a step like a
princess crossed the floor and bent down to the work.

"Thank you, my lassie. You have both strength and skill, and you have a
good will to use them, though I may have no right to demand it at your
hands. It is perhaps your way of doing the Lord's bidding. `If I, your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet!' Do you not mind?"

The smile which rose to Mrs Hume's face had a little surprise in it.
For it was not the minister's way to meet strangers with a text like
that.

"It is Allison Bain," said she.

"Oh! it is Allison Bain, is it? So you are come already. I have seen
your friend Dr Fleming, since you left."

"Dr Fleming was kind to me when I sore needed kindness."

Her eyes searched wistfully the minister's face, and it came into his
mind that she was wondering how much of her story had been told to him.

"Dr Fleming said many kind things about you, and I trust it may prove
for the good of us all, that we have been brought together," said he.

In his esteem it was no small thing that this poor soul who had suffered
and perhaps sinned--though looking in her face he could not think it--
should have been given into their care. But nothing more could be said.
A soft, shrill voice came from a room on the other side of the house.

"Are you coming, father? I am here, waiting for you."

"Ah, yes! Ay waiting, my bonny dooie (little dove)."

When his wife entered the room, he was sitting in silence with the pale
cheek of his only daughter resting against his. A fair, fragile little
creature she was, whose long, loose garments falling around her, showed
that she could not run and play like other children, whatever might be
the cause. It was a smile of perfect content which met her mother's
look.

"Well, mother," said she softly.

"Well, my dear, you are happy now. But you are not surely going to keep
your father in his damp clothes? And tea will soon be ready."

"Ah, no! I winna keep him. And he is only going up the stair this
time," said the child, raising herself up and fondly stroking the grave
face which was looking down upon her with love unutterable. He laid her
upon the little couch by the fireside and went away without a word.

"Come soon, father," said the child.

It was not long before he came. The lamp was lighted by that time, and
the fire was burning brightly. The boys had come in, and the mother
went to and fro, busy about the tea-table. The father's eyes were
br