, and she added:
"Macrae was advertised to sing in the City Hall the next night at
a mass meeting of citizens about abrogating slavery in the United
States, and he was not there--broke his engagement! What do you
think of that? The next night, Sabbath, he did the same to Dr.
Fraser's kirk, where he had promised to sing a pro-Christmas
canticle. And this morning I heard that he is going to the Orkneys
to marry a rich and beautiful girl who lives there. Now what do
you think of your handsome Macrae? I can tell you he is on every
one's tongue." And Madame said, "I have no doubt of it and I'll
warrant nobody knows what they are talking about."

After this the fitting on was not pleasant and I finished my part
of it as quickly as possible. Indeed, Miss Thora, I was miserable
about you and so pressed in spirit to tell you these things that I
could hardly finish my day's work. For my conscience kept urging
me to do my duty to you, for it is many favours you have done me
in the past. Kindly pardon me now, and believe me,

Your humble but sincere friend,
JEAN HAY.

This letter Thora read to the last word but she was nearly blind when
she reached it. All her senses rang inward. "I am dying!" she thought,
and she tried to reach the bed but only succeeded in stumbling against
a small table full of books, knocking it down and falling with it.

Mistress Ragnor and her visitor heard the fall and they were suddenly
silent. Immediately, however, they went to the foot of the stairway
and called, "Thora." There was no answer, and the mother's heart sank
like lead, as she hastened to her daughter's room and threw open the
door. Then she saw her stricken child, lying as if dead upon the
floor. Cries and calls and hurrying feet followed, and the unconscious
girl was quickly freed from all physical restraints and laid at the
open window. But all the ordinary household methods of restoring
consciousness were tried without avail and the case began to assume a
dangerous aspect.

At this moment Ragnor arrived. He knelt at his child's side and drew
her closer and closer, whispering her name with the name of the Divine
One; and surely it was in response to his heart-breaking entreaties
the passing soul listened and returned. "Father," was the first
whisper she uttered; and with a glowing, grateful heart, the father
lifted her in his arms and laid her on her bed.

Then Rahal g