o or three of the stories of which she had
so many, and Donal recounted one or two of those that floated about his
country-side.

"I've been thinkin'," said mistress Brookes at length, "seein' it's a
bonny starry nicht, we couldna do better than lift an' lay doon this
varra nicht. The hoose is asleep."

"What do you say to that place in the park where was once a mausoleum?"
said Donal.

"It's the varra place!--an' the sooner the better--dinna ye think, my
lady?"

Arctura with a look referred the question to Donal.

"Surely," he answered. "But will there not be some preparations to
make?"

"There's no need o' mony!" returned the housekeeper. "I'll get a fine
auld sheet, an' intil 't we'll put the remains, an' row them up, an'
carry them to their hame. I'll go an' get it, my lady.--But wouldna 't
be better for you and me, sir, to get a' that dune by oorsel's? My
leddy could j'in us whan we cam up."

"She wouldn't like to be left here alone. There is nothing to be called
fearsome!"

"Nothing at all," said Arctura.

"The forces of nature," said Donal, "are constantly at work to destroy
the dreadful, and restore the wholesome. It is but a few handfuls of
clean dust."

The housekeeper went to one of her presses, and brought out a sheet.
Donal put a plaid round lady Arctura. They went up to her room, and so
down to the chapel. Half-way down the narrow descent mistress Brookes
murmured, "Eh, sirs!" and said no more.

Each carried a light, and the two could see the chapel better. A
stately little place it was: when the windows were unmasked, it would
be beautiful!

They stood for some moments by the side of the bed, regarding in
silence. Seldom sure had bed borne one who slept so long!--one who,
never waking might lie there still! When they spoke it was in whispers.

"How are we to manage it, mistress Brookes?" said Donal.

"Lay the sheet handy, alang the side o' the bed, maister Grant, an' I
s' lay in the dist, han'fu' by han'fu'. I hae that respec' for the
deid, I hae no difficlety aboot han'lin' onything belongin' to them."

"Gien it hadna been that he tuik it again," said Donal, "the Lord's ain
body wad hae come to this."

As he spoke he laid the sheet on the bed, and began to lay in it the
dry dust and air-wasted bones, handling them as reverently as if the
spirit had but just departed. Mistress Brookes would have prevented
Arctura, but she insisted on having her share in the burying of her
own: who t