ated by her failure as her sister;
but Elsie's extravagant delight comforted her not a little. While they
were talking over this matter, Jane was called away to receive the
linen from the laundress for the last time, and to bid her good-bye.
Peggy Walker was somewhat of an authority in the district--a travelled
woman, who had been in Australia and back again, and was now living
with a family of orphan nephews and nieces, and an old man, their
grandfather. Public rumour pronounced her a niggardly woman, for though
she had property she worked as hard as if she had nothing, and took the
bread out of other folk's mouths; but as she was really an excellent
laundress, she had the best custom in the neighbourhood, and her
honesty, her punctuality, and her homely civility, had made her a great
favourite with Jane Melville.

"I fear it must be good-bye this time, Peggy," said she; "next week's
washing must be given to other hands."

"Eh, now, Miss Jean, ye dinna say so. I heard the new man was coming to
the Hall, but no just so very soon as that. But ye are no going out of
the place for good?"

"For good or ill, Peggy, we leave Cross Hall next Thursday."

"And where are you going to?"

"I wish I knew."

"Preserve us, Miss Jean! Are you and Miss Elsie, poor bit thing,
unacquainted with where you are going to?"

"It is only too true."

"Well, I am going to leave the place too; but I ken well where I am
going, and that is to Edinburgh."

"Why are you leaving Swinton? I thought you were doing very well here."

"I don't say that I have any cause to complain of my prosperity here;
but, you see, Tam is wild to learn the engineering, and he wants to go
to Edinburgh, where he thinks he will learn it best; and I don't like
to let him go by himsel', for though he is no a bad laddie, he is the
better of a home and a head to it, and I would like to keep my eye on
him. Grandfather makes no objections, and the bairns are all keen for
Edinburgh, so I am going to flit next week. As for leaving this place,
I am sure I have been growled at quite enough about coming from
Australia and taking work away from my old neighbours, so I will try my
luck where I don't know who I am taking custom from. I've been in and
got a house and a mangle in a nice quiet part of the town, no owre far
from Tam's place where he is going to work, and a healthy bit it looks,
too."

"Peggy, I wish I had your confidence and your reason for confidence. I,
too,