onything rizzonable. But ye see it wad
be cast up to the haill o' 's that we had driven the puir lassie oot o'
the hoose, and syne flung her things efter her."

"The tane ye hae dune. The tither ye shanna do, for I'll tak them. And
I'll tell ye what fowk'll say gin ye dinna gie up the things. They'll
say that ye baith drave her awa' and keepit her bit duds. I'll see to
that--_and mair forbye_."

Bruce understood that he referred to Annie's money. His object in
refusing to give up her box had been to retain as long as possible a
chance of persuading her to return to his house; for should she leave
it finally, her friends might demand the interest in money, which at
present he was bound to pay only in aliment and shelter, little of
either of which she required at his hands. But here was a greater
danger still.

"Mother," he cried, "pit up Miss Anderson's claes in her box to gang
wi' the carrier the morn's mornin'."

"I'll tak them wi' me," said Dow resolutely.

"Ye canna. Ye haena a cairt."

"Ye get them pitten up, and I'll fess a barrow," said James, leaving
the shop.

He borrowed a wheelbarrow from Thomas Crann, and found the box ready
for him when he returned. The moment he lifted it, he was certain from
the weight of the poor little property that the Bible was not there.

"Ye haena pitten in Mr Cooie's Bible."

"Mother! did ye pit in the Bible?" cried Bruce, for the house-door was
open.

"'Deed no, father. It's better whaur't is," said Mrs Bruce from the
kitchen, with shrill response.

"Ye see, Mr Doo, the Bible's lain sae lang there, that it's jist oor
ain. And the lassie canna want it till she has a faimily to hae worship
wi'. And syne she s' be welcome to tak' it."

"Ye gang up the stair for the buik, or I'll gang mysel'."

Bruce went and fetched it, with a bad grace enough, and handed over
with it the last tattered remnants of his respectability into the hands
of James Dow.

Mr Cupples, having made a translation of the inscription, took it to
Thomas Crann.

"Do ye min' what Bruce read that nicht ye saw him tak' something oot o'
the beuk?" he asked as he entered.

"Ay, weel that. He began wi' the twenty-third psalm, and gaed on to the
neist."

"Weel, read that. I faun' 't on a blank leaf o' the buik."

Thomas read--'_Over the twenty-third psalm of David I have laid a
five-pound note for my dear Annie Anderson, after my death_,'--and
lifting his eyes, stared at Mr Cupples, his face slowly b