m very much.
She thought long of it when she lay down in her bed that night. He had
no right to think that she was not vexed, and she cried quietly beneath
the blankets.

"Here's Mysie greetin'," cried her little brother, who lay beside her.
"Mither, Mysie's greetin'."

"What's wrang wi' her?" called the mother anxiously from the other bed.

"I dinna' ken," answered the boy, "she'll no' tell me."

"What is't that's wrang with you, Mysie?" again called the mother more
sharply.

"I've a sore tooth," she answered, glad to get any excuse, and lying
with promptitude.

"Well, hap the blankets owre your head," the mother advised, "and it'll
soon be better. Dinna' greet, like a woman."

But Mysie still continued to cry softly, choking back the sobs, and
keeping her face to the wall, so as not to disturb the other sleeper
beside her--cried for a long hour, until exhaustion overcame her, and at
last she fell asleep, her last thought being that Robert had no right to
misjudge her so.

Robert, on the other hand, as is the prerogative of the man, soon forgot
all about his disappointment at Mysie's seeming want of interest in his
affairs, and was busy with his preparations for the next day.

He had a lamp to buy, for Lowwood was an open-light pit, and was soon
busy on the instructions of his father learning the art of "putting in a
wick" to the exact thickness, testing his tea flask, and doing all the
little things that count in preparing for the first descent into a coal
mine. He was very much excited over it all, and babbled all the evening,
asking questions regarding the work he would be called upon to do, and
generally boring his father with his talk.

But his father understood it all, and was patient with him, answering
his enquiries and advising him on many things, until latterly he pleaded
for a "wink o' peace," and told the boy "for any sake" to be quiet.

Geordie Sinclair knew that this enthusiasm would soon evaporate. Only
too well he knew the stages of disappointment which the boy would
experience, and for this reason he was kindly with him.

He was now looking forward with better prospects. Robert was the second
boy now started, and already matters were somewhat easier; but he
shuddered to think of the lot of the man who was battling away unaided,
with four or five children to support, and depending on a meager three
and sixpence or four shillings of a daily wage to keep the house
together. For himself the