you?'

'I had something to do in the city, dear Mrs. Fordyce,' replied Gladys.
'There is something troubling me a good deal just now.'

'What is it? Nothing must be allowed to trouble Miss Graham of Bourhill.
Her star should always be in the ascendant,' said Mina banteringly.

'It is a mystery--a lost girl,' said Gladys rather gravely. 'Some one I
knew in the old life, who has disappeared, and nobody knows where she
has gone.'

'How exciting! Has she not gone "ower the border an' awa', wi' Jock o'
Hazeldean"?' asked Mina. 'Do tell us about her. What is her name?'

'Lizzie Hepburn; she is the sister of Walter, who was with my uncle,'
said Gladys gravely. 'It is the strangest thing.'

'George, my dear, look what you are doing. Oh, my beautiful gown!'

It was Mrs. Fordyce who thus turned the conversation. Her nephew,
handing the cup of tea she had never found time to drink while her
guests were present, had deliberately spilled it on the front of her
tea-gown. The incident was laughed over in the end, and the only person
present who thought of associating his awkwardness with the name Gladys
had mentioned was Mina, the shrewdest of them all; but though she had
many a strange and anxious thought on the subject, she held her peace.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXIII.

REAL AND IDEAL.

The little seamstress had never been out of Glasgow in her life. Even
the Fair holidays, signal for an almost universal exodus 'doon the
water,' brought no emancipation for her. It may be imagined that such a
sudden and unexpected invitation to the country filled her with the
liveliest anticipation. By eight o'clock that night she had finished her
pile of work, and immediately made haste with it to the warehouse which
employed her. When she had received her meagre payment, and had another
bundle rather contemptuously pushed towards her by the hard-visaged
forewoman, she experienced quite a little thrill of pride in refusing
it.

'No, thank you, Mrs. Galbraith; I dinna need ony mair the day,' she
said, and her face flushed under the forewoman's strong, steady stare.

'Oh, what's up?'

'I'm gaun into the country to visit a lady,' said Teen proudly.

'Oh, all right; there's a hundred waiting on the job, but don't expect
to be taken on the moment you like to show your face. We can afford to
be as independent as you.'

'I don't expect to need it,' said Teen promptly, though in truth her
heart sank a little as she heard these