Drummond had told his sister only a judicious amount about Achree affairs, and it is to his credit that he had kept the fact of Malcolm’s dismissal from the Army entirely to himself even when sometimes tempted to tell what he knew. It was for Isla’s sake that he had kept silence--Isla, whom he loved with a dog-like fidelity that was capable of any sacrifice and any suffering in order to make her happy. Malcolm was unaware of Drummond’s sentiments towards his sister, and if he had known them they would only have amused him. He despised Neil as a man of the world might despise and belittle a boy who had seen nothing of life. Neil, on his part, had the heartiest contempt for Malcolm Mackinnon, and cherished such an honest rage against him that it would have relieved him to have given him a good thrashing. "You won’t like Creagh, Malcolm," said Kitty sympathetically. "I can’t help thinking that Isla was in too big a hurry to rush the Americans in. They were so frightfully keen on Achree that they would have waited your time." "That’s what I think, but I don’t grumble," said Malcolm. "I’ve been to lunch with them to-day, and they’re quite decent--upon my word they are." "Been to lunch already, have you, Malcolm? You don’t let the grass grow under your feet. And what do you think of them? I really think we must call, Neil. Why not this afternoon when we go down?" "No," answered Neil shortly, "I’m not needing any truck with such folks. If they must swarm into Scotland, then, let them, but they’ll get no encouragement from me." "Touch me if ye daur," whispered Malcolm with his eyes full of laughter. Kitty laughed out loud. On the way down she took the opportunity of asking Neil what had made him so disagreeable to Malcolm all the afternoon. "I’m sure he’s very nice and has greatly improved. His manner to his father is beautiful, I think--such a nice mixture of deference and devotion." "Fiddlesticks, Kitty!" said Drummond in his grumpiest tones. "You don’t know what you’re talking about." "Do you?" she asked saucily. "It takes a man to know a man like Malcolm Mackinnon. I wonder how he can bear to loaf about idle--great big hulking fellow that he is!" "Loaf about? But he’s on leave, Neil, and he has had a hard year of skirmishing. You should hear him tell about it." "Don’t want to--shouldn’t believe it if I did," said Neil, biting his lip and conscious that he had very nearly let the cat out of the bag. He had not had an opportunity of private speech with Isla at Creagh, because he and his sister had found the Edens in the little drawing-room and had left them still there when they went away. The whole afternoon had been a disappointment, and when, as they neared the gate of Achree, Kitty had again ventured to suggest that they should pay a call he refused point-blank.