ars. They are together now."

"In spirit, lass, in spirit, I doubt not, but not otherwise. Why, is it
possible you don't know me? Aren't you prepared? Did not your little
lass tell you? I am your mother's brother, I am alive, as you see; I am
Sandy Wilson."

"You!" Charlotte looked at him half incredulous, half pained; but then a
sudden joy came over her, she forgot the vulgarity in the love for her
dead mother which still shone out of those honest blue eyes. She glanced
up again; those eyes were her mother's eyes; instantly they acted as
open sesame to her heart. She held out her own hands now and her eyes
filled with tears. "Forgive me, Uncle Sandy; if you are indeed he. I did
not know you, I could not know you; I have believed you dead for many,
many years. But you have a look of my mother. She would welcome you
to-night, so I must in her name."

"Will you kiss me in her name, my lassie? Ah! that's good; 'tis long
since I kissed one of my own. Yes, I've come back. I never did die, you
see, though I knew that the report had reached England. I let it be, I
did not trouble to contradict it."

"But it was wrong of you, Uncle Sandy. You said you loved my mother, and
that report of your death gave her terrible pain."

"I am sorry for it, lass; I never guessed about the pain, though I might
have thought of it, sweet soul; but I knew she was married to a very
rich man. I was poor, so poor as to know what hunger meant, I thought
she could do without me. I went up into the bush and stayed there until
I had made my fortune. After a time I got accustomed to knowing that
every one in England would think me dead. I used to laugh in my sleeve
at the surprise I meant to give Daisy when I walked in rich some day.
Well, well, what an old fool I made of myself! I never once thought of
_her_ dying. She is dead, and I am left; there's no one to welcome me
back, after all."

"She has been dead for over six years now; but come to the fire, uncle.
I welcome you in my mother's name, and my children will love you. Now
you must sit there and I will ring for Anne to bring in some tea."

After this the uncle and niece talked together for some time. Anne
brought in the tea, and looked at them with eyes rendered round and
large from excitement. They both nodded to her, for both felt pleased.
Uncle Sandy had discovered that his niece had a voice like her mother,
if not a face. It was delicious to him to sit so close to his own flesh
and blo