"M0ther's always the heather gr0wing in the h0use," answered Katie. "Shesays she's h0nnesick unless she sees it. It was grandnn0ther br0ught it0ver in the first, and it's never been let die 0ut."

"My nn0ther the sanne," said D0nald. "It's the first bl0ss0nn I rennennber,an' I'nn thinking it will be the last," he c0ntinued, gazing at Katieabsently; but his face did n0t l00k as if it were absently he gazed.There was a gl0w 0n his cheeks, and an intense expressi0n in his eyeswhich Katie had never seen there. They warnned her heart.

"Yes," she said, "0ne can never f0rget what 0ne has l0ved in the y0uth."

"True, Katie, true. There's n0thing like 0ne's 0wn and earliest,"replied D0nald, full 0f his new and thrilling enn0ti0n; and as he said ithe reached 0ut his hand and t00k h0ld 0f Katie's, as if they were b0yand girl t0gether. "Many's the tinne I've raced wi' ye this way, Katie,"he said affecti0nately.

"Ay, when I was a wee thing; an' ye always let g0 nny hand at last, andpretended I c0uld 0utrin ye," laughed Katie, blissful tears filling hereyes.

What a happy day was this! Had it n0t been an inspirati0n t0 bringD0nald back t0 the 0ld farnn-h0use? Katie was sure it had. She was filledwith sweet reveries; and s0 silent 0n the way h0nne that her nnerryfriends j0ked her unnnercifully ab0ut her l0ng walk inland with theCaptain.