ef that Hugh knew nothing concerning the matter, and that my
own ideas on the subject were the best, and in less than a week I had
my own old school-books down, and was casting around for a tutor for
Nancy, firm in my intention of "bringing her up a perfect gentleman,"
as Hugh derisively stated. I fixed on Latin for her, and sound
mathematics, and later Greek and Logic, and when I showed this list of
studies to Pitcairn, I recall that he looked at me, with the usual pity
in his glance, and asked dryly:

"Why not tiger shooting and the high-jump?"

Sandy was from home at this time, having been called to a dying wife,
poor fellow, or I should have taken advice with him concerning a
certain old teacher of his boy Danvers, for whom I had a great liking.
While awaiting his return I took the Little Flower into my confidence,
and found her delighted that she was to be "teached." There was one
point upon which she was firm, however, which was that none but Father
Michel should be her instructor, and the good man, with many a dubious
shake of his head, entered upon his work the following week.

Often after this time I would come upon them in the small writing-room
where the studies were conducted, to find the little one standing by
the father's knee, as he held the book for her, or sitting in his lap
looking up at him with a funny earnestness, as though they were playing
together, going over

----rego
----regere
----rexi
----rectus

or some such work, and amazing us both by her capacities.

On her ninth birthday Hugh gave her the ponderous tome from which so
much of Mrs. Opie's facts have been obtained, and into this volume she
put her verses and her thoughts just as they came into her curly head,
standing upon a stool to make her high enough to reach the
writing-table with comfort. There was an unspoken understanding between
us that I was at liberty to read this book, but never in her presence.
One night after she had spent the afternoon at work upon it, I drew it
toward me, to find a new set of verses beginning:

The heifer by the milking pail,
Whose neck-cloth is so white, etc.

and underneath the following, in which the influence of the Good Book
was surely visible:

"MY COMANDMENCE!

1. I must love Jock Stair first of all created things, for he was
my mother's friend and mine.

2. Since the Lord has cast the poor from him I must do what I can
for them.

3. I must not be afr