? I'm
blithe, too, when he is at home; and, besides, he doesna know all."

The thought of what that "all" was--the struggle, the exhaustion, the
forced cheerfulness--made her cheek grow pale; and she sat down again,
saying to herself that Nancy was right, and that, for a while at least,
she must rest.

"No; and he'll never ken as much as is for his good, if it depends on
you. But he'll hear something ere he's many days older."

"Mrs Stirling," said Lilias, rising, and speaking very quietly now,
"you must not meddle between me and my brother. He is all I have got;
and I know him best. He never was meant for a herd-boy or a
field-labourer. He must bide at the school; and he'll soon be fit for
something better; and can you not see that will be as much for my good
as his? I must just have patience and wait; and you are not to think
ill of Archie."

"Me think ill of him! No, no; I think he's a fine laddie, as his father
was before him, and that makes it all the more a pity that he should be
spoiled. But if you'll promise to be a good bairn, and have patience
till you are rested and quite strong again, and say no more about your
fine plans till then, I'll neither make nor meddle between you. Must
you go? Well, wait till I cover the fire with a wet peat, and I'll go
down the brae with you. I dare say you are all right; your aunt will be
wearying for you."

As Nancy went bustling about, Lilias seated herself again upon the
door-step. The scene was changed since she sat there before; but it was
not less lovely with the long shadows upon it than it was beneath the
bright sunshine. It was very sweet and peaceful. The never-silent
brook babbled on closely by, but all other sounds seemed to come from a
distance. The delicate fringes of young birches waved to and fro with a
gentle, beckoning motion; but not a rustle nor a sigh was heard.

Yes, it was very sweet and peaceful; and as she let her eyes wander over
the scene, Lilias had a vague feeling of guilt upon her in being so out
of tune with it all. Even in the days when she and Archie used to sit
waiting, waiting for their weary mother it had not been so bad. She
wondered why everything seemed so changed to her.

"I suppose it is because I'm not very well. I mind how weary and
restless Archie used to be. I must have patience till I grow stronger.
And maybe something will happen that I'm not thinking about, just as
Aunt Janet came to us then. There are p