ind, my dear. Come and speak to me yourself. I think Mrs
Nasmyth is right. The minister ought not to be disturbed. I have
nothing particular to say to him. I came because it's a pleasure to
come, and I did not think about its being so near the end of the week."

Graeme looked rather anxiously from him to Janet.

"My dear, you needna trouble yourself. It's no' folk like the Judge and
young Mr Greenleaf that will be likely to take umbrage at being kept
waiting a wee while here. It's folk like the 'smith yonder, or Orrin
Green, the upsettin' body. But you can go in now and see if your papa's
at leisure, and tell him the Judge is here."

"We had Mr Greenleaf here awhile the ither night," she continued, as
Graeme disappeared. "A nice, pleasant spoken gentleman he is, an no' ae
bit o' a Yankee."

The Judge opened his eyes. It was rather an equivocal compliment,
considering the person to whom she spoke. But he was not one of the
kind to take offence, as Janet justly said.

CHAPTER NINE.

Other favourites of Mrs Nasmyth's were Mr Snow and the schoolmaster,
and the secret of her interest in them was their interest in the bairns,
and their visits were made as often to the kitchen as to the study. Mr
Snow had been their friend from the very first. He had made good his
promise as to nutting and squirrel-hunting. He had taught them to
skate, and given them their first sleigh-ride; he had helped them in the
making of sleds, and never came down to the village but with his pockets
full of rosy apples to the little ones. They made many a day pleasant
for his little girl, both at his house and theirs; and he thought
nothing too much to do for those who were kind to Emily.

Janet's kind heart had been touched, and her unfailing energies
exercised in behalf of Mr Snow's melancholy, nervous wife. In upon the
monotony of her life she had burst like a ray of wintry sunshine into
her room, brightening it to at least a momentary cheerfulness. During a
long and tedious illness, from which she had suffered, soon after the
minister's arrival in Merleville, Janet had watched with her a good many
nights, and the only visit which the partially-restored invalid made
during the winter which stirred so much pleasant life among them, was at
the minister's, where she was wonderfully cheered by the kindness of
them all. But it was seldom that she could be prevailed upon to leave
her warm room in wintry weather, and Sampson's vi