tend to his
books. Janet's great wish was that he should enter the ministry, but
she had not yet broached the subject to him. Observing, however, his
habits, she had little doubt that he would willingly agree to her
proposal whenever she might make it.

"Surely the minister would like to have one of his bairns to follow in
his footsteps," she said to herself, "and though it may cost more siller
to prepare him for the work, I pray that what is needful may be
supplied, and my old fingers will na' fail me for many a year to come."

The time was approaching for Donald to take his departure. Margaret
would have preferred consequently, as she had lately done, remaining
with Janet, but her kind friend, Mrs Galbraith, was ill, and much
required her services. Had Alec been at home, it is possible that she
might not have thought it wise to have had so attractive a girl
constantly with her, but Alec had been now for upwards of a year absent.

He had obtained, through his father's interest, a good situation in a
mercantile house in London, and had latterly passed several months in
Germany, where he had been sent on business with one of the partners of
the firm. He frequently wrote home, giving a full account of himself
and his proceedings, as well as of the thoughts which occupied his mind.
Of late Mrs Galbraith had not been so well satisfied as formerly with
the tenor of his letters. His mind, she was afraid, had become
tinctured with that German philosophy which is so sadly opposed to all
true spiritual religion. Mr Galbraith, who was inclined to admire his
son's sayings and doings, told her not to fash herself on the subject,
and that he had no doubt Alec would remain faithful to the kirk, though
at his age it was but natural, mixing in the world, that he should
indulge in a few fancies not in accordance with her notions. The answer
did not satisfy the wise and affectionate mother.

"Such fancies ruin souls," she observed. "While indulging in them he
may be called hence without faith and hope, what then must his fate be?"

She wrote an earnest letter to Alec. The reply was in his usual
affectionate style; but the part touching the matter she considered of
most importance, was as utterly beyond her comprehension as she
suspected it was beyond that of the writer, lucid as he apparently
considered it. The replies to several letters she wrote in succession,
left matters much as they were at first, and she could only p