he far corner, accompanied by a most lovely young lady, upon whom
Robert gazed continuously with an admiration so absorbing and profound
that it took him some little time to realise, shortly after the
commencement of the journey, that the rest of the company were indulging
in a free fight all over the compartment, and that the lady was clinging
in terror to her escort. Robert was of considerable service in restoring
order, and found his reward in the eyes of the lady, who thanked him
very prettily. Her husband had the sense not to offer Robert money, but
gave him his card, and said in a curious, stiff, English way that he
hoped he might be of service to him some day. They got out at Perth, and
Robert travelled on alone.

Hours later he was met by his brother David at a little wayside station,
and driven over fifteen miles of hilly road to the farm where he had
been born and brought up.

Next morning he was up at daybreak, and set to work at his usual tasks
about the yard, well knowing that such would be his lot to the end of
his life if the examination list did not show his name at the top.

* * * * *

Some days had to elapse before the result could be known; but Robert
Chalmers Fordyce--by the way, I think we know him well enough now to
call him Robin, which was the name his mother had given him on his third
birthday--and his household, being Scottish and undemonstrative, made
little or no reference to the subject.

Robin was the scholar of his family. He was the second son, David being
four years older. But in accordance with that simple, grand, and
patriarchal law of Scottish peasant life, which decrees that every lad
of parts shall be given his chance to bring credit on the family, even
though his parents have to pinch and save and his brothers bide at the
plough-tail all their lives in consequence--a law whose chief merit lies
in the splendid sacrifices which its faithful fulfilment involves, and
whose vital principle well-meaning but misguided philanthropy is now
endeavouring to dole out of existence--he had been sent to Edinburgh to
make the most of this, his one chance in life.

Still, though the credit of the family hung upon the result of the
examination,--if he won the Bursary, the money, together with the
precious hoard which his father and mother had been accumulating for him
for ten years, would just suffice to keep him at the University,--no one
discussed the matter. I