were guests at Cairnforth Castle the earl always invited
the minister and his wife to dinner, but they had never fraternized
much. Now, a common sympathy, nay, more, a common grief--for
something beyond sympathy, keen personal regret, was evidently felt by
both for the departed earl and countess--made them suddenly familiar.

"Is the child doing well?" was Mr. Cardross's first and most natural
question; but it seemed to puzzle Mr. Menteith exceedingly.

"I suppose so--indeed, I can hardly say. This is a most difficult
and painful matter."

"It was born alive, and is a son and heir, as I heard?"

"Yes."

"That is fortunate."

"For some things; since, had it been a girl, the title would have
lapsed, and the long line of Earls of Cairnforth ended. At one time Dr.
Hamilton feared the child would be stillborn, and then, of course, the
earldom would have been extinct. The property must in that case have
passed to the earl's distant cousins, the Bruces, of whom you may have
heard, Mr. Cardross?"

"I have; and there are few things, I fancy, which Lord Cairnforth would
have regretted more than such heir-ship."

"You are right," said the keen W.S., evidently relieved. "It was my
instinctive conviction that you were in the late earl's confidence on
this point, which made me decide to send and consult with you. We must
take all precautions, you see. We are placed in a most painful and
responsible position--both Dr. Hamilton and myself."

It was now Mr. Cardross's turn to look perplexed. No doubt it was a
most sad fatality which had happened, but still things did not seem to
warrant the excessive anxiety testified by Mr. Menteith.

"I do not quite comprehend you. There might have been difficulties as
to the succession, but are they not all solved by the birth of a
healthy, living heir--whom we must cordially hope will long continue
to live?"

"I hardly know if we ought to hope it," said the lawyer, very seriously.
"But we must 'keep a calm sough' on that matter for the present--so
far, at least, Dr. Hamilton and I have determined--in order to
prevent the Bruces from getting wind of it. Now, then, will you come
and see the earl?"

"The earl!" re-echoed Mr. Cardross, with a start; then recollected
himself, and sighed to think how one goes and another comes, and all the
world moves on as before--passing, generation after generation, into
the awful shadow which no eye except that of faith can penetrate. Life
i