338 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



But as the years went past, and no more eligible 

 suitor presented himself, and people began to say that 

 Ingath Halcro would never have " a lad o' her ain," 

 she found herself thinking at rare times of Ole's warm 

 words and tender glances. She knew that she had 

 not loved him, and that she had considered herself 

 insulted by his proposal, yet — so needful is love to a 

 woman — she had a certain kind of pleasure in 

 remembering that there had been one man in the 

 world who had loved her dearly, and had coveted her 

 love. 



Gradually, as life began to look more dreary and 

 desert-like before her. Miss Ingath reverted the oftener 

 to that little bit of romance which was at once her 

 pride and her shame ; and if Ole Harrison had been 

 alive and known it, he would have seen that a punish- 

 ment for her heartless words and rejection of himself 

 had fallen upon the proud lady of his worship. 



A happier lot had fallen to the younger sister. A 

 new minister had come to the Isle of Sweena, and he 

 was a hot-hearted Highlander, who 



" Courted siller less than lore, 

 And leamin' less than love." 



In fact, counted world's gear less than all other 

 sublunary treasures, and of all treasures he believed 

 the love of a good woman to be the highest — the 

 thing most to be desired. 



This new minister saw no eyes so sweet as those of 

 fair Osla Halcro among the many eyes lifted rever- 



