fall of his niece, and blamed in secret the ruthless | puts the siller in; but there is no such a thing as destroyer who had taken from his eyes, although getting him to tak' out a single bawbee again. not from his heart, that blue-eyed, happy child, We are a' starved, and things are gaun to wreck whose clear, ringing laugh had so often made his wi' his grippiness." homestead happy. The old man had made no will; he knew that the two cousins, Ludovicko and Mary, were his heirs-at-law, and therefore did not think it necessary that any steps should be taken to guide the destination of his little property. Instigated by Ludovicko, his wife had attempted more than once to set aside Mary; but the old man was firm to his purpose, and his resolution had, of course, annoyed the grasping lawyer. But now the ground was quite clear; and had necessity required, he was prepared to join in any tribute that might be paid to his cousin's memory.

On attempting to converse with old Murray, his nephew found his intellect sadly shattered. On the servant shouting the name of his visitor, he muttered something about his having come after the usual school vacation. "If," continued he, "he had come sooner, I could have given him a pony to ride on, but it is sold; but, Jean, tell the mistress that he must be hungry, and give him some bread, and some of the new honey. Tell Mary that her cousin is come."

"Never mind him, sir," said the domestic, seeing that Ludovicko was about to speak, "he'll no understand you; but just let him rin on wi' his havers, and he'll come to himsel by-and-bye."

There was method in the dotage of her master, as Jean, his servant, had predicted. Seeing no attention paid to his orders, he stared momentarily, and then broke out, pathetically-" Ah, God help me! Margaret is gone, and I had forgotten it, and the poor bairn; but it was a mercy that her father and mother died before her, and never heard o' her sair mishap. You need na speak to me, Margaret, if Mary has done wrong."

"Does he not know of my cousin's death?" asked Ludovicko.

"Yes," said the domestic, "but he forgets."
'Who did you say was dead?" asked the old

man.

"Is everybody to die and leave me here?" "No," said Jean; here is your nephew, Mr. Ludovicko, come to see you."

"Ludovicko? Ludovicko?—aye, aye, the cauldest among them a'. I dinna care for him; let me awa and get my sleep."

Most men would have been chagrined at a reception such as this; but Ludovicko had so drilled himself into the habit of self-composure that nothing apparently disturbed him, and few things did so in reality. He did not even look up into Jean's face to see if any smile of triumph hovered there, but contented himself with asking if his uncle ever required the attendance of a medical man; and being assured that he did not, Ludovicko was somewhat puzzled as to how long he would have to wait for the inheritance.

"He is not able to manage his own affairs?" said he.

"Let him alone for that," replied the Abigail. "He's aye crying to get the corn sold before it's weel cut, and he kens the price as weel as ever he did; and he gets himsel' carried to the bank, and

Finding that matters were conducted in this fashion, Ludovicko felt an inward gleam of satisfaction, and took a leisurely survey of the establishment. He found, as the woman had stated, that there was no little disorder and waste; but his reproofs produced nothing from the labourers but the sullen response, that he "was not their master yet;" and so he took his leave, and bent his steps to the country town, where he transacted different kinds of business that does not fall under our notice. In the morning he again took coach in a direction different from that by which he had arrived, and, after a journey of some length, was at sunset set down beside a lonely cottage of mean appearance. The stopping of the vehicle had brought out its inmates, a woman and two boys, apparently about twelve years of age.

"Keep back, Ned, out of the gentleman's road; that boy is always in people's way! Keep back, sir! Do ye hear?" said the female.

Continuing her address, she beckoned Ludovicko into her dwelling. "It's but a poor house for a gentleman like you, sir; but it's clean, sir. Will you shut the door, Ned? or are you to let a the bairns o' the country-side look in? Don't stand there with your finger in your mouth when a gentleman is in the house, but go into the corner there, will you? He's a snivelling thing, sir, for a' that I have done for his education."

Ludovicko paid little attention to these admonitory hints; accustomed to observe more than to listen, he had silently been taking the measurement of the two boys. The snubbed youth was a pale, delicate, and shy-looking lad, having an evident weakness about his eyes; and, from the fact of his being snubbed, it was pretty evident that he was not the youth that he was in quest of. The other was of a stouter make, with short, crisp black hair, unabashed eye, and otherwise of bold bearing. That was the boy, if the language of nurses had any signification; and that in this instance it had Widow Turner's appearance and demeanour broadly indicated. This person was of determined physiognomy, while her manner of speech was smooth and honeyed; and, to an acute man like Ludovicko, bore evidence that, time and place befitting, Mrs. Turner could let loose the floodgates of a more animated cloquence than her tongue had yet found it convenient to assume.

"This," said Ludovicko, pointing to the stronger youth, "is Mrs. Morison's son ?"

"Yes, sir; it's casy seen that. Willy is a stout, pretty fellow; but Ned there has always been a silly thing, and aye complaining and crying about something."

"The other boy is your own son, I suppose?"

Aye, sir, and a sair handful I will hae wi him. His father was killed in the quarry up there; and if he had only been a stout boy like Willy, he might hae been o' some use to me; but, stupid thing! he'll be a perfect drag upon me."

"I am come to take young Morison away. I

mean to take him into my own office, and bring | She did speak some names; but I had something him up as my nephew." else to do than to mind them."

lords may attain. At a drawing-room of the third | equally, that sometimes a man or his wife, by the George, it is on record that the spouse of a Scotch knot connubial, did also, in the same way, float judge was about to receive a salute royal from one themselves out of the dock-gates of exclusiveness, of the princesses, when the official in waiting roared through a speaking-trumpet, her royal highness being deaf, "Don't kiss her, madam, she is not a lady!"

that Mrs. John Graham was no sooner settled in Craigallan than she was at once recognised as belonging to their order; the sea coming in at a spring-tide storm could not more furiously cover up rocks and creeks than did the auditors of rank yield up all minor distinctions at the call of the new matron of the castle. The Grahams had money, ships, houses, and a carriage; true, they had got them by an accident, but charity could overlook that. Too long had the bitter hand of poverty been on them; and therefore all the more need to show them a Samaritan welcome. Mrs. John took the earliest opportunity to invite the leaders of public opinion to dinner, and, with the exception of a militia officer and his lady, all came; but even she sent an excuse, pleading lumbago in her lord, and catarrh in herself; and although every one present knew the apology to be humbug, yet all acknowledged that, for a start, the thing was wondrous. And the day after made the triumph complete; for the gallant captain and his sponse, having heard good accounts of the entertainment, became per saltum so marvellously convalescent as to be able to pay their respects in person next day.

Mrs. John did not greatly avail herself of her right of entrée into the coteries. Like all other pleasures, it was greater in the anticipation than the realisation. Seen at her former distance, the grandees of the town loomed and bulked large; but close contact with them diminished their proportions. She saw when she came to exchange hospitalities with them, that few of their purses were so heavy as her own; that few of them were so little dependant on trade as her lord was; that none of them had so large gardens, so magnificent a residence, or so dashing an equipage. John Graham was a Triton among minnows; and instead of courting the small game of the burgh, the aspiring lady cast her thoughts on the gentry of the county; that, however, was an assault that required time to achieve.

by father and mother. This was the special reason; and, besides, there was the general reason by which all parents overlook the adolescence of their children. Accustomed to see them day by day, heads of families cannot mark the gradual and all but imperceptible stages by which their offspring become men and women. Washington Irving has it that the father of one of his heroines forgot he had a grown-up daughter till the parting kiss of a lover at the door fell loud on his startled ears. John Graham was not awakened in this way; but, as will afterwards be told, he, too, came to know that he had a daughter capable of loving and being loved. Sarah had no relish for show or bustle. She had been well trained in the school of poverty; and the lessons which had been thrown away on her father and mother had not been lost on her. She had a deep love for nature; and to be allowed to wander among the woods with her dog Oscar, or look after some favourite flowers, were to her more heart-felt sources of enjoyment than all the stuck-up parties at Paulton, or of Paulton people at the castle, could convey.

What a fright that girl Graham is!" said Miss Laura Miller, the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman; "always romping about like a child with that ugly brute of a dog."

Where in the universe could she have picked up such a monster?" asked Miss Lucretia Dickson, in reply. "When I was walking the other day with my dear little poodle, Rosebud, the poor little thing became frightened all over at the appearance of the horrid animal; and Miss, instead of pitying the poor dear, only laughed."

Her mother tells me that the brute picked some cottar's brat out of the water, and Miss has had him for her companion-in-chief ever since; as if it were so very rare a thing for dogs to pick children, sticks, or anything else out of water!"

"Between you and me, Laura," said the tender Lucretia, "the girl is masculine all of intention. The men are always changing their views of our sex; at one time nothing but female delicacy and propriety will go down; then, all of a sudden, if some impertinent hussey comes bouncing forward, half boy half girl, the men immediately run after her. Take my word for it, my dear, our tactics are wrong."

Speak for yourself, Miss Dickson. I think any gentleman of taste would not do so, and surely there are some such in the world—at least I think I know of one of that character; I am certain that if I were to appear in a white gown with flounces, and a red sash, at this time of day, and an old black bonnet, I know what would be said. Whatever some people may do, as a forlorn hope, I do not intend making a fool of myself."

John himself was pleased with a life of plentiful indolence; and though not indisposed to high position, yet, if not constantly prompted by his mate, he would not have taken the high flights which he occasionally adventured. He became a justice of the peace, a commissioner of supply, a deputy-lieutenant, a bank and insurance director, and otherwise assumed the offices willingly conceded to provincial affluence. He also became an improver, consulted surveyors as to the laying out of his lands, reared stock, and reclaimed waste ground. In these matters he served his day and generation as well as his neighbours; and although most of his arrangements were gone into more for the sake of self-aggrandisement than anything else, yet, on the principle that he who causes two blades of grass to grow where one only flourished before, John Graham was clearly a benefactor of his species. And Sarah, how shall we recount her procedure? "Miss Dickson, take care what you are about, Blessed with instinctive purposes of good, she was madam; or, if you will be impertinent, certainly most fortunately left to herself, and grew up strong a gentleman who has the honour of belonging to in her own resolves of pure and high-minded con- one of the learned professions might at least expect duct. In the general purpose of enjoying Craig- to be referred to with deference by the daughter allan, she was somewhat strangely overlooked both of a retired ironmonger; but mamma was quite

"Forlorn hope, Miss Miller! If, like some other people, I were to content myself with a two halfpenny lawyer, like young Kennedy-"”

right when she advised me never to associate with vulgar people."

"Did your mamma talk about vulgarity? Where will this end? Do you know, or, if you ever knew, of course you have forgot, what your mamma's mother was? It is no wonder that some people have such large supplies of needles, thimbles, and thread, considering, &c. &c. &c."

But here it will be said, and perhaps said naturally, Sarah is a heroine; and therefore, although the daughter of John and Mary Graham, parties remarkable for neither mental nor moral beauty, she must, in her capacity of heroine, and in violation of all nature and probability, be perfection in everything. Surrounded by evil example in every shape, she might have physical loveliness; but where, it may be asked, or how could she acquire

The two friends pursued a smart diatribe; but we must not follow them farther. Instead of walk-the innocence, simplicity, and other virtues ascribed ing together as they did when they first set out, they separated, and walking back to back for a short time, they each turned half round. "Lucretia!"

"Laura!"

And so they shook hands, kissed, and were friends again, just as man and wife sometimes do in similar cases.

to her? The soil, we admit, was most uncongenial for such products, but there they were; and our narrative has to do with appearances and transactions, not phenomena. If incompatibility with nature be urged, we ask objectors to explain how it is that from the same earth such different stems should spring, and on the same flower such varied tints appear; how the stalk and the flower should spring from the same root; or why the fairest and sweetest flowers should be thickly planted with thorns; or why some flowers should yield the aroma of death, and others send forth the odours of Paradise? When these questions are answered, we shall explain how Sarah Graham differed from her parents.

CHAPTER XII.

LUDOVICKO'S FIRST PROTEGE.

But the two friends must not be allowed to malign Sarah. The dog that she patronised was a noble black animal of the Newfoundland breed; and any lady might have been proud of him. Oscar was a neglected farm-dog, vainly courting alliance with herds and servitors, till the day when the gardener's little child fell into the water. Sarah shrieked for assistance; none coming, she tried to catch the infant in its downward flight with a twig. It sunk; and while she still stood In an attic room, shabbily furnished, lay in bed the screaming the dog sprang over the hedge. The youth Edward Turner. At five o'clock of a cold twig was pointing to a white rag of dress still winter morning he rose, and having with some floating; he dashed in, and brought the drowning difficulty struck a light by the aid of a flint and creature safe to the bank. From that moment tinder-box (lucifers had not then been invented), Oscar and Sarah were inseparable; he carried he proceeded to dress himself. A few books were baskets, watering-pans, shawls, bonnets, every-strewn about the garret, and a retort, spirit-lamp, thing; nay, his intimacy went so far that at night crucible, and other chemical apparatus were placed he slept on a rug outside the bed-room of his on a small table, while on the top of a large and young mistress. Oscar had rare insight into character; and Sarah marked with much interest how the animal gambolled when free, generous, openfaced looking people came up the lawn, and how he gloomed and got sulky when suspicious visitors made their appearance.

clumsy chest were to be seen dried specimens of plants, and several filtering-bottles in operation. Edward read and experimented alternately; and whenever he became too cold for either process he had recourse to some grotesque gymnastics, and then resumed his studies when the vital current

As to Sarah's dress, we must freely acknowledge again began to circulate. At half-past seven he that it was not regularly modelled after the monthly opened the large chest and therein deposited his numbers of the "World of Fashion." It was always instruments. He then descended the stairs warily, neat and becoming, but invariably antiquated in for the bed-room of Dr. Anthony Fitzgibbon, his colour and shape; and yet, as we have said, it was lady, and two of their children, was underneath becoming, and for these among other reasons. In his own sleeping-apartment, and woe to him if he the first place, a truly pretty face and figure is not disturbed any of the fraternity in their slumbers. easily spoiled in any dress; and secondly, a touch After groping his way to the shop he undid the of the antique adds peculiarity, and heightens the attractions of a sweet juvenile countenance. What, for instance, is more interesting than when a beautiful young wife is seized with a desire of being matronlike, and dons a white cap. What an inexpressible charm lies there in the winking eyes, their lashes distilling dew at every flap, the mouth primly screwed up, the feet mincing in their walk, while the little hand grasps and jingles the keys of the pantry! No

"Dark brown hair braided o'er

A brow of spotless white"

bolts, and got into the street and took off the window-shutters; then he lighted the shop fire, and also the fire of Dr. Anthony's consultingroom; then he cleaned, trimmed, and filled with oil two brass lamps; then he swept the floor and dusted the counters. By the time these operations were concluded nine o'clock arrived, and with it the learned Anthony, who relieved his assistant for the purpose of allowing him to get breakfast, a meal which Edward received in the kitchen, having for companions thereat the nursery and allwork maids. The morning repast discussed, Ed

can match this. At all events, whatever the mil-ward went back to the shop, Dr. Anthony went liners and dressmakers of Paulton might and did say, Sarah Graham's beauty was recognised on the part of the unprejudiced.

the round of his patients, and Edward remained to compound and sell medicines to the customers. After dinner he delivered medicines to the rich