fortune to an agreeable, but idle, extravagant, and selfish man: and after years of following the drum she had been obliged by his illtreatment to leave her husband and return to the home of her youth with her two children, Patrick and Allan. Hither she was pursued by her spouse, who had quitted the service, and proposed to spend the rest of his days in the enjoyment of elegant leisure, on the profits of his grandfather-in-law's thrift and industry. Several violent quarrels having resulted from a too open assertion of this laudable desire "whenever the maut gat aboon the meal," old Johnnie Foster finally in a fit of exasperation expelled Allan Johnstone from his snug billet. That gentleman revenged himself by forcing away his unfortunate wife and children from their shelter; and, after wandering with them from town to town half over Scotland in a condition of want approaching to destitution, unless when relieved by the most discreditable expedients, had found means of settling down upon a remote corner of the estates of the Grahames of Forfar. Neither father or mother survived very long, the former being drowned while crossing in a drunken state a rude plank-bridge, poor Letty Foster dying a short time after the birth of a little girl. Patrick and Allan, being both fine-grown, intelligent lads, were taken under the protection of Sir William Grahame; and when, many years afterwards, the young laird of Claverhouse left home to complete in foreign service his education as soldier and gentleman, both the brothers had accompanied him. Patrick the elder as body servant, Allan in order to enlist in whatever

regiment his young master might be appointed to join, he having from the first betrayed for the military profession a predilection unshared by his equally trusty but more pacific relative.

This cousin then was the person whom Janet had so oddly encountered; and, after bringing his family history to a comfortable close, she next went on to explain his present position. He had just returned from the Highlands, and, not feeling quite at ease as to the view which the newly constituted military authorities might choose to take of his loyalty, had been inspired with the luminous idea that his newly-found cousin might be able to provide a more retired asylum than a public hostelry could offer, for himself and a young comrade, who, besides being liable from superior station to more notice than would have been convenient, stood greatly in want of rest and nursing before he attempted to travel further, having been severely wounded at the battle of Killiecrankie. Both were at present penniless; but Allan stated that his companion had hopes of obtaining from friends and relations the protection needful to leave Scotland in safety, and the funds he required for that purpose, as his own property had been forfeited, and was then partly owned by the Earl of Crawford, partly under litigation between a third or fourth cousin of his and the Dalrymples. Meanwhile however they were almost without food or shelter. Janet's kindness of heart had not been able to withstand these representations, and she had offered to the wayworn, homeless men her own unoccupied chamber, only stipulating

that they should observe great discretion; hold no intercourse with the other inhabitants of the house, nor even leave it, except at night.

If Alice had brought to bear upon her old friend the quick observation she had formerly been used to exercise, she would inevitably have noticed that Janet held something in reserve-something that made her hurry rather confusedly over bits of her story, and gave a feigned carelessness to her manner when, in reply to Alice's question of whether she knew who Allan Johnstone's companion was, she pretended to be in want of some article at a different corner of the room; and, while rummaging in the almry there, answered, "Ou, he was just a sodger body like Allan, it seemed-o' the better sort, maybe; there was routh o' puir gentry folk in the ranks-she couldna say preceesely." But, while somewhat roused and interested by the lively talk of Janet, and the story of her cousin's parentage, Alice was too languid to interrogate her beyond what she volunteered to tell, and had no curiosity even to inquire what news these wanderers might have brought from the bloody field where, amidst the remnant of Scotland's loyal chivalry, its chief and leader had fallen in the blaze of victory. The jarring of earth's rude tumults was only a transient discord in the harmony which swelled more rich and perfect on her inward ear, as she closed her eyes upon surrounding scenes to soar in faith towards the Source of all love and all concord, with a spiritual beauty on her face that, as Janet said in reverent awe, “was like the kingdom o’ heaven.”

*

"What is that, Janet?" she asked, raising her head from the cushion on which it lay. The afternoon was drawing towards evening, and Alice had been asleep for a short time, when awakened by the trifling noise of Janet's most cautious footfall, and the opening of the door.

Vexed at the interruption to her charge's slumbers, Janet made several impatient negative gestures at the intruder Alice repeated her question.

"Bide ye there," said she in a sharp whisper to some one outside, then, stepping on tiptoe to Alice's chair, said slightingly,

"It's only Allan, the doited creature, lounderin' up hither to speir at me will I do something for him, I havena heard what. I'll just bid him begone."

"Pray do not," replied Alice. "I shall not go to sleep again. Tell him to come in, and say what he wishes; nothing disturbs me now."

"Ye are ower gude, I'm sure, Elsie," answered Janet, still with some annoyance, and, going back to the offender, who was yet unaware of the nature of his offence, gave him some advice in a very decided, though prudent tone, and ushered him in with as much impressiveness of demeanour, and perhaps as great a sense of condescension on Alice's side, as if she had been a princess giving audience to a subject.

The stalwart trooper took two strides into the chamber, making a military salute, then stopped, very much surprised and rather subdued at the sight of the young invalid, who half sat, half lay, propped up

by pillows, in the full light of the declining sun, which, illuminating her pale features with a tinge of its own warm colour, gave them a delicacy almost translucid, like that of a clear alabaster vase in which a waning lamp flashes up with fitful brightness. Her deep liquid hazel eyes, larger and darker than in her days of health, but with nothing of consumption's hectic brilliancy, rested upon the swarthy, tattered, travel-worn man with so lovely an expression of compassion and womanly sympathy, that the poet could not have desired a better realisation of the touching image,

She looked like one who sat by Eden's door,

And grieved for those who could return no more;

and the soldier was moved thereby to make his next steps as softly as if he had trod a palace floor. Finding that these had brought him in front of Alice, he again made his brief salute, and politely waited to be addressed.

"You came to see your cousin, Master Johnstone, I think," said Alice, and the voice, although very low and faint, preserved its musical cadence and high-bred modulation so distinctly that Allan tried to pitch his to the nearest approach to it he was likely to attain.

"Ay, mistress; I must crave your pardon for intruding. My cousin had not told me that you were sick."

"It is no matter, you are welcome for Janet's sake," replied the young girl. "Do not stand; nay, Janet, bid your consin be seated."

"Never fash yourself, mistress, marching all day and keeping sentry all night make standing come natural.