It sounded a perfectly plausible explanation, and Isla suffered her somewhat unwilling eyes to dwell for a moment on his smiling face. Never did man look more innocent and ingenuous. There was not the flicker of a lid or a tinge of colour to condemn him. Knowing perfectly well that her scrutiny was judicial, he met it without flinching. "I did not like the look of the woman, Malcolm," was all she said. "But please, I don’t want to hear any more about it." It can hardly be said that she was convinced, but only that she realized the utter futility of trying to get to the bottom of Malcolm’s mind or of ever reaching his real self. What that self would be like when she reached it she did not ask. But a little later, watching his matchless manner with his aunt’s guests and the way in which he held his little court of admiring womenkind about him, she marvelled at his powers. So long as he possessed such faculties of pleasing and could attract those with whom he came into contact, nobody need wonder at his gay aplomb. Nothing could greatly matter, for whoever might suffer or go under, it would not be Malcolm. He would sail--a little unsteadily perhaps, but still successfully--on the crest of the wave, and only those who knew him intimately and who had suffered through him would ever probe the depths of his colossal selfishness. This was the estimate of her brother at which Isla had now arrived. The trials and hardships of the last three years had wrought a great change in her outlook upon men and things and had made her judgment a little merciless. In fact this was a very critical moment in the history of Isla Mackinnon, and but for the timely introduction of some fresh forces into her life she might have become a really hard woman. Malcolm airily declined his aunt’s rather pressing invitation to stay a week. "I’ll return, dearest aunt, a little later, when the Glen begins to pall," he whispered with that little air of personal devotion and interest which even old women found so charming. "Behold the gloom on Isla’s face! She represents my duty. I shall take her home to-morrow, Pay my humble respects to the old man, and syne, if you will have me, I’ll be only too glad to come back." Lady Mackinnon nodded, well pleased. "Come up in time for the Court. Marjorie and Sheila will never be satisfied till you see them in all their bravery. And we’ll give a ball for you if you do come!" "All right, my lady," said Malcolm with extreme satisfaction. "Fix the date and I’ll come." "I’m so sorry about Isla. I keep telling her not to take life so seriously," said Lady Mackinnon, her kind eyes wandering in the direction of her niece. "As I told her last night, it is you who ought to bear the burden of Achree. It’s robbing her of her youth. She has changed greatly in the last year, don’t you think?" "Yes, and gone off decidedly, but there----" He gave his shoulders a little shrug which expressed much that he did not say.