Rowena nodded brightly.
"It is a new book to me. I have never really studied it in my life before, and it's simply wonderful. It does what the other religious writings never do—it leads you straight to a Person Who becomes more real than anyone else in the world!"
Then there was silence between them which Rowena broke.
"So you see," she said gaily, "I can't be lonely or desolate; it is quite impossible. I have so much lost time to make up, so much to learn and discover."
She did not often open her heart to anyone, and Mrs. Macintosh was touched by it.
After this little talk, she and Rowena drew closer together. And Mrs. Macintosh tried to come over and see her as often as she could.
Rowena had one or two letters from General Macdonald. Then, as December was drawing towards a close, she had one which much distressed her.
"I have just been wired for. Mysie is dangerously ill of
pneumonia. I leave to-morrow. Pray for her. Yours.
HUGH MACDONALD."
Rowena found it hard to lie patiently under this blow. Mysie, with her laughing eyes and active spirits to be stretched on a bed of suffering! It brought an ache to her heart as she thought of her. She longed to rise up from her bed and go off to her. Granny was loud in denunciation of Edinburgh schools.
"The wee lassie hasna the constitootion for that freezin' toon. I aye was once awa' there, an' niver shall I forget et. I cudna keep body and sperrit together. 'Tis the Highlands for soft sweet air, an' winds that blaw aisy, not wi' knives piercin' into your bones!"