r,
till the only comfort I had was that I cudna live lang. And wi' that
the thocht o' God cam' into my heid, and it seemed as gin I had a
richt, as it war, to call upon him--I was sae miserable.

"And there cam' ower me a quaietness, and like a warm breath o' spring
air. I dinna ken what it was--but it set me upo' my feet, and I startit
to follow the lave. Snaw had fa'en, sae that I could hardly see the
track. And I never cam' up wi' them, and I haena heard o' them sin'
syne.

"The silence at first had been fearfu'; but noo, somehoo or ither, I
canna richtly explain 't, the silence seemed to be God himsel' a' aboot
me.

"And I'll never forget him again, Annie.

"I cam' upo' tracks, but no o' oor ain men. They war the fowk o' the
country. And they brocht me whaur there was a schooner lyin' ready to
gang to Archangel. And here I am."

Was there ever a gladder heart than Annie's? She was weeping as if her
life would flow away in tears. She had known that Alec would come back
to God some day.

He ceased speaking, but she could not cease weeping. If she had tried
to stop the tears, she would have been torn with sobs. They sat silent
for a long time. At length Alec spoke again:

"Annie, I don't deserve it--but _will_ you be my wife some day?"

And all the answer Annie made was to lay her head on his bosom and weep
on.

CHAPTER XCIII.

Is it worth while, I debate with myself, to write one word more?--Shall
I tie the ends of my warp, or leave them loose?--I will tie them, but
no one needs sit out the process.

The farm of Howglen prospered. Alec never practised in his profession,
but became a first-rate farmer. Within two years Annie and he were
married, and began a new chapter of their history.

When Mrs Forbes found that Alec and Annie were engaged, she discovered
that she had been in reality wishing it for a long time, and that the
opposing sense of duty had been worldly.

Mr Cupples came to see them every summer, and generally remained over
the harvest. He never married. But he wrote a good book.

Thomas Crann and he had many long disputes, and did each other good.
Thomas grew gentler as he grew older. And he learned to hope more for
other people. And then he hoped more for himself too.

The first time Curly saw Annie after the wedding, he was amazed at his
own presumption in ever thinking of marrying such a lady. When about
thirty, by which time he had a good business of his own, he married