me, Lady Nora, when I say I should like to
be alone with him for some time."

"O yes, sir," said Lady Nora; "I know that whatever you have to say to
my father you have the right to say to him; and I feel such perfect
confidence in you that I have no desire to pry into any secrets you may
have with him."

Nora having left the lawyer, soon returned with the information, that
the Earl was ready to receive him.

Mr Finlayson found the Earl sitting in an armchair, propped up with
pillows, gazing out on the ocean, on whose blue and slightly ruffled
waves the sunbeams were playing brilliantly. The Earl smiled as his old
friend entered, and held out his hand warmly to him.

"Sit down, Finlayson; you have come at a sad moment. I feel a strange
weakness creeping over me, and I am glad that you have not longer put
off your visit. Yes, I believe the moment is approaching for which we
all should be prepared, when I must leave this world. I wish I could
look back to all I have done during my life with satisfaction; but I
cannot say that I can do that. I have been hospitable and generous, I
own, according to the notion of people; but alas! Finlayson, for the
peasantry under my charge, for the multitudes of my poorer neighbours,
how little have I done? I might have set them a better example; I might
have obtained some education for them; and, perhaps, by going among
them, restrained them from committing the excesses into which, from time
to time, they have plunged."

"Very true," answered the lawyer; "I believe there are very few people
who have not to say something like that, when they are about to leave
the world; but we must not think of what we have done or left undone
ourselves. You believe in the simple Gospel; I am sure you do, or you
would have listened to Mr Jamieson's preaching, as I have often seen
you doing--in vain. We will speak of that by-and-by. I rather hope
that you think worse of your case than you should do. I do not hear
that the doctor is of the same opinion as you are, and so, my dear lord,
there are certain points with regard to your property which I, as your
legal adviser, would wish, in the first place, to discuss."

Mr Finlayson then entered into particulars, which it is not here
necessary to introduce.

The Earl seemed much relieved on hearing that his property was less
encumbered than he had supposed.

"But there is another point, my lord, on which I shall wish particularly
to consult