gentlewomen. The Manse table
was a perfect picture of family sunshine and family peace, and, as such,
the two Edinburg guests carried away the impression of it in their
memories for many a day.

In another week a second stately funeral passed out of the Castle doors,
and then they were closed to all comers. By Mr. Menteith's orders,
great part of the rooms were shut up, and only two apartments kept for
his own use when he came down to look after the estates. It was now
fully known that he was the young earl's sole guardian; but so great was
the feudal fidelity of the neighborhood, and so entire the respect with
which, during an administration of many years, the factor had imbued the
Cairnforth tenantry, that not a word was said in objection either to him
or to his doings. There was great regret that the poor little earl--
the representative of so long and honored a race--was taken away from
the admiration of the country-side before even a single soul in the
parish, except Mr. and Mrs. Cardross, had set eyes upon him; but still
the disappointed gossips submitted, considering that if the minister
were satisfied all must be right.

After the departure of Mr. Mentieth, Mrs. Campbell, and her charge, a
few rumors got abroad that the little earl was "no a'richt"--if an
earl could be "no a' richt"--which the simple folk about Loch Beg and
Loch Mhor, accustomed for generations to view the Earls of Cairnforth
much as the Thibetians view their Dali Lama, thought hardly possible.
But what was wrong with him nobody precisely knew. The minister did, it
was conjectured; but Mr. Cardross was scrupulously silent on the
subject; and, with all his gentleness, he was the sort of man to whom
nobody ever could address intrusive or impertinent questions.

So, after a while, when the Castle still remained shut up, curiosity
died out, or was only roused at intervals, especially at Mr. Menteith's
periodical visits. And to all questions, whether respectfully anxious
or merely inquisitive, he never gave but one answer--that the earl was
"doing pretty well," and would be back at Cairn forth "some o' these
days".

However, that period was so long deferred that the neighbors at last
ceased to expect it, or to speculate concerning it. They went about
their own affairs, and soon the whole story about the sad death of the
late earl and countess, and the birth of the present nobleman, began to
be told simply as a story by the elder folk, and