"Very much, indeed!" Lancy replied. "It is a fine place, and we have been enjoying ourselves immensely."
"But ye haena been up oor way yet! If I'd only kent ye were here I wad hae had ye up afore this," he repeated.
"Thank you kindly, Mr. McDonald, but we could hardly impose on your good-nature as far as that."
"Impose, is't? Ma dear sir, it's prood an' happy we wad be to hae ye come to see us. You maun gie me yer promise to come afore ye gang back to Halifax. The gran'mother wad be sair hurt at no seein' ye. Whan could ye come, noo?" turning to Dexie.
Just then Beatrice Fremont came towards them, and her smile of recognition told Dexie that the farmer was well known to her.
"I did not know you were acquainted with my friends, Mr. McDonald," and she extended her hand.
"I ken her faither weel, an' I met the dochter whan I was abroad," he replied with a smile, "but I never expected to meet ony Halifax folk the day. It's her faither that did me the kindness whan I was in Halifax that I'll never forget, an' it's weel pleased I am to meet them. Is't at your place they are staying, Miss Fremont?"
"Yes," replied Beatrice, smiling, "but I think I heard you trying to coax them away from us, Mr. McDonald."
He looked up into the bright face and replied:
"Ay, I want to show them that I dinna forget their kindness to me whan I was a stranger in a strange land, an' no wishin' to rob ye o' yer visitors at a', I was tryin' to hae them say whan they wad come up to the farm, for it's masel' that'll come efter them, whanever they say the word."