r's friends come to take them awa', and they would na'
wish to be beholden to any one, or to leave any of his lawful debts
unpaid." In the same way she took upon herself the arrangement and
expense of the funeral. She sold the goods and chattels, as her master
had directed her to do, for the benefit of his children; but they were
old and worn, and the purchasers were few and poor, so that the proceeds
placed but a very limited sum in Janet's hands for the maintenance of
the little ones. As she received them she observed, "It's as muckle as
I could ha' hoped for; but yet those who had benefited by his
ministrations might have shown their gratitude by geeing a trifle above
the value for the chattels." Human nature is much the same in an
Highland glen as it is in other parts of the world.

The day arrived when Janet and her charges must quit the manse. She had
sent up to Jock McIntyre, the carrier, to call for the kist which
contained her's and the children's clothing, as he passed down the glen.
The most weighty article was the minister's Bible, with which, although
it might have brought more than anything else, she would not part. She
had reserved also a few other books for the children's instruction.

Taking Margaret and David by the hand, Donald leading the way with a
bundle of small valuables over his shoulder, she set forth from the
house which had sheltered her for many long years, into the cold world.
Margaret's eyes were filled with tears, and David cast many a longing
glance behind him, while Donald, with his bundle, trudged steadily on
with his gaze ahead, as if he was eager to overtake something in the
distance. Whatever thoughts were passing in his mind he did not make
them known.

Janet's head was bent slightly forward, her countenance calm, almost
stern. A difficult task was before her, and she meant, with God's
grace, to perform it. She had not told the children where she was
going, though she had made up her own mind on the subject. Several of
the cottagers came out to bid them farewell; but as she had made cronies
of none of them, there was little exhibition of feeling, and she had
taken good care that no one should be aware of the destitute condition
in which the orphans were left. Humble presents and offers of
assistance would undoubtedly have been made, but Janet shrunk from the
feeling that her charges should be commiserated by those among whom
their parents had lived, and she returned bu