Now there was no great anxiety about Annie's welfare in the mind of Mr
or Mrs Bruce. The shop and their own children, chiefly the former
occupied their thoughts, and the less trouble they had from the
presence of Annie, the better pleased they were--always provided they
could escape the censure of neglect. Hence it came that Annie's
absences were but little inquired into. All the attention they did show
her, seemed to them to be of free grace and to the credit of their
charity.

But Bruce did not like the influence that James Dow had with her; and
before they retired for the night, he had another lecture ready for
Annie.

"Annie," he said, "it's no becomin' for ane i' your station to be sae
familiar. Ye'll be a young leddy some day, and it's no richt to tak up
wi' servan's. There's Jeames Doo, jist a labourin' man, and aneath your
station a'thegether, and he taks ye up in's airms, as gin ye war a
bairn o' 's ain. It's no proaper."

"I like Jamie Doo better nor onybody i' the haill warl," said Annie,
"excep'--"

Here she stopped short. She would not expose her heart to the gaze of
that man.

"Excep' wha?" urged Bruce.

"I'm no gaein to say," returned Annie firmly.

"Ye're a camstairie (perverse) lassie," said Bruce, pushing her away
with a forceful acidity in the combination of tone and push.

She walked off to bed, caring nothing for his rebuke. For since Alec's
kindness had opened to her a well of the water of life, she had almost
ceased to suffer from the ungeniality of her guardians. She forgot them
as soon as she was out of their sight. And certainly they were nicer to
forget than to remember.

CHAPTER XVIII. [sic, should be XXII.]

As soon as she was alone in her room she drew from her pocket a parcel
containing something which Dowie had bought for her on their way home.
When undone it revealed two or three tallow candles, a precious present
in view of her hopes. But how should she get a light--for this was long
before lucifer matches had risen even upon the horizon of Glamerton?
There was but one way.

She waited, sitting on the edge of her bed, in the cold and darkness,
until every sound in the house had ceased. Then she stepped cautiously
down the old stair, which would crack now and then, use what care and
gentleness she might.

It was the custom in all the houses of Glamerton to _rest_ the fire;
that is, to keep it gently alive all night by the help of a _truff_, or
sod cut fro