"If _Tearlach ban og_, as they used to call him, were alive now," said
he--and indeed there was never any Stuart of them all, not even the Fair
Young Charles himself, who looked more handsome than this same Macleod
of Dare who now stood before her--"you would get him more men to follow
him than any flag or standard he ever raised."

She cast her eyes down.

Mrs. Ross's guests began to leave.

"Gertrude," said she, "will you drive with me for half an hour--the
carriage is at the door? And I know the gentlemen want to have a cigar
in the shade of Kensington Gardens: they might come back and have a cup
of tea with us."

But Miss White had some engagement; she and her father left together;
and the young men followed them almost directly, Mrs. Ross saying that
she would be most pleased to see Sir Keith Macleod any Tuesday or
Thursday afternoon he happened to be passing, as she was always at home
on these days.

"I don't think we can do better than take her advice about the cigar,"
said young Ogilvie, as they crossed to Kensington Gardens. "What do you
think of her?"

"Of Mrs. Ross?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I think she is a very pleasant woman."