rls of
Cairnforth. But your boy may be the founder of a new name and family,
that may live and rule for generations along the shores of our loch, and
perhaps keep even my poor name alive there for a little while."

Helen did not speak. Probably she too, with her clear common sense, saw
the wisdom of the thing. For as, as the earl said, he had a right to
choose his own heir--and as even the world would say, what better
heir could he choose than his next of kin--Captain Bruce's child?
What mother could resist such a prospect for her son? She sat, her
tears flowing, but still with a great light in her blue eyes, as if she
saw far away in the distance, far beyond all this sorrow and pain, the
happy future of her darling--her only child.

"Of course, Helen, I could pass you over, and leave all direct to that
young man of yours, who is, if I died intestate, my rightful heir. But
I will not--at least, not yet. Perhaps, if I live to see him of age,
I may think about making him take my name, as Bruce-Montgomerie. But
meanwhile I shall educate him, send him to school and college, and at
home he shall be put under Malcolm's care, and have ponies to ride and
boats to row. In short, Helen," concluded the earl, looking earnestly
in her face with that sad, fond, and yet peaceful expression he had, "I
mean your boy to do all that I could not do, and to be all that I ought
to have been. You are satisfied?"

"Yes--quite. I thank you. And I thank God."

A minute more, and the carriage stopped at the wicket-gate of the Manse
garden.

There stood the minister, with his white locks bared, and his whole
figure trembling with agitation, but still himself--stronger and
better than he had been for many months.

"Papa! papa!" And Helen, his own Helen, was in his arms.

"Drive on," said Lord Cairnforth, hurriedly; "Malcolm, we will go
straight to the Castle now."

And so, no one heeding him--they were too happy to notice any thing
beyond themselves--the earl passed on, with a strange smile, not of
this world at all, upon his quiet face, and returned to his own stately
and solitary home.

Chapter 14

Good Mrs. Campbell had guessed truly that from this time forward Helen
Bruce would be only a mother. Either she was one of those women in whom
the maternal element predominates--who seem born to take care of
other people and rarely to be taken care of themselves--or else her
cruel experience of married life had forever