"'Nan, lass, I love you. You may think 'tis a hasty wooing, but
that's a story I can tell you later maybe. I know well I'm not
worthy of you, but if true love could make a man worthy there'd
be none before me. Will you have me, Nan?'

"Nancy didn't SAY she would have him. She just LOOKED it, and
Donald kissed her right there in the snow.

"The next morning the storm was over. Donald knew Neil must be
soon on his track. He did not want to make the Sherman house the
scene of a quarrel, so he resolved to get away before the
Campbell came. He persuaded Nancy to go with him to visit some
friends in another settlement. As he brought Neil's sleigh up to
the door he saw a black speck far out on the bay and laughed.

"'Black Dan goes well, but he'll not be quick enough,' he said.

"Half an hour later Neil Campbell rushed into the Sherman kitchen
and oh, how angry he was! There was nobody there but Betty
Sherman, and Betty was not afraid of him. She was never afraid
of anybody. She was very handsome, with hair as brown as October
nuts and black eyes and crimson cheeks; and she had always been
in love with Neil Campbell herself.

"'Good morning, Mr. Campbell,' she said, with a toss of her head.
'It's early abroad you are. And on Black Dan, no less! Was I
mistaken in thinking that Donald Fraser said once that his
favourite horse should never be backed by any man but him? But
doubtless a fair exchange is no robbery, and Brown Bess is a good
mare in her way.'