Ten o'clock
` Oh , splendid -- splendid ! ' replied Mrs. McOstrich with a nervous start . For the last five minutes she had been lost in furtive contemplation of her two youthful guests , her withered countenance more melancholy even than usual . Ten o'clock struck , and , to Macgregor 's ill-disguised delight , Christina rose and said she must be going . Mrs. McOstrich accompanied the two to the outer door . There she took Christina 's hand , stroked it once or twice , and let it go . ` Macgreegor has been a frien ' o ' mines since he was a gey wee laddie , ' she said , ` an ' I 'm rael prood to ha'e had his intended in ma hoose .