fiddle when the letter heralding Sandy's
return was received, and played softly some of his old favourite airs;
tunes Christina had not heard since the boys went away to the war. And
they brought the tender tears to her eyes, remembering the happy old
days when they were all at home and Grandpa sang the Hindmost Hymn at
eventide. Sandy's presence brought new life to the Lindsay home. John
and Uncle Neil sat up half the nights listening to his tales of the
world of glory and horror in which he had been living. And Christina
and her mother could scarcely let him out of their sight. He was all
that had been spared them from the War Monster's greed.

In spite of all the dread sights he had witnessed he was the same gay
old Sandy, and the home took on some of its old-time life and gaiety.
He and Christina soon fell back into their habit of comradeship. They
had many confidences to exchange, and Christina had to tell all the
story of Gavin and what his going had meant to her. Sandy was full of
joy at the telling. Gavin had always been a True Knight in his eyes
and then he had all the returned soldier's disdain of the slacker.
Christina could not but shudder at what her life might have been had
ambition ruled, instead of her heart and Wallace and Sandy were meeting
here in the old home.

They had many long talks on the pump platform under the blossoming
orchard boughs, and they smiled often over their great plans that had
all turned out so differently from what they had expected.

"Are you still bound to get out of Orchard Glen?" asked Sandy slyly,
and Christina had to confess that she was not. She could not quite
explain to Sandy that all her restless ambition had been but the desire
for something great and heroic such as her simple life did not seem to
contain. But the great and heroic had come right to her door, unseen,
it is true, but now recognised, and her soul was perfectly content in
its radiance. Life could never be narrow and common-place any more.
She had attained all her ambition through following the road her heart
indicated,--the shining pathway of loving self-sacrifice that leads to
the stars.

CHAPTER XVI

THE HILLS ABOVE ORCHARD GLEN

As soon as the word reached Craig-Ellachie that Gavin was to be sent
home to Canada, Orchard Glen began to bustle about for a grand
celebration when he arrived.

Tremendous K. got the biggest choir together that the village had ever
seen; a harmonious ju