found him sitting before it,
rubbing his hands in a very unhappy manner.

"Cousin," he said fretfully, "there is a new firm in Glasgo' to-day."

"I hae heard tell o' it. God send it prosperity."

"It isna likely, Jenny; auld Lady Brith's money to start it! The
godless auld woman! If Davie taks her advice, he's a gane lad."

"Then, deacon, it's your ain fault. Whatna for did ye not gie him the
L2,000?"

"Just hear the woman! It taks women and lads to talk o' L2,000 as if
it were picked up on the planestanes."

"If ye had loaned it, deacon, ye would hae had the right to spier into
things, and gie the lad advice. He maun tak his advice where he taks
his money. Ye flung that chance o' guiding Davie to the four winds.
And let me tell ye, Cousin Callendar, ye hae far too tight a grip on
this warld's goods. The money is only loaned to you to put out at
interest for the Master. It ought to be building kirks and
schoolhouses, and sending Bibles to the far ends o' the earth. When
you are asked what ye did wi' it, how will you like to answer, 'I hid
it safely awa, Lord, in the Clyde Trust and in Andrew Fleming's
bank!'"

"That will do, woman. Now you hae made me dissatisfied wi' my guiding
o' Davie, and meeserable anent my bank account, ye may gang to your
bed; you'll doobtless sleep weel on the thought."

CHAPTER III.

However, sometimes things are not so ill as they look. The new firm
obtained favor, and even old, cautious men began to do a little
business with it. For Robert introduced some new machinery, and the
work it did was allowed, after considerable suspicion, to be "vera
satisfactory." A sudden emergency had also discovered to David that he
possessed singularly original ideas in designing patterns; and he set
himself with enthusiasm to that part of the business. Two years
afterwards came the Great Fair of 1851, and Callendar & Leslie took a
first prize for their rugs, both design and workmanship being
honorably mentioned.

Their success seemed now assured. Orders came in so fast that the mill
worked day and night to fill them; and David was so gay and happy that
John could hardly help rejoicing with him. Indeed, he was very proud
of his nephew, and even inclined to give Robert a little cautious
kindness. The winter of 1851 was a very prosperous one, but the spring
brought an unlooked-for change.

One evening David came home to dinner in a mood which Jenny
characterized as "_thrawart_." He barely an