Ten o'clock struck, and, to Macgregor's ill-disguised delight,
Christina rose and said she must be going.

Mrs. McOstrich accompanied the two to the outer door. There she
took Christina's hand, stroked it once or twice, and let it go.

'Macgreegor has been a frien' o' mines since he was a gey wee
laddie,' she said, 'an' I'm rael prood to ha'e had his intended in
ma hoose. I'll never forget neither o' ye. If I had had a laddie
o' ma ain, I couldna ha'e wished him to dae better nor Macgreegor
has done--in every way.' Abruptly she pressed something into
Christina's hand and closed the girl's fingers upon it. 'Dinna
look at it noo,' she went on hastily. 'It's yours, dearie, but
ye'll gi'e it to Macgreegor when the time comes for him to--to
gang. Ma grandfayther was a dandy in his way, an' it's a' he left
me, though I had great expectations.'

Gently she pushed the pair of them forth and closed the door.

At the foot of the stair, under a feeble gas-jet, Christina opened
her hand, disclosing an old-fashioned ring set with a blood-stone.

'Ye never tell't me she was like that,' the girl said softly, yet a
little accusingly.

'I never thought,' muttered he, truthfully enough.