"Too many words on a spoiled subject." "I must say one mair, though.

There is a little lad, a bonnie, brave, bit fellow, your ain grandson, Crawford." "An American Crawford!" And the laird laughed bitterly.

"A foreigner! an alien! a Crawford born in England! Guid-night, Tallisker! We'll drop the subject, an it please you." Tallisker let it drop.

He had never expected the laird to give in at the first cry of "Surrender." But he reflected that the winter was coming, and that its long nights would give plenty of time for thought and plenty of opportunities for further advocacy.

He wrote constantly to Colin and his wife, perhaps oftener to Mrs.Crawford than to the young laird, for she was a woman of great tact and many resources, and Tallisker believed in her.
Crawford had said a bitter word about her coming to the Keep, and Tallisker could not help thinking what a blessing she would be there; for one of Crawford's great troubles now was the wretchedness of his household arrangements.