t, upon his shoulder, and his guardian arm encircled her, there was
such a sense of rest and calm that even the utterance of their inward
thanksgiving, or of a word of tenderness would have jarred upon them. It
was not till a knock and message at the door interrupted them, that they
could break the blessed stillness.

"And there you are, my Ermine!" said Colin, standing on the hearth-rug,
and surveying her with satisfied eyes. "You are a queenly looking dame
in your black draperies, and you look really well, much better than
Rachel led me to expect."

"Ah! when she was here I had no fixed day to look forward to. And
receiving our poor little orphan baby was not exactly like receiving his
uncle, though Rachel seemed to think it ought to make up for anything."

"She was thoroughly softened by that child! It was a spirited thing her
bringing him down here on the Monday when we started for Scotland, and
then coming all the way alone with her maid. I did not think Alick would
have consented, but he said she would always be the happier for having
deposited her charge in your hands."

"It was a great wrench to her. I felt it like robbery when she put the
little fellow down on my lap and knelt over him, not able to get herself
away, but saying that she was not fit to have him; she could not bear it
if she made him hate her as Conrade did! I am glad she has had his first
smile, she deserves it."

"Is Tibbie in charity with him?"

"Oh, more than in charity! She did not take the first announcement of
his coming very amiably; but when I told her she was to reign in the
nursery, and take care the poor little chief know the sound of a Scots'
tongue, she began to thaw; and when he came into the house, pity or
loyalty, or both, flamed up hotly, and have quite relieved me; for at
first she made a baby of me, and was a perfect dragon of jealousy at
poor Ailie's doing anything for me. It was a rich scene when Rachel
began giving her directions out of 'Hints for the Management of
Infants,' just in the old voice, and Tibbie swept round indignantly,
'His Lordship, Lord Keith of Gowanbrae, suld hae the best tendance she
could gie him. She did na lippen to thae English buiks, as though she
couldna rear a wean without bulk learning.' Poor Rachel nearly cried,
and was not half comforted by my promising to study the book as much as
she pleased."

"It will never do to interfere with Tibbie, and I own I am much of her
opinion, I had rather