he spectacle of grief
such as this. And there were others to be thought of beside Mrs.
Luttrell. Miss Vivian--Richard Luttrell's promised wife--was in the
house; Donald Grant's own sisters were still waiting for him and Archie.
It was impossible to go up to the house without preparing its tenants
for the blow that had fallen upon them. Yet who would prepare them?

"Here is the doctor," said Archie, turning towards the road. "He will
tell them."

Doctor Muir had long been a trusted friend of the Luttrell family. He
had liked Richard rather less than any other member of the household,
but he was sincerely grieved and shocked by the news which had greeted
him as he went upon his rounds. The Grants drew him aside and gave him
their account of the accident before he spoke to Brian. The doctor had
tears in his eyes when they had finished. He went up to Brian and
pressed his unresponsive hand.

"My boy--my boy!" he said; "don't be cast down. It was the will of God."
He pulled out a handkerchief and rubbed away a tear from his eyes as he
spoke. "Shall I just see your poor mother? I'll step up to the house,
and ye'll wait here till my return. Eh, but it's awful, awful!" The old
man uttered the last words more to himself than to Brian, whose hand he
again shook mechanically before he turned away.

Brian followed him closely. "Doctor," he said, in a low, husky voice,
"I'll go with you."

"You'll do nothing of the sort," said Dr. Muir, sharply. "Why, man, your
face would be enough to tell the news, in all conscience. You may walk
to the door with me--the back door, if you please--but further you shall
not come until I have seen Mistress Luttrell. Here, give me your arm;
you're not fit to go alone with that white face. And how did it happen,
my poor lad?"

"I don't know--I can't tell," said Brian, slowly. "I saw the bird rise
from the bank--and then I saw something moving--but I thought I must be
mistaken; and I fired, and he--he fell! By my hand, too! Oh, Doctor, is
there a God in Heaven to let such things be?"

"Hut, tut, tut, but we'll have no such words as these, my bairn. If the
Lord lets these things happen, we'll maybe find that He's had some good
reason for't. He's always in the right. And ye must just learn to bow
yourself, Brian, to the will of the Almighty, for there's no denying but
He's laid a sore trial upon ye, my poor lad, and one that will be hard
to bear."

"I shall never bear it," said Brian, who caught