"My dear Lumley, you will be surprised to get a letter from me, and
dated, too, from an unknown post. Yes, my boy, like yourself, I have
been transferred from my old home, to this region, which is not more
than two hundred miles from your present residence. The governor sent
me to establish it soon after you left. I have named it the _Mountain
House_, because there's a thing the shape and size of a sugar-loaf
behind it. So, I'll hope to look you up during the winter. Before
going further let me give you a piece of news--I've got my sister out
here to stay with me! Just think of that!"
At this point Lumley laid down the letter and stared at me.
"Why, Max, such a thing was never heard of before! If he had got a
wife, now, I could have understood it, but a sister!"
"Well, whatever she is to him, she's a civilised white woman, and that's
a sight worth seeing in those regions. I wonder what she's like?" said
I.
"Like himself, of course. Tall, raw-boned, square-shouldered,
red-haired (you know he told us she was red-haired), square-jawed,
Roman-nosed--a Macnab female could be nothing else."
"Come," said I, "don't be impolite to Highland females, but go on with
the letter."
Lumley obeyed, but the letter contained little more of interest. We
cared not for that, however. We had now a subject capable of keeping us
in speculative talk for a week--the mere fact that there was actually a
civilised woman--a _lady_ perhaps--at all events a Macnab--within two
hundred miles of us!
"No doubt she's a rugged specimen of the sex," said Lumley, as we sat
beside the fire that night, "no other kind of white female would venture
to face this wilderness for the sake of a brother; but she _is_ a white
woman, and she _is_ only two hundred miles off--unless our friend is
joking--and she's Macnab's sister--Jessie, if I remember rightly--
"`Stalwart young Jessie,
The flower of--'"
"Come, Lumley, that will do--good-night!"