and was ready with her answers when Dr Hadden turned to her.

They were to stay over the Sabbath. Surely they must stay over the
Sabbath, the minister said, and the reason which he gave for their
staying was the one which John would have given for wishing to go away.

"There will be so many at the kirk who will like to see Allison Bain's
face again," said he.

But when he added reverently, "And doubtless it is in her heart to thank
God in His own house, for all the way by which He has led her since that
sorrowful day," what could they do but promise to remain?

In the gloaming they went down by the burn side, and past the
stepping-stones, and round the hill to the cottage of Janet Mair. It
was a dark little place. The tiny peat fire on the hearth cast only a
faint light, and it was some moments before they caught a glimpse of the
wee bowed wifie, who had befriended Allison in her time of need.

"Come ye awa ben," said she. "Is it Betty, or is it the minister's
Barbara? Bide still till I licht my bit lampie."

But when the lamp was lighted, she "wasna just sae sure," even then, who
it was that had come in.

"Dinna ye mind Allie Bain, and how good ye were to her, the day she gaed
awa?"

"Ay do I. Weel that. Eh, woman! Are ye Allie Bain?"

The lamp did not cast a very bright light, but it fell full on Allison's
face.

"Eh! but ye're grown a bonny woman! Sit ye doon and rest yersel'. And
wha is this? Is it witless Willie, as I've heard folk ca' him?"

She did not wait for an answer, but wandered away to other matters. She
seemed quite to have forgotten the events of the last years. But she
told them about her mother, and about the man she should have married,
who were both lying in the kirkyard doon by, and about her father and
her brothers who were lost at sea.

"I'm sair failed," said she. "It has been an unco hard winter, and I
hae had to keep the hoose. But I'll be mysel' again, when the bonny
spring days come, and I can win out to the kirkyard. It's a bonny
place, and wholesome."

And so on she wandered. They did not try to bring her thoughts back to
later days. "It was as well not," Allison said sadly.

Yes, she was sore failed, but she brightened wonderfully at the touch of
a golden piece which John put into her hand.

"I'll tak' it to the manse and get it changed for the bawbees and
pennies that are gaithered in the kirk. It'll tak' twa or three
Sabbaths o' them, I daursay, to ma