business and a
person of consideration. Of course, he could not object to the respect
and deference shown to him in this character, but they were sometimes
embarrassing, and sometimes they interfered with his plans for passing
his much prized holiday. Jem would have made all things right, David
thought, and it would have been far more agreeable to follow his
leadership in the way of seeking amusement, as he used to do, than to
have to sustain his reputation for gravity and steadiness among his
elders. Still they all enjoyed these weeks thoroughly, though not in
the way they would have done in Jem's company.

Miss Bethia was paying a visit to a friend in a neighbouring town when
David first came to Gourlay, which was upon the whole a circumstance not
to be regretted, he thought, as they had a few days to themselves just
at first. He was very glad to see her, when she came, however, and she
was as glad to see him. Of course, she manifested her interest in him
in the old way, by giving him good advice, and reminding him of his
privileges, but to his mother she very decidedly signified her approval
of him, and her satisfaction in regard to his walk and conversation
generally, and spoke of his future profession--of his entering upon his
father's work, as if it were a settled matter accepted by them all. But
David was shy of responding to her expressions of interest on this
subject. It was one thing to speak to his mother of his hopes, and
quite another to listen to Miss Bethia's plans and suggestions,
especially as she did not confine the discussion to themselves, but
claimed the sympathy and congratulations of friends and neighbours, in
view of his future work and usefulness.

They did not fall out about it, however, and there was one matter of
interest and discussion which they enjoyed entirely. This was the
minister's much valued library. It was to be David's at some future
time. That was quite settled, and in the meantime it had to be looked
over and dusted and re-arranged, or rather arranged exactly as it had
been left, and David handled the books "just as his father used to do,"
Miss Bethia said, "just as if he liked the feel of them in his hands,"
which he doubtless did. He liked them altogether, and no day of that
happy month passed without at least one hour passed in the quiet of his
father's study.

David's coming home was especially good for Frank. He had been more
anxious and unhappy about David's