orterin'; which, let me
tell you, ain't easy to bear."

"But go a'ead, Sam, with more about the pirits," said Tommy.

"No, lad, no--not just now. I wants to snooze. So--you clap on all
sail an' you'll be in time yet for the tail end o' Susy's lesson."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THROUGH FIRE AND SMOKE TO FELICITY.

Free once more, David Laidlaw naturally directed his steps towards
Cherub Court.

His freedom was the result of Mr Dean's labours, for with the
information which he had ferreted out that sedate individual found no
difficulty in proving the innocence of our Scotsman, and the guilt, in
more matters than one, of Mr John Lockhart. The latter was, however,
too wide-awake for our detective, for when a warrant was obtained for
his apprehension, and Mr Dean went to effect the capture, it was found
that the bird had flown with a considerable amount of clients' property
under his wing!

Although Laidlaw's period of incarceration had been unusually brief, it
had afforded ample time for meditation. David's powers of meditation
were strong--his powers of action even stronger. While in his cell he
had opened his little Bible--the only book allowed him--and turned to
the passage which states that, "it is not good that man should be
alone." Then he turned to that which asserts that, "a good wife is from
the Lord," after which he sat on his bench a long time with his eyes
closed--it might be in meditation, perhaps in prayer. The only words
that escaped him, however, were in a murmur.

"Ay, mither, ye're right. Ye've been right iver since _I_ kent ye. But
ye'll be sair putt aboot, woman, whan ye hear that she's a waux doll!
Doll, indeed! angel wad be mair like the truth. But haud ye there,
David, ye've no gotten her yet."

With some such thoughts in his brain, and a fixed resolve in his heart,
he presented himself in the garden on the roof, where he found old Liz,
Susy, and Sam Blake assembled. They all seemed as if oppressed by some
disappointment, but their looks changed instantly on the entrance of the
visitor. Susy, especially, sprang up with a bright smile, but observing
the readiness and the look with which Laidlaw advanced to meet her, she
checked herself, blushed, and looked as well as felt confused.

"My poor little girl is greatly put about" said Sam Blake in
explanation, "because she's just heard from Samson and Son that they've
too many hands already, an' don't want her."

"Don't _want_ her?" ex