And what a night it was—or rather, might have been—for two lovers! The wide waters of the loch lay still and smooth, with a broad pathway of silver stretching away into the dusk of the eastern hills; not a breath of wind stirred bush or tree; and if Ben Clebrig in the south was mostly a bulk of shadow, far away before them in the northern skies rose the great shoulders of Ben Loyal, pallid in the moonlight, the patches of snow showing white up near the stars. They had left behind them the little hamlet—which merely consisted of a few cottages and the inn; they were alone in this pale silent world. And down there, beneath the little bridge, ran the placid Mudal Water: and if they had a Bible with them?—and would stand each on one side of the stream?—and clasp hands across? It was a night for lovers’ vows. ’Maggie is getting on well with her lessons,’ the pretty young lady said, in that gentle voice of hers. ’She is very diligent.’ ’I’m sure I’m much obliged to ye, Miss Douglas,’ was the respectful answer, ’for the trouble ye take with her. It’s an awkward thing to be sae far from a school. I’m thinking I’ll have to send her to my brother in Glasgow, and get her put to school there.’ ’Oh, indeed, indeed,’ said she, ’that will be a change now. And who will look after the cottage for you, Ronald?’ She addressed him thus quite naturally, and without shyness; for no one ever dreamed of calling him anything else. ’Well, I suppose Mrs. MacGregor will give the place a redd[#] up from time to time. But a keeper has but half learned his business that canna shift for himself; there’s some of the up-country lodges with ne’er a woman-body within a dozen miles o’ them.’ [#] ’Redd,’ a setting to rights. ’It is your brother the minister that Maggie will be going to?’ she said. ’Oh yes; he is married, and has a family of his own; she will be comfortable there.’ ’Well, it is strange,’ said she, ’that you should have a brother in Glasgow, and I a sister, and that your mother should be Highland and mine too.’ But this was putting himself and her on much too common a footing; and he was always on his guard against that, however far her gentleness and good-nature might lead her. ’When is your father coming back, Miss Douglas?’ said he. ’Well, I really do not know,’ she said. ’I do not think he has ever had so wide a district to attend to, and we are never sure of his being at home.’ ’It must be very lonely for a young lady brought up like you,’ he ventured to say, ’that ye should have no companions. And for your mother, too; I wonder she can stand it.’ ’Oh no,’ she said, ’for the people are so friendly with us. And I do not know of any place that I like better.’ By this time they were come to the little wooden gate of the garden, and he opened that for her. Before them was the cottage, with its windows, despite the moonlight on the panes, showing the neat red blinds within. She gave him her hand for a second.