his head, like Brutus, and at length became oracular.

'Speyk the truth,' he said.

'I'll do that. But what aboot--my father?'

'Naebody 'ill cast up yer father to ye. Ye need hae nae fear o' that.'

'My mither, than?' suggested Shargar, with hesitation.

'Ye maun haud yer face to the fac'.'

'Ay, ay. But gin they said onything, ye ken--aboot her.'

'Gin ony man-body says a word agen yer mither, ye maun jist knock him
doon upo' the spot.'

'But I michtna be able.'

'Ye could try, ony gait.'

'He micht knock me down, ye ken.'

'Weel, gae doon than.'

'Ay.'

This was all the instruction Robert ever gave Shargar in the duties of
a gentleman. And I doubt whether Shargar sought further enlightenment by
direct question of any one. He worked harder than ever; grew cleanly
in his person, even to fastidiousness; tried to speak English; and a
wonderful change gradually, but rapidly, passed over his outer man.
He grew taller and stronger, and as he grew stronger, his legs grew
straighter, till the defect of approximating knees, the consequence of
hardship, all but vanished. His hair became darker, and the albino look
less remarkable, though still he would remind one of a vegetable grown
in a cellar.

Dr. Anderson thought it well that he should have another year at the
grammar-school before going to college.--Robert now occupied Ericson's
room, and left his own to Shargar.

Robert heard every week from Miss St. John about Ericson. Her reports
varied much; but on the whole he got a little better as the winter
went on. She said that the good women at The Boar's Head paid him every
attention: she did not say that almost the only way to get him to eat
was to carry him delicacies which she had prepared with her own hands.

She had soon overcome the jealousy with which Miss Letty regarded her
interest in their guest, and before many days had passed she would walk
into the archway and go up to his room without seeing any one, except
the sister whom she generally found there. By what gradations their
intimacy grew I cannot inform my reader, for on the events lying
upon the boundary of my story, I have received very insufficient
enlightenment; but the result it is easy to imagine. I have already
hinted at an early disappointment of Miss St. John. She had grown
greatly since, and her estimate of what she had lost had altered
considerably in consequence. But the change was more rapid after she
became acquainted with Erics