ave said, a little
sad, they never rose, even in reply to the commonest remark, without
shining a little. Though younger than not a few of them, and very
plainly dressed, like all the others--I have a suspicion that Scotch
mothers dress their girls rather too plainly, which tends to the
growth of an undue and degrading love of dress--she was not so
girlish, was indeed, in some respects, more of a young woman than
even the governess who walked by the side of them.

Suddenly came a rush, a confusion, a fluttering of the doves, whence
or how none seemed to know, a gentle shriek from several of the
girls, a general sense of question and no answer; but, as their
ruffled nerves composed themselves a little, there was the vision of
the schoolmistress poking the point of her parasol at a heedless
face, radiant with smiles, that of an odd-looking lad, as they
thought, who had got hold of one of the daintily gloved hands of her
companion, laid a hand which, considered conventionally, was not
that of a gentleman, upon her shoulder, and stood, without a word,
gazing in rapturous delight.

"Go away, boy! What do you mean by such impertinence?" cried the
outraged Miss Kimble, changing her thrust, and poking in his chest
the parasol with which she had found it impossible actually to
assail his smiling countenance.--Such a strange looking creature!
He could not be in his sound senses, she thought. In the momentary
mean time, however, she had failed to observe that, after the first
start and following tremor, her companion stood quite still, and was
now looking in the lad's face with roseate cheeks and tear-filled
eyes, apparently forgetting to draw her hand from his, or to move
her shoulder from under his caress. The next moment, up, with hasty
yet dignified step, came the familiar form of their own minister,
the Rev. Clement Sclater, who, with reproof in his countenance,
which was red with annoyance and haste, laid his hands on the lad's
shoulders to draw him from the prey on which he had pounced.

"Remember, you are not on a hill-side, but in a respectable street,"
said the reverend gentleman, a little foolishly.

The youth turned his head over his shoulder, not otherwise changing
his attitude, and looked at him with some bewilderment. Then, not
he, but the young lady spoke.

"Gibbie and I are old friends," she said, and reaching up laid her
free hand in turn on his shoulder, as if to protect him--for,
needlessly, with