and in time it became a mere shadow in the background, so that
she was again his happy housekeeper, but that was because she had found
strength to break with Tommy. She was only an eager little girl,
pathetically ignorant about what she wanted most to understand, but she
saw how an instinct had been fighting for her, and now it should not
have to fight alone. How careful she became! All Tommy's wiles were
vain, she would scarcely answer if he spoke to her; if he had ever
possessed a power over her it was gone, Elspeth's prayer had saved her.

Jean Myles had told Tommy to teach that prayer to Elspeth; but who had
told him to repeat it to Grizel?

CHAPTER XXXV

THE BRANDING OF TOMMY

Grizel's secession had at least one good effect: it gave Tommy more time
in which to make a scholar of himself. Would you like a picture of Tommy
trying to make a scholar of himself?

They all helped him in their different ways: Grizel, by declining his
company; Corp, by being far away at Look-about-you, adding to the inches
of a farm-house; Aaron Latta, by saying nothing but looking "college or
the herding;" Mr. McLean, who had settled down with Ailie at the
Dovecot, by inquiries about his progress; Elspeth by--but did Elspeth's
talks with him about how they should live in Aberdeen and afterwards
(when they were in the big house) do more than send his mind a-galloping
(she holding on behind) along roads that lead not to Aberdeen? What
drove Tommy oftenest to the weary drudgery was, perhaps, the alarm that
came over him when he seemed of a sudden to hear the names of the
bursars proclaimed and no Thomas Sandys among them. Then did he shudder,
for well he knew that Aaron would keep his threat, and he hastily
covered the round table with books and sat for hours sorrowfully
pecking at them, every little while to discover that his mind had soared
to other things, when he hauled it back, as one draws in a reluctant
kite. On these occasions Aaron seldom troubled him, except by glances
that, nevertheless, brought the kite back more quickly than if they had
been words of warning. If Elspeth was present, the warper might sit
moodily by the fire, but when the man and the boy were left together,
one or other of them soon retired, as if this was the only way of
preserving the peace. Though determined to keep his word to Jean Myles
liberally, Aaron had never liked Tommy, and Tommy's avoidance of him is
easily accounted for; he knew that Aaron