'It was awfu' dacent o' Wullie to clear oot,' Macgregor remarked
happily, as he moved his chair close to the one on which Christina
had just seated herself.
Christina's chin went up. 'It wud ha'e been dacenter o' him to
ha'e waited till the time he was invited to wait.'
'But he meant weel. I'm sure he didna want to gang, but he fancied
it wud be nice to let you an' me ha'e a--a . . .'
'I beg yer pardon?'
'Ach, ye ken what I mean. He fancied we wud enjoy a wee whiley
jist by oorsel's.'
'Speak for yersel'! I'm thinkin' it was exceedingly rude o' him to
slope wi'oot tellin' me he had enjoyed his tea.'
'He asked me to tell ye that he hadna enjoyed hissel' sae weel
since his uncle's funeral, ten year back.'
Christina gave a little sniff. 'That's a nice sort o' compliment.
Funeral, indeed!'
'Christina! what's vexin' ye?'
'Wha said I was vexed?'
'I've seen ye lookin' happier.'
'Are ye a judge o' happiness?'
'I ken when I'm no happy--an' that's the noo. But I warn ye, I'm
no gaun to stick it!'
'What's made ye unhappy?' she coldly inquired.
'You !'
'Dear me!'--ironically.
'Ay, jist dear you!' And with these words he caught her round the
shoulders and kissed her.
Breathless and rather ruffled she exclaimed, 'If ye dae that again,
I'll----'
He did it again.
'Ye're gettin' terrible forward,' she said, half angry, half amused.
'High time!'
She regarded him with amazement.
Suddenly he said: 'Ye're as much mines as I'm yours. Deny it, if
ye can.'
For perhaps the first time in her life Christina temporized. 'Can
ye sweer ye didna arrange wi' Wullie to leave early?'
'Eh?'
The note of innocence satisfied her. 'Weel,' she said graciously,
'I forgive ye.'
'What for?'
'Takin' liberties.'
Her lips wavered to a smile and he could not refrain from kissing
them once more.
'Here, hauf time!' she cried, and burst out laughing.
'This is the best yet,' he said jubilantly. 'Three goals in twa
meenutes! In future I'll kiss ye as often as I like.'
'We'll see aboot that. . . . The sojerin' has changed ye a lot,'
she added thoughtfully.
'D'ye no like the improvement?'
'I'll tell ye when I observe it. Noo sit still an' behave yersel',
an' tell me the latest camp rumours.'
Just then the bell over the door in the shop went off.
'Oh, dash yer customers!' said Macgregor.