“I’ll camp up there with you to-night, Alan,” James Buchanan offered. “I’ll take the bridle-path across to Glenbore to-morrow morning and catch the Fort William bus from there. I think it saves sixpence. I’m not sure about that, but I think it does.”

“Oh, I’m so glad yu’ve decided to move too, Mr Buchanan,” Myrtle said. “That will be such good news for Mrs Royde.”

“Mind you, I’m not moving because I’m afraid of a shaking from Mr MacDonald of Ben Nevis,” James Buchanan announced truculently.

“Surely not, Mr Buchanan. You’re moving to oblige Mrs Royde and me, which is most chivalrous of you.”

Myrtle shook hands and set out towards the Castle. The two young men sat down on a bank above the road and watched the trim figure disappear round a bend.

“A nice wee lassie,” James observed. “Och, I like these American women a lot better than I like Englishwomen. They make you feel at home with them much more quickly. Losh, Alan, there’s not many Englishwomen could have made me agree to move up to yon cave because that clown of a laird has been blethering away what he’s going to do with campers. I felt it was a bit weak right enough, but och, I hadn’t the heart to refuse the wee lassie. You know, I made sure she had come along to say that hundred-dollar bill was a mistake. I was a bit relieved to find she hadn’t, I tell you. Twenty pounds is a lot of money for a treasurer to be asked to hand back. I’d been building a good deal on that twenty pounds, Alan. But you’ll need to watch your step pretty well.”

“Why?”

“I’m telling you.”

“What are you telling me?”

“I’m just telling you. You’ll need to watch your step.”

“Why?”

“I’m telling you, Alan.”

“You’re not telling me.”

“You know fine what I mean.”

“I haven’t the remotest idea.”

“Ach, get away with you, Alan. Do you mind Annie Duncan?”

“Of course I do.”

“And Jeanie Duncan?”

“Of course.”

“Well, that’s what I said, I’m telling you.”

“The circumstances are entirely different.”

“Och ay, the circumstances are different, but the root of the matter is just the same.”

“Neither Annie nor Jeanie was married,” Alan pointed out. “And they were sisters.”