interrupted Ellen, "you don't know what you are saying,
I think."

"Archie is much better," said Lilias, eagerly. "He couldn't set his
foot to the ground when we first came here; and now he can walk miles."

"Oh, ay; change of air is ay thought good for the like of him. But it's
a deceitful complaint. We all ken that your father died of
consumption,--and your mother too, it's likely."

"No," said Lilias, in a low voice. "She died of fever."

"Mrs Stirling," exclaimed Ellen Wilson, "I canna but wonder that one
that has had the troubles you have had, should have so little
consideration for other folks. Do you not see that you are vexing the
bairns?"

"Weel, it's not my design nor my desire to vex them,--poor things! It
never harmed me to get a friend's sympathy; though it's little ever I
got. I'll not trouble them." And she went and seated herself at a
little distance from the children.

An old man, with very white hair, but a ruddy and healthy countenance,
had been walking up and down the path, his hands clasped behind his
back, and his staff beneath his arm. As he passed the place where Mrs
Stirling sat, he paused, saying in a cheerful, kindly voice:

"This is a bonny day, Mrs Stirling."

"Oh, ay," replied Nancy, drearily; "it's a bonny day."

"And a fine harvest we are getting," said the old man, again,--"if we
were only thankful to God for His undeserved goodness."

"Oh, ay; considering all things, the harvest's not so bad in some
places, and in others it's just middling. It's not got in yet. We must
wait awhile before we set ourselves up upon it."

"It would ill become us to set ourselves up on that, or any other good
gift of the Lord," said the old man, gravely; "but you and I, Nancy,
have seen many a different harvest from this in our day. We are ready
enough to murmur if the blessing be withheld, and to take it as our
right when it is sent. There's many a poor body in the countryside who
may thank God for the prospect of an easy winter. He has blessed us in
our basket and in our store."

"Oh, well, I dare say I'm as thankful as my neighbours, though I say
less about it," said Nancy, tartly. "I dare say there's many a poor
body will need all they have, and more, before the winter's over."

"You see you needn't mind what Mrs Stirling says," said Ellen, who with
the children had listened to the conversation thus far. "She's always
boding ill. It's her nature. She has had many things t