He made his way to the corner of Sauchiehall Street some little time before the appointed hour. But it was actually raining now; of course Meenie would not come. So he idly paced up and down; staring absently at the shop windows; occasionally looking along the street, but with no great expectation; and thinking how well content and satisfied with themselves these people seemed to be who were now hurrying by under their streaming umbrellas. His thoughts went far afield. Vimiera—Salamanca—Ciudad Rodrigo—Balaklava—Alma—Lucknow—Alumbagh—these were the names and memories that were in his head. An old school companion of his own had got the V.C. for a conspicuous act of daring at the storming of the Redan, and if that were not likely to be his proud fate, at least in this step he was resolved upon he would find safety and a severance from degrading bonds, and a final renunciation of futile ambitions and foolish and idle dreams. He was looking into a bookseller’s window. A timid hand touched his arm. ’Ronald!’ And oh! the sudden wonder and the thrill of finding before him those beautiful, friendly, glad eyes, so true, so frank, so full of all womanly tenderness and solicitude, and abundant and obvious kindness! Where was the reproach of them? They were full of a kind of half-hidden joy—timid and reluctant, perhaps, a little—but honest and clear and unmistakable; and as for him—well, his breath was clean taken away by the surprise, and by the sudden revulsion of feeling from a listless despair to the consciousness that Meenie was still his friend; and all he could do was to take the gentle hand in both of his and hold it fast. ’I—I heard that you were not—not very well, Ronald,’ she managed to say. And then the sound of her voice—that brought with it associations of years—seemed to break the spell that was on him. ’Bless me, Miss Douglas,’ he said, ’you will get quite wet! Will you not put up your umbrella—or—or take shelter somewhere?’ ’Oh, I do not mind the rain,’ she said, and there was a kind of tremulous laugh about her lips, as if she were trying to appear very happy indeed. ’I do not mind the rain. We did not heed the rain much at Inver-Mudal, Ronald, when there was anything to be done. And—and so glad I am to see you! It seems so long a time since you left the Highlands.’ ’Ay; and it has been a bad time for me,’ he said; and now he was beginning to get his wits together again. He could not keep Miss Douglas thus standing in the wet. He would ask her why she had sent for him; and then he would bid her good-bye and be off; but with a glad, glad heart that he had seen her even for these few seconds. ’And there are so many things to be talked over after so long a time,’ said she; ’I hope you have a little while to spare, Ronald——’ ’But to keep you in the rain, Miss Douglas——’