"How are you, Drumsheugh? and how are you all this wintry day? That's
how I'm half an hour late; it took us four hours' stiff work for sixteen
miles, mostly in the drifts, of course."

"It wes gude o' yir lordship, tae mak sic an effort, an' the hale Glen
wull be gratefu' tae ye, for ony kindness tae him is kindness tae us."

[Illustration: HE HAD LEFT HIS OVERCOAT AND WAS IN BLACK]

"You make too much of it, Drumsheugh," and the clear, firm voice was
heard of all; "it would have taken more than a few snow drifts to keep
me from showing my respect to William MacLure's memory." When all had
gathered in a half circle before the kitchen door, Lord Kilspindie came
out--every man noticed he had left his overcoat, and was in black, like
the Glen--and took a place in the middle with Drumsheugh and Burnbrae,
his two chief tenants, on the right and left, and as the minister
appeared every man bared his head.

The doctor looked on the company--a hundred men such as for strength
and gravity you could hardly have matched in Scotland--standing out in
picturesque relief against the white background, and he said:

"It's a bitter day, friends, and some of you are old; perhaps it might
be wise to cover your heads before I begin to pray."

Lord Kilspindie, standing erect and grey-headed between the two old men,
replied:

"We thank you, Dr. Davidson, for your thoughtfulness; but he endured
many a storm in our service, and we are not afraid of a few minutes'