'Aberfeldie,' said the hostess to her husband, 'I feel certain that Evan Cameron is in love with our Eveline.' Lord Aberfeldie had no doubt about it whatever now, but he only said, 'He would be a fool to be otherwise.' 'But that is not what we seek!' 'Certainly not; but all young fellows have fancies; and he will be gone from this in a few hours now.' 'Thank Heaven, yes!' responded Lady Aberfeldie, devoutly. 'By the way, why did you permit her to wear those unlucky diamonds?' 'She pled so hard, and then the idea of their bringing evil is so behind the age.' 'Behind the age or not, something untoward or unlucky always accompanies their appearance in public. They should have been sent to Bond Street long ago.' And Lord Aberfeldie smiled on her affectionately, as at that moment he could not help thinking how handsome and young his wife looked in her costume of rich ruby velvet, trimmed at the square cut neck and arms with the finest white old lace, while jewels that an empress might have worn glittered in her ears and hair. Replacing sometimes the professional musicians, making themselves useful at the piano, and playing certainly good dance music were two--the 'mermaids,' as Holcroft called them--the minister's daughters, who were usually so fond of warbling that they 'were under the blue sea.' He knew nothing of what Allan had learned concerning him--of the light Carslogie had thrown on his private life; thus, whatever change had come over the spirit of Olive's dream, he deemed it necessary to ask her for, at least, one round dance as usual; and Allan watched them with a haughty grimace on his features as they danced it in a silent manner that was peculiar and rather oppressive to both. The moment it was over, and he handed her back to a seat, Holcroft took refuge in the refreshment-room, where Mr. Tappleton gave him a foaming glass of sparkling champagne. Young Cameron was rather grave, Allan thought, but the former was oppressed by one idea then, that on the morrow he would have to report himself at the headquarters of the Black Watch, and he gazed like one in a dream at the dancers whirling round him; so Allan took him to task and strove to rally him. 'Why so sad, old fellow? You're down on your luck, somehow,' said he. 'Because, Graham,' replied Cameron, with a forced smile, 'there are times when I am inclined to ask with Mr. Mallock, "Is life worth living?"' 'Of course it is--but how with you?' 'Well,' replied Cameron, with whom just then one bitter thought was more than usually keen, 'dipped nigh to sinking as my place of Stratherroch is, I don't see so much to live for, and certainly deuced little to live upon.' 'Don't take this gloomy view, old fellow,' said Allan, cheerfully. 'It is very well for you to take a jolly view of the world, Allan--you, the son of a peer, and engaged to----'