man, had in her heart a belief that religious
instruction was the proper thing for children. She remembered the
stern discipline of her own early years--not, indeed, with any
pleasure, but with a firm conviction that severe spiritual as well as
physical labour was good for the young. That "Auld Mike" permitted the
children to attend the reader's class was a matter of surprise to many,
and that Hendrick had been able to capture them added not a little to
his reputation. McAravey had, however, been pleased with the frank,
obliging address of the reader; and perhaps, too, there was some softer
feeling in his hard, silent nature than folks gave him credit for.
Anyhow he made no opposition; and though he did not fail to notice
their absence every Friday evening, he "asked no questions for
conscience sake"--or rather he rested satisfied with the result of his
first inquiry.

"Where's the wains, 'Lisbeth, I wonder?"

"How should I know?" was the somewhat Jesuitical reply. "Maybe they
're gone to the town end; but they 'll be right enough, you may be
sure." And there the matter dropped for many a day.

Meanwhile school-work went on. The precocious Jim made amazing
progress in reading and writing--arts from which Elsie's impatient
nature revolted. This distaste was, however, counterbalanced by the
girl's quickness in other respects. By dint of memory, and an
excellent ear, she soon had at her finger ends whole passages of
Scripture, together with a number of psalms and hymns, from one to the
other of which she ran with a vivacity and heedlessness, that often
pained her teacher. She was soon the leader of the little choir, and
could sing, with wonderful correctness, "Shall we gather at the river?"
"I think when I read that sweet story of old, How when Jesus was here
among men." "As pants the hart for cooling streams," &c.

Robert Hendrick was deeply interested in his little pupils. Jim seemed
likely to grow up a pattern boy. Punctual and diligent, with grave,
attentive eyes and quiet demeanour, he could not but elicit the
approval of his teacher. Yet Hendrick could not conceal from himself
that Elsie was his favourite--Elsie, so reckless and so irreverent, so
headstrong, and at times even violent. He used to tremble for the
child's future, as, attracted by the sweet, true ring of her voice, he
saw the eager, merry eyes wandering all round the room, while the lips
were singing the most sacred words. Those awful a