"What the devil--," he cried--for nothing is so irritating to a
horseman as to come near losing his seat, except perhaps to lose it
altogether, and indignation against the cause of an untoward
accident is generally a mortal's first consciousness thereupon:
however foolishly, he feels himself injured. But there, having
better taken in Donal's look, he checked himself.
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Donal. "It was foolish of me to show
myself so suddenly; I might have thought it would startle most
horses. I was too absorbed to have my wits about me."
The gentleman lifted his hat.
"I beg your pardon in return," he said with a smile which cleared
every cloud from his face. "I took you for some one who had no
business here; but I imagine you are the tutor at the castle, with
as good a right as I have myself."
"You guess well, sir."
"Pardon me that I forget your name."
"My name is Donal Grant," returned Donal, with an accent on the my
intending a wish to know in return that of the speaker.
"I am a Graeme," answered the other, "one of the clan, and factor to
the earl. Come and see where I live. My sister will be glad to
make your acquaintance. We lead rather a lonely life here, and
don't see too many agreeable people."
"You call this lonely, do you!" said Donal thoughtfully. "--It is a
grand place, anyhow!"
"You are right--as you see it now.
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