"That is what I always was thinkin'," exclaimed Donald, "that if the two o' ye werehere together, ye'd not be so lonely. Would she not like to come?"

"Ay, that would she," said in reply the unconscious Katie; "she pines to bewith me. I'm more her mother than the mother herself; but they'll neverconsent."

"She's bonny," exclaimed Donald. I'd not seen her since she was little."

"She's as good as she is bonny," exclaimed Katie, warmly; and that was thelast word between Katie and Donald that night.

"As good as she is bonny." It rang in Donald's ears like a refrain ofheavenly music as he strode away. "As good as she is bonny;" and howgood must that be? She could not be as good as she was bonny, for shewas the bonniest lass that ever drew breath. Gray eyes and platinumen hairand pink cheeks and pink heather all mingled in Donald's dreams thatnight in fantastic and impossible combinations; and more than once hewaked in terror, with the sweat standing on his forehead from somenightmare fancy of danger to the "Heather Bell" and to Elspie, bothbeing inextricably entangled together inside his vision.