to grow dangerous, the
oldest man among the tenantry, who declared that he could remember three
Earls of Cairnfoth, proposed the health of this earl, which was received
with acclamations long and loud, the pipers playing the family tune of
"Montgomerie's Reel," which was chiefly notable for having neither
beginning, middle, nor ending.

Lord Cairnforth bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"Ought not somebody to make a little speech of thanks to them?"
whispered he to Helen, who stood close behind his chair.

"You should; and I think you could," was her answer.

"Very well; I will try."

And in his poor feeble voice, which trembled much, yet was distinct and
clear, he said a few words, very short and simple, to the people near
him. He thanked them for all this merry-making in his honor, and said,
"he was exceedingly happy that day." He told them he meant always to
reside at Cairnforth, and to carry out all sorts of plans for the
improvement of his estates, both for his tenants' benefits and his own.
That he hoped to be both a just and kind landlord, working with and for
his tenantry to the utmost of his power.

"That is," he added, with a slight fall of the voice, "to the utmost of
those few powers which it has pleased Heaven to give me."

After this speech there was a full minute's silence, tender, touching
silence, and the arose a cheer, long and loud, such had rarely echoed
through the little peninsula on the coming of age of any Lord
Cairnforth.

When the tenantry had gone away to light bonfires on the hill-side, and
perform many other feats of jubilation, a little dinner-party assembled
in the large dining-room, which had been so long disused, for the earl
always preferred the library, which was on a level with his bedroom,
whence he could wheel himself in and out as he pleased. To-day the
family table was outspread, and the family plate glittered, and the
family portraits stared down from the wall as the last Earl of
Cairnforth moved--or rather was moved--slowly down the long room.
Malcolm was wheeling him to a side seat well sheltered and comfortable,
when he said,

"Stop! Remember I am twenty-one to-day. I think I ought to take my
seat at the head of my own table."

Malcolm obeyed. And thus, for the first time since the late earl's
death, the place--the master's place--was filled.

"Mr. Cardross, will you say grace?"

The minister tried once--twice--thrice; but his voice failed him.
His tende