im in fear.'

"`Such pity as a father hath.' We ken well what that means, Dawvid; a
father's pity; such pity and love as we felt for our Davie, when he lay
tossing in his bed, poor laddie. And--as we felt for--him that's
gone--"

She could say no more at the moment, even if it would have been wise to
do so. But by and by she rose and came toward him, and standing half
behind him, laying her soft, wrinkled old hand on his grey head, she
said softly:

"If I could but hear you say that you forgive--Jacob Holt!"

Then there was a long silence in which she did not move.

"Because--I have been thinking that the Lord let our laddie do that--
good turn for His--to put us in mind--" Again she paused. "And I would
fain hear you say it, for His sake who has loved us, and forgiven so
much to us."

"I wish him no ill. I wouldna hurt a hair of his head. I leave him in
God's hands."

He spoke huskily, with long pauses between the sentences. Whether he
would have said more or not she could not tell. There was no time for
more, for the bairns came in with their mother from the Sunday-school,
and quiet was at an end for the moment.

It was a long time before the subject was touched upon between them
again, and it was he who spoke first.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

POOR GRANNIE.

The Langdens had stayed ten days in Gershom. Half the time Miss Langden
had passed with Miss Holt, and they had both enjoyed the visit, though
not quite in the same way. Her father needed much of Elizabeth's care
and attention at this time, and it would not have been possible for her
to devote herself constantly to her visitor. But Miss Essie was not a
difficult person to entertain--quite the contrary.

She took interest in many things. She had her journal to keep up, and
many letters to write. And then Mr Clifton Holt was at home, and at
her service. Mr Maxwell was a frequent visitor also; and when he came,
Miss Holt felt at liberty to attend to her own affairs, knowing that
they did not need her presence. Clifton was not so mindful of their old
friendship, or not so well aware of their present relation, for he did
not seem to think it was the thing to do to leave their visitors to
entertain each other; and certainly he was never made to feel himself to
be an intruder, though his sister often feared that he might be so.

Then Miss Langden had a great desire to see as much as possible of "this
interesting country" as she politely c