friend; who has cared for you, and educated me, and given me my portion among God's servants." "One day I was in Edinburgh selling herring, and a braw lady stopped me, and said,-' Let me look at your bairn, woman.' And she took your wee face atween her gloved hands and kissed it; and when I wouldna tak' siller from her-for I was selling fish and didna need awmous-she said, 'Come so and so, on the morn, and I will maybe be your friend.' "So it happened that I pleased her, and she was a masterfu' woman, and she made me leave a' and stay wi' her. And she was that fond o' you that I had many a jealous heartache for it; but I kent it was for your good, and I tholed her claim then, and hae done, ever since." "Are you still her servant?" "Servant? Na, na! Fisher lasses dinna serve mortal woman for just siller. I am her helper, her housekeeper, her friend, her sister. We hae had nae secrets from each ither for more than twenty years. Baith thegither we hae watched o'er you. Baith thegither we hae heard you in the school-room and the kirk. You are 'our son.'" "And her name, mother? "I canna tell you that, just yet." He did not press the question, but rather tried to persuade her to remain over Sabbath with him. After some hesitation the request was granted, and then the conversation was renewed and drifted to the kirk controversy, and Angus told his mother of the letter he had received; but got no further information regarding its stipulations. In the morning the news of the minister's visitor spread quickly over the village, and anon reached Rodney House; and the Colonel and Mrs. Rodney sent a polite invitation for Mrs. Bruce and the minister to dine with them. Angus insisted on its acceptance, and indeed there was no reason for him to feel anything but pride in the quiet, handsome, richly dressed woman whom he presented to the Rodneys as his mother. Blair and Bertha were absorbed in their own affairs. Blair gave her but slight attention; Bertha watched her furtively as she listened to Blair. She knew intuitively that she was a woman of the people, born in poverty; her speech betrayed her; and where and how, then, had she acquired her repose, her fine manner, and her sense about dress? She speculated on and watched their visitor all evening. And she wondered if such a stylish young man as Angus Bruce was not ashamed of her?" Angus was not in the least ashamed of her. He took her on his arm to kirk, he gave her into the charge of his chief elder saying, "This is my mother, Mr. Boyd. Put her in the minister's pew." And his love grew apace. It had always been in his heart, all it needed was the visible object to cling to. It sprang into life with her kiss, and her smile, and her tender story of his father's death. When she left him on Monday morning he was as proud of her as if she had been a duchess. He was as sorry to lose her, as if they had lived all their lives together. He felt himself to be a far richer and happier man, and was as lighthearted as if he had come into a great fortune. What, now, was the loss of that unseen and unknown friend? He had found a mother in her place. And while he thus mused, Bertha was writing to her sister a letter which was greatly occupied with the minister. "Only think! Mr. Bruce brought his mother to Rodney House last Saturday night-a very vulgar old woman, who speaks broad Scots, when she does speak; and who, I am sure, he must feel to be a great drawback. Fancy such a mother-in-law ! Thank heaven! Blair has no mother." "What news has come in your sister's letter, Scotia?" asked Lady Yarrow. "I see you draw your brows together, and shrug your shoulders very expressively." "Bertha says, our minister brought his mother with him to Rodney House last Saturday night, and that she is a vulgar old woman, who speaks broad Scots." They were at the Cunliffe's, in Oxford, when Scotia. made this remark. It affected Lady Yarrow beyond all seeming reason. She flew into a passion with Bertha. "Is the girl so ignorant as not to know that some of our best people choose to speak their own dialect? I speak broad Scots mysel' when I am in a passion; and I wad gie her a mouthfu' or twa o' it wi' right gude will, if she was here the noo. I wad that, the scornfu' cutty!" All day afterward Lady Yarrow was very unreasonable. She walked about the room muttering to herself wonders and queries, in which Ann had the greatest share; and that night she said: "Scotia, I am tired of these smooth-lipped, trig, smug, well-appointed priests: with their long black coats falling over their slender hams even to their ankles; and their dainty neck-ties and simpering lisp. Let us get away from these Southern Squarecaps. 66 They are always politely sneering at our universities, and asking civil questions about Scotland; as if we were foreigners; and yet most of them have been in Scotland. "They know as much about Scotland as, A fly that's bred In a grocer's sugar-cask, may comprehend We will awa' to London. Jamie may meet us there. And I want to see Ann. Yes, I want very much to see Ann. I wonder whatever the woman has been up to!" "Up to?" "Yes-what she has been doing. I have heard little from her. Mistress Ann and I will have to say a great deal to each other." "I dare say Ann has had a very stupid time." "I dare be bound that she has had a very delightful time-a thoroughly satisfactory time, to herself. And I want to know all about it." XI. THE MINISTER'S TROUBLES. "Even you yourself to your own breast shall tell Your crime, and your own conscience be your hell.” -Dryden, "My ugly guilt flies in my conscious face, And I am vanquished, slain by bosom-war." -Dryden. "Doubt's the worst tyrant of a generous mind, Falls to the wretchedness his fear: create." -Otway. THEY the afternoon, but it was foggy and dark, and in the main thoroughfares gas was dimly burning. The toiling, moiling multitudes, the indefinite forms of great wagons and horses, the terrible noises and shrill human cries made a fearsome and depressing phantasma through which Lady Yarrow hurried the hired vehicle with promises of extra money. She was too much under the influence of the discouraging situation to talk, and Scotia looked with wonder and fear into the gloomy, crowded streets. Ere long, however, they came to more open spaces, to squares and parks surrounded by large houses, and before one of the most remarkable the vehicle stopped. The house was well lighted, and had an air of |