"And yet I cannot but take pleasure in it; and perhaps it is foolish and unkind to my mother too. Is it, Shenac?"

There were two or three pairs of eyes watching--no, not watching, but seeing--the two girls from the doorstep, and Shenac Dhu drew her cousin down the garden-path towards the plum-tree before she answered her.

Then she put her arms round her neck, and kissed her two or three times before she answered,--

"You are not wrong or foolish. You are right to take pride and pleasure in your brother and his house, and in all that belongs to him. And he is just as proud of you, Shenac, my darling."

"That is nonsense, you know, Cousin Shenac," said Allister's sister; but she smiled and blushed too, as she said it, with pure pleasure.

There was no chance after this to say anything more about the change, real or supposed, that had taken place in Shenac Dhu, for she talked on, allowing no pause till they had come quite round the garden and back to the door-step; but Shenac Bhan knew all about it before she saw her cousin again.

That night, as she was going home through the field with Allister, he asked her rather suddenly,--

"What were you and Cousin Shenac speaking about to-night when you went round the garden?"

"Allister," said his sister, "do you think Cousin Shenac is changed lately?"

"Changed!" repeated Allister. "How?"

"Oh, of course you cannot tell; but she used to be so merry, and now she is quite quiet and grave, and we hardly ever see her over with us now.

I was asking her what ailed her."

"And what did she say?"

"Oh, she laughed at me, and denied that anything ailed her, and then she said she was growing wise. But I know something is wrong with her, though she would not tell me."

"What do you think it is, Shenac?"

"I cannot tell. It is not only that she is quieter--I could understand that; but she hardly ever comes over now, and something is vexing her, I'm sure. Could it be anything Dan has said? He used to vex her sometimes. What do you think it can be, Allister?"

There was a little pause, and then Allister said,--

"I think I know what it is, Shenac."

"You!" exclaimed Shenac. "What is it? Have I anything to do with it?

Am I to blame?"

"You have something to do with it, but you are not to blame," said Allister.

"Tell me, Allister," said his sister.

There was a silence of several minutes, and then Allister said,--

"Shenac, I have asked Cousin Shenac to be my wife." Shenac stood perfectly still in her surprise and dismay. Yes, she _ was_ dismayed.

I have heard it said that the tidings of a brother's engagement rarely bring unmixed pleasure to a sister. I daresay there is some truth in this. Many sisters make their brothers their first object in life-- pride themselves on their talents, their worth, their success, live in their lives, glory in their triumphs; till a day comes when it is softly said of some stranger, or some friend--it may be none the pleasanter to hear because it is a friend--"She is more to him than you could ever be." Is it only to jealous hearts, ign.o.ble minds, that such tidings come with a shock of pain? Nay, the truer the heart the keener the pain. It may be short, but it is sharp. The second thought may be, "It is well for him; I am glad for him." But the pang is first, and inevitable.

Allister had been always first, after Hamish, in Shenac's heart--perhaps not even after Hamish. She had never thought of him in connection with any change of this kind. In all her plans for the future, no thought of possible separation had come. She stood perfectly still, till her brother touched her.

"Well, Shenac?"

Then she moved on without speaking. She was searching about among her astonished and dismayed thoughts for something to say, for she felt that Allister was waiting for her to speak. At last she made a grasp at the question they had been discussing, and said hurriedly,--

"But there is nothing to vex Shenac in that, surely?"

"No; unless she is right in thinking that you will not be glad too."

"I am glad it is Shenac. I would rather it would be Shenac than any one else in the whole world--"

"I was sure of it," said her brother, kissing her fondly.

Even without the kiss she would hardly have had the courage to add,--

"If it must be anyone."

"And, Shenac," continued her brother, "you must tell her so. She fancies that for some things you will not like it, and she wants to put it off for ever so long--till--till something happens--till you are married yourself, I suppose."

Now Shenac was vexed. She was in the way--at least, Allister and Shenac Dhu thought so. It was quite as well that the sound of footsteps gave her no time to speak the words that rose to her lips. They were overtaken by Mr Stewart and Hamish. It had been to see the minister that they had all gone to Angus Dhu's, for he was going away in the morning, and they did not know when they might see him again. It was late, and the farewells were brief and earnest.

"G.o.d bless you, Shenac!" was all that Mr Stewart said; and Shenac answered never a word.

"I'll walk a little way with you," said Allister. Hamish and Shenac stood watching them till they pa.s.sed through the gate, and then Shenac sat down on the doorstep with a sigh, and laid her face upon her hands.

Hamish looked a little astonished, but he smiled too.

"He will come back again, Shenac," he said at last.

"Yes, I know," said she, rising slowly. "I must tell you before he comes. We must not stay here. Come in; you will take cold. I don't know what to think. He expected me to be pleased, and I shall be in a little while, I think, after I have told you. Do you know it, Hamish?"

"I know--he told me; but I thought he had not spoken to you," said the puzzled Hamish.

"Did Allister tell you? Are you glad, Hamish?"

"Allister?" repeated Hamish.

"Allister has asked Shenac Dhu to be his wife," said Shenac in a whisper.

"Is that it? No, I had not heard that, though I thought it might be-- some time. You must have seen it, Shenac?"

"Seen it! the thought never came into my mind--never once--till he told me to-night."

"Well, that's odd, too," said Hamish, smiling. "They say girls are quick enough to see such things. Are you not pleased, Shenac?"

"I don't know. Should I be pleased, Hamish? I think perhaps in a little while I shall be." Then she added, "It will make a great difference."

"Will it?" asked Hamish. "Cousin Shenac has almost been like one of ourselves so long."

"I suppose it is foolish, and maybe it is wrong, but it does seem to put Allister farther from us--from me, at least. He seems less our own."

"Don't say that, Shenac dear," said her brother gently. "Allister can never be less than a dear and loving brother to us all. It is very natural and right that this should happen. It might have been a stranger. We all love Shenac Dhu dearly."

"Yes," said Shenac; "I said that to Allister."