sun was mounting higher and
higher, and a lark over her head was sacrificing all Nature in his song;
and it seemed as if Malcolm were still speaking strange,
half-intelligible, altogether lovely things in her ears. She felt a little
weary, and laid her head down upon her arm to listen more at her ease.

Now, the lark had seen and heard all, and was telling it again to the
universe, only in dark sayings which none but themselves could understand:
therefore it is no wonder that, as she listened, his song melted into a
dream, and she slept. And the dream was lovely as dream needs be, but not
lovelier than the wakeful night. She opened her eyes, calm as any cradled
child, and there stood her fisherman.

"I have been explaining to Lizzy, my lady," he said, "that your ladyship
would rather have her company up to the door than mine. Lizzy is to be
trusted, my lady."

"'Deed, my leddy," said Lizzy, "Ma'colm's been ower guid to me, no to gar
me du onything he wad hae o' me. I can haud my tongue whan I like, my
leddy. An' dinna doobt my thouchts, my leddy, for I ken Ma'colm as weel's
ye du yersel', my leddy."

While she was speaking Clementina rose, and they went straight to the door
in the bank. Through the tunnel and the young wood and the dew and the
morning odors, along the lovely paths, the three walked to the house
together. And oh, how the larks of the earth and the larks of the soul
sang for two of them! and how the burn ran with music, and the air
throbbed with sweetest life! while the breath of God made a little sound
as of a going now and then in the tops of the fir trees, and the sun shone
his brightest and best, and all Nature knew that the heart of God is the
home of his creatures.

When they drew near the house Malcolm left them. After they had rung a
good many times the door was opened by the housekeeper, looking very
proper and just a little scandalized.

"Please, Mrs. Courthope," said Lady Clementina, "will you give orders that
when this young woman comes to see me to-day she shall be shown up to my
room?"

Then she turned to Lizzy and thanked her for her kindness, and they
parted--Lizzy to her baby, and Clementina to yet a dream or two. Long
before her dreams were sleeping ones, however, Malcolm was out in the bay
in the Psyche's dinghy catching mackerel: some should be for his
grandfather, some for Miss Horn, some for Mrs. Courthope, and some for
Mrs. Crathie.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

CHATEAU C