with their firelocks by the door.

There can nothing pass in the streets of a city without some

following of idle folk and children. It was so now; but the more

part melted away incontinent until but three were left. One was a

girl; she was dressed like a lady, and had a screen of the Drummond

colours on her head; but her comrades or (I should say) followers

were ragged gillies, such as I had seen the matches of by the dozen

in my Highland journey. They all spoke together earnestly in

Gaelic, the sound of which was pleasant in my ears for the sake of

Alan; and, though the rain was by again, and my porter plucked at

me to be going, I even drew nearer where they were, to listen. The

lady scolded sharply, the others making apologies and cringeing

before her, so that I made sure she was come of a chief's house.

All the while the three of them sought in their pockets, and by

what I could make out, they had the matter of half a farthing among

the party; which made me smile a little to see all Highland folk

alike for fine obeisances and empty sporrans.

It chanced the girl turned suddenly about, so that I saw her face

for the first time. There is no greater wonder than the way the

face of a young woman fits in a man's mind, and stays there, and he

could never tell you why; it just seems it was the thing he wanted.

She had wonderful bright eyes like stars, and I daresay the eyes

had a part in it; but what I remember the most clearly was the way

her lips were a trifle open as she turned. And, whatever was the

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