimpse of Marjory Falconer yet, well though they fancied they knew her; Anne looked slightly puzzled, and a little anxious: Mrs. Catherine smiled. "Who is it? who is it?" cried little Alice. "Anne can guess," said Lewis: "I see his name upon her lips. It seems my news is no such wonder, after all."