Kate Menzies did not do that; but the same evening she wrote Ronald a brief note. And very well she could write too—in a dashing, free handwriting; and gilt-edged was the paper, and rose-pink was the envelope. ’DEAR RONALD—Surely there is no quarrel between us. If I have offended you, come and tell me; don’t go away and sulk. If I have done or said anything to offend you, I will ask your pardon. Can I do anything more than that? Your cousin and friend, ’KATE MENZIES.’ Of course he had to answer such an appeal in person: he went down the next morning. ’Quarrel, woman? What put that into your head? If there had been anything of that kind, I would have told you fast enough; I’m not one of the sulking kind.’ ’Well, I’m very glad to ken we’re just as good friends as before,’ said Kate, regarding him, ’but I’m not glad to see the way ye’re looking, Ronald, my lad. Ye’re not yourself at all, my man—what’s got ye whitey-faced, limp, shaky-looking like that? See here.’ She went to the sideboard, and the next instant there was on the table a bottle of champagne, with a couple of glasses, and a flask of angostura bitters. ’No, no, Katie, lass, I will not touch a drop,’ said he: and he rose and took his cap in his hand. ’You will not?’ she said. ’You will not? Why, man, you’re ill—you’re ill, I tell ye. It’s medicine!’ He gripped her by the hand, and took the bottle from her, and put it down on the table. ’If I’m ill, I deserve to be, and that’s the fact, lass. Let be—let be, woman; I’m obliged to ye—some other time—some other time.’ ’Then if you winna, I will,’ she said, and she got hold of the bottle and opened it and poured out a glass of the foaming fluid. ’And dinna I ken better what’s good for ye than ye do yersel’?’ said she boldly. ’Ay, if ye were ruled by me, and drank nothing but what ye get in this house, there would be little need for ye to be frightened at what a wean might drink. Ye dinna ken your best friends, my lad.’ ’I know you wish me weel, Katie, lass,’ said he, for he did not wish to appear ungrateful, ’but I’m better without it.’ ’Yes,’ said she tauntingly. ’Ye’re better without sitting up a’ night wi’ a lot o’ roystering fellows, smoking bad tobacco and drinking bad whisky. What mak’s your face sae white? It’s fusel-oil, if ye maun ken. Here, Ronald, what canna hurt a woman canna hurt a man o’ your build—try it, and see if ye dinna feel better.’ She put a good dash of bitters into the glass, and poured out the champagne, and offered it to him. He did not wish to offend her; and he himself did not believe the thing could hurt him; he took the glass and sipped about a teaspoonful, and then set it down. Kate Menzies looked at him, and laughed aloud, and took him by the shoulders and pushed him back into his chair. ’There’s a man for ye! Whatna young ladies’ seminary have ye been brought up at?’