ather,
and then your brother, took me by the hand and warded off the sore blows
of poverty and neglect? And do you think I'm too bold in seeking an
opportunity to show that I didn't forget, though I can never repay? Is
it too great a favour for me to ask, Mrs Blair?"

The master's voice had nearly failed him more than once while he was
speaking. He was very much in earnest; and to what he had said, Mrs
Blair could have only one reply. Turning to Lilias, she said:

"Well, my dear, shall it be?"

The master had, with a few exceptions, a sort of friendly contempt for
all womankind. With regard to "lassie bairns" there was _no_ exception;
and he was by no means pleased that the answer to his question should be
referred to one of these. But Lilias' answer appeased him.

"Oh, yes,--surely, aunt. It will be much for Archie's good. And,
besides," she added, with a little hesitation, "I don't wonder that the
master wants Archie for his own sake."

"A sensible-like lassie, that," said the master to himself, looking at
her with some such curiosity as he would have looked at a strange beetle
in his garden-path, "that is wise like."

"Yes, if the master thought about Archie, as you do," said Mrs Blair.
"But have you counted the cost? It will be a sad lonely winter to you
without your brother, Lily."

Lilias considered a moment, and drew a long breath.

"But it will be so much better for him; and he will come home
sometimes."

"That he shall," said the master, "at regular times, on which you shall
agree between you, and at no other,--that you need not be troubling
yourselves needlessly about him. And he shall come in time, too, that
there need be no waste of good eyesight watching for him."

And so it was settled. But Archie was by no means so delighted with the
arrangement as Lilias had anticipated. He could hardly be persuaded
that he could not in the winter walk backwards and forwards over the
hills, as he had done in the fine days of summer and autumn. But when
he was fairly settled in his little closet in the schoolmaster's quiet
home, with a table full of books, and time to read them, and his friend
Davie coming and going at his pleasure, he settled down with great
content.

He did not miss his sister as she missed him. Poor Lilias! Many and
many a time, during the first week of their separation, she asked
herself if she had indeed counted the cost. She accused herself of
selfishness in regretting