compare with any. And then again they would trip off into the figure 8, swinging round with arms interlocked; and again roof and rafter would ’dirl’ with the triumphant shouts of the men. Then came the long wailing monition from the pipes; the sounds died down; panting and laughing and rosy-cheeked the lasses were led to the benches by their partners; and a general halt was called. Little Maggie stole up to her brother. ’I’m going home now, Ronald,’ she said. ’Very well,’ he said. ’Mind you go to bed as soon as ye get in. Good-night, lass.’ ’Good-night, Ronald.’ She was going away, when he said to her— ’Maggie, do ye think that Miss Douglas is not coming along to see the dancing? I thought she would do that if she would rather no come to the supper.’ In truth he had had his eye on the door all the time he was playing _Miss Jenny Gordon’s Favourite_. ’I am sure if she stays away,’ the little Maggie said, ’it is not her own doing. Meenie wanted to come. It is very hard that everybody should be at the party and not Meenie.’ ’Well, well, good-night, lass,’ said he; for the young folk were choosing their partners again, and the pipes were wanted. Soon there was another reel going on, as fast and furious as before. At the end of this reel—Meenie had not appeared, by the way, and Ronald concluded that she was not to be allowed to look on at the dancing—the yellow-haired Nelly came up to the top of the room, and addressed Mrs. Murray in the Gaelic; but as she finished up with the word _quadrille_, and as she directed one modest little glance towards Mr. Hodson, that amiable but astute onlooker naturally inferred that he was somehow concerned in this speech. Mrs. Murray laughed. ’Well, sir, the girls are asking if you would not like to have a dance too; and they could have a quadrille.’ ’I’ve no cause to brag about my dancing,’ he said good-humouredly, ’but if Miss Nelly will see me through, I dare say we’ll manage somehow. Will you excuse my ignorance?’