ir young mother looking down
from the pictured walls, contrasted so piteously; but after the first
shock was over they carried away only the remembrance of his sweet,
grave face, and his intelligent and pertinent observations, indicating a
shrewdness for which even Mr. Menteith was unprepared. When he owned
this, after business was done, the young earl smiled, evidently much
gratified.

"Yes, I don't think they can say of me that I'm 'no a' there!" Also he
that evening confessed to Helen that he found "business" nearly as
interesting as Greek and Latin, perhaps even more so, for there was
something human in it, something which drew one closer to one's
fellow-creatures, and benefited other people besides one's own self. "I
think," he added, "I should rather enjoy being what is called 'a good
man of business.'"

He pleaded so hard for farther instruction in all pertaining to his
estate that Mr. Menteith consented to spare two whole weeks out of his
busy Edinburg life, during which Lord Cairnforth and he were shut up
together for a great part of every day, investigating matters connected
with the property, and other things which hitherto in the young man's
education had been entirely neglected.

"For," said his guardian, sadly, "I own, I never thought of him as a
young man--or as a man at all; nevertheless, he is one, and will
always be. That clear, cool head of his, just for brains, pure brains,
is worth both his father's and grandfather's put together."

And when Helen repeated this saying to Lord Cairnforth, he smiled his
exceedingly bright smile, and was more cheerful, joyous, for days after.

On Mr. Menteith's return home, he sent back to the Castle one of his old
clerks, who had been acquainted with the Cairnforth affairs for nearly
half a century; he also was astonished at the capacity which the young
earl showed. Of course, physically, he was entirely helpless; the
little forked stick was still in continual requisition; nor could he
write except with much difficulty; but he had the faculty of arrangement
and order, and the rare power--rarer than is supposed--of guiding
and governing, so that what he could not do himself he could direct
others how to do, and thus attain his end so perfectly, that even those
who knew him best were oftentimes actually amazed at the result he
effected.

Then he enjoyed his work; took such an interest in the plans for feuing
land along the loch-side, and the sort of houses t