"I understand so, but, of course, the subject was not mentioned. There is a younger daughter called Sadie, and there is also a boy at Yale or Harvard, who would spend only his summer here. I think you would like the family, and they would be willing to pay three hundred for the house, and five with the shooting." "Five hundred!" murmured Isla, and her eyes had a sort of hungry look. Money for its own sake did not exist for her. She was naturally of a generous, even of a prodigal mind, and she was certainly made for the gracious dispensation of great wealth. But she had had to count the pence so long that she had arrived, by many painful processes, at full appreciation of their market value. "We could certainly live at Creagh on three hundred; then two could be laid by, couldn’t they, Mr. Cattanach?" He turned swiftly away, for there was something in the eager question, almost childishly put, which gripped him by the throat. "Yes, of course. In the country life is simple," he said at last. "I gather from what you say that you would be willing at least to consider the offer of Mr. Hylton P. Rosmead." "I haven’t any alternative now," she said, as she pulled the strings of the leather bag again and produced her brother’s letter. "Please to read that, Mr. Cattanach." She passed over the thin, and now crumpled sheet covered with Malcolm’s sprawling undignified handwriting, which the lawyer’s eyes quickly scanned. The expression of his face as its full significance dawned upon him quite changed and perceptibly hardened. When he refolded it again it was a moment before the suitable word came to him. He knew that words of pity or condolence would be quite out of place, if spoken to Isla Mackinnon, and that the truest kindness he could show her would be to accept the situation as a matter of course and do his utmost to help, as he had opportunity, or could make it where he had it in his power. "This makes acceptance of Rosmead’s offer imperative, as you say, Miss Mackinnon. Perhaps the best thing I can do is to send him to Achree to see you. He is in the city this week. He has many friends here connected with the engineering profession. I believe that in his own country he is a distinguished engineer, and he certainly is a very gentlemanly, well-informed man." He praised the American of a set purpose, deeming it best to direct Miss Mackinnon’s thoughts to the pleasant side of the inevitable. "Do you think they would wish a great deal of money spent on the house? It is very bare, really, and rather dilapidated. But if he wanted even a tithe of the things that Lady Eden’s tenants asked for I’m afraid the bargain would have to be off. I could not owe money myself, even to let Achree."