fingers over them. Harry advised her to turn in the
opposite direction. "Oh, no," said she, "my eyes must get used to look
at what yours can bear to see!"

Even through her hands Nell perceived a rosy light, which became more
white as the sun rose above the horizon. As her sight became accustomed
to it, her eyelids were raised, and at length her eyes drank in the
light of day.

The good child knelt down, exclaiming, "Oh Lord God! how beautiful is
Thy creation!" Then she rose and looked around. At her feet extended the
panorama of Edinburgh--the clear, distinct lines of streets in the New
Town, and the irregular mass of houses, with their confused network of
streets and lanes, which constitutes Auld Reekie, properly so called.
Two heights commanded the entire city; Edinburgh Castle, crowning its
huge basaltic rock, and the Calton Hill, bearing on its rounded summit,
among other monuments, ruins built to represent those of the Parthenon
at Athens.

Fine roadways led in all directions from the capital. To the north, the
coast of the noble Firth of Forth was indented by a deep bay, in which
could be seen the seaport town of Leith, between which and this Modern
Athens of the north ran a street, straight as that leading to the
Piraeus.

Beyond the wide Firth could be seen the soft outlines of the county
of Fife, while beneath the spectator stretched the yellow sands of
Portobello and Newhaven.

Nell could not speak. Her lips murmured a word or two indistinctly; she
trembled, became giddy, her strength failed her; overcome by the purity
of the air and the sublimity of the scene, she sank fainting into
Harry's arms, who, watching her closely, was ready to support her.

The youthful maiden, hitherto entombed in the massive depths of the
earth, had now obtained an idea of the universe--of the works both of
God and of man. She had looked upon town and country, and beyond these,
into the immensity of the sea, the infinity of the heavens.

CHAPTER XV. LOCH LOMOND AND LOCH KATRINE

HARRY bore Nell carefully down the steeps of Arthur's Seat, and,
accompanied by James Starr and Jack Ryan, they reached Lambert's Hotel.
There a good breakfast restored their strength, and they began to make
further plans for an excursion to the Highland lakes.

Nell was now refreshed, and able to look boldly forth into the sunshine,
while her lungs with ease inhaled the free and healthful air. Her eyes
learned gladly to know the harmonio