onsented, without much hesitation, upon the
understanding that Lorna, when she became of full age, and the mistress
of her property (which was still under guardianship), should pay a
heavy fine to the Crown, and devote a fixed portion of her estate to the
promotion of the holy Catholic faith, in a manner to be dictated by the
King himself. Inasmuch, however, as King James was driven out of his
kingdom before this arrangement could take effect, and another king
succeeded, who desired not the promotion of the Catholic religion,
neither hankered after subsidies, (whether French or English), that
agreement was pronounced invalid, improper, and contemptible. However,
there was no getting back the money once paid to Lord Chancellor
Jeffreys.

But what thought we of money at this present moment; or of position,
or anything else, except indeed one another? Lorna told me, with the
sweetest smile, that if I were minded to take her at all, I must take
her without anything; inasmuch as she meant, upon coming of age, to make
over the residue of her estates to the next-of-kin, as being unfit for a
farmer's wife. And I replied with the greatest warmth and a readiness
to worship her, that this was exactly what I longed for, but had never
dared to propose it. But dear mother looked most exceeding grave; and
said that to be sure her opinion could not be expected to count for
much, but she really hoped that in three years' time we should both he a
little wiser, and have more regard for our interests, and perhaps those
of others by that time; and Master Snowe having daughters only, and
nobody coming to marry them, if anything happened to the good old
man--and who could tell in three years' time what might happen to all
or any of us?--why perhaps his farm would be for sale, and perhaps Lady
Lorna's estates in Scotland would fetch enough money to buy it, and so
throw the two farms into one, and save all the trouble about the brook,
as my poor father had longed to do many and many a time, but not having
a title could not do all quite as he wanted. And then if we young
people grew tired of the old mother, as seemed only too likely, and was
according to nature, why we could send her over there, and Lizzie to
keep her company.

When mother had finished, and wiped her eyes, Lorna, who had been
blushing rosily at some portions of this great speech, flung her fair
arms around mother's neck, and kissed her very heartily, and scolded
her (as she we