The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

464
The Highla7id Monthly.
hover about his brain; the glimmer grew stronger; then
jaw and muscles relaxed ; and ultimately he burst into a
roar of laughter which shook the tapestry into wavy
movement,
"No tell my female freeeds; no even tell Kirsty that
I'm engaged tae her !" At this view of the matter John again
went into convulsions of merriment, in which happy con-
dition it is necessary to leave him for the present.
Labouring under the delusion, so innocently created,
that his brother was untrue beyond recall to the woman he
had undertaken to make his wife, David hurried into the
open air, fevered and angry, to reflect. What should be
done to save the honour of the family, and Flora from a
broken heart ? Should he inform the laird at once, and so,
perhaps, avert a scandal, which sooner or later would shock
the whole county, and break up the household ? Why,
v/hispered a voice, not allow things to drift ? If Richard
preferred the charms of this stranger, that was his business.
When deserted, might not Flora turn to himself—to him
who loved her better than his own life, and, therefore, was
more deserving of her love ?
Before he had time to answer any of these puzzling
questions, the sound of a familiar tune made him look up,
to find that the subject of his thoughts, Richard to wit, was
approaching along the fir tree path. He accompanied the
whistle with a twirl of his stick, and evidently was in the
best of spirits.
" Hallo, Davie lad, whither bound now and the dinner
bell due?" was the jovial greeting, " I'm as hungry as a
hawk ; come along."
" They might feed you up there, seeing they like your
society so much."
" Who ? "
" Who ?—those Somerton people, of course."
" In a temper again, by Jove. I say, Davie, you're
getting beastly cantankerous. The other morning you
called me a selfish brute. You'll be fighting me next, or