ronger."

Oh, Archie was strong; quite strong enough for that, if only his aunt
and Lilias thought so; and maybe they might, if John would speak to them
about it.

And so it was arranged; and when John went back to college and the
Gordon boys went home, Archie found himself at David Graham's side,
under the firm and not ungentle rule of the Dunmoor parish schoolmaster.
Lilias' joy was scarcely less than his own; and the delight of
welcoming him home at night quite repaid her for his absence during the
day.

As for her, she began again the business of teaching with wonderful
cheerfulness, and went on with wonderful success. Mrs Blair's office
of schoolmistress was becoming hers only in name, she declared; for
Lilias did all that was to be done, while she sat quietly in her
armchair, knitting or sewing, only now and then administering a word of
caution or reproof to the little ones about her. The children loved
their young teacher dearly. Not one of them but would have travelled
miles to do her a pleasure; and over two or three her influence for good
was very easily seen.

When the summer and autumn work was fairly over, Elsie Ray came back
again to the school; and Elsie was a very different girl now from the
shy, awkward, ill-clad creature who had come there a stranger last year.
Naturally affectionate, as well as bright, she had from the first
attached herself to Lilias in a peculiar manner, and, to please her, she
had done her utmost to overcome her faults and improve herself in every
way. Her clothes, of her own making, were now as neat as they had been
before untidy. Her leisure time during the summer's herding had not
been misemployed, and she was fast acquiring the reputation of being the
best reader, writer, and sewer in the school; and no small pride did she
feel in her acquirements. In short, as Mrs Stirling declared, "she had
become a decent, purpose-like lass, and Lilias Elder should have the
credit of it." Of the last fact Elsie was as well persuaded as Nancy
was; and her gratitude and devotion to Lilias were in proportion. No
sacrifice would she have considered too great to give proof of her
gratitude to Lilias; and her goodwill stood her friend in good stead
before the winter was over.

CHAPTER SIX.

CLOUDS WITH SILVER LININGS.

Lilias' troubles were not over yet. Even now a cloud was gathering,
little, indeed, at first, and distant, but destined to overshadow her
for many a weary mon