t to his young lady.

"I shall be proud to show the flowers to Miss Rose, and I shall have the
honour of making her a bouquet soon." The young lady laughed.

"You are to be a favourite. Is your name Rose," added she, lingering by
the gate.

"Yes, Rose Elliott. I am the youngest. We all live over there, my
brothers, and Graeme and I. It would be a dreary place, if it were not
for the glimpse we get of your garden. Look, there is Nelly looking for
me. I am afraid I have hindered Arthur. Thank you very much, and
good-bye."

Rose shyly put forth her hand. The young lady took it in both hers, and
drawing her within the gate again, kissed her softly, and let her go.

"Stirling," said she, as she turned toward the house, "how did you know
the young lady's name is Rose? is she a friend of yours? Do you know
her?"

"I know her face, that is all I have seen her for hours together,
looking in on the garden from that upper window. And whiles she looks
through the gate. I heard her brothers calling her Rose. She's a bonny
lassie, and kens a flower when she sees it."

That night, Nelly was startled into a momentary forgetfulness of her
thick shoes, and her good manners, and came rushing into Graeme's room,
where they were all sitting after tea, bearing a bouquet, which a man,
"maybe a gentleman," Nelly seemed in doubt, had sent in with his
compliments to Miss Rose Elliott. A bouquet! it would have won the
prize at any floral exhibition in the land, and never after that, while
the autumn frosts spared them, were they without flowers. Even when the
autumn beauties hung shrivelled and black on their stems, and
afterwards, when the snows of winter lay many feet above the pretty
garden beds, many a rare hot-house blossom brightened the little
parlour, where by that time Graeme was able to appear.

"For," said Mr Stirling, to the admiring Nelly, "such were Miss
Elphinstone's directions before she went away, and besides, directions
or no directions, the flowers are well bestowed on folk that take real
pleasure in their beauty."

The autumn and winter passed pleasantly away. As Graeme grew strong,
she grew content. The children were well and happy, and Arthur's
business was prospering in a wonderful way, and all anxiety about ways
and means, might be put aside for the present. They often heard from
Norman, and from their friends in Merleville, and Graeme felt that with
so much to make her thankful and happy, it w