er's habit to pass the whole time between
sermons in his study, and not join the family table until tea.

"We are very glad to see the earl at all times," repeated he, but
hesitatingly, as if not sure that he was quite speaking the truth.

"Yes, very glad," added Helen, hastily, fancying she could detect in the
prematurely acute and sensitive face a consciousness that he was not
altogether welcome. "My father was this minute preparing to start for
the Castle."

"My Lord didna like to trouble the minister to be walking out this
coarse day," said Malcolm, with true Highland ingenuity of politeness.
"His lordship thocht that instead o' Mr. Cardross coming to him, he
would just come to Mr. Cardross."

"No, Malcolm," interposed the little voice, "it was not exactly that. I
wished for my own sake to come to the Manse again, and to ask if I might
come every day and take my lessons here--it's so dreary in that big
library. I'll not be much trouble, indeed, sir," he added,
entreatingly; "Malcolm will carry me in and carry me out. I can sit on
almost any sort of chair now; and with this wee bit of stick in my hand
I can turn over the leaves of my books my very own self--I assure you
I can."

The minister walked to the window. He literally could not speak for a
minute, he felt so deeply moved, and in his secret heart so very much
ashamed of himself.

When he turned round Malcolm had placed the little figure in an
arm-chair by the fire, and was busy unswathing the voluminous folds of
the plaid in which it had been wrapped. Helen, after a glance or two,
pretended to be equally busy over her daily duty--the common duty of
Scotch housewives at that period--of washing up the delicate china
with her own neat hands, and putting it safe away in the parlor press;
for, as before said, Mr. Cardross's income was very small, and, like
that of most country ministers, very uncertain, his stipend altering
year by year, according to the price of corn. They kept one "lassie" to
help, but Helen herself had to do a great deal of the housework. She
went on doing it now, as probably she would in any case, being at once
too simple and too proud to be ashamed of it; still, she was glad to
seem busy, lest the earl might have fancied she was watching him.

Her feminine instinct had been right. Now for the first time taken out
of his shut-up nursery life, where he himself had been the principal
object--where he had no playfellows and no com