My heart thrilled with a sudden sense of expectant joy. In my fancy
I already saw the heather-crowned summits of the Highland hills,
bathed in soft climbing mists of amethyst and rose,--the lovely
purple light that dances on the mountain lochs at the sinking of the
sun,--the exquisite beauty of wild moor and rocky foreland,--and
almost I was disposed to think this antipathetic millionaire an
angel of blessing in disguise.

"It will be delightful!" I said, with real fervour--"I shall love
it! I'm glad you are going to keep to northern seas."

"Northern seas are the only seas possible for summer," he replied--
"With the winter one goes south, as a matter of course, though I'm
not sure that it is always advisable. I have found the Mediterranean
tiresome very often." He broke off and seemed to lose himself for a
moment in a tangle of vexed thought. Then he resumed quickly:--
"Well, next week, then. Rothesay bay, and the yacht 'Diana.'"

Things being thus settled, we shook hands and parted. In the
interval between his visit and my departure from home I had plenty
to do, and I heard no more of the Harlands, except that I received a
little note from Miss Catherine expressing her pleasure that I had
agreed to accompany them on their cruise.

"You will be very dull, I fear,"--she wrote, kindly--"But not so
dull as we should be without you."

This was a gracious phrase which meant as much or as little as most
such phrases of a conventionally amiable character. Dulness,