to one of his new friends, who had helped

to make his stay pleasant, and was sorely "And I shall

regretting his departure. bring with me some very old friends of mine, who will enjoy it as much as I shall myself."

And he planned, and even made preliminary arrangements, for a house to be taken, and an establishment formed, where the minister, Helen, and indeed all the Cardross family if they chose, might find a hospitable home for the ensuing winter

season.

"And how they will like it!" said he, in talking it over with Malcolm one day. "How the minister will bury himself in old libraries, and Miss Cardross

will admire the grand shops and the beau

tiful views!

And how the boys will go

skating on Dunsappie Loch, and golfing over Bruntsfield Links! Oh, we'll make them all so happy!" added he—with pleasure shining in those contented eyes, which drew half their light from the joy that they saw, and caused to shine, in the eyes around him. It was after many days of fatiguing travel that Lord Cairnforth reached the ferry, opposite Cairnforth.

There the Castle stood, just as he had left it, its white front gleaming against the black woods- then yellow and brown with autumn but now only black, or with

a

faint umber shadow running through

them, preparatory to the green of spring.

Between, lay the beautiful

loch - looking

ten times more beautiful

than

ever to

long months.

it for many

How it danced and dimpled

as it had done before the squall in which the Earl's father was drowned, and as it would do, many a time again, after the fashion of these lovely, deceitful lochs, and of many other things in this world.

66

Oh, Malcolm, it's good to be at home!" said the Earl, as he gazed fondly

at his white Castle-walls, at

the ivy

gable end of

covered kirk, and the
the Manse. He had been

Edinburgh, but it was far

happy in

sweeter to

come back to the dear old friends that

loved him. He seemed as if he had

never

before felt how dear they were,

and how indispensable to his happiness.

nobody knows we are coming? I wished

to go down at once to the Manse, and surprise them all."

"Ye'll easy do that, my Lord, for there's naebody in sight but Sandy the ferryman, wha little kens it's the Earl himsel he's keepit waiting sae lang." "And how 's a' wi' ye, Sandy?" said Lord Cairnforth, cheerily when the old

man was rowing him across.

"All well

at home at the Castle-the Manse, and

"Ay, my Lord. She gaed awa; — it's

just twa days sin syne. She was sair

vexed to leave Cairnforth, and

minister."

"Leave her father?"

the

"A man maun leave father and mither

and cleave unto his wife the Scrip

The Earl was sitting in the stern of the ferry-boat, alone; no one being near him but Sandy, and Malcolm, who had taken taken the second oar. Το old Sandy's communication he replied not a word asked not a single question