rain
of hard work and exposure when I was young like you. Think, if your
health was to fail."

Shenac turned her compassionate eyes upon her.

"But your father was hard on you, folks say, and I have the work at my
own taking."

Mrs More shook her head sadly.

"Ah, Shenac dear, circumstances may be far harder on you than ever my
father was on me. You do not know what may lie before you. No girl
like you should have such responsibility. If you will come with me or
follow me, you and Hamish, I can do much for you. You could learn to do
anything, Shenac, and Hamish is very clever. There are places where his
littleness and his lameness would not be against him, as they must be on
the land. Let my father take Dan, as he wished, and let Hughie go to
the elder's for a while. The land can lie here safe enough till
Allister comes home, if that is what you wish. Indeed, Shenac, you do
not know what you are undertaking."

"Cousin Christie," said Shenac gently, "you are very kind, but I cannot
leave my mother; and I am strong--stronger than you think. Christie,
you speak as though you thought Allister would never come home. Was our
Allister a wild lad, as your father says? Surely, he'll come home to
his mother, now that his father is dead."

She sat down on the pile of wool, and turned a very pale, frightened
face to her cousin. Mrs More stooped down and kissed her.

"My dear," she said gently, "Allister was not a wild lad in my time, but
good and truthful--one who honoured his parents. But, Shenac, the world
is wide, and there are so many things that those who have lived in this
quiet place all their lives cannot judge of. And even if Allister were
to come back, he might not be content to settle down here in the old
quiet way. The land would seem less to him than it seems to you."

"But if Allister should not come home, or if he should not stay, my
mother will need me all the more. No, Cousin Christie, you must not
discourage me. I must try it. And, indeed, it is not I alone. Hamish
has so much sense and judgment, and Dan is growing so strong. And we
will try it anyway."

"Well, Shenac, you deserve to succeed, and you will succeed if anybody
could," said her cousin. "I will not discourage you. I wish I could
help you instead."

"You can help me," said Shenac eagerly; "that's what I brought you out
to say. Our wool--you are going back soon, and if the waggon goes, will
you ask your father to let