ong before he did--call her by name.
But after that day he always spoke of her as usual to every body; and
from that hour he rose from his bed, and went about his customary work
in his customary manner, taking up all his duties as if he had never
left them, and as if nothing had ever happened to disturb the even tenor
of his life--the strange, peaceful, and yet busy life led by the
solitary master of Cairnforth.

Chapter 11

It happened that, both this day and the day following, Mr. Cardross was
absent on one of his customary house-to-house visitings in remote
corners of his parish. So the earl, before meeting Helen's father, had
time to hear from other sources all particulars about her marriage--
at least all that were known to the little world of Cairnforth.

The minister himself had scarcely more to communicate, except the fact,
of which he seemed perfectly certain, that her absence would not exceed
six months, when Captain Bruce had faithfully promised to come back and
live upon his half pay in the little peninsula. Otherwise Mr. Cardross
was confident his "dear lassie" would never have left her father for any
man alive.

It was a marriage, externally, both natural and suitable; the young
couple being of equal age and circumstances, and withal tolerably well
acquainted with one another, for it appeared the captain had begun daily
visits to the Manse from the very day of Lord Cairnforth's departure.

"And he always spoke so warmly of you, expressed such gratitude toward
you, such admiration of you--I think it was that which won Helen's
heart. And when he did ask her to marry him, she would not accept him
for a good while, not till after he had seen you in Edinburg."

"Seen me in Edinburg!" repeated the earl, amazed, and then suddenly
stopped himself. It was necessary for Helen's sake, for every body's
sake, to be cautious over every word he said; to arrive at full
confirmation of his suspicions before he put into the poor father's
heart one doubt that Helen's marriage was not as happy or as honorable
as the minister evidently believed it to be.

"He told us you seemed so well," continued Mr. Cardross; "that you were
in the very whirl of Edinburg society, and delighted in it; that you
had said to him that nothing could be more to your mind than this
marriage, and that if it could be carried out without waiting for your
return, which was so very uncertain, you would be all the happier. Was
that not