thought he might as well have a smoke—for that solace had been denied him during the long evening. Well, he was staring absently into the mass of smouldering peats, and thinking mostly of the sound of Meenie’s voice as he had heard it when she sang with the children ’Whither, pilgrims, are you going?’ when he heard footsteps behind him, and turning found that both Meenie and Maggie had come back. ’Ronald,’ said Meenie, with her pretty eyes smiling at him, ’do you know that Maggie and I are rather tired——’ ’Well, I dinna wonder,’ said he. ’Yes, and both of us very hungry too. And I am sure there will be no supper waiting for either Maggie or me when we go home; and do you think you could get us some little thing now?’ ’Here?’ said he, with his face lighting up with pleasure: were those three to have supper all by themselves? ’Oh yes,’ said she, in her friendly way. ’I am not sure that my mother would like me to stay at the inn for supper; but this is our own place; and the table laid; and Maggie and I would rather be here, I am sure. And you—are you not hungry too—after so long a time—I am sure you want something besides raisins and shortbread. But if it will be any trouble— ’Trouble or no trouble,’ said he quickly, ’has nothing to do wi’t. Here, Maggie, lass, clear the end of the table; and we’ll soon get some supper for ye.’ And away he went to the inn, summoning the lasses there, and driving and hurrying them until they had arranged upon a large tray a very presentable supper—some cold beef, and ham, and cheese, and bread, and ale; and when the fair-haired Nelly was ready to start forth with this burden, he lit a candle and walked before her through the darkness, lest she should miss her footing. And very demure was Nelly when she placed this supper on the table; there was not even a look for the smart young keeper; and when Meenie said to her— ’I hear, Nelly, you had great goings-on on Monday night’—she only answered—’Oh yes, miss, there was that’—and could not be drawn into conversation, but left the moment she had everything arranged. But curiously enough, when the two girls had taken their seats at this little cross table, Ronald remained standing—just behind them, indeed, as if he were a waiter. And would Miss Douglas have this? and would Miss Douglas have that? he suggested—mostly to cloak his shamefacedness; for indeed that first wild assumption that they were all to have supper together was banished now as an impertinence. He would wait on them, and gladly; but—but his own supper would come after. ’And what will you have yourself, Ronald?’ Meenie asked. ’Oh,’ said he, ’that will do by and by. I am not so hungry as you.’ ’Did you have so much of the shortbread?’ said she, laughing. He went and stirred up the peats—and the red glow sent a genial warmth across towards them. ’Come, Ronald,’ said the little Maggie, ’and have some supper.’