Bear a courteous greeting from me to your sweetheart Maud, and a kiss to our Maid Margaret.

And now haste you and begone!" Sholto bent a moment on his knee and kissed the hand of his young master.

His voice was choked with sobs.

The Earl patted him on the shoulder.

"Dinna greet, laddie," he said, in the kindly country speech which comes so meltingly to all Galloway folk in times of distress, gentle and simple alike, "dinna greet.