e of her
brother, made her dissatisfied with her own doings, still wrought in
her, enlightening her conscience, quickening her heart, and filling her
with love to Him who first loved her.

It would not have been easy for her, in the first wonder and joy of the
change, to tell of it in words, except that, like the man who was born
blind, she might have said, "One thing I know, that whereas I was blind,
now I see." But her life told what her lips could not, and in a
thousand ways it became evident to those at home, and to all who saw
her, that something had happened to Shenac--that she was at peace with
herself and with all the world as she had not been before; and as for
Hamish, he said to himself many a time, "It does not matter what happens
to Shenac now. All will be well with her, now and always."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

After long waiting, Allister came home. Shenac and Hamish had no
intention of watching the going out of the old year and the coming in of
the new; but they lingered over the fire, talking of many things, till
it grew late. And while they sat, the door opened, and Allister came
in. They did not know that he was Allister. The dark-bearded man
lingering on the threshold was very little like the fair-faced youth who
had left them four years ago. He made a step forward into the room, and
said,--

"This is Hamish, I know; but can this be our little Shenac?" And then
they knew him.

It would be vain to try to describe the meeting. The very happiest
meeting after years of separation must be sorrowful too. Death had been
among them since Allister went, and the bereavement seemed new to the
returned wanderer, and his tears fell as he listened to the few words
Hamish said about his father's last days.

When the first surprise and joy and sorrow were a little abated, Shenac
whispered,--

"And Evan--Hamish, should we go to-night to tell Angus Dhu that Allister
has come home?"

"What about Evan, Allister?" said Hamish.

"Do you not know? Did you not get my letter? I waited for Evan. He
had been robbed and hurt, and thought himself dying. But it was not so
bad as that. He is better now--quite well, I think. I left him at his
father's door."

"At home! Evan at home! What did his father say? Did you see Angus
Dhu?"

Shenac was quite breathless by the time her questions were asked.

"No; I could not wait. The field between there and here seemed wider to
me than the ocean. When I sa