’Why, now, Maggie, you have such a memory! And I have no doubt there was nonsense going on as we were walking back from Loch Loyal—for a beautiful night it was, in the middle of summer, when there is no darkness at all in the skies all the night long. Oh yes, I remember it too; and very well; but it was amongst ourselves; we are not going to have any such nonsense before other people. And if we were to sing "O hush thee, my baby," would not the children be thinking it was a hint for them to go away to bed? And besides, surely I have asked Ronald to do enough for us; do you not think he will be surprised, and perhaps angry, when he sees how often his name comes there?’ ’Indeed no, I’m sure,’ Maggie said promptly. ’There’s just nothing that he wouldna do for you, Meenie.’ ’But I will wait till I see him in a good humour,’ said her friend, laughing, ’before I ask him for so much.’ ’Mich,’ she said; unawares she had caught up a good many of the local touches. ’And do ye think ye could ever find him in an ill-humour wi’ you?’ Maggie said, almost reproachfully. There was no answer to the question; the programme was put aside. ’Very well, then,’ Meenie said, ’we will suppose that is settled. And what is next? Why, Maggie, if I had not the brain of a prime minister, I could never get through so many schemes. Oh, this is it: of course we shall be very much obliged to them if they lend us the barn and all its fittings and we should do something for them in return. And I am sure the lads will be thinking of nothing but the carpentering; and the lasses at the inn will be thinking only of the cooking of the supper, and their own ribbons and frocks. Now, Maggie, suppose you and I were to do something to make the barn look pretty; I am sure Ronald would cut us a lot of fir-branches, for there’s nothing else just now; and we could fix them up all round the barn; and then—look here.’ She had got a lot of large printed designs; and a heap of stiff paper of various colours. ’We will have to make paper flowers for them, because there’s none growing just now; and very well they will look among the fir-branches. Oh yes, very well indeed. Red and white roses do not grow on fir-branches—it does not need the old man of Ross to tell us that; but they will look very well whatever; and then large orange lilies, and anything to make a bold show in so big a place. And if the lads are making a chandelier out of the hoops of a barrel, we will ask them to let us put red worsted round the hoops; that will look very well too. For we must do something to thank them, Maggie; and then, indeed, when it comes to our turn, we will have the chance too of looking at the decorations when we have the children’s soirée.’ Maggie looked up quickly. ’But, Meenie, you are coming to the party on Monday night too?’ There was no embarrassment on the beautiful, fine, gentle face. She only said— ’Well, no one has asked me.’