him. There
were times when he wished that death might come and end it all; but he
never spoke of himself, unless Shenac made him speak. His fits of
depression did not occur often, and Shenac came at last to think it was
better to let them pass without notice; and, though her eye grew more
watchful and her voice more tender, she said nothing for a while, but
waited patiently for more cheerful days.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

I dislike to speak about the faults of Shenac. It would be far
pleasanter to go on telling all that she did for her mother and brothers
and little Flora--how her courage never failed, and her patience and
temper very seldom; and how the neighbours looked on with wonder and
pleasure at all the young girl was able to accomplish by her sense and
energy, till they quite forgot that she was little more than a child--
not sixteen when her father died--and spoke of her as a woman of
prudence and a credit to her family. She looked like a woman. She was
tall and strong. She seemed, indeed, to have the health and strength
which should have fallen to her twin-brother Hamish; and she was growing
to seem to all the neighbours much older than he. I suppose this change
would have come in any circumstances, after a while, for girls of
seventeen are generally more mature than boys of the same age; but the
change was more decided in Shenac because of the care that had fallen on
her so early. Still, they were alike. They had the same golden-brown
hair, though the brother's was of a darker shade, the same blue eyes,
and frank, open brow. But the eyes of Hamish had a weary look, and his
brow looked higher and broader because of the thin pale cheeks beneath
it; and while he grew more quiet and retiring every day, no one could
have been long in the house without seeing in many ways that Shenac was
the ruling spirit there.

It was right it should be so. It could not have been otherwise, for her
mother was broken in health and spirits, and Allister was away. Hamish
was not able to take the lead in the labour, because of his lameness and
his feeble health; and though he had great influence in the family
councils, it was exercised indirectly, by quiet, sensible words, and by
a silent good example to the rest.

As for Dan, his will was strong enough to command an army, and he had a
great deal of good sense hidden beneath a reckless manner; but he was
two years younger than his sister--quite too young and inexperience