* * * * *
'Everybody's terrible kind,' Macgregor observed, when he found himself alone with Christina on the pavement. 'Will ye look at the ring noo?'
She shook her head and stepped out briskly.
After a little while he revived. 'I hope ye'll like it, Christina. It's got pearls on it. I hope it'll fit ye.' A long pause. 'I wish ye wud say something.'
'What'll I say?'
'Onything. I never heard ye dumb afore.'
'Maybe I'm reformin'.'
'Christina!'
'That's ma name, but ye needna tell everybody.'
'Dinna tease. We—we ha'e awfu' little time. Tak' aff yer glove an' try the ring. Naebody'll notice. Ye can look at it later on.'