ce, thus making Alec feel like a culprit in hers, which
was more than she intended, or would have liked, could she have peeped
into his mind. So she could not help feeling some interest in Annie,
and some curiosity to see her. She had known James Anderson, her
father, and he had been her guest more than once when he had called
upon business. Everybody had liked him; and this general approbation
was owing to no lack of character, but to his genuine kindness of
heart. So Mrs Forbes was prejudiced in Annie's favour--but far more by
her own recollections of the father, than by her son's representations
of the daughter.

"Tell her to come up, Mary," she said.

So Annie, with all the disorganization of school about her, was shown,
considerably to her discomfort, into Mrs Forbes's dining-room.

There was nothing remarkable in the room; but to Annie's eyes it seemed
magnificent, for carpet and curtains, sideboard and sofa, were luxuries
altogether strange to her eyes. So she entered very timidly, and stood
trembling and pale--for she rarely blushed except when angry--close to
the door. But Alec scrambled from the sofa, and taking hold of her by
both hands, pulled her up to his mother.

"There she is, mamma!" he said.

And Mrs Forbes, although her sense of the fitness of things was not
gratified at seeing her son treat with such familiarity a girl so
neglectedly attired, yet received her kindly and shook hands with her.

"How do you do, Annie?" she said.

"Quite well, I thank ye, mem," answered Annie, showing in her voice
that she was owerawed by the grand lady, yet mistress enough of her
manners not to forget a pretty modest courtesy as she spoke.

"What's gaein' on at the school the day, Annie?" asked Alec.

"Naething by ordidar," answered Annie, the sweetness of her tones
contrasting with the roughness of the dialect. "The maister's a hantle
quaieter than usual. I fancy he's a' the better behaved for's brunt
fingers. But, oh, Alec!"

And here the little maiden burst into a passionate fit of crying.

"What's the matter, Annie," said Mrs Forbes, as she drew her nearer,
genuinely concerned at the child's tears.

"Oh! mem, ye didna see hoo the maister lickit him, or ye wad hae
grutten yersel'."

Tears from some mysterious source sprang to Mrs Forbes's eyes. But at
the moment Mary opened the door, and said--

"Here's Maister Bruce, mem, wantin' to see ye."

"Tell him to walk up, Mary."

"Oh! no, no, mem; dinna