t the moonlight; while beyond,
on the opposite side of what was then a morass, but is now railways and
gardens, rose tier upon tier, like a fairy palace, the glittering lights
of the old town of Edinburg.

Chapter 13

The earl reached Edinburg late at night. Mrs. Campbell entreated him to
go to bed, and not seek out the street where the Bruces lived till
morning.

"For I ken the place weel," said she, when she heard Lord Cairnforth
inquiring for the address Helen had given. "It's ane o' thae high lands
in the New Town--a grand flat wi' a fine ha' door--and then ye
gang up an' up, till at the top flat ye find a bit nest like a bird's
--and the folk living there are as ill off as a bird in winter-time."

The earl, weary as he had been, raised his head at this, and spoke
decisively,

"Tell Malcolm to fetch a coach. I will go there tonight."

"Eh! Couldna ye bide till the morn? Ye'll just kill yourself,' my
lamb," cried the affectionate woman, forgetting all her respect in her
affection; but Lord Cairnforth understood it, and replied in the good
old Scotch, which he always kept to warm his nurse's heart,

"Na, na, I'll no dee yet. Keep your heart content; we'll all soon be
safe back at Cairnforth."

It seemed, in truth, as if an almost miraculous amount of endurance and
energy had been given to that frail body for this hour of need. The
earl's dark eyes were gleaming with light, and every tone of his voice
was proud and manly, as the strong, manly soul, counteracting all
physical infirmities, rose up for the protection for the one creature in
all the world who to him had been most dear.

"You'll order apartments in the hotel, nurse. See that every thing is
right and comfortable for Mrs. Bruce. I shall bring them back at once,
if I can," was his last word as he drove off, alone with Malcolm: he
wished to have no one with him who could possibly be done without.

It was nearly midnight when they stood at the foot of the high stair--
six stories high--and Captain Bruce, they learned, was inhabiting the
topmost flat. Malcolm looked at the earl uneasily.

"The top flat! Miss Helen canna be vera well aff, I doubt. Will I gang
up and see, my lord"?

"No, I will go myself. Carry me, Malcolm."

And, in the old childish way, the big Highlander lifted his master up in
his arms, and carried him, flight after flight, to the summit of the
long dark stair. It narrowed up to a small door, very mean and