? It's my ain to give or to keep as I like. Ye needna
be feared," said Mistress Jamieson, with offence. "But why should ye
wish to give it to me?"

"Because I hae naebody else to gi'e it to. There's not, to my
knowledge, one living that ever belonged to me. I may be dead before ye
come back again. And I like ye, Allison Bain. And the ring may keep
evil from ye, if ye wear it on your hand."

Allison looked anxiously into the old woman's eager face. What did she
mean? Why did she offer to her a marriage ring? Did she know more than
others knew about her? Was a new danger coming upon her? She must not
anger her, at any rate. So when the old woman took her hand again she
did not resist.

"There is the charm written on the inside of it, `Let love abyde till
death devyde.' Ye'll see it by the daylicht."

But the ring was far too large for Allison's finger. It slipped from it
and fell to the ground.

"Eh! me! is that an ill sign, think ye?" said the mistress.

"It is a sign that your grandmother was a bigger woman than me," said
Allison with an uncertain smile. "It is very kind of you, Mistress
Jamieson, to think of giving it to me, but--"

"It's a pity. But it's yours. On your hand it would hae keepit awa'
evil. Ye must put it on a ribbon and hang it roun' ye're neck, and it
may do the same. It will keep ye in mind yoursel', if it minds naebody
else."

Allison gazed at her with eyes full of trouble. But in the face so
deeply marked with the cares and sorrows and discontents of many years,
she saw nothing to awaken distrust or fear. There were tears in the
pale, sunken eyes, and the tremulous movement of the lips told only of
kindly interest. Whatever she knew or suspected, Allison felt that the
old woman did not mean her harm.

"Why should you be so kind to me--a stranger?" said she gently.

"I hardly ken mysel', except that I wish ye weel. And then ye mind me
o' my ain youth, partly that ye're sae like what I once was, and partly
that ye are sae different. I can see _now_ where I gaed wrang. And ye
hae your life afore ye. Hae patience, and make the best of it that ye
may."

"I'll try," said Allison humbly. And so they parted.

Allison got a glimpse of the grim old face among those who were standing
about the door to see them set off in the morning. And she never saw it
more. Before Allison came back to Nethermuir again the schoolmistress
was done with her toils, and troubles, and