an hardly wish him to survive."

The three gentlemen were silent. At length Mr. Cardross said,

"There is one worse doubt which has occurred to me. Do you think, Dr.
Hamilton, that the mind is as imperfect as the body? In short, is it
not likely that the poor child may turn out to be an idiot?"

"I do not know; and it will be almost impossible to judge for months
yet."

"But, idiot or not," cried Mr. Menteith--a regular old Tory, who
clung with true conservative veneration to the noble race which he, his
father, and grandfather had served faithfully for a century and more
---"idiot or not, the boy is undoubtedly Earl of Cairnforth."

"Poor child!"

The gentlemen then sat down and thoroughly discussed the whole matter,
finally deciding that, until things appeared somewhat plainer, it was
advisable to keep the earl's condition as much as possible from the
world in general, and more especially from his own kindred. The Bruces,
who lived abroad, would, it was naturally to be concluded--or Mr.
Menteith, who had a lawyer's slender faith in human nature, believed so
--would pounce down, like eagles upon a wounded lamb, the instant they
heard what a slender thread of life hung between them and these great
possessions.

Under such circumstances, for the infant to be left unprotected in the
solitudes of Loch Beg was very unadvisable; and, besides, it was the
guardian's duty to see that every aid which medical skill and surgical
science could procure was supplied to a child so afflicted, and upon
whose life so much depended. He therefore proposed and Dr. Hamilton
agreed, that immediately after the funeral the little earl should be
taken to Edinburg, and placed in the house of the latter, to remain
there a year or two, or so long as might be necessary.

Janet Campbell was called in, and expressed herself willing to take her
share--no small one--in the responsibility of this plan, if the
minister would see to her "ain bairn;" that was, if the minister really
thought the scheme a wise one.

"The minister's opinion seems to carry great weight here," said Dr.
Hamilton, smiling.

And it was so; not merely because of his being a minister, but because,
with all his gentle, unassuming ways, he had an excellent judgment--
the clear, sound, unbiased judgment which no man can ever attain to
except a man who thinks little of himself; to whom his own honor and
glory come ever second, and his Master's glory and service first.
T