years darkened by deeds which, in the bitterness of his remorse and
self-upbraidings, he said to himself "could never be outlived--never
forgotten." These years had been lost out of his life--utterly lost for
all good; but, oh, how full of sin to him, of pain to others! His sin
might be forgiven, washed away in that blood which cleanseth from all
sin. But could his mother, could others, who had suffered through it,
ever quite outlive the shame and pain?

It seemed to him that the grave, earnest faces about him were settling
themselves into sternness at the stirring of the same bitter memories
and accusing thoughts; and he would fain have escaped from the glances,
some of them kind and others half averted, that followed him into the
kirk-yard when the service was over. But he could not escape.

Who could resist the look on Archie's joyful face, so frankly
challenging a welcome for the returned wanderer? Not James Muir, nor
the master, nor scores besides. Not even Nancy Stirling herself, when
Archie, sending a smile up into her face, said--

"This is my cousin Hugh come home again."

"Oh, ay! he's come home again. I kenned him when he was a guileless
laddie, like yourself, Archie, man," said Nancy, not sparing her little
prick to the sore heart. "And where's your sister to-day? Is your aunt
so ill yet as to need to keep her from the kirk?" she added, with the
air of finding a grievance in Lilias's absence. "Or is the lassie not
well herself? She looked weary and worn enough when I bade her
good-night at the stepping-stones in the gloaming. You're not come home
over soon, Maister Hugh. It's time your mother had some one to care for
her besides these bairns."

Archie looked indignant; but Hugh said gravely and gently--

"You are right, Mrs Stirling. You have been a kind friend to my mother
and my cousin Lilias, they tell me, and I thank you from my heart."

Nancy looked not a little discomfited at this unexpected answer.

"It would have been liker Hugh Blair to turn on his heel and go his own
way," said she afterwards; "but it may be that many a thing that was
laid to his door in the old days belonged less to him than to those who
beguiled him into evil, poor lad! And, whether or not, it would ill
become me to cast up to him his past ill-deeds to-day."

"And all the folk were so glad to see him!" said Archie when he came
home. Hugh was lingering outside, speaking to a friend who had walked
with the