When Carmichael, who had a pleasant tenor voice and a good ear, sang a solo, then much tasted in such meetings, she arose and left the place, and the minister thought he had never seen anything more uncompromising than her pale set face.
[Illustration: Carmichael sang a solo.] It was evident that she was Free Kirk and of the Highland persuasion, which was once over-praised and then has been over-blamed, but is never understood by the Lowland mind; and as Carmichael found that she had come to live in a cottage at the entrance to the Lodge, he looked in on his way home.

She was sitting at a table reading the Bible, and her face was more hostile than in the meeting; but she received him with much politeness, dusting a chair and praying him to be seated.

"You have just come to the district to reside, I think?
I hope you will like our Glen." "It wass here that I lived long ago, but I hef been married and away with my mistress many years, and there are not many that will know me." "But you are not of Drumtochty blood ?" inquired the minister.
"There iss not one drop of Sassenach blood in my veins"-- this with a sudden flash.

"I am a Macpherson and my husband wass a Macpherson; but we hef served the house of Carnegie for four generations." "You are a widow, I think, Mrs.Macpherson ?" and Carmichael's voice took a tone of sympathy.

"Have you any children ?" "My husband iss dead, and I had one son, and he iss dead also; that iss all, and I am alone;" but in her voice there was no weakening.
"Will you let me say how sorry I am ?" pleaded Carmichael, "this is a great grief, but I hope you have consolations." "Yes, I will be having many consolations; they both died like brave men with their face to the enemy.