esh to him, and
who looked on them as studies of life. His hands were busy all the time
carving a boss for the roof of one of the side aisles of his church--the
last step in its gradual restoration.

That night there was no excitement of nerve, no morbid fancy to trouble
Rachel's slumbers; she only awoke as the eight o'clock bell sounded
through the open window, and for the first time for months rose
less weary than she had gone to rest. Week-day though it were, the
description "sweet day, so calm, so cool, so bright," constantly
recurred to her mind as she watched the quiet course of occupation.
Alick, after escorting his uncle to a cottage, found her searching among
the stores in the music stand.

"You unmusical female," he said, "what is that for?"

"Your uncle spoke of music last night, and I thought he would like it."

"I thought you had no such propensity."

"I learnt like other people, but it was the only thing I could not do
as well as Grace, and I thought it wasted time, and was a young ladyism;
but if can recover music enough to please him, I should be glad."

"Thank you," said Alick, earnestly. "He is very much pleased with your
voice in speaking. Indeed, I believe I first heard it with his ears."

"This is a thorough lady's collection of music," said Rachel, looking
through it to hide her blush of pleasure. "Altogether the house has not
a bachelor look."

"Did you not know that he had been married? It was when he first had the
living twelve years ago. She was a very lovely young thing, half Irish,
and this was the happiest place in the world for two years, till her
little brother was sent home here from school without proper warning of
a fever that had begun there. We all had it, but she and her baby were
the only ones that did not recover! There they lie, under the yew-tree,
where my uncle likes to teach the children. He was terribly struck
down for years, though he went manfully to his work, and it has been
remarkable how his spirits and sociability have returned since he lost
his sight; indeed, he is more consistently bright than ever he was."

"I never saw any one like him," said Rachel. "I have fallen in with
clergy that some call holy, and with some that others call pious, but he
is not a bit like either. He is not even grave, yet there is a calming,
refreshing sense of reverence towards him that would be awe, only it is
so happy."

Alick's response was to bend over her, and kiss her brow. S