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C»OCK«IT, 1901. 'm p/^r-e, eager heart of the little g^rl Rni^J^ ** ^*'* '^^ r« ^ ^^ hi^ ^ the flesh. ^ A J!S At ^« P^'^ceed I must teU something more of Anoland and of Hester Stirling. ^ The house of Arioland was a pleasant place to dwell L\nf n?'^*^"'^ H\t^^* just stopped S^hort Tt S a mountam rose behind it, where you could get 2 among the tall ling and brown bent grasses a brS sweep of steath spread below, through wWch, iow bfu^ now grey now flashing sUver, a dimpW rivlr ™S over gravel that talked and sand that onHougheda^ ;^iT?V ^^^^ ^* *^« *^«^t ,?»5?f tyrannised over every created thing within lJebi«tt of the country folks* speech. But Megs/g WJ^v .VVa,,te* C3TND1BBLLA. , ^^dom stopped at the white wall about the griere'. n J^i.^^J?'^^ MacWhutterick'B empire, wide lu it at t2« wi?l^ T,' '*??P^ ^^^'t' even a8 Me Jy's did at the white wall and low stile. The shrubberies we^' not his, nor yet the policies beneath. Not his S! httle park that surrounded the avenue of ^1 ^ Hoose o* Arioland.with a fringe ofVfiln w. £ *^®^^»f wif fii/n?" W'^' "^^^^^ SandV the Grieve Th^ was first of aU Megsy, his neighboii to the souVh «^Jk country about whom was ffrowinTm* « l.vL -i-I- "5 ^^ses daily vexed the nghteous soul of Sandy the Then, in the third place, there was his master John Gowa.Jock,theoneandcmly. He abode afrSstan^ truly, yet even upon the farm he had ovao +w • ^ ^d feet that r^"!^ 10^0^3^^ ^^* b^f ff or?f t£:'bir'' ^"'"''"'" " ^«-«« ■* "«». » But Siunden MacWhutterick (u he eaUed h'm^ir, 1 wag to him as his God— or it may * CINDERELLA. .v"^^® v?^^*^," °°* * P'etty child. She is brown ^kmn^d Jxko her father, an/ has her m^C's S This was the dictum spoken authoritatively bv HesW s aunt as. suddenly grown shy and awk W that trembhng mite stoo^ clutching ^a ^rne^ of W deaii pinafore with one hand, while the forefinger of tiie other went up rusticaUy to the maligned mS m if to accentuate its width. "loum, as wildirw^thi?"?!;!'' f ''^ ^ "'^^"^*' ^«' ^«^^ bating jnidly within her her eyes gypsy-dark and gleaming, the taU majestic lady took up the burden of W prophecy, « Mother, you spoil the girl-indeed you do 1 said so to Sylvanus, my husband, only^is morning Where is Sylvanus? Oh, he has been SnS bv an importent case. He will foUow immediate!^ T' ^^ ^"^ «(Sl w^r^^^^""*^ ^'f*^' Stirling, she continued, Uirl, what IS your name ? What, no answer » Do you not hear me speak ? And wh^ do yTu Tot" come and kiss your cousins prettUy-have yoi never bZ? ^1^17 "^f^^V^^ Vthis com^of indulgSg a cluld for the sake of a good-for-nothing father^^^ more Harm than all the romances and improner literature that are all too common even in home^ wE call themselves Christian I I was saying so to SjlvaS^ ^y, *^| '^^r'^JSl Oh, your name is Hester is kP Hester Sybilla Stirling-^eU, let me see yoi Uw prettJy and kiss your cousins ' " ^ at bo' hl/i^ ^!i '^^ ™ ^'^' ^"* i* ™ with a sinking at her heart and a sense of being thrown emptily on hS M«^:^ T- ^ r ^ ^^^"^^"^S to, or even the corner of Megsy Tipperlm's stuff apron would have been gmt^. finger'rd\w^^^ "^.t ^^^ --<^ betw^eHhe nnger and thumb. But now the cool parlour of Ario^ ■«W«HB*WKi« ■ajjK. CINDEBELLA. 5 Ijttd seemed auddenly, so wide about her. It made her htae legs feel quite tottery. And her cousLS^were 2J Si! V^^^^y" 8^°^^ *^^y «»"8t be, and how wS teigrht and obedient to their mother. eldesT'^oln' f ' ""r* '**^i^^J^ «^«r *« Ethel the manner hpM^ T'^^^'f f"^ ^"^°«* contemptuous Z^r on fo v-^ fifteen for rustic seven. Then she passed on to Vic, who tried to trip Hester un bv thrurting a foot out suddenly in front of her. ^ ^ wouldTeler^'l nSr''^^""'" *^""^^* H^«*«'' "«h« bi^ught up!" '''' purpose-she is too weU Nevertheless, she liked Vic better because she di not even pretend that she wanted to kiss her B . SW^l*^' ^r"^.'«* «^ ^"' behaved quite d^eienL w*uw, jceepmg at the same time an eve nnnn hn^ moth^ to see that ahe noticed. She^dToticT ''*' ''^> ti^at IS my own swee-eet child " cripd ivrw. SWvanus Torphichan. « Mother, did you see ? Thli g^l IS a wonder, little more tha^i elevJn yea« of at Sefol M pif 1®?^°''* '° ^^'d Winters WM quite grateful te Claudie last year. They gave her a mldal Werrin tt '"^'l^' «ubsc-p^tiSs f rom aS^e sSer '\*?l^^«^ghbourhood where we went in bS f; J^^ ^f^ "^^^^ ^^* eventually all contri- ^^utTq?' • ^- .?^^^^ '^^^y ^om lot go aw w?"*iL st^^a^rdeTr?^ *^^" ^^^ -^^^- did'^r'oter'm^t^er "^^^^ ^ ^ ^'^^^ «*^^^' -<^ rani" tiTroLwif '^'^l ^ 'H'P "**^« ^^3^ «f Pai^ ^bich ^el of MfL*^TiS!i^r^^\r^^^^ «v«ii 01 megsy lipperlm on the stairs, as she waa commg up with a tray of cleaoiec silver. ™ Oh, you hurt ! " It was tJ,e voice of Hester Stirling. Her cousin Vic, Vw7 • CINSBBXLLA. thra rt«S ^ffc part mstantlv boxed her eon, and thft.^ "*<,^i'»';°J«-% •* hi. ride re»i/t„ had bewTit^l? ♦ °°*''*'" ""* grandmother. He «^^,ihj-ivT;*^i,';,«7:^He,^^^^^^ did not hurt j;our8elve8 P » teacups, I hope you T„J? «»"™ not, my dear»-of Jouree not" Mr. MarHnettofbmMv^w?"' °'*"^^ ^o^' »»* Miw a question to her. wnenerer ber mother put « Nrlmm« '^ ''''^F ^^ ^' Claudia ? " BO much ^Z^alC^^^'^iT'^' ^^'"^^ °«-«r Ti.*r+». '^"cnea tin. 'irl— httle country aillv f " ii^^^ SThem 2r '"' ^*8^ OT^y'^yeef taking first dCmi^to^i^!,!?'P?«"^,^erony when a child's its ve27 ejes! ^ '^ ^^ ^^ shattered before Tc:;McI^a:'^^irher'^^^^^^ Mrs 8,|.anus always remember Who ^L^^-"'^?*^'^®^^' "a^d i8> don't you?" ^^' ^°"- ^°" ^^^ ^o that CINDERELLA. 7 mofW ^'° °.",*^^?^ ^°°* ^*^^«' «l»>o^ when her l«^. i laughed when I spoke iuat now ?»^ said the plvJt. ^°^ ~^ ^ ''^"*' ^ ^' '^« ^^'^«^ «° a «aii"n^?S- '^<^'P*!;<^l»?n8 ^ere instantly united. They reproachfully at Hester, who stood like a culprit, her ^'L^r^^'^^. ""^"" if- S^« ^<^°^«d to run to hS ^dmother, and say, « Oh, please senS them away II want just you and Megsy Tipperlin ! » ^ But her grandmother n^ a little deaf, and also she was much fluttered and excited by the coming of her only daughter, whose husband had becomHo ^-at ?r«t ""^^ physician-some said he would be a ^o- to be hoped for in this world. Very sedately and with their six eyes on the caroet their SIX hands primlv clasped befL ?hem a ffi o^'^Jh^i' V'*^T^. ^^''' ^^^y *^« carefully tiined out the three girls departed, whUe Tom sulked in the fe pisIeT ^ '^'"^ ^ ^'* * '^^"^ ^ ^^'^ Vi° ^ Theu- mother gazed admiringly after them and pointed out to Mi^. Stirling the^^ma^/r of kan^g i>«rbTn-^!'?-f?/®^I *^?®.*° "^y instruction," she said, « and r 1 Vi? ^"*i*"^ ^^"*^®» yo" know, mother, where only children of the nobiUty^and gentay are Xwe Jl t?Lfffr' ^^«*7r*^^^> «o thoroughl/weU attended to and the general tone is so good, that one does not fSs?ot*^^T7t?i^''*^"• ^V-sUydea^fc^* ^LrS ^* ^^^^^ ^°^ up to be models of aU the graces and compendia of aU virtues, as you are yo^! self, my love 'he often says. We aie so Kke-mi^dS Sylva^nus and I, and he does express himself so tSl tully ! I never forget one word he ever says I " She reverted to the subject of Hester, which some- s Wi' CINDERELLA. 'tj »;wtti*:^" '■^'' '■^ "--«« "«» m an girIf"i;'rS.^°^Xtr^««'-g with that littte jou, Hester Sybiuf? nf„.f T'"" ^'■»' did I teU manners ! Aid don't sto^S „i"K * ^T f^' " » ^"^ jour ear, nor m^ne To4 hat^' T ''">"^''«'' *°'>«hiag ing tub. JfowldZ}^ ^ "^ ''.y"" "«'•« at a wash- the Ay ^ould^rvniSl^l ^^^f"' «"PPosing^that quesaoning. a„d so ^^SSfro^ ^^.nT'' ^" »* gi ArserthiT^rL^riT'^^-^-^- must trust her ZmLT-M^?^^''^''''' "Mother, you We wiU change SuCnITs^ ^"' ^ ^^"^ ^* ^«^«t- r^l ! Do you know Who se^s us^lT"^ ^'^^'''' ^^^^^ punishes us ? " ^ "^ ^^^^ ^^ .^^^ \^^^^ ''^''^^^S Speech was denied Cr an ^ I *^^ ,T^ °^ ^«' °^0"t^. reticule and extract S,Pri ^ ^"""^^ ^^^ <^l"t<^li her red bottle of the sle ^ndl"''"' ^'' '°^""^"& '^^^ i^ a ter. Her head f elf baefaXT^^^^ ^/^^" ^«<^- extract the stopper feeblvl!? ^^^ ^1*'* '*^«^&*h to between hersS^^and the ^-ll ""^^ -^^ ^^^^ ^«*"« Wgat^y againstt^lra^i b^I^fc/ ^ ^^^ °^ wicked girl r\ferdeCff wickefgir/; T. eked, ault wi4 your oT^ndwi, ^^'^''"^ "^"^^^ ^e ^ coni and if you d£^ S^n?i . ^^'* .^^ *^ y^"'- ^ture f Go where you wHl j^ ^X?^ ^^^-T* ^^°»^«' ^e^^embe; as nien'iion ifa^t'on '^' wV V/^-" "^* «« "^^^^h Tery severely with my own tjs'"^ ' ^^^ "^P ^^^ .:if»ilx?s? CHAPTER II. The Innocent Lambs. S^'CSf"?' P^'**'' ^^"^^ "»t out to find S^d over 'Cr'h^knrvf- ^« 8°'* •""! "'^ 8 JiffhTin^tt. 'T*^ ^f^^^ Tipperlin, she stared her t^^* *u *f *• 5°'* *» *he question, « Where aS persons, and in nartc^f ^,. T^ ?» "^'P*"" «* of the kitchen flags, "h« t^t' tr'm-s:'":^"' won^willl—*!^^^' Tipperlm, ttat am a Christian 10 CK7DERELLA. in W X^l ^"'* ^^^7 ^®<^e needlessly particular to l^k i^^""?^'' '^ *^* **^« *^^*^^"1 chro^cler has ^Ohih7^%?'^\^'^^'. Ho'^ever, she ended thus-. Oh, tjmt Maister Davvid had never gane awa-my ^ blethlS^? Y ^1??' ?^^^^^^' ^' ^ P«^k o' Jezebels server o'thTw!^''^^^^^ ?^^^ ^« Almichty Pre- hlnd an// ^^^^'^ ^''^, ^'P^*'^ *^^' *teni in His ain Kbp«l *^^^i«it^ 7 ' the flails o' His wrath-yea, like sheaf s on the threshing-floor of Abel-meholah ! » endei ^'^^^'' ^^'^ *^® daughter of Tipperlin were seSv ««^f^/^ ^^'*^ *? ^/^^ ^^' ««^«i^« «J«^o«t as Mr^ TnZf.h '''' years she had dweUed with her aunt Mrs. ToiTjuchan and been a favourite pupil of Miss treasures she ha4 been saving up to show them ^st d^a^ there was Fluffy, the ^allpersir Sn, ^th way^?^Sir' '" ^^^ "^^^^* ^^d **^« faTciialig ^^ vnn^y,^^ •''''. r^.'^^"^^^'' «^d rubbing eaif SflSl.Ti'^ "i tiie High Park there was Peggie ^d mt; ^°'^•''* °';*"'®. y^^'« («^ ^*^er months) and much elevation of mind. For Peseie bein^ withal, refused to consort with any of his kind dS &d^ac^SLX*'^ ^^^ ^^^ -^^ " ^^ As she went Hester heard the sound of her cousins' SsteneTa^^'Sit:'^" ^^"« P^'* ^^ ^- ^--- «^e her'»^*ffi/^'""?? T^-^^^f ^«'' ^i°^ •' You've got Her! Hist-gooddog! Sick her then ! " ^ Ihe cnes grew louder, and Hester, with a wild fear CINDERELLA. 11 ^tfll '^^^ possession of her soul, ran at f uU sneed ^und th« greenhouse, pa^t the sundiW, a^d Xere ^ ^e narrow ledge of a fence to which she had spri^rLm ^wmdow-sill of the potting-house stood Flufff-lC own Fluffy every hair on enJ with pain and an Jr ^d her tell weU-nigh as tiiick as her body. She wfs m^. through by the yapping fox-terrier which stiU leaped and snapped below A drop or two of blood had disffl Tr^ flecked Fluffy's deHcate pearl-coloured fS^ Hester did not hesitate a moment. She dashed through the gooseberry bushes, tearing her dreS S several places, in spite of the fact t it it^was her ^est and she had been allowed by Megsy to put it on in' honour of her cousins' visit. In a moment she hid hurled her small body between Tom a^d Oaudt wSo were snapping their fingers and inciting Di?k ^he terner to yet greater exertions, mpw of i^^"^ ''•';* h«^^°^«' a^d Fluffy, with one glad ^:s^\'^X Tl"'"^^' " ^* ^^^' wholtilf La^A" thrj? """l-^r^^'" ^h ^"«^' ^^^S furiously upon them, to set a great dog on my own Uttle kittenf tC I wa^ going te love you; and I shaU never now-^ ^«;;er, so long as I Uve, you cruel boy ! » * youteT*Yon"C "^^1 ^^""^ «^eeringly, "who asked T w. i-i .^ I 1 ^% ?'^^ * common little country girl. I wouldn't be loved by you-not if it were ever so^ '* A nasty httle beast, that scratehed my darline Dick s nose-ugh, the viper! Yes, Dickie, dear! 3 should worry her all to bits if I had my way ' " said Claudia, who had token the fox-terrier u^ iTLr ^s tei7at??^? ""T- He still struggled veheme^^ f^iS L 1^^^ f ?^ ^"'^''^^^ ^* h^« mistress when ahe mnl /'''i^"'>°'i.'''*°'^°«'^hioh showed much m^e of indignation than affection. Hester was moving off towards the house with Fluffy m her arms. •' 12 CINDEEELLA. who ™I itwr?"^ ^1*!"/" '"-^"^'i I " eried Tom. " Let the little rat alone, fnfv w ♦■ • ^*y "« e™r so tame— we knfal Ourlast time we were down. Yon remember Tom? " Tom « n-T^i ^ f soi-g *» i™t ^S 1" cried rivln f tr""!"*" *« ^^^^^•'- "'^ >■«■• heart fairly dog had been trvL ^ wo57 P^ff."' A''* " f^*^ fcan'? ook&rtT*"'^'r f"""'' ^""^^^ KS:nS5s^=«'-^^irn^ after Srm"" 7hf °"' "*^.^*'' '"''''* »™ 8«a-working »tonf^r ,Si "'^J' ™«teUnng together upon a jf'y «»?."»* CrNTDERELLA. 13 my Hester," said the latter kindly, « have you not been able to find jour cousins ? I saw them gomg out of the green gate on the road to the wood." "Perhaps she does not wish to be kind to her cousins «w TZ ^^ * v^^ ^x*^^ ^ ^P^'^^ ^ith her," said her aunt. "Now when I was a little girl and any one came to spend a day with me, I used io make them as happy as I could, at whatever cost to myself. But, after all, she added, in a tone of regretful meditation what can you expect of the child of so bad-hearted a latner and so common a mother ? " r.Z^T^A^''^' ^^'^'" ?jbiUa," said her grandmother, who had not caught the last part of her daughter's 8W^'i,^'1l^^^ ^^^ your ^cousins in the woods jo7io tZml!?^ "^"'*^ ^^^*^- '' '^ -* ^^^« For good grandmother StirUng was one of the people I^S T ' wl '^^ ^°y ^^^* ^ *^«i' ^^'^ children. And thou^^h there was no ardent affection between them, her daughter had pleased her greatly by the wise and prudent marriage she had made, and also by the w"? S ^'"^^^'' "^^^ "" ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ brought up Hester foDowed along the green path resolving that ^e would not be a selfish girl. Her cousins^ had certemly seemed unkind, but perhaps she had been over Si^i't ^"^.V ^1?^ ^T** eager and passionate, quick and keen on the chase of love, yearned to forgive! ffLi?i''T'' ^^* ^"^ *^'^^«^^ ^^r. ." ^°" '^'^«' ^''" " »id Tom, stridtog indeed a prettV dW Tt ^S i Hwter's bower wm of a little eLS mm„r 1°^ **;? ^"™«'J »° the top where it caSTLS a»]7™,S? ^ •'"™' J™* copses, and then brLtino^ .„. x? """^ "^ deepest t-i^rt.. -^- tLtSf S^i^e "^e hurt^^Tw •? "''" ^'^ "^^ ^"* *o t^en., "I have ^o^^sZi::] ^^r/L?l.^r> "«Ws been heS^teS \t%ri^^^^^^^ booking at The sounds died awa^ d^^t^^^^^ ?,^ ^^^ «^rt. upon a mossj stump anT th« fit ' ^,1 ?®'^' «*^k freely. She took h^^«h^. f ^^" '"^"^ "P again stocling onC^Z^Z W H'h"'f ^°^ ^'^^ for she could fJl «^^ V^ ®^® ^*'®d not move, thorny h^^LXinXi^A\" ''^^^^'" ^«»t appealed to her Wfver fh«f '7V ''*^V^' ^«'- It upon the top o( S>e ^er 8^?^ "°^ ■?»"* ''"»«" slowly along a Kttle waTS!^, A^^*'^? *» "i-np IWch aTenue7HLte/iTlf%?'* Lodge Gate of the CINDEBELLA. 21 ^Uru^A^^^^'^T^^''^^^'' Of course from a cooler and older point of view, this was weU-niirh Sr? '• ^^.u*^" Tprphichan ihUdren, unkSdiSd selAsh though thej mig6t be, would certainly, when fe^ n?^ "^^iT"- f«°«d«~tio»8 did Uttle to quiet the fea« of a small girl of seven, with the night Vowing si^b '^'^ ""-r??* ^h^* ^«' *^^ *h« i«^t 'ed of thf simset oanung itself out between the boles of the pine iiv?,!l!?®lV *^® Darroch woods were haunted— so averred the common gossip of the countrv-side. ^«s «^T *^^* «^« ghost was a white lady with shut eyes, and hands outspread, who played a sort of ^VhSfll^^^ man's buff with any one found aft^r mghtfaU on her domains. To this the imagination of the MacKmstrejr chUdren had added a^ fearsome «r n^ri *f ^®*°^"^ ^,*^ ^^ ^^^y ^3^68, which came up out of the water of the Dead Man's P^k)! and haled whifr^'T ?M^ ^j^ ^^^ ^°^«^& *he roots of the rJ^n fi,^':^'??', .^^P MacKinstPey swore he had seen the Water Kelpie, and only escaped by climbing a dTmb a tree^"" ^''^^®''* ^^^^*' ^^^^"^ ceituinly could not *;«;* o*^^- ??"^®^* ^ stick cracked near at hand, and 7hl\ ^^'^\^'y' Hester looked up, expecting to see the horned head of the water demon, or the out- Batched arms of the White Lady of Darroch, with the ^teal bony hngers groping about to citch her. towlrdlher ^ something creeping along the wall At this Hester's sorely-tried little heart now absolutely stood still Another stick cracked quite close by, and the child's fearful eyes ould make out m the deepest dusk of the leaves a moving figure. P^ ? ^ ^"^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ *h^ ^^*d M^'s It is easy enough not to be afraid in the daytime, and when there are grown-ups about, but at seven years I; 22 CINDERELLA. ■*«r^fi?'%- ^^^^''^sgf, ■■s?-a; *«ifiriE*f^ CHAPTER IV. The Red Cross KNmriT. Instantly, at her cry, the beast rose to its feet in the shape of a handsome lad with bared head, about which fair curls crisped tightly. He wore a flannel shirt, very much open at the neck, a rough tweed jacket and knickerbockers, homespun stockings and brown shoes while his waist was girt with a blue belt. -Hello, Uttle girl!" he cried, in a tone of great astonishment, " who are you ? And what on earth are you doing here at this time of night ? " "You are not the Beast?" stammered Hester gazing with all her eyes at this apparition, so much less terrible than she had anticipated. The boy laughed, a cheery careless laugh, which re- assured Hester more than an affidavit from the minister ot the parish. **I have often been called so at school," he ex- plained ; " but which beast do you mean ? " "The beast that lives in the Dead Man's Pool, and eats little boys and girls ! " said Hester, gaining courage with every word. ° The lad threw back his head in a fresh lau"-h, " What larks ! " he said, « to be taken for the Water Kelpie. No, I don't eat little girls. In fact, I don't hke em ! I can't abide girls at aU ; though little girls are not nearly so bad as the other kind ! " The handsome boy spoke with the healthy intoler- ance of fourteen. For at that period a colossal ignor- ance and self-conceit prevents the animal from knowing that in a few years he will become the abject slave of those ? me girls whom he now regards as little better than . J much superfluous live-8tx)ck. 24 ClNBEBELLA. '■^ W^fiJ ^* ''"''^ ^^ '^^"^^^ *o remember. «Iams^en^J^^%^*',';'»^'"— «> *•■« little giri. suppose A bete"ir-Wotan''8Sl- '"^' "' ^ fam,'» "etoSVl'^"-f"'^»-8«rf"S "» the not tat^ tt S^oS^t-'in^^ ^L^-M.,, mj governor would buy the old lad vn?? +1 ' u rVf'^ posterityflunou haven-rt^ld'* *'"',, "iH, ""'HpM here ? " ^ * *°'" ™« "l^t brought yon ins^Vt%?Z ™T *" "^^' ^ *« J"^ been remaA-\ip^^*3id3 Z *''»*.''*?»»>•«?'' which in my Lord DaZc^W^oSs " '""'' "°° ™ *°o*'"g tonl: " then? ^ ""^^iTS ^,="g" .«•"»?« in hi» oar^g meny HaTs oK o'Stie™ ^^^ "^^ "»" what hrSnn"^;:rteS'':Sr S^'"^ *" T'^' »"* They got four Ust ye7r "^ * ^"""^ pheasants. ln^^^ti:^4L- ^a^Tel^yl- ^^^t^^'^: CINDEEELLA. 25 I heard Hm I wish I had got on to them. I bet I would have shifted the lot of them ! " "Don't go, thej were here a minu e ago," said Hester, loyallj ; « perhaps they will come back." This she said, knowing that that night the Darroch woods snould see her cousins no more. '*! wish they would come back; but what are you doing here ? Are you waiting for them ? " « I've hurt my knee, and I've got a thorn in my foot : I cant walk a bit!" said Hester, summing L h^ troubles m a sentence. 6 f « « Jove," cried the boy, « why didn't you tell us that sooner. Let's have a look at them. The knee doesn't look much— come out into the open first, though-it's as black as my hat in here ! " ' © " I can't walk, please ; it hurts ! " "Nonsense; there, try with my arm." He offered that member with an awkwardness which showed that he had as yet had no practice in the art. Hester did try, but sank down on the ground again with a groan of pain. ^ wdk a'ste^ "'" ' " ^'^ ^"^'- " ' ^^^ ^«- — ^ «-'* caS:% ag1L\fa%r:? '"' '^"^ ""'' ^^^' ^^^^^^ '' ■o."^^^yi *^.^ governor's best double - barreUed Purdie, he said; "I mustn't leave it out aU night, or 1 11 get two-and-two are five ! Here, get on my baik ! C^ive me hold of your wrists and I'll hitch you up in a minute. I ve got my pony down at the lodge, to ride Home on. I bet I can carry you as far as that. Then nu w ""^ ^^^-""^ ** *^^ *■««*' a°d ride you home to Uld-Woman-Stirlmg as jolly as eggs-a-breaking ! " You are not to caU my grandmother that, or I shall stay herf all night," said Hester, balancing herself, notwithstanding on her one whole foot and reaching her hands over the boy's shoulders. "Never mind your grandmother," cried her com- E^TIV. Z^^'""^ ^r ^oP^as good as you can ! One, two, three-GO! Ugh-ugh-ugh! There you are 26 CINDBBELLA. in'w ofT/^; '"' '"'^' P"^'"*'^' "^ " %W shone Hester's steed marched straight ud to the »).„f ^™ footsteps and the door wa« flung wide open. " p.+T^^^"'^^ ^^® «* deeper Dickson filled ud th« entire doorway, and over his shoulder neLd C ft?-^? his wife a little white and frightS W^hubbu^^ For her husband waa a standing termor L «?1 ^^u within ten miles, and ha^ ofe^nThr^t^^ed'tft?: rough quarrymen from the Bennan qiSs ^ ' rve found a Uttle girl up by tie wall of the deer- •- M^^J^jg^ CINDEEELLA. 27 park, Dickson," said the boy, in quite a different tone trom that which he had used to Hester, « she can't walk— got a thorn in her foot, I think ! Bring a light ' " I declare it's wee Hester Stirlin' frae the Bie Hoose o Axioland," cried kindly Mrs. Dickson, «w? b,s8ie, what's gotten ye? What were ye doin' in the deer-park at this time o' nicht ? " But Hester answered not. She had fainted quietly away during the last hundred yards. The varied excitements of the day had proved too much for her, and now she was transferred, a Httle limp dead-weigh? into the motherly arms of the keeper's wife. ' Wher she awoke, Dickson was gone, and his wife stood or^er her with a lamp. She heard her first friend say, Ihis way, Mrs. Dickson; now for the old thorn ! 1 see it. I beheve I could draw it out with my teeth, JJ" ^®''® ^ hold the lamp a little lower— so ! " Then with a curious tickHng thriU Hester felt warm lips pressed to the sole of her Uttle cold foot. There came a sharp twinge of pain which made her wince, and then all at once, a blessed sense of release. n7i ..,^Vm' h^i^~aU clear! What a whopper! (^oUy, it s hke a cleaning-rod ! " she heard the boy cry, ^^^ exhibited something triumphantly between finger "Ye are a clever laddie, Maister Cams," said Mrs. JJickson, with admiring affection in her voice, "an* here s my guid man wi' the powny. He'U hae the gun ower his shoulder. Gang ye your ways hame, Maister Carus. They a' will be wHd aboot ye. Dickson will convoy the bairn hame." "No, indeed, Mrs. Dickson," the boy answered, with a certain hard quality in his tone which did not escape ^e httle girl's quick ear, "There's not a soul about the place cares whether I ever turn up at aU— except old Dickson and yourself. I'm going over to Arioland with the girl myself. Besides, I may see those young poachers, and get a chance to give 'em * what for ' ! " And so it happened that the square byre yard oic the J! arm Town of Arioland was witness of a strange sight. *l a. 28 CINDERELLA. Br SS ^^^""^ '"PP^^ ^-^ter his journey. For Ia4°; Steftkild torn ^^^^ ^"-^ !S^ ^''=' «>« woods aft*r *^i S^-x "°^ ^" chasings through the Srine M^K™? "' 7«™ «"g»«ed. Witt a rtig of due proDortiof^nTr "■^■^'' !* ""^ ■»• observing thenS^rSfSi^^ssroSair^"*^'^ *~- **Vr 'y-^'^ ^•'^ ^.SBWi^^-wrv- CINDERELLA. 29 «i Thirty yards off she was," cried Tom, holding up the hen pheasant triumphantly by the tail— «^irtv yar^, as I m a living sinner ! And I keeled her over tne lirst whack with a stone. Didn't I, Vic ? " " 7®!*r ^^^^^ "1 Jiis sister, eager on an achieve- ment of her own " and I killed the three young grouse with a stick. The rest wouldn't help a bit-iid Tom was off by himself, watching the old keeper ' " "Boys, oh!" said the eldest MacKinsLxey, nick- named the Gled, because of his rapid flight and predatory habits, "Let's gang to the AuldWaa'san' hae a rare feed. We'U pook them, an' clean them, an' boil them m a pot wi' veegetables, like the gypsies does. Me an' Kip has often done them that way ' " I ken whaur there's some carrots I could steal'" chimed m Babbefcy MacKinstrey, eager to take a hand m so promising a ploy. "An' me lots an' lots o' new pitawties ! I'm that w^ I can crawl through a hole in the grieve's garden- This was the contribution of the youngest Ma<;- li-instrey of aU, whose given name of Archibald had been replaced by " Clip-oloots," because his tongue was locaUy supposed to be of such surpassing sharpifess that it could " cut rags." " Give me wp those birds and rabbits this instant, v(m young thieves / " ' ^ ****** A '^^?, "^*ef ^P*ion was dramatic in its apt suddenness. And the picture itself was a thrUling one. TomTor- phichan, aU undismayed, held up the stable lantern at arm s length. Its hght showed a handsome boy, of a Kttle less than his own age, leading a piebald pony. His head was thrown back, and his whole mien betokened the two things which Tom hated most in the world, aristo- cratic pride and a strict attention to personal cleanli- ness, lom, elevated on the MacKinstrey manure hean and surrounded by the wild herders of that ilk, longid with a mighty longing to kick the representative of aU 30 CINDERELLA. that he most abhorred. Tom was by no means a cowardly boy tiiough at the present^ tfme T™ passing through the era of cruelty which physioLJIte birdsT^^'auoTTA *°l^h^*>«ine8s have you with our Bv f y,,-?? ?''™.* *^^ undaunted buccaneer. Th.Mut^^t ^^ I'^f ^^°"®' «^^^ f«r the faithful Vic Th^y ^ew Hester's Ivllier all £o weU atd tWh they hated him no less than Tom TorpClmn th!v understood that they had not only himT^ reckon ^i m any encounter, but the whole^ estabShed oTde^of things as represented by gamekeepers, fo^s^s poTicl tTem th^i/fl'"^' °^ ^T i^^ediate weight tith • wT*^^^u/^*^^'' ^ waist-belt of stout buU's hide inch-thick, black, and polished, the shiny suppleLss o| which was wont to curl round their bare kSr^th a most convincing solidity of argument. ^ *^ ^ * ^u f"^.*^^ ^^«*®^ of Darroch, and these are mv father's birds and rabbits," said the lad at the pon^^ Ws?eT*« V^JT. ^^"' *^ *5^ spoil beS iom s leet, you Jailed them en my father's m'n^^r^A^ this afternoon and if you do not give Sem up^ I^m have you arrested ! " ^ -^ ^"^ wnnT-l^"#^f iT^^' P^^^«P« "lore loudly than he wouM If he had been thoroughly comforJble in ^ " The Master of Darroch, indeed," he sneered " wpII atuny rate, I'll precious soon sho^ you that you^' Tf ?y °ia£ter ! If these are your father's pronert^ why don't you come and take them ? " Property, Holding thus by the elder law, Tom put himself into Ss'sSrthf ^/--,fPP-ven'by the^mostTal'e"^ B^ihaZ ' I^ankeiUor Christian Institute-where CINDERELLA. 81 P7 ^""n ^/^^-shed hcking for cheek. But you'd better have all that stufif ready for me when I come back. morain^M' ""^ ^"""^ ^^*^'' ^^" ^^""P *<>-morrow "You can't prove i ,» cried Tom, «T defy you to prove we were ever on your old estate. There's nothing worth taking on it anyway. We got aU these on my grandmother's property. So put that in your pipe and smoke it ! " ^ ^ Hester's cavaUer did not take any notic- cf ^hese insults. He only led the pony down the edc^ of the waU which was furthest from the heaped litter of the farm-yard. Seeing him (as it appeared) in retreat, Tom tried again to exasperate his enemy. " I^ that little Brown Patch who is shamming lame told you, 1 11 do for her to-morrow morning i " he cried The Master of Darroch turned about instently You dirty little coward," he cried, all his aristo- cratic propriety of language instantly gone, "ifvou dare lay a finger on the girl, I swear I'U come over and hck you till you can't stand ! " ^cl^^'^'i'''^^':^'!!'-'! ''^^^^^ Tom in the darkness, come back and do it my lord-knows-who ! Misted Master of mudheaps ! Boo-oo-oo i " fV,,"?!^? Z^^""^ *^?^ ^^"^ ^^^* i* ™ "o ^se putting his thumb to his nose, thrusting out his tongue or -xpress- Sff IT J'^^* ^^irj ?^ *^^«^ time-honoured means. He pbbled hke a goose. He crowed Hke a cock, and l1^:"';v?M tdTan" *'' '^-^'"* "^'"^^ ^^^P' *^« ^^"^^ of Da3x^^'^ ''''^ ^^* '^""^'^ ""^^^ "'^''^' ^''^"^ ^^«<^r CHAPTER V. The Master of Dabboch. But at the front door of the white-washed mansion of Arioland the eldest son of Lord Darroch met with quite another reception. It was Megsy Tipperlin who opened the door — Megsy, not attired in the white cap of the maidservant — but Megsy in state, who would have boxed your ears if you had called her a maidservant — Megsy in one of her mistress's cast-off black-lace " keps," with beads that glistened and tinkled like the bums which flash on the hills after thunder-rain. " Preserve us a', what's this, what's this ? Hester, I thocht ye were wi' that ill-set * hyule,' Tam Tor- phichan — what's come to my denty ? And wha's this that has brocht ye hame ? Speak oot, callant, and tell us whaur ye got the wee leddy ? " "I am the son of Lord Darroch," said the boy, politely, yet all unconsciously speaking as to an inferior. " I found the little girl behind the wall of our deer park. I think her foot is sprained, as well as hurt with a thorn. But I believe I have got everything out ! " "My lord's son — at this tune o' the nicht, an' to bring her dearie back to auld Megsy ! The Lord that lo'es the bairns bless ye and the blessin's o' twa auld dune women follow ye, bonny laddie ! Bat what for am I standin' bletherin' here ? Megsy Tepperlin, ye maun be gaun doited ! Come ben ! Come ben ! A door opened in the hall and a sonorous and com- manding voice was heard. " Tipperlin," it said, " did you not hear Mrs. Tor- phichan ring the bell twice ? Come here immediately ! And be good enough to shut the outer door, and not ''W' CINDERELLA. 33 waste jour mistress's time gossipping there ! Who is that you have with you? 'Miss Hester,' you say — Who is Miss Hester? Oh, yes, I remember, the re- puted child of my wife's brother " " Beputed child, indeed," said Megsy, shortly, turn- ing full upon him. " I wad hae ye ken. Doctor Tor- phichan, that the bairn is as lawfully begotten an' as weel vouched for as your ain — aye, or maybe better " " Hold your tongue, woman ! " said Doctor Sylvanus, forgetting for once the suavity of his unapproachable bedside manner, ''you are inclined to be insolent. I will speak to my mother-in-law about dispensing with your services. And bid the youth go away at once. If he is waiting to be paid for bringing the girl home, tell him there is nothing for him ! " " This young gentleman — ^that there's no ane in a* the country-side to hand a candle to— is the Master o' Darroch, the sole and only son o' my Lord Darroch o' Darroch, Lord Lieutenant o' the County ! " Megsy rang out the boy's titles like a herald. And it was amusing and pitiful to see the instantaneous change that passed across the face of the fashionable physician. "My dee-ar young gentleman," he said, with his wife's subscription-collecting intonation, "1 beg ten thousand pardons ! The uncertain light-— my ignorance of the neighbom-hood — ^the natural irritation of having to deal with a woman so stupid and impossible as Mrs. Stirling's maidsei'vant, whom she will persist in re- taining — these must be my excuses ! Permit me to conduct you within. The ladies are in the parlour. Nay, I will take no denial. Let me secure your pony." So saying the Doctor came to the door and, with his own large soft hands, he would have fastened the spirited little piebald to the pillar of the porch. But the boy had discovered the old " loupin'-on-ring " which stands close to many old Scottish houses of the bonnet-laird class. 84 ODTDII i At firtt the lad had intended to home at onoe, but there was nothing at Darroch either to attract him, or to compel him to be home by any stated hour. Besidea which he remembered that old Mrs. Stirling had often been kmd to him when as a child he used to come across for a feed of the ripe Arioland gooseberries, the like of which were not to be found among all the gay parterres and glass-roofed hot-houses of Darroch. " Ladies," said Dr. Torphichan with even more than his usual purring suavity, " I have the honour of presenting to you the Master of Darroch." The two young ladies, who were sitting together at the end of the room furthest from the door, tossed their heads and giggled. It seemed so funny to them to hear a schoolbov called "Master." But their mother rose in stately fashion and bowed profoundly at the title, while the old lady simply held up her hands in surprise and cried, «Wi' Carus— what's brocht ye to Arioland so late at e'en? Are ye hungrisome ? Do ye want a piece ? " The boy laughed a laugh of remembrance as much at the sound of her voice as at her words. ';No, Mrs. Stirling," he said, eagerly, » I don't want a piece to-night, though I can taste the flavour of your apple jelly yet." * Ye shall have a pot home wi' ye, Carus, lad ! " broke in the old lady of Arioland. "I brought home your granddaughter.'* "My Lord," . 'd Mrs. Torphichan, looking about her to see whicu vjf her chUdren was absent, "it was indeed most thoughtful of you. My poor V^ictoria is so headstrong and thoughtless. She has such spirits, and I have often warned her not to get lost in the woods. Hut then I understand that your father's woods are »o extensive. I remember being taken over them when I was a young giri, fuU of Hfe and energy, Kke my own dear girls now. My Lord, let me present to you my eldest daughter, Ethel— almost a young lady, as you see, and my youngest Claudia, my dear sly puss, as i call her. Dear, dear, how I seem to live my happy - fl- ^A /^^®7^^ed lightly and daintily to the cupboard. &cked the keys about with a characteristic little flutter door °"^ showed itself, and with it opened the Carus involuntarily took a step nearer. He seemed to grow younger as the weU-remembered scent came to w«!.Tm?- ?u*?'P* ^^ Torphichans. Once more he was a httle kilted boy, hot and dusty, come in for a CINDERELLA. 37 drink of currant wine Uberally laced with water, or better still, one of Mistress Stirling's " pieces " of bread and " jell." A cool scent came from the stiff-waisted swinging bmiches of lavender and balm beneath which the old lady s black bugles gUttered, as her head shook with the httle nervous quiver she had when excited. Within the great parlour cupboard there were shelves on shelves of preserves. Some of last year's candied fruits in wide-mouthed glass jars had still power to make the mouth of the Master of Darroch water. Beneath was honey—blond in comb and clear amber in glass. In the comer some of the latter was being slowly and luxuriously strained through a cloth to clear it of every particle of wax. Mistress Stirling stood a moment regardant, her head a little to the side. " Bring the lamp. Cams, that I may see the better," she commanded. " There's my guidman's saddle-bags that haena been pitten to ony use since he rade awa to the General Assembly in Edinburgh to gie his vote in the support o' Kirk and State as becam' an elder o' oor National Zion. Ye shaU hae them filled to the brim this night, for the peety ye took on a bit lamb that has nane to richt her but twa doited auld women-folk ! Na, na, ye shalhia refuse Isobel Stirlin' that held the mither o' ye in her airms ten minutes after she was born. And a bonnie bit lamb she was— thrown to the wolves— thrown to the ravening wolves— the puir lassie — ^the puir lassie ! " As the old lady thus meditated she stood with the ancient saddle-bags, which she had rescued from a recess, over her arm— for the store-pantry of the parlour of Arioland would in these degenerate times have made an ample sleeping-room. They said, indeed, that it had formerly been used in the bad old per- secuting days as a hiding-place for the laird, its entrance being concealed bv a vast sideboard with a ■hding back, through which a former Stirling of Anoland had crawled upon the sHghtest alann. 'I §i\ "tl ■m 1 1 88 CINDERELLA. tf 'Beid curnuit jelly — an* some o' the black! And grosarti — aye, ye were aye fell fond o* grosarts, aru8 ! An' sugar plooma, that melt ~in the mooth like honey frae the kame ! Will ye hae some o' them, too? Laddie, ye maun tak' tent to your beastie's feet this nicht, or a bonnie-like stramash ye will mak' in my guidman's saddle-bags — there — and there ! » The hospitable old lady of Arioland topped off with a little parcel of " dropped scones *' which Megsy had made that afternoon on the girdle. Cams was as grateful as any other hungry schoolboy, in spite of his airs where Master Tom Torphichan was concerned. " You are very good, Mrs. Stirling," he said ; " the very sight of them makes me himgry. Yes, I am all alone at the Darroch. Only the housekeeper and some servants are with me. I don't often know where my father is. He comes and goes without telling us. But I go back to school in a week, and then it isn't so bad!" He took the old lady's hand delicately, as his grand- mother the Duchess had taught him how when he was little more than a baby, and dropping his bare head with its tight crop of curls, he kissed the old lady's fine fingers. He would have blushed crimson if any of his school-fellows had seen him, and have fought any number of pitched battles over an allusion to the affair. But, somehow, with his grandmother's old friend the ancient and pretty custom came back naturally. Then he bowed ceremoniously to Mrs. Torphichan and the young ladies, Ethel and Claudia. Victoria was still absent. She had indeed silently opened the door upon her return, and, seeing that she was observed by no one save her sisters, as silently had " made a face, and vanished again. Dr. Torphichan accompanied the boy to the door with ceremonious politeness, and with a word of farewell Cams rode out into the night. By this time he had forgotten all about Tom's poached game, and did not even turn his pony's head m the direction of / CINDEBBLLA. 39 the MaoKinstrey stronghold, but took the longer and easier road down the arenue. Tom Torphichan, howerer, had not forgotten. For at an angle of the drive where the yew trees grow thickest a well-directed rat, some time deceased, and lately resurrected from an unsavoury grave, took Gams on the shoulder and dropped to the ground. He turned angrily, and Mrs. Stirling would not have recognised as his gentle mother's the face he directed towards the imseen Tom. " You beastly doctor's cub," he cried, " wait till I catch you. I'll bang you till you can't stand, you dirty little drug-shop sweep ! " "Yah," the answer came back, rudely, "you said that before, and much came of it. You want your game — well — take it; here's some more if you like it!" And if Felix Carus's piebald pony had not started away at that moment, a cat in a still more gamey condition than the rat might have been added to the varied contents of Mistress Stirling's saddle-bags. .. jii m m m X- CHAPTER VI. The Feont Door Bell Rings. « Have they truly gone ? » was Hester's first question, two days later, as she awoke to find Megsy bending over her, holding her breath, lest she should rous" her too soon. "Aye, dearie, they are gane. Never ye fret, my lamb— they will never vex ye mair. Megsy will keep ye safe. Foul fa' them that meddled ye-the taid and the asic keep watch on their graves ! " "Megsy, they are my cousins ! " "Aye, Megsy kens brawly, but that is nae faut of ^Tl 1 » Jx'"'''^^^ help that, dearie! Sit up, then, and tak bite an' sup o' this fine porridge--iraund porridge they are 1 " *- s s «"*"« " I don't like porridge, Megsy ! " "Dinna say it lamb! There never was a tme T^r' J!u *^^* ^^"^ f''^ ^^^ porridge like a man. Look at thae crowls" (t.e., crippled or deformed per- !?v U "" J<^T,^echans, as they caa' themsels. Deil tak them for their impidence. No yin o' tham wad let a spunefu o' guid porridge doon their throate ! Wad my braw lamb grow up to be Uke them, ill-set gorbs o the world that they are ? Tak' the porridge ^ gmd new milk denty. And ye will grow up sae ^dTeelpus^^^^ "" '"* "^ '^'^ ^^''' ^^' '^^ ^Pi*« At this, Hester, stung with great desire not to be like ajij cf her cousms, sat up in bed, making only a little mouth as the sore foot twinged, and fell to upon Thl^^^-fL fA? ^^P^^-idg® Megsy had brought W. The faithful Megsy fl anticipation of her futSre sur- CINDERELLA. 41 passing beauty did not at this time seem likely to be realised. For Hester Stirling was somewhat pale and " shilpit " as Megsy expressed it. Her skin had not the whiteness of her cousin Ethel's, or her figure the vigor- ous robustness of Victoria's. She had not the large regular features and statuesque beauty which belonged to Claudia. But there was a witching something about her, at once wistful and confiding, that drew the hearts of good women to her. Her eyes were dark and brilliant, with the liquid depths of a well seen under trees in them, so that most men, even when passing hurriedly by, would for no reason in particular, turn ana look back at the flitting pensive figure of this little girl. " Noo let me see the bit scart on your foot, darlin'," said Megsy, « hoot-toot ! It's juibt doin' bonny. Nae mair than a flee-bite. It will never mar ye on your marriage mom, dawtie ! There — there ! " So saying, she boimd it up again, and began to dress Hester for the day, commenting freely all the while upon the hated Torphichans, with many hopeful anticipations of their evil fortune in this world and the certainty of worse in the next, mixed with comfortable reflections upon how much more beautiful, fortunate, and desirable should be the lot of her pet. At the very moment when the finishing touches were being put to Hester Stirling's hair, the sound of a cracked bed tinkling forlornly far down in the bowels of the old mansion house was heard. "Whatever's that?" cried Megsy, startled so that she dropped the comb, " surely never yui o' thae ill-set blasties come back again ? As sure as daith, I'll look oot o' the wast chaumer window, and gin it should be onything o' the name o' Torpheechan, I'll never steer a bit. Praise to a guid Providence baith doors are lockit, and the mistress that deaf, she'll never hear a whush ! " ** Megsy, you mustn't ! " argued Hester, " some accident may have happened ! " <'Nae siccan guid luck," retorted the implacable r4- -'mtM ^^^^^fmrnm^^mmmimm^ pnip 42 CINDERELLA. r" BBm' Me^^. tying a bow of ribbon under Hester's neck with ., jerk. "Oh, Megsj, you hurt ! " "Dearie, my dearie, let stupit auld Meg kiss it better —there, ^wtie ! It's better noo. For the moment I declare I thocht ye were a Torpheechan ! Oh, but I wad like to hae them to dress and fondle. Wad I no ruff the verra hair oot o' their heids-coorse as horse-hair it 18— whirl them aboot by their lugs like bummin' teetotums, aye an' never a preen (pin) wad I put intil a band, but they should find the point o't first » " The tinkle-tank of the cracked beU sounded again ere Megsy had ended her diatribes against all the clan of lorpheechan." "Plague on the richt hand that poo'ed it!" cried Megsy, "what mean they by a' that din at nine o'clock m the momm' ? I'U hae to rin to the wast window, or chai—'^^ *^^ mistress. But if it's a Torphee- Silence fell upon the little girl's room as the vengeful Megsy a footsteps died down the carpetless passaee on her way to the "wast "window. Apparently the inteiTupter of the morning peace of Roland had not proved to be one of the hated house ot lorphichan, for Hester could hear Megsy's decided uw y^^^^"" ^J^^ ^*«*^ly ^'losed the door of the Wast Chaumer" and hurry downstairs. We shall tollow her and see who it was she found waiting in the cnsp sunhght of that autumn morning. It was with a tremulous heart and Hp and a hasty hand tlxat Megsy Tipperlin opened the great doubli leafed front door of Arioland. At ordinary times and tor ordinary people she only opened one half. And her procedure in shooting back aU the bolts and opening botii doors wide to the wall might weU have warned those who knew Megsy TipperHn that some one with remarkable claims to honour stood without. At first sight it did not seem to be so. The man who faced round to meet the old servant of the Stirlinffs was about forty years of age. His hair showed early ♦ '■ OINDEBBLLA. 48 gey under a coarse straw hat such as harvesters wear, e had on a suit of rough tweed well polished by use. The sldn of his cheeks and hands was tanned to the dry parchmenty hue which betokens long exposure to a tropical sun. But all the same there was a set of the head upon the firm shoulders, an air about the way he had of tugging thoughtfully at his long grey moustache, and an assur- ance of manner in turning to face whoever should open to him, that betokened the man of courage and breed- ing. There was also a certain lurking irony about the mouth, an occasional downward twitch (as if a humor- ous reminiscence gave him a speedily checked occasion for mirth), which proved that this early morning visitor to the house of Arioland was a man who could be the best of company to himself. But the effect of his appearance upon Megsy Tipperlin was remarkable. She flung up her arms and her hands upon his shoulders, all the while continuing to gaze into his face. " Davvid — ^Maister Dawid ! " she gasped, in the half- whisper which one uses in a chamber of the dead. "What's this — ^what's this? Are ye risen frae your restin* grave — or are jse come back in the flesh to your ain wee lass?" The grave man on the doorstep smiled strangely and wistfully, and his eyes were very like his daughter's when he answered : " Neither one, nor, as yet, the other, Megsy ! " he said, slowly, " I am come to say a word to my mother ! ** " Come in — come your ways in, my laddie. A* thing is as ye left it. Ye will ken never a differ! The chaumers and the parlour and the wee bit room wi' the cages that ye used to keep your birds in a' are the same. It was bonny to hear them sing in the simmer morns. The birdies are dead, but ye will find the cages. I hae keepit them a' snod and clean against your return. I aye said ye wad come back — I aye said it, Maister Bawid. Come ben ! Come your ways ben I " •I -; \\ 9 -J 1 44 CINDBRBLLA. 3v ^e man shook his head slowly and the humorous look went utterly out of his face. mHI '^f'''V^' ^^.Ff^' " ^* ^« » fi°« morning as you say, Megsy. I will wait for my mother in the garden, on the stone seat by the sun-dial ! " e , « " Wae's me, Dawid, surely ye hae forgi'ea in a* thae weary years ! -Surelyye will f orgie the dead gin ye wadna forgie the leevin' ! Your faither is gane, and as God is my ludge he speeredforye kindly afore he gaed awa* on his Ust journey. ' Have ye heard anything of David, my r^ xu f ^^* speakin' grand and slow in the way he had, that became so weel a piUar o' the Kirk. 'Nane but this puir wee bit lass that he gied me hame to keep when his wrfe was ta'en frae him ! * said the mistress. Then he meditated a while, wi' the bridle thrown ower his airm, and me waitin' wi' the stirrup cup as waa his custom. * If it should happen that my son comes back wnen I am absent, do not turn him away ! * quoth he and sae mounted and rade I " •' ^ * " I am glad," said the man in the straw hat, with his eyes on the ground, « but it is not a matter of f ormve- Mss, Megsy, it is the matter of the swearing of an oath. Here, on this doorstep, I stood with my young wife sick ana lU on my arm. I was refused admittance by my father. I was cast out like a dog. And here in your hearing and before high heaven and my father's face, swore never to cross this threshold— and neither on eartn nor as it might chance in heaven or hell to change word or greeting with him or acknowledge tnat man as any kin of mine ! " "I mind--I mind the awesome words!" cried Megsy, "but oh, Maister Davvid, forgie the dead. For your puir mither's sake. For the sake o' the wee lamb sitting in her bit chair up the stair yonder, dinna ^ud to a hasty word spoken in anger. Come ben and Diess this hoose yince mair wi' the presence o' its only Again David Stirling shook his head. He had taken Oft his harvester's hat, and his hair, though stiU crisp and abundant, was streaked with white. CINDSBELLA. 45 looking at the dense green of the beech h^e curling Its leaves a little edgewise in the northerly bi^ze. " but I must keep my word. First be good enough to isk my motiier to come to me in the garden, and then, after a while, let me see my Uttle girl ! » . II . j 1 ! I W* ' - f. * CHAPTER VII. Hbsteb's Foetttnk. Meg3t Tippbblin go within to her did not answer him, but turned to miatress. The visitor also strode away without speaking towards the arch cut in the tiiickset beech-and-privet hedge which shut off the garden from the gravelled drive by a twenty-foot wall of densest foliage. He lifted a small black bag of the shape accepted of bank clerks for collecting moneys. It was of shiny leather and had a stripe of red and white across it upon either side of the strong handle. Megsy went up to the bed-chamber of the lady of Arioland. She found Mistress Stirling tying the strings of her black " kep " with her usual care and circum- spection. ** Weel, Megsy," bhe began as she caught sight of her old servant in the glass, " an' how is your bairn this momin* ? Brawly better, I'm in hopes ? " As Megsy did not answer at once her mistress turned about surprised at her silence. She found her standing as it were fighting for the utterance of words that would not come at all. " What is't, Megsy, are ye no weel ? " " Maister Dawid is below. Mistress," the astonishing words came with a rush at last, " and wad speak wi' ye in the gairden by the sun-dial ! " It seemed as Ji the old lady would have fallen, but her fifty years of habitual seLf-repression saved her. She looked Megsy up and down. " Ye are no wise, Megsy, to speak that gate of yin that has gane to a better place ! " " I kenna aboot a bett^ place," said Meggy, rallying CINDEBELIiA. 47 to find her word doubted, " but I saw him wi' thae auld een gang into the garden among the grosarts no twa minutes since ! " 8 i^T?^^' ^®^^^'" °"®^ ^®'' "^"*'®''8' "ye ^ae seen a "Speerit here—speerit there— speerits dinna carry bags wi railway tickets on them! Maister Davvid it was m the flesh and withooten ony fail. He wants the I?"'* o speech wi' you, mem, he says." Megsy was on her dignity, as was evident from the IMle of courtesy she gave her mistress. For Megsy hST ^^ ^as never poUte save when her pride was "My son— my only son," murmured Isobel Stirling, sitting down quietly on the edge of a chair *to com- g)8e herself,' as she would have said, "can it be His wull that thae auld e'en should again look upon their desire? ShaU I indeed see yince mair the laddie that I prayed for to be the well-beloved and the first- born. Orive Thy handmaiden strength, O Lord ' " At such a time she spoke easily in the manner if not ? I?^ ^if *f \ ""^ Scripture, as indeed the worthy Scottish folk of her class and age still do. The ne:rt moment, dropping instantly into the vernacular and raismg her voice, she turned upon Me^sy. "d°^ if Maister Davvid it be, what were ye thinkin' on, Marget Tipperlin, no to ask him ben to the parlour ? Is he no the eldest bairn o' the house, though heavy has been his portion and dulefu' his heritage ? '' Megsy set her hands palm down upon her sturdy hips, fingers forward, thumbs behind. "Hear till her," she said, ironicaUy (for she was far past the stage of mere poUteness), "ask Maister Davvid to come ben mtil his ain hoose ! Ask him yince-ask hke It. Mistress Stirhn', I fleeched—I humbled myseP to him—me that nursed him and brocht him up, me that skelpit him till my bare loof dirled mony an' mony fww'*'''' 1"« ful's guid! An' then ye say to m/, *Whatfornodidn»yeaskhimben?'» -^ J' "» •! ^ 1 n ■3 >! MM •T. ju-l^ «•«■•■' T"i 48 CIimEBELLA.. I "Megsy,** said her mistress, "gire me your arm. I am strangelj taken. It is as if I had dono a sore day's work, and yet I have scarce stirred across the ll-jor. Megsy, come with me to the garden gate. Flyte after, if jre like, but help me now. I am an old woman, and this is my son, my only son ! " And Megsy, easily pacified as well as easily irate, penitently gave her mistress the support of her strong arm. For her sixty years had not a whit abated her natural force, nor yet quelled the fiery temper which in her youth had sent many a suitor to the right about with a flushed cheek and a ringing ear. " Ye shall come wi' me till I see his back," said the mother, " then ye will gang ahint the hedge and pray for your mistress. Oh, Megsy, be kindly wi* me — I am an auld dune woman — and ye kenna what it is to hae a bairn break your heart, for ye never had a bairn, Marget ! " " Fll never be withoot a bairn as lang as I hae you, mistress," said Megsy, shortly. She had no intention of encouraging her mistress in any such melancholy reflections. " Davvit is strong and hearty ; and see you and fleech wi* him to stop stravagin' ower the earth and bide decently at hame. I'll gang and sort the bairn. That is the best kind o' prayin' I can do ! " ^ Mistress Stirling looked nervously through her gold- rimmed spectacles towards the stone seat by the sun- dial, as she tottered rather than walked up the gravel between the thinning leaves of the gooseberry bushes. The sun-dial of Arioland stood in the middle of a green plot. Bound it and sholtered by tall trees ran a row of F.tone benches, and there were pedestals at the end of each for the reception of busts and statues. But probably none had ever occupied them, for the only marks upon the grey stone were those of the green mould from the winter tree - droppings, and the scratches and chippings inflicted by the knives of many generations of boyish Stirlings of Arioland. When David heard his mother's foot he rose quickly and came to her. She had been leaning heavily upon CINDERELLA. 4» her stick, partly owing to a faintness about her heart and partly from the loss of Megsy's arm. The action took her son by the throat. His mother was an old woman. He had not thought of tliat before. It was nearly seven years since he had looked her in the face— indeed, never since that day when, defying her husband for the only time in her life, she had arrived in time to take Hester to her breast out of the arms of her dead mother. " David— David ! " That was aU she could say, and then again, after a pause and very tenderly, " My wee Davie ! '* ^ j And she bent her head on his breast. "What for did ye no let your mither ken ye were in hfe? Was il-Jdnd, David?" Very quiedy and tenderly David Stirling led his mother to a seat. She sat down with difficulty, and pressed her neatly-folded handkerchief to her forehead as if it ached. "Mother," he said, speaking very low, yet so that she could hear every word, " I did not know that my father was dead till six months ago. Then I came home ! I had my word to keep till then, you know, mother. I also am a Stirling ! " X ".Ji ^®^'. ■'■ ^®^'" ^^^^ ^y mother, " but it's a temble thmg to pass a word in hot bluid and keep it through years cauld and mony. Ye were two head- strong men, your faither and you ; and as ye say ye were Stirlings baith, but that is Uttle to your credit. Yet since I married one of your name, I have had to make my reckoning with that. But had ye no pity for the bairn— the bairn ye left me to succour— to me and Megsy ? " She added the last clause that she might be just, for she also (though originally but a Waldron) had the Stirling sense of righteousness. "That was just what kept me away, mother," he daid. " I went to make a fortune. Not for myself, (rod knows— for my life is but a husk without the kernel— nor yet for you, for during your life you have 4 50 CINDEmCLLA. the proTision which ought to have gone down to me and my seed after me. But I have made Hester's tortune, mother— enough and to spare ! And because there IS a great danger before me, I come to put it in .your hands. See, mother ! " He lifted the striped bUck bag from the ground and touchy a spring somewhere. The top opened, and as he shifted it nearer to his mother that she might look tiie contents gave out a faint tinkling sound like the highest notes on some fairy piano. At first the wide gold-rimmed glasses did not quite get the focus of the contents, but presently, as David Stiriing dipped his hand within, his mother saw a gbttenng array of red stones, a few set, most of them cut, but some, and those the largest, yet in the rough. f or ? " * "^ *^^^®' ^*^^* *^^* ^® ^^ ^'®° y®^ ^® " Mother, thev are rubies. I discovered, and for six ?7®^l J^^® worked, a mine among the mountains in North Burmah. It is a thing forbidden— a Govern- ment monopoly. But that which a man risks his life tor I count his own. I brought these through, though the King had men upon my track. I had two partners, and this is my share, which I have brought to you to keep for me and my little girl ** "David, ye are never thinkin* o' gangin' away back to tak your life m your hands ? " "Mother, I must," he answered. "I have two partners who have stood by me like steel. They are there still facmg the danger; now I must stand by tHem. I have put their shares upon the market, and airanged aU as they wished it for those whom they eft at home. For me I had none but you and this little girl. I do not want to seU at present. These ai-e all pigeon-blood rubies, and will grow in value every year. Besides, with what I have sold on behalf of my partners, here and in HoUand, there are mere than enough already upon the market. I want you to keep them. Each one of them ii inventoried and described. They wUl one day be my little girl's sufRcient dowry. CINDERELLA. 61 I To-morrow I must start out again. Hitherto we have tZirf. V^' old fellows in%he Bible usS L b,Sld in f h« .7^' \^'^^ ^ ^^« ^^*°^ '^"^ a repeating rifle Sfc'frT^^'x.*^'^ ^^ *^« I'^^ii*^ Government m^l? «i^' f i,^*?,?""^' ?7 partners-one a Scot, like 3 p^r?* ^u "^^^^^ a Putchman-are holding the expect they will have spent some cartridges \" Oh, Dand, David," said his mothir, "if ye hae ?n7 Ir® t^r"^ ^"^^ mitherdinna gang awa' again into thae heathen ootland pairts." eg", again "Mother, I have promised ! " «f Tk®iP**^/ of frio^ad gave the Kttle helpless gesture might do the same as he watched the judge lifting the black cap She had lived too long with^StirKs ^ attempt to change her son's will when once the word had passed his hps. That she and her sc werTsiS there, two soUtery figures within the high cir^^ wag of the b-ees was proof enough that she Understood Mb. "And what am 1 to do wi' sicUke, David?" Z said, abandoning her appeal without another word • " they are surelj vailable ?" »""tuor wora, "Put them in a safe place, mother-~give them to your banker if you Uke. The papers hire "-^ he spoke he turned the bag up a little, so that the bottom showed ; and then, moving aside one of the plainbr^ knobs upon which it rested, an oblong Ud d^rop^dTn concealed hmges and several papers^vere seeTSi a "Here," he continued, "you can show these to your Weroryourbaiiker. They ai-e quite enough tTpro^ tatJe. My agreement with my partners and tWi^! sterdam cutter's certificate wilf be enough to esteb^h pedigree for ^e cut stones. Then X t my 4Sl gi^g them and my share in the mine~if ever thatb^ i worth anything-to my little girl • " ^ « David," said his mother, with a quaver in her voice I am an auld woman, and know n?t what a ^y m^^ .J 52 CINDERELLA. bnng forth. How can I be easy in mind with jewels of pnce in the house? Give them into a banker's hand yourself, David I " David Stirling smiled, and patted his mother's arm. "I would rather trust you, and take the risks," he said ; " I know no one here whom I could depend on as between man and man, and a corporation has no bowels. Donald Simpson the lawyer, I know, and he is a righteous man, but he sided with my father, and denied me even the favour of his good word when last I called upon him. The stones are better here in the old house. *What none kens of, none comes seeking,' as we used to say. Set the bag on a top shelf of your store cupboard in the parlour, mother, and keep the key in your work-basket among the bobbins of coloured silk." CHAPTER Vllt A MOTHEE IN EamAH. Thbke was the sound of feet moving heavily on the fh!'!!^ V. ri^* ^v}^^. ^^^^ S^^^ ^°^«r the arch in the beech hedge chcked sharply. "Where is granny?" David Stirhng heard a clear young voice say, a voice whose tones thrilled him sharply like the first prick of a surgeon's knife, making him bite his lips to keep down a cry. ^ ..^tr^^'u^ ^^^ S"°^' ^""^ *^^»'«> "^"^"^S towards him up the walk, was Megsy carrying a Httle girl, who thus in the strong arms of her old nurse seemed much SS"" , *^^^,r^^^ years. And if the voice had pncked him, the eyes, dark -.nd lustrous, with the mnocent drawing attraction in them that he knew so well, perced him to the heart. "Megsy, set me down; I will not be carried like a Baby. 1 can walk now quite weU, or if I can't walk I can hirple. Megsy, do you hear ? " The listener smiled a little this time, for if the voice A ®{!^rrf another's the words and accent were undoubtedly those of his own race, and David Waldron atirhng, as by a curious back-spang or echo of memorv. kb^Sers "^"^^ ""^^ ""^ addressing his Burmah u2J^^\t^^i.^^ *^® ^^"* ^^* "^y ^enty," said Megsy, owenng the littie girl caref uUy to the ground, but kfe^' ing her arm still about her. « There noo-hap tentilV^ If ^ wdl hirple, ye contrairy maisterfu' wee besom ! " Holding one foot crooked up, Hester hopped as ^mtily as a robin redbreast to her grandmother's side, without, however, once taking her eyes off the unknown •f'l 54 CINDERELLA. man. For Megsy, though sore tempted by the way, Imd loyaUy kept the secret. Her mistress could tell, if «he liked, who the visitor was that had so quickly risen at heir coming and now stood gazing so raptly at little Hester Stirling. As for herself, she shut her thin lips, and chcked the gate determinedly behind her as she went back to her kitchen. Then, quite suddenly lifting his head, the stranger asked the little girl sharply, what was the matter with her foot. "I hurt it climbing the wall of the deer-park, but rIS* got the thorn out, and now it is nearly better." The tall grave man seemed to quiver anew at the ?p^? of Hester's voice. The fresh confiding tone of it laid hold of him. It minded him of one who had given up all for love. And it seemed that he looked along the same perilous way which this little one must tread. " H -ster, my bonny," said her grandmother," ken ye wha this is ? " ' j "He is not my father, at any rate ! " was the quick, unexpected answer. "I have prayed for him to come back to me every night." " Aiid how do you know that it is not your father ? " said David Stirling. "Because my father is a beautiful young man, with golden hair, and oh, such a bright glad look in his eyes ! There is a portrait of him in the parlour. You can see it when you lift the big box, with * A Present from Ceylon * on it in pink shells." ** And am I not a beautiful young man, with a brignt look on my face, Hester? » queried David, quietly. " No, indeed ! You are quite old— your hair is grey --quite grey, do you know? But I hope you donM; mmd, for I like you. Your name is not Torphichan, is it ? " "No," said David, smiling, "certainlv my name is not Torphichan." "I thought not," said Hester, brightly —stiU, how- ever, holding her grandmother hj the black silk of her m "HESTER. THIS IS YOUR FATHER!' [Poyc 55. CINDERELLA. 55 apron ; you look kind, and jou wouldn't run away and leave me if I took you to see the Bower and had hurt my foot—nor set a horrid dog at my dear FlufFy— oJ'P^^ ^« Torphichans do these things?" said David Stirling, the comers of his mouth losing their humor- ous look, and the Ukeness to the portnut of his father in t^ haU coming out more strongly on his face. "Hoots-hoots," said Hester's grandmother, " dinna be speakm nonsense. It was but some bairns' dis- agreement amang themsel's. I'm sure baith Edith and Claudia said what a guid kind bairn ye were. So dinna speak ony ill o' them that spak weel o' you » » « I won't, granny. But aU the same it is true." " Hester, this is your father ! " " No, no, he is not my father ! " "Why wiU you not have me for a father?" said David, gravely, to Hester. " BecauM my real father is to come in a coa«h and SIX when all my cousins are here, and take granny and mewidMegsy away right before them. He is to sit on tiie lx)x and me beside him, and I wiU wave my hand and say, ' The grieve's cart wiU be round for you Go^yeT''^'''" ^"^ ^^'^ ^^'^'^ "^"^« ^^ ^' " WeU" said David, "I am sony that I did not come witii a coach and six. But just the same, I am your father I" ' Tears rose m Hester's eyes, and a Uttle sob came mto her throat. ^^ "What," he said, "are you disappointed ? Do you not like me ? " ^ "Oh, it's not that." she answered. "I like you— yes, very much But it's not the least like what I thought it would be." " Then you expected me to come ? " "Oh, yes," said Hester, drying her tears, and smil- ing up at him confidently. "Megsy would never let me say so without snapping me up. But I always knew you would come baok ! **^ «*w»/ii 56 CINDEEELLA. ** Well, now that I am here, will you come and gire me a kiss?" '* I can't come — 'cause I have a sore foot. You must come and get it." " It was well worth coming for, Hester ! " said David, after the operation was complete, ** and indeed I have come a great deal further than that for it." "How far?" " Eoughly, about seven thousand miles," said David. « That is farther than to Edinburgh, isn't it ? " " Ever so much farther ! " '* And what did you bring me all that way ? " was Hester's next question. 'I This ! " said David, lifting the bag with the red and white stripes across it. " It isn't very pretty. How heavy it is ! Can I have it to play mth ? " "You can when you grow up. In the meanwhile your grandmother will keep it for you." " Let me see what is in it ! " Hester's eyes began to glow. She had a vision of marvels unspeakable, and she was definitely dis- appointed when she saw only what seemed rather smallish bits of red glass, and some not nearly so bright as glass. She was sure that if she could get a piece of the window, through which the sun shone into the Kirk of St. John on Sunday mornings it would be far prettier. Still, Hester was a polite little girl, and would not say so to hurt anyone's feelings. "They are lovely, indeed!" she said, putting her hand within, and letting a handful trickle tiirough between her fingers. "How cool they are, and how they tickle as they drop ! " •**Yes, Hester," said her father, smiling. "Many people have an itching palm for just such litt?e bright things as these." " Can I have just one ? " Her father took a large bright ruby and gave it to Hester. It was set in a kind of clasp or necklace of gold, very curious in workmanship. CINDEEELLA. 57 <( David, ye mauna, the bairn will lose it!" cried ms mother. "Well, let her ! " said her father, "there are all the others." "Are those in the bag red beads ? " queried Hester, selecting two or three and looking for the holes. "I would like to string them ! " "They are not for stringing," said her father. You must grow up, I am afraid, before you under- stand what they are good for." Very reluctantly, Hester let the stones trickle back into the bag and withdrew her hand. David shut the catch with a snap. ..J*.-[* ^^ ^®'y heavy," said Hester, trying valiantly to lift it. ^ a J «l That 18 the bag, not the pretty stones," said her father. « It is made of steel and covered with leather. Would you like to see how it opens ? " So, sitting there on the stone seat with the old lady's cap keeping up a constant stir of tremulousness and the precious stones tinkling pleasantly between them, David Svxrling showed his heiress how to unfasten the secret catch which allowed the key to work, and (what took much longer) how with a peculiar circular move- ment to cause the false bottom to turn back upon its hinges. The papers fell out, and Hester stooped to pick them up. "These are not so pretty as the stones," she said to her father. « Why do you keep them together ? " "Because they belong to each other," said her father. "Yes, I know," said Hester, brightly, for her success With the movements of the bag had raised her spirits ; « like you belong to me and I belong to grand- mother—and Megsy ! " So they sat there hour after hour till the sun had mounted to the zenith, and Megsy Tipperlin, with a s*™J&® look on her face, brought out a tray of silver, old-fashioned in pattern, but with the silversmith's pohsh yet upon it. It was covered with bread, sand- H ■Tf 68 CINDERELLA. wichei, sooneg, butter, and cheese. Next she set a decanter down with a flourish. She deposited them beside David Stirling respect- fully, and drew back a little. He began to shake his head. " They are my ain," said the old maid with a certain dignity ; " they were bocht for the pleniahin* o' Margaret Tipperlin's hoose. And they were set aside when — that happened which happened. They hae never been used since, neither silver nor glass. Nae hands hae touched them but mine. Will you deign to taste, Davvid Stirling ? " " Since you dare me like that, Meggy," said Hester's father, filling a gbiss, " I have no choice. I drink your health, Megsy — and yours, mother— and yours, little one. Grow up quickly and get ready to play with your pretty red stones.'* In this fashion David Stirling ate and drank outside his father's house, over the threshold of which he had sworn never to set his foot. His mother laid a shaking hand a little furtively on the back of his as it rested on his knee, and Hester looked at them both with curious eyes. In after years she never forgot how the sunlight lay on the grass, and how towards noon the image of the tall sundial shortened till it seemed no more than a blue-black splash on the grass, as if somebody had spilled ink there and forgotten to wipe it up. At last David Stirling stood ready to depart. He looked about for his straw hat. It lay some distance away, where it had fallen when he went forward to greet his mother. Hester's quick eye caught his desire. " I can fetch it ! " she cried ; " see me hop ! " And sure enough she was back in a moment with the hat in her hand. She put ^it on his head, as he bent his body to receive it. " I think you are my father now," she said ; *' you have a nice-shaped head ! " "Good-bye for the present, little one!" he said, kissing her tenderly. CINDEBELLA. 69 I. "You are going?" she cried. "But jou will come back again to-morrow." "Itma^not be quite to-morrow," said David Stir- ling, smiling gravely upon her, "but someday 1 will come back ! " *' He turned to his mother, who had also risen. ' f y son—my only son ! " she said, as she put down her head on his shoulder. "Mother .'"said David. T."?"'''^./^^?. ^""^ ^®*^^ *^i8 auld hoose desolate, David. Bide— bide a wee " t{ ^ I cannot, mother; my word— the word of a Stir- hng. " Bide for the bairn's sake— for the sake o'— ye mind wha ! '' "I know, mother, but now at least I cannot remain in the land where she died for the lack of that which m^theT'" ^ "''^* ^^ ' ^'''® ^^ ^^"^ blessing, Then the "auld leddy" of Arioland lifted up her voice and wept, like one of those mothers in Ramah. who would not be comforted, because their children were not. And this was her firstborn son. Little Hester, forgetting her lame foot, stood up and tugged at her grandmother's gown. "Grandma— grandma, what for do ye greet?" she cned, breaking into dialect at the sound of her friend's distress. "I'll gie ye my dolly, my best dolly, if ye wmna greet. I'U gie ye Fluffy. I'll never play at mud pies on Sabbaths, but sit in a chair an' read a book. Unly dmna greet, granny, 1 canna bear ye to greet. If that^*^* tester will greet too! How wUl ye like But the old woman did not hear her. She only lifted "P ^e*" bead, and with her hands upon her son's shoulders, and looking into his face, she gave him the benediction Aaronic, sanctified by generations of use in Scottish homes, whence sons and daughters go forth alone into the world of unknown things. « The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make %i \t, , 80 CINDERELLA. His face shine upon thee and be graciotis unto thed. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Thus departed, with a mother's blessing on his head, the son who had last gone forth from Arioland bearing the weight of a father's curse. CHAPTER IX. Meost'b Bohakce. It was in Megsy's clean-scoured kitchen, and that laiJy was washing her dishes and polishing her private t le of silver. She had just begun to give a wh !•/ superfluous rub to the salver on which she hau ink -v. out refreshments to the Stirling who would not ' niuoL as enter the house of his fathers, when a knoci^ o.tiu* to the back door. Megsy had heard the step upoi: tlie brae which heralded the summons. She breathed upon a doubtful spot before she replied, without moving or looking up, " Come in, Anders ! If ye hae brocht ony mair o your nesty fish wi' ye, ye can e'en clean them yourseP ! For Megsy Tipperlin has as muckle as she can do without thumbing a' the afternoon at slaistery fish!" ^ " They're guid loch trout, Megsy," said a voice at the door, "and my feet are clean. Can I no come ben?" " Let me see ! " quoth, uncompromisingly, the mistress of the lower parts of the house of Arioland. " Ow aye, I daresay ye can come ben ; but tak* your great wheelbarrows o' boots aff, and leave them oot there by at the door cheek. Ye'll no be nair the waur o' sittin' a while in your stockin' soles at a decent woman's fireside ! " " Ah, Megsy, gin I had my will o't ye should be sittin' caigily at mine ! " There was an interval filled with external sounds of struggle and stress. Then a ruddy-faced grey-headed man entered, walking softly on his stocking feet like o»e who takes heed to his going. This was Anders 82 CINDERELLA. t-- MacQuaker, fisherman, authority on sport, busker of flies, general gossip and " everybody's body " — through- out all the Strath of Ken, and even unto Luce Bay, and the uttermost parts of Minnigaff. " What's that ye say, Anders ? " cried Megsy from the depths of the cheese-room. She had by no means waited to receive her guest, but went on with her work without so much as lifting an eye m the direction of the door. " I was sayin', Megsy, that my heart was set on ye to siccan a degree tha t --- — " " Then if it's i.o frettin' ye— ye can juist keep it set for five meenites mair till I feed the hens ! " said Megsy, unfeelingly, as she passed out with a great bowl of "daich' or freshly-stirred meal and water, for her beloved fowls. They were well-bred hens, too, and never attempted to cross the clean-scoured step of Arioland back door. And the fear of Megsv's dishcloat even kept them on the other side of a certain unmarked but faithfully observed boundary-line, which was dmwn from the comer of the front door gravel about the flower-beds, concluding at the kitchen window. Beyond this scientific frontier Megsy's happy flock had scope and freedom limitless, and they were duly fed twice a day to teach them to bide at hame, and never lay away, like comni' a uncovenanted chuckles. " And ye were remarkin', Anders, when I gaed oot.'* Upon her return Megsy thus encouraged her visitor to proceed so soon as she had dusted the " daich " from her hands, and got down the bake- board in order to begin the yet more important operation of " baking the cake." Now there is no prettier sight than this to be seen in Galloway, hardly even a blanket washing when coats are kilted for the tramping, when the sun deepens the colour on rosy cheeks, and well-shaped ankles shine white as the flashing heels of Mercury himself. Many promising courtships b^^ this way. And a pretty girl certainly looks her pettiest with arms bared well-nigh to the shoulder, while the to-and fro move- m :wrm:^ CINDERELLA. 03 j-board brin movement and play of ment of the roller on the baki g j most fascinating graces of dimpled elbow. "fiap! Rap! Rap! Rap!" It comes to the ear in vaned keys of sound, dull and sharp, according to the thickness of the dough beneath. At intervals a hand showers a delicate top-dressing of flour with a twist of the wrist much admired by connoisseurs, and indeed worthy of being noted by all. This is generally accom- panied by a smile at the attendant youth, so he be a worthy one and deserving of having trouble taken with him. Immediately after this the cakes need attending to. lliey have already been removed from the round iron gird e which hangs over the clear fire, a fire gentle, mild, and insinuating, no roisterous flame, but aboufTt^^""*^ rather, meUow and mellowing aU The same pretty hands, the flour being touched away with the corner of snowy apron, now take the oaten cakes and turn them at the side of the fire, setting each at the proper angle to get the best of the heat, so that It may come forth a worthy cake, light in the mouth, cnsp to the tooth, and much to be desired as fare fit for the gods ! After this, such knitting of brows-such poisings of head to decide whether the fortmiate cake be ready or not ! Then— almost as if it were a theft sweet and pardonable as that other which (in intent) has been in the young man's head for the last quarter of an hour, tlie least crumb is broken off the corner— follows a flash of white teeth as it is tested, and the rest ottered to the worthy observer. At this point the youth, if he have in him any man- hood, or the adventurous spirit which makes its wav ynth maids even in staid Galloway, slides off the corner of the table, and—but let all those who have assisted at such bakings of the cake recall to themselves what happens then. There be heads grey and heads white and heads (alas, that over it should be so I) already growing thm or shiny a-top whose locks were once like the raven. There be hearts which once bounded fiery 64 CINDEBELLA. as barbs under the snowy baking-apron, that are now covered by the staid dove's grev of the " old maid," or oftener still by the widow's plain black— yet neither head nor heart hath ever forgotten the baking of the cake, nor yet that tell-tale print of a small floury hand upon a shoulder, on account of which, issuing forth, the favoured swain endured not all imwillingly his com- rades' envious laughters. Not thus, however, but quite otherwise was the baking of Megsy, and if that resourceful lady called to mind other bakings across the years, nothing of the remembrance showed on her large and steadfast face. Anders the fisherman set him purposefully down by a large basin, which he brought softly from a little pantry, whose shelves were of the purple Parton slate, beautifully spotted and splashed with green. Into this he proceeded to "clean" the fish he had brought. Largre and fine loch trout they were, even as he had said, speckled and freckled with orange and saffron, and their sleek firm sides yet shining from the wet bracken in which they had been wrapped. Anders MacQuaker cleaned awhile in silence, while the purposeful dwnt-dunt of Megsy's roller of wood on the oake-board alone broke the silence. "Ye had better oot wi' it, and get it by for the nioht, Anders ! " said the baker of cakes, presently ; " ye hae come to do it, I can see ! " " Ye are richt, Megsy, it wad maybe be as weel ! " responded, with ^qual sobriety, the cleaner of fish, sticking to his task. " Weel than ! " said Megsy, like one definitely ex- pectant, lifting her roller so that it stood up on end, in order with short taps to shake off the superfluous meal. " Hae ye thocht ower what I said to ye the last time I was here, Megs^?" said Anders, swiftly and scien- tifically running his sharp and crooked knife along the trout's white under-edge. " And what wa« that ? " CINDERELLA. ,"«•/"«'» /e imnk because I am a hif r^> \ l^l oroclit up to on/ particular t«de, that ye can lichUr kL"?""^'"' ^°" '•«"*•' « -o that ^df^^t" orrX^^'^r^ffbi^^-J-vr^"^ he., warning. m^ l!L? 5 ° 'J""*" ohamcter a' my life nae mistak' thi h..o^i , ./^ "^y ""^-^ ever see Anders S if I bTnn ^i^ ^ *¥ '^^•^ ^«' «^« length o't? h^d to i^ir ?r^'jr" ^ ^'^^ ^^ *^^«> I can put my « ' Ma^tr ^ ^' *^" "^"^ °*°^ i« t^e country ^ mention when I am on thiTenJ ^r! ^'^® i ^ plate to pit this next l?«?f h^ .^^^ ^® * "'"*'^« Thanlrv«n Tk ^ ir ?* , ^"^^®^ ^^oo^s on. Meffsy? hoos?a^d\ mtTt't'lf taf "^°%^ ^^^^^* ^^ boast that +>,3^ ^* I ^** ^^^^ *^e maitter o' a ooast, tnat they hae made me an officer o' the tirk 66 CINDEBELLA. i'uist terrible lonesome, Megsy, wantin' rou. And eren tuskin* salmon huiks is no to be caa'ed ony real com- pensation to a thinkin' man ! " " Sae for the last time I ask ye, Megsj, will ye no gie the auld leddy in your wamin' ? I need ye mair nor her ! She has gotten a dochter to gang to, and they say she's failin', that she's no lang for this warl* onyway ! " There was silence again as Megsy put the finishing touches to her batch. TY , without the least sign that she had heard, she erecte<. the roller again, and with a flexible knife kept for the purpose she striped the firmly adherent dough from the smooth rotundity of her pin. This being done to her satisfaction she turned upon her suitor. " Hae ye dune ? " she asked. ** Aye ! " said Anders, selecting a fresh trout with a mourxiful countenance, as if he had spoken indeed to relieve his mind, but without any real hope of success. " Is a' said that ye cam' to say 9 " " A' is said, Megsy." "Then, Hsten!" For the first time Megsy Tipperlin turned fairly round towards Anders, who, however, went on slitting up his trout and disembowelling them with tlie same indescribably technical motion of the thumb he had been U6in thinkin' on your latter end, and, as it were, makin' yo^r peace wi* your Maker for being sae conceited aboot yoursel' ! Did ye no hear the minister say, last Sabbath nae farther gane, that sinful pride was the unpardonable sin. Aweel, he said sae, whether ye heard it or no. I ken noo what for the Idrk officer's seat is higher in the back than a' the rest!" " I wasna sloepin', Megsy," Anders answered without heat, " it micht hae been, but as a maitter o' fact it wasna ! " *< Weel, in the second place (fega, I tbiak I oould #*•- CINDEBELLA. 67 t ' preath no that ill a sermon mysel'), let me hnw tn irnni. ■peered Marget Tipperlin afore. She was Market Tjpperhn then and she is Marget Tipperlin nooint t«? 7^ -^r"^ *"^ ^r^'^ *^«» SheTne^er rin lot yet the ither noo. And the silly hizzy promise/To hL your wife, and there was a coprW L^b^t to alS wi> a page m it a' scrawle"? ower 4' S wo^ds Margaret MacQuaker, her book!' For the foS lass wanted to see hoo the name wad look She wis young though inthae auld days, but she had a lo™ heart, though the lass was never what ye wad caa' bonnv For though mony a time ye telled her tharth/^* Anders, she never fairly believed ye. And that maX was the savin' o' the bit lass. mayoe rJ^^ A^** *r !i* ""^^V *^^^ ^^°^* * bonnier in your r^- Ml Anders MacQuaker-aye, I do her that justice ! She wa* far bonnier nor mi. I name no W name. I speak nae ill o' the dead. She ^s a woi^n bonny t» look upon ! God rest her soul ' '' ^°^° iJ,"^?"!? •." v^'^ ^^^^'' ^"^^ *^« tear was in his eve though that did not prevent him squintini? as critUn v as ever along the belly of the next fish. ^ cnticaUy " Yet a' the time ye were trysted to me, and ve cam* tosee me-first ^.verv second nicht, tlien e^r/tWrf and then yince a weet, slower and slower li¥7a mSl* wheel stoppin', till last o' a' the countryside I hSrd" where it was ye spent the rest o' your forenichts. Then Lkw? *^»»* |;»"»f„'^ere to be cried in the kirk on Sabbath, and they telled me to bide awa*. But I L^ for I trusted ye, Anders, and I kenned nae ill that iCa dune ye ! Then I heard the name that I wrote on \^e copy book, the name that should haa been my am Jed wi purpose o' marriage io anither lass." "Oh Marget, woman, woman," groaned Anders, now cut to the quick. " is forty year no lang enouch ? Wm ye no let tliat suffice ?" ^ ^^ her^Zund'ZT^^^t^' "^^ ?^f^^^' '^^^y^ '^^^^^g W ^rJi ' f A 'r^T '*^*'^-'^ ^* *^^ «"itor before her. At last Anders dropj^ed fish and knifa togethi 68 CINDERELLA. letting the latter fall on the floor with a ringing clatter — " it is ower lang for a man — forty months, aye, or forty weeks serve a man to forget in. But never a womaji that has been sliglited and lichtlied as Marget Tippr 4in was slighted and made licht o' before a* the pansi. o' Sant John ! '* " Then ye winna come, Megsy ? The slated hoose is to stand lonely yet ? '* '* Neither now nor ever, Anders. Ye shall never hae the chance to serve the auld woman as ye served the young ! The copy-book is gane to the winds and sae is the silly young lass that yince on a day wrote doon * Marget MacQuaker ' in it ! Gang your ways, Anders. Ye come on a fule's errand ! Never let me hear the like oot o' your mouth again ! " Tlie fisherman rose without a word, and went out upon his stocking feet to where he had left his boots. The trout were neatly arranged m the table, laid out upon a couple of clean platters. From the window, Megsy atched his retreating figure down the avenue, till it ew faint and fainter, and then vanished. There was a smile upon her lips. That was obvious to all. And if you had looked closer, you might have seen something li^ a tear in her eye. " I hae settled Anders this time ^r guid an* a*, I*m thinkin' ! " she was saying to h« rsnlf as she clinked the platters of speckled beauties u ;wn upon the clean purple coolness of the Parton slate. All the same, Megsy would have been greatly dis- appointed if he had not been back within a month with tne self-same tale. And so it had been between them for over thirty years. For Megsy Tipperlin and Anders MacQuaker were in their hearts very good friends, neither bearing any grudge for the things that had been, nor the things that might have been, but were not. ,• CHAPTER X. A House Left Desolate. The Bhinj black bag, with the red and white bands «r!^l^ ^J''^ ^'^"y,*^*^? among the accumulating products of the Arioland orchard and garden—the neat white iwts of red currant jelly, beloved by Carus. the larger dishes of gooseberry preserve, the marmalade, with long amber straws lying across it, accurately cut into lengths, and the more plastic parts deep and l?Hi ^^^J^'^gormB. After a while it got shoved a little farther back upon the ample shelves, as the autumnal days crept in shorter, and the honeycomb began to amye. There were no « sections " in thoi days —no hives scientifically contrived. The poor bees had perforce to be content with their straw-built tenement, kbpunng late and early to fill it to the utmost peak. This would have pleased them weU enough, but^, one autumn night when the winds were still, or only blew up the strath with a kind of sucking breath, there came Anders MacQuaker with reek of burning sulphur. And the next day, lo ! the black bag with thi bands was pushed yet farther back, as combs of rich honey, ridffed and shaped to the convolutions of the "skep," were laid upon each other like huge pUed toadstools. The whole house was scented with the "straining" of SrL^i^''^''^ t^- °^*f.^^ «^"^^' swung iStween SLf^^r' ""* .''^ll'"' ^"PP^ *^«i^ slow-running 8dent.falhng freight into the appointed jars ofcleS The farthest back, and the nearest to the striped b«? wwe the "firstings," the combs of the springtime/deE catelj green, as if the bees had extract^ wme if the 70 CINDEBELLA. moimting sap. These pots seemed to ba fragrant with a foint far-away wild-wood breath of crocus and wind flower, and the blowing heads of Lent lilies. The next were of fuller flavour — alternately amber and tawnj, from the clover of pasture-fields, over which the soft winds of Jime had blown through the short and merciful nights. Then, golden-brown as the pools where the salmon sulk waiting for the floods that thej may leap upward, arrived the first heather honey, product of the purple ling, which clothed the sides of the Bennan and gleamed afar upon Ben Gaim. Last of all, keen-scented as wood smoke, yet with a tang to it like nothing else in the world, most precious conseiTe of leagues of the true heather, wine-red and glorious, were Hester's favourite dark-brown combs, throueh which the knife cuts clean and luscious, revealing tiie scented essence which the bees carried while the shots were cracking and the grouse falling over the leagues of moorland. There was most of this, for that was the best vintage which the Master of the Bees had kept to the last. The hives for the heather-honey had been carried in jolting carts up to the purple sides of the Black Craig, and there left — a busy little colony — to their own resources, till the heather browned and grew dry and rustling as silver-shakers in the keen winds of the moorland. And ever the striped bag was pushed farther and farther back, till none remembered it save the mistress of the house of Arioland, and she only occasionally, and that she might put the thought of it from her for a season. For it lay upon her like a weight that she should be required to drive down the long valley to the station, wait till the bustling train came snorting over the Stroan viaduct, soughing out of the Big Cutting and silently approaching over the padded levels of Mossdale, till at last the engine shoved a black inquisitive fore- head under the High arched bridge «id, with a hush ajid creaking of iwrakes, the train tiki alongside the little flnw»?=girt ?4s^orm. * -^ ,»'"'* '^■- ' CINDERELLA. 71 ■■i Good Mistress Stirling did not like the railway, or indeed anything that went at one particular time. She resented the haste with which the train passes spots desirable to be looked upon, farms that ought to be leisurely gossiped about. What right had its snorting fussiness to intrude upon the cud-chewing kine and s^d them flying with tails in the air ? It was bound to be bad for the milk, and might one ,day bring a judgment upon the countiy. " It wasna sue in my young days," she would object, " there were nane o' thae nasty scraichin* (screeching) machines raging through God's bonny land, startin' ye wi' a tug like pooin' your teeth, and stoppin' ye wi* a dunt-dunt that is like to shake the verra inside oot o* ve ! Na, there was but a pillion set across a guid grey horse, and the lad's sturdy waist that ye likit best, and awa* ye set as canty as if a' the warl' was but yae graund Rood Fair ! *^ "Some folk had nae graund yoxmg man's waist to clip their airm aboot," Megsy would rejoin, as she snipped out a cover for the next jar with swift-running scissors. ♦* Na, mistress, in my opeenion the railway is no only a great convenience but an oflFset to the country. And lan^yne some had neither grey horse nor ^oung man to hppen to for a lift. What did they " Do," cried her mistress, covering the under surface of the white circle with whiskey and white of e^^, to keep the conserve from moulding, " what did they do that had nae horse, say ye? Faith, brawly do ye ken what they did, Marget Tipperlin. I mind myser mony a day seeing ye tripping it ower the heather and alang the roads that shone sae green across the muir, bare-fit and bare-leggit, your Sunday coaties kilted to the knee, nane thinking ill o't ! And a lad carrying your single- soled shune that ye were to pit on when ye cam' to the bum aneath the kirk-yaird wa' ! That's what ye did, Marget, when ye had never a horse to ride on. Aud I leave it to yersel', Megsy, to say if ye are ony mair happy wi' your railways and eesgmea and trucks, whex« '-Je^. 72 CINDEEBLLA. fowk are penned up Uke sheep in a ree, than ye were when ye legged it Kchtfit ower the heather and dabbled your taea in the Darroch water before ye drew on your ■tockin's, wi' a gleg young lad standin' ready to buckle your ghoon when ye had dune ! " «'Aye, aye, mistresg," Megsy would take up the running, « that's as may be, and the days o' yin*s youth wha can recall? Him-up-yonder (she indicated the Deity with a large and reverent gesture) yince on a tune ^imed back the shadow ten degrees on the sun- dial of Ahaz for the sake o* guid king Hezekiah. But we dinna read that He ever made a practice o't ! Na na, mistress, tak' what we hae and mourn not. For the days o* yin*s youth wha can recall ? " The last phrase was an overword to Megsy, and with it she pointed many morals. For all that the Mistress of Arioland cordially hated going eve^ the neighbouring town of Drumf em. She put the evU day as far from her as possible. She would *^Lm 1. *^ ^^^ ** ^^' "when the berry-time was past, then " when she had made the apple felly," then "when a' the honey was strained and a^ the Hbels on the jjars." flesh will, by the first intention— thanks, perhaps, most of all to Cams for extracting the thom and suckine the wound clean. •* She played sometimes with the red stone buckle her father had given her. She liked to cover it up among a heap of pebbles and scatter them with fcyr rand tifi the strange eye looked through. But one d(ty Megsy discovered it built into the waU of a square wiclosuro of rough stones in which Hester had been playini? "house." So after that it was kept in Msgsy's iistTm the httle open locker at the top, along with certain curiously musty old letters, spools of coloured thread, Megsy s Bible (diamond type, hoimd in red leather, none other of any authority), and lie thousand odda 1^1 L. mw^s^mmw: :.:-\ ■}. ^» OINDEBELLA. 78 and ends that the faithful and cross-grained servitor of Anoland had picked up during her long life. ♦♦♦«»# Then there arrived a bhick day to that house. Hester M,me flying downstairs one morning to find Megsy in the kitchen emptying out the tea-leaves by the side of the old well. "^ "Oh, Megsy, Megsy, grandmother will not speak to me this morning ! Come quick, Megsy ! " And very swiftlv and with a fluttering heart Mejrsy went and found her mistress turned on her side, and toe red hght of the winter sun shining fuU upon her. Her eyes were open and her colour bright. She seemed about to speak, and from the gladness on her face It seemed to be of something that pleased her "Come awa', bairn," said Marget, "all is weel wi' the mistress. She has seen the Vision! But, oh. what's to come o' us? " * ...!!■£#? -1 MICROCOPV RESOWTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) ^ TIPPLED IfvMGE Inc 1653 East Moin SIrMi RochMUr. N«w York 14609 USA (716) ♦«2 - 0300 - Phon. (716) 288 - 5989 - FOK CHAPTER XI. v.^B-1. The Mourning op the Toephichans. After that fell the days of darkness, and they were many. *^ For the Torphichans filled the house. Black silk rustled, hammers tick-tacked, and the whole world seemed swathed in crape. Mrs. Sylvanus Torphichan in especial, being next of kin to the dead and chief mourner, faii-ly scraped like a file. She intruded her discontented peevish face, with eyes devoutly upturned, and mouth pursed to indicate emotion, into every room m the house, a handkerchief set alternately to either eye, and her whole figure radiating grief as she went. But occasionally she would turn the handle of the room where Dr. Sylvanus was supposed to be overcome by his emotions. Here she would pause a little, with ^r hand on the brass knob before opening cautiously. Her whole attitude suggested a resigned sorrow, anxious that a still deeper grief should not be distiirbed. What she really said was, « Have you found anvthinff yet?" J s And as soon as she had received the doctor's l^w- spoken negative she would softly close the door again, and resume her mournful peregrinations. It chanced that little Hester, who in those days found a refuge with Megsy below stairs, and during the nights slept in Megsy's room, while Tom Torphichan occupied her little white chamber under the eaves, came hastily along on a message from Megsy to the store-cupboard in the parlour. Her light tread did not bnng the crape-cumbered sentinel to the spot in time. So Hester had a glimpse of her uncle standing by the " CINDERELLA. 76 table, with the red-striped bag open before him. He had his back toward her, and was pouring through his fingers a tinkling stream of red stones that glittered in the firelight. They were Hke the one in her buckle- she remembered that long after. The next moment she was pulled violently away, shaken as a terrier shakes a rat, and pushed alonj? the passage by her aunt. "You wretched little good-for-nothing minx," she ^ssed, « what do you mean by spying and prying about this house? Get downstairs with you till we decide what is to be done with you. You are nothing but a drag on respectable people— as your father was befr re you. Yes, a drag and a disgrace." "You shall not speak against my father— he was your own brother, and better than any one of you— kinder too. And this house ought to be his. Meesv says so ! " » & j With a farewell cuff Mrs. Torphichan was about to let the slim little figure go. But she lifted up her hands at the desecration of Hester's words. "She must be taken away immediately; I will not have such a wicked giri in the house. Ethel, my salts » Quick, Ethel ! " And the chief mourner staggered to a chair. Thinking that Ler aunt was reaUy ill, Hester's eager little heart was touched with remorse, and, having seen the red bottle with the great cut-glass stopper lying on one of the settles in the hall, she ran and brought it to her aunt. That afflicted lady had aunk back into an easy-chair, and now lay with eyes shut. " I am sorry I was rude, aunt," said Hester ; " please forgive me ! Here is the smelling bottle ! " The lady kicked out her heels rigidly, knocking them on the floor with a smart rataplan. **0h,'* she cried, in a high falsetto shriek, "I am going to be taken, I know I am, if some one does not send that dreadful little ^.hild away. This very moment she flew at me in a fury— the ungrateful asp, the snake -«i{j 76 CINDERELLA. I warmed in n.y bosom ! Quick, I am eoms to be ill I know it ! Ethel ! Ethel !" ^ ^ w be m. Now when Mrs. Sjlyanus Torphichan was « taken " the house also knew it. So when at la^t the eldest sh^l'tdThTht^^f ' ^'^ ^«^- to ^ asUnt m: JtV* Y^hrTfTou lifei ^"^'- " ^^ «*^p ^* *^« The afflicted lady could only point venoraouslv at S 'wCnd ' m^'' r.^y >y with the^'c'St^e m ner Hand. Ethel snat^jhed it from her and ^av** if to her mother. Then she caught Hester's ar^L!? pushed her towards the head of the stet ^h^^'^e up from the kitchen, scolding her aU^he time and a^mistenng such corrective slaps as pleaseHer to the httle girl's cheeks and ears. an^h'^re ^7i IZ ?1^"'^ \ ^^^ ^ ^' '^^^'^^^^ or anywnere. it you come up here where vou aw* nnf wanted making mamma ill and upsetting everXdv- there ^""""^y ^ ™y room on purpose, till he's lust whoppin' mad. Come on and see him scat 'em ! lt»s a blessed swot having to be down here any way while the old man hunts up what everyone 18 to get. Ton don't want to come, eh? WeU not many girls are such trumps about ratting as Vic. But you U do. I say, I'm sorry about being such a beast la^t summer. That's all right. WeU, so long, HesteH » And Tom was gone, steaUng out on tip-toe by the kitchen stairs, then making a dart for it, and scuttling through the thickest of the shrubbery for the shelter « Pi„! +ri.''^fi® ^'° ^Y^'^^ ^'"^ '^th the faithful ±'lay-the-Kip * or as he was generally designated ZZi'T^\ ^P SH*^^^' ^^il« ^* l^«t Hester iZ^ I ^Z ^"""S?" ""^^^ ^^"^ ^^^ o'l the faithful breast of Megsy Tipperlin. ***** 4t It may be as weU (though it is to some extent *u* ^^?'t^®r?^P •■ *•*•' tJ^oant. Kip'a achievements in that line if they had lost him a Christian name, had earned h2» fame «id ^t glory among the boyg of two parish^. ^^^ 78 CINDBREIXA. woA?bv hl^4l>r -f "' ^ •^"'^ tbatsometimes Nemesis ^Wr^^h''"*.-" ^'' "*^^^ " f«' *h« great K the funeral, brushing dresses, and being scolded fm^ h^r 'Arrr\^"v. *^^ time. Then with^bmsh in h^'J would look done this way and that, now low on hpr Ta?^; £-° ""Vt^^ °^^«' head-lthe effect of the latter being sbghtlj marred by the holding two W pins m her mouth. Next she reaUy must tfv Zt naT; blue ^eckerchief she had bought bLre lea^gJown Such a pity that now she could not wear it for ever ^o l^m^eLbe^d'!!!™ ''' ^^' ^ ^« ward^oVerX^ if l^f^ '''' '^? P^l^^ *^°"&^ th« «lent house, for It h^ grown late with all this rehearsing. Hester heard fax away up under the eaves, and being^frightened at the thought of her grandmother lying fo stiU she s^tehed up a hand from the little t^cL bed "e hs^hLni'ji!''" ^'^^\. ^""^ ^ *^« chamber that ^^ ?o- ? ^«*^®^ «' "nr. A« dishonest. So S temS^ f °5 ^^* consciously sv^e^^fiiHSd - ^^ --^ *^ him like a Wu?Sf »*tuAt ttt'lirf '^"S^P'"' ^Ur. in other days he hS lnrted"t rfe'^C'""' of watchine hfm sllJI ™"?''J ?^'*«'' *» «»e act rt«.ng shuSder Si sSlf^A, 1"**^ ^'"^ » «"ick not tin hir^e If rt„?*''%''''? V"- He must to the HMe^T the l«?l'' ^^' ^^ *° ""^ Siven up the better it TO^d be for thJ"'' """T °,* »« matte? household of D^ To^iehL ^"""^ "" "*'" «"> CDIDEBELLA. gg much LaCe X^r"™ ?'*"«/* fc^'to^/for lo great bedrCupTtait.'^ *"• *" "*'"' "o-""" « ">« 84 CINDERELLA. doubtful if the man would ever cc -e baolr n, •* i. S?t T^'i^ ^'^ ^¥' *« prove hi^righi?'^W^;^L^! gift to his mother? And if so cleariv rir a.f * .* . SylvanuB shook his head smilinBly. as he did «t .» ^possible request from a rich patient' * ^* ** *° houSto'vouroS^lCd.^' 'f *" '""> "-^ But he ae«\|f ra^'sS'un^r wiStS X^ as°°fha™T»'"°'' "- '"' ^°" ""^ ^«» «■« '^ "^ "But the rights of it, Sylranns," said his wife. '•. (, 'J' CINDERELLA. gj prmamg the point with the frntf,,! ^^- -i . weak woman, " «nrel» ♦!,« iHj ."H Pfrtinacity of a reft»o to do UaHrSght 1^"^' °^ *"" """^ '""^'> »»* «n;^oSt'i.'^;:,1S'.' "I' J"^'"^''' r"'"^''' «r"S^'oo3:nS-|'?'- compensations'" "auons— on, yes, there are That par^eula^ooZiabWhe m^t°°ke™'f i:^°"*H- If he were to pro6t bj it £a% ^ *" ''™«*''' POuJ^'Teft a™7Crone'o? »i,^™« '- thousand Gmbs. You kno^„ Sey ^U n3jd it^I%lrT'"'"'™°* careless and dear Pfi,ii . "^o « ail, for Tom is so -weU, Vic isOes^" »'" ^ " *»'"'«'' ^'^ "i" A f^errcoTsSL^Sn i^r^^ g r'^^^s-. are the trustees an^ thfr j '?** "■** J"" and I the monr^'iCLr sir ■'"•"f ""^ *° W <>"' Xh^itoT/^Sf^ th friChe&i You will have to Rok^fSMii q ^ ^^""^ ^^Tun eaxlj. too cao-eful in the choicS^ .n * ®^P^J ^^ cannot Se girls! WouWyor^'Ltofeen.^^^^^ *^?." «^^ yesterday's paper, of ^mi But^ w' ^^*'^'* ^ ^* ^ up here in these ^dsf^ ^^** '^'^ J'^" «*P««* -^^h^TZr^Zra^.^^ l^s -rrespondence, doctors do wheHbev rJ«^ i !I^ ^°^. *^^^®' *« °iany with the^^wpr^f^^s^nt/^^^^^^ rooi^ something after this fashion- ' ^^^^ultrng ■Prom Rogers— ah! Old Mr T?;o«i, i .. «^« 0, e4 "^'ToUi-t./^'-^Ltrs 86 CINDBKBLLA. Hw wife put out her hand admirinsly. not SVol.l-'^''-''^"*** "*"' Sylvanus. But do wS h ''i' 7i'* ^™ ^- Torphichan the paper for He «ad tJ2:^n» '"" "^f ^'■Sr out to hand a« Kpoke' tten^morf^ST'"' '^"' " ""'^"' «^«-»''»t'-<' MUEDBB OF ANOTHEE^ENGLISHMAN IN executed at jC£L to the W k^S!' "f ^.'"J^K- ''»« »«•« detaila are iu.t tokand^ Hi 1^5 Joloeauat ot viotimB, of which oountiy after a riS k„m7 ^1 • "' "^"P "'"rned to that Bad diooviJd a™ t ^T™,i ,'■ T''"?"' ^' Mr. StirlSg territory to the Cft-Zt 3 ,w T''^ ""'""> nneiplorel that the Oueen mi»?. t i . ^ ""^ mnrdered in order Stirling is'fc^,'K*''T.°' '^" ^l «nd.^ their ^te noS? fa St k^l m'''"&-°??'P^'""' ''°' " *" -^tahi, counlt^^a^d^r a ^n S^St ^J^ ^ he^'n hi: tod'Sl"^"?. S^'™''-^ ""ted hi, wi«h to let h,,r^« and oOTered his eyes. He did not wishtoiethMwrfeeeethegreataessiihisieUet. aSe 1- CINDEBELLA. g^ sKd^r *" ^^' '^-^^-^ --^ !-'»We 80^ within hT^ ' wi+Vi fivl I "®^*er. jLyen at the grave-head, and with the lowermg cord in. his hand, SylvwW hSd CINDEEELLA. pg l»t in hi, hand and fa, H,« fttn *'* ^*- ^'^k ^^ which 18 more common thai maSy sup^e "* **** famUy property, tiie „^^ of the acquiaition of the avewe from tiiis, gut someSL-it k^of^'' ^^"^ say what-had induced MmfJ^^r ??* necessary to it struck C fordbly th^t wJ"!? ^' '^''^' ^ow possibmties before him hei.^i^? *^^ °^^ ^^^i^l practice, and even ^e liSe of^DocI^7 ^^^.^^^ J^^- once been so proud of It nnw^ ' ""^'^^ ^« ^*^ common and undiTified JLJ^V^a ^^^^^ *^ a?P«ar ;-^. guinea ^J^tt t^^J^^^-^^^^ M.n^"';:^.?^-- -JHinHn, the. thing, automatically in silpnf rTi oowed. His lips moyed eyen as it was he di^ r,^ to the funeral. Howeyer, about himXhigl''?on^"l^«^«- He looked house of Ario^ to the S^ 'ir P'"'?"^'' ^'*^°^ «»« mbbit-holes oTgandy Wf«£^''^^^i" ' ""^^^^ "^^^^ hedges for hare iSis so tw"]^' ??^ watching thj clou'd of mguZer^^s" ' He 'T.T' 5^^**' chance to kick the young^ster Sv^^^^ ^\^ * come to the funerd of hSd fwL^^^t' "^^ ^*^ and whom Sylvanua +?!+ ^^^^ and benefactor, Pharisee, l«>a fceUedV^^^hiS^^^^^ him was ..,^^\:trSes^e^X^^^^^^^ Kf^ 94 OINDEBELLA. even as SvlTanng held that at the top. When aU wai «adj Syfyanus nodded to Cams, as^much m to ^ or'andXr ""fV ^?' ^^ ^«« *he «on oT^i J^ K. 1 *5** "^^^ 8jlvanus»s religion. He also honed respect for his own future position. "^^uicaw In tiie great house of Arioland Mrs. Sylvajius drew a long breatii as soon as she saw her niotfie™^C7eU down the avenue. She rang the beU and^S Melsv up to her from the whitewashed kitchen, wSre she wal stilling the sobs of the Httle girl Hester +hW*w^ *?i?'® °^''*^^? ^^^ ^°d clear away every- To^],llf^' ^^li ^ ""T"^ pyramid of crape, Mrs. tnie sne did go to her own room, but instead of sitting down to mourn in the hopelessness of S L she hoped a 1 would understend that she was doW s^ did something infinitely more practical. She Ck ZS^ SJ^tT^'^' ^^^ ^'^ ^ ^''^Sn a new cr^st^d «IW»^h«^«ir«-?^'' the black-ldged note-pap^r been ^i ? ?' L'* T"* ''Vj. fi^t^"? that tiiose who had been *caUed to high position should write on m^ rtmped plainly 24, ^lixtok S<,v^bTaZc^^. 1^ 7^ M^" ?^^"^^ *^' Toiphicharis, but for SL ^ded family of Torphichan-Stirling of Arioland a^ engraved crest was a necessity." -^oiana an It was the evening before Hester knew her f^te* that Megsy Tipperbn precipitated eveite by reques W Tha?Z«^/ «^ mterjiew with Dr. Sylvanus limsSf^ vJ^ iK I ^^ ^"^^ ""^ ™ ^'^^S in the dining- room with his fingers netted evenly in front of hil those soft padded fingers which were like a benediction Ifo^rS^S «iJ^\I-dy patiente (« There is some^g abnost hallowed about Dr. Torphichan, you know mf hke a Tibetan prayer-wheel. He did not turn in Ws choir when Megsy in a clean white "mntoh '» and black CINDBBBIiLA. 9, aat ft the teW? 7h« L^*'^'' ¥"?*" »"*• Hi. wife trailing do™ on '.itw T!*'^! "* ''«'• "'onnun.f aS ™» tmng to th^k ^f * ' ?l"i'"*'' » melancholy air eoat of ai^,7 "' * """*"« »<*> for the new a rilfinfl^S""'" "^ "'• S^'™""'. "rieflj, with anything in the m^? » h^ «^r '-./^^ ^^^^ '^^^^ left his face; ^® ^**^' ^i*^ a curious look on ;;^'I,^jna!-saidMeffsj. ::a*^ratt^i^^ro^ti"£^^^^^ SjlvanusmaleaSU wdl^l^^^^^^^ ^^« <*We. she was to leave h^i^feTt^^^ ^^i" ^«> *^t. "Aye, mem luist B^off allv *^® "^^-^^^^ alone, jour ai^Tde^Cthef "\^/^^^°^ ^« °^^ °hild o> "I have not veti^' ^o ^^^f^' pertinently. ^IvanusrwSSLAo^dfv''^/""'' Tipperiii," said sorrow has come so unexw.^^ ''Ti'''* "*^^s Sreni upon us aU.» unexpectedly and been so crushing "iot^Uj JJS >^11*?7??«^ - ^^ -oice. professionally ^ent at sn.l. ^®^*^^. ^^^^anus, who wm W To^h^altjJ*.^:;;?^^^^^ "but so fa. as ^ie,'^^l^th;ft^X''r^^ - - under, new median a^Lfth'tlSr^^ composing a of pt^ttSg HesteritirW^? '"^ ^^^^^ ^« 1^^ «»ought or indor thTcSe of IZp''*^ «ome respectable famSy; view to her eduStior, «?! Responsible person, with a course, a. we sho^^Havelo l,"^ f ^Z P°«^^«^- Of would be .uit. in aXta^ TL'^^^r^'l^, 96 OINDEBELLA. ■eem to be of such a nature that one could venture to brmg her up with one's own children. They must ever be our first consideration. But she is youne— she is younff! She may improve I " "She may, sir!" said Mewy, "but as there is twa thoosand pounds due her on the day she is twenty-wan. It might be as weel to tak* some sma* trouble wi* her eddication ! " Sylvanus turned right round in his chair. "How do you know that?" he cried, bending his brows upon her as he did at meetings of the medical council when an enterprising junior ventured to dispute his dictum. *^ "Because my mistress let me see the will," said Megsy, quite unintimidated, adding as if by after- thought, "on her road up frae the minister's." "And is the minister also acquainted with the terms of my mother-in-law's bequests ? " "He is that ! " afltened Megsy. "Ah ! " said Sylvanus, deep in thought. This had not previously occurred to him. He must walk circum- spectiy, for there were serious matters involved here. U Mrs. Stirhng had told the minister of her own bequests, she might also have confided to him the trust her son had committed to her. "Did Mrs. Stirling frequently consult this Mr.— ah— Borrowman ? " "Oh," said Megsy, diplomatically, "as it micht happen— whiles aye and whiles no ! " Clearly Sylvanus must proceed cautiously. Even this woman might know more than he thought. It would not do to quarrel with her. "Weel, aboot the bairn," she went on, "what objections hae ye to commit her to me till sic time as her faither comes hame to claim her? " Dr. Sylvanus lifted a newspaper, rustled the pages, and pomted with his thumb to the place he had so hSS^° "^ ^^ ^^^^ *^®®® ^* twenty-four Megsy took a pair of steel-bowed spectacles from v^^. CINDERELLA. <»bfe,Xw'^ff''t?^ *« Wd the paper down on the gluM. on her apwn '' ""* "^^^ "^P*! both men aeit riie spoke, it was in a firm voice fat. .V * •"'"bat objection ha6v«rt,7t'T t. „ •flf the *irn myael'? I (..f ^ , ' ^ "bould g** foi Margaret Tipoerlf^' V^ '" ** !»■"»' will wordsasheweJt «^K- ««^> slowly weighing h^ in the meantime r?ir«ii^- ''°*.'"« *^^* i* is not any. But let 4^l^y Ldi^n/ *^ ^°^^*^ «" we go further. I am -^^ TZS^f T^ <>«»«' ^fore sole trustee under Ihi win W T ^^°^ ^^^ ^™ ^^^o. terms of the dflS^ f f^ * • ^ *"^ prevented by the bequest 'JuVhrifS^I^^^^^^^^^^^ Stir^ng^: one years. Whatever iTdo^fS. ® ^?® <^* twenty- my own pocket sTrih^rit*!^?' ?"«* c^nie out oi no legaJ Lim u^n me to^l ^^^""^^ ^^* ^^^^^ « " Sir," said XLv Ti^^ r^?"?^ whatsoever ! » ♦i,^_- '.« •'«'**^ ._^eesy lipperlin. "pIritm %, — __ , . tK f m »w«uo. o— ~w*v> irtj Keep 98 k=>. CINDBBIJLLA. in my name, snd a bit hoose and irai-deM ihm^ *i. Edward-I hae been 9 plain woman a' mY^iva rWS^ great condescension-" that the w,?nL~J^ ""'' credit." ^^ "''*' ?»» e«rjr "Dinna ye fash yourael' aboot ttat!" said Mo».. mth some haateur. J''6K«y. t„'1^1;i"'^"S*i"°'"™"'°8 "y ^ear 'ri'e and myself to anything," Sylvanus went on. "I mav m7 ti.. t wUI«cond youin this to the b^'st of Z^aSy^taT^ far, that w, as we can do so witb inB^nr * ^ ^ famUy We wfll send yoS d„°™ t^a'^^^ a""?^,'™ »» "Thank ye kindly, gir, she retired J *- they will come said Megsv, curtseying as in handy for dish-clouts ! " CHAPTBB Xrv. Tom, who wj retim^^'f°^^*^ » »f>7 •olfen who, with intent of nu^ or ^tifft^^"* .^^"^ upon their minds, foundth«m!!r*^**°^ eage of a chair, Ser^? ^^jl^ 'Sl^^ on the as high aa the back wo^d Xw ^Lt^^t ^l ^^^ dustier pamphlete. BektivM 0^^^"" V^^ "^^ many and various, peered ^ih li, vis. ?orrowman, wonderment intTthrm^f^ • f^ ^"^^ l^ands of that had once^^h^en^^a'S^C ol^^ • tJ^' '^^ manse in reasonable ^d^I^ * °"^*™"8 of the The walls were Sned w? ?t^n'o^aiuan tim* . plam inch in them. ^tS.T' ^^^fe was not a waited tiU the floor Wmr;fS^^^ ^^ "°»ply with the mateiX^^r^fc impassable, and tfi pUnks brought u^?Ws\hote4"?-««^y ^1?^ he had nailed and ooon«r«S „« rrom the saw-miU— nobody leaned Zi^T^/£l'S^*^8^ ""^^^^ ^ with which the ^tioa\?L bu^^'iy ^" ^^^^'^^ one. below, would su^^^^ ^^ks^ VtlSJ ■'!; psa^ ■■'^^•i'\ 100 CINDEBELLA. rif be coaxed and wedged, upon, above, beneath, and around it. The literary reader gazed with amazement at what he considered the disorder of the whole. The novel of yesterday lav next the editio princepa of Tacitus his Annals, or tne little red-bound cropped Oxford octavo of wise old Burton — ^most cheerful of melancholy men — elbowed some disreputable yellow-papered iVenchman or stone-coloured German. But the confusion existed only in the minds of such as possessed not the key to this admired disorder. For it was a fixed idea with Mr. Borrowman that there exists no book so dull, so crassly stupid, so utterly superfluous that it coidd not bring to the seeing eye something of personal or historical value, if only patho- logical, or even criminal. He maintained this even of local poetry. To the intimate who objected that the only explana- tion of the confusion worse confounded of the house (for every room was equally full of books) must be that Mr. Borrowman took all his exercise wandering from room to passage and from garret to cellar looking for the volumes he wanted, the minister had this unanswer- able retort : " What you say, sir, shows only once more the lack of clearness in your own thinking, which I have had so often reason to animadvert upon. I presume, sir, that you have at least heard of the science of geology, recently so much acclaimed among us. Well, sir, when a ereologist opens out a new stratum he findo fossils of f 1, shells, leaves of plants, and a thcuh jid other ti ngs all huddled together. He does not find these arranged according to their sizes, or e- m according to their characteristics, anatomical or otherwise. Yet is that what you are pleased to call confusion ? No, my dear sir, to the mind of the geologist that apparent disorder is fuller of instruction -ttian any cut-and-dried so-called order. For all these unrelated particles lived and had their being together. The mammoi^ and the cave-bear were drowned in the same flood which swept s^rhJii'^r'n riCcrsE; CINDERELLA. 101 . the limpet from his rock d buried the sturgeon alive m nis coffin of plate armour." "But, Mr. Borrowman," urged a clerical brother, unwise even to temerity, « surely books are not geologic strata, even when fossils write them ! " "Sir," was the instant retort, ''if you would do me the favour to follow my argument. I assure you I am mafaing it specially simple in order to suit your capacity. In the same manner, if I were to open up one of these coUora,tions of volumes, which seem to you so absurd Mid fortuitous, I should discover the whole history of ttie formation of my mind upon a certain subject, ihere, for mstance, is a pile which refers wholly to the influence of the Genevan EngUsh Bible of 1560 upon the mmd and style of Shakespeare. Here, again, under my hand, you will find aU the books, which I used in writing my reply to Mr. Headly Granger's vituperative pamphlet, * Is Scotch a dialect or a language ? *" But meantime we are keeping Megsy Tipperlin waiting, which is worse mannei-s than those shown by Mr. Borrowman himself; for that worthy, if somewhat raakempt, divine opened the door for his visitor less ttian a minute after she had rung the cracked manse bell. "Come • J j.M y9V^,way8 in, Margaret, ye are welcome indeed ! said Mr. Borrowman, who had two styles of conversation,'one for the simple and the other for those whom (often on insufficient data, as he agreed with himself) he was content to consider the learned. " Come your ways ben, Margaret, and 1 will see if I can fij^d you a chair, always a difficult matter at this time of the year, after my foreign book-box comes in from Berhn. Moreover, I have just parted with Mary. That makes my thirty-ninth. I keep a register of them. Nineteen have been dismissed because they were discovered dusting elsewhere than in the kitchen, the bedroom in which strangers sleep, and the chamber where I take my simple meals. It is a most terrible thing that women are so constituted that they cannot keep their fingers from dusters ! Some of these mfflmitmlm y^i^^im^^^m^ 102 CINDERELLii. females were outwardly respectable, too ! Eight of the remauider greased or polished or oiled or blacked my shoes, so that after putting them on, my fingers made upon various folios and octavos marks and stains such as no fuller could whiten." "And what came o' the rest o* your housekeepers? " said Megsy, with a certain contempt in her smile. She was perfectly assured that no minister that lived would have served Marget Tipperlin thus. "Oh, the ether twelve were most of them light- minded hizzies, with weU-fa'red faces, who left to get marned, or, at all events, evaded upon some suchlike frivolous pretext as that !' But what can I do for vou Margaret? " ^ ' "Mr. Borrowman," said Megsy, sitting on the edge of a chair and leaning forward, « I have come to vou my capacity—though, the Lord kens, no aboot my guid-will." "Margaret," said the minister, with his shrewdest look, " what hae auld dried stocks like you and me to do wi* lassie-baims— you wi' your hens and me wi* mv books?" •"" " " '^ ""^ "'^ "^ "^y " Minister, ye are pleased to speak the word that ye little mean," answered Megsy, "but gin ye gie me your advice therewith, I shall be the more content. I couldna sleep in my naked bed if I thought that the young lamb was to be left to the wolves " "In sheep's clothing!" murmured the minister, softly, as if to himself. "(^ten hae I hinted it to Her-that's-gane that she should make some ither arrangement. But what mither can see ony faut in her ain? She aye howpit that David wad come back and lettle, frae oot that CTuel heathen land o' Burmah. And as to her doohter Sarah, that is wife to Doctor Torphichan o* Abercaim, she thocht her sic a wonder that the showers o' heaven shouldna licht on her." "And am I to understand, Margaret Tipperlin," V CINDERELLA. 108 said the mimster, with apparent severity, "that you regard so eminently pious a vessel as Mrs. Sylvaius Torphichan with aversion ? " •J??' Ma-ister Borrowman, na, I dinna regard her ava," « t5®^^^ » " ^^^ *^ ^ °^e as the adder or the asp ! » Margaret, Margaret ! " cried the mimster, "ti^s is un-Chnstaan--most un-Christian. And I do not know but that I shall have to take notice of it when ye come tomt for your token at the next communion ! But in the meantime, what is your difficulty? " TJen, as Mr. Borrowman trimmed his evening lamp, rabbmg the black oflf the wick with the sleeve of his coat (Megs/s hands twitching all the time with desire + i?\ lifself), the old servant of the house of Arioland her tale— how she had sa i « a wee pickle " and now by the death of her mistress come into another wee pickle.'' How, as he knew, she had a "bit cottage of her own in Cairn Edward, and so on at much grcater length. How it was her fixed purpose to give Hester such a schooling as would fit her for her father s place and rank in Hfe. The minister, when he had finished setthng the globe in its place, sat down and listened. He did not once interrupt the tale, but only kept slowly muttering to himself, « Oh, aye 1 Aye- '''^"aT S'^^°' ' " ^^out ever cersing for e noment. Alter Megsy had ended, Anthony Borrowman sa awhile silent, watching the flicker of the peat firu seekmg its way up through the oval opening in the little register grate. At last he asked a question. " How long does your engagement at Arioland last? " >^ j "Nae engagement, hae I ! " said the old woman, with switt vehemence, "my engagement ended when my mistress lifted her lines frae tiie kirk veesible to hand them m to the Kirk Inveesible." " And you are sure they would not biect to your removing the child ? " ^ 1 * IJeed no—object ! They wad be blythe to see the last o baith her and me. And that braw madam o* a servant la^ they brocht frae Abercaim will be the 104 CINDBRELLA. mi.te>«-, face in the mo^"g tht '' '"^^ °'' ''" « ^^°® "® compromise, Megsv ? » " What's yoOTwnll?" wav^TilillTf v"^ *«r?* *» "■««* e««I» other half- miZ^?'^lS^U**^ appointed place o' that hoik, dust on its way ^ ^'^ disengaging clouds of bit ,t?et trr h:£f^?ed'^';:«™" ;?^» better to do, I'm wUhV^ Ya? " ^^^"i^® haenocht CINDERELLA. 105 hr«vS^ ^^^^u^t.^®'^^"*' «^® ^^^> ^i«i the crisp Kli^ '^ characterised all her deaUngs with^? Torphichans, and making her regulation cUrtsey as if drBssed m her Sunday best, as she said, "to ^g tea mmister s hoose, httle as it deserves the name » ^ mat do you mean, Tipperlin? " said Mrs. Torohi- chan, timing with the brow^beating frown which^t oor 1^^-i ^l^' ""TxV ^® ^^•^ *^e ^aim are gaun to oornew situation, at the manse o' the pairish f Saint "But surely you would not leave us tiU we are suited -you wiU receive not a penny of wages if yoTdT I bid you remember that ! » b " /uu uo. i v^rA® ^® JTl ^sured, mem, that Megsy Tipperlin kens her nchts," answered that dauntless dame. ?^ShS never was, nor never WiU be a servant in tS hoose o^ Igsteess Sarah Torphichan. An» when she co^to wnatside his bread is buttered on, wiU no refuse her S^^ ^ ^^ °'®°'- -^^«" MacQuaker, the S offisher, wiU <^» for my bit box. My service toa' vSw innocent lambs. Mistress TorphichL I Xy you^a^ them a» thnve accordin' to you? several deserts [» * * * * of W^W^'"'*^®'' ?^®^'y Tipperlin left the house ^d L?w^ years' service, taking Hester by the h^ Z .Z^°^ ^^^^\ °''* ^^^ *^« avenue, thi^S^h tiie clachan, and so to the white gate of the mS The minister met her there. majwe. ^^What said she, Marget?" he asked, eagerly for nwf?^'^i* ''^?'°^^ '^'•'" «^« answered," but iuist played chock* wi» her jaw Uke a body doited ! " ^ •<.«.. Made a dioking sound like a aenile person trying to Bpeak. ^•*»*1 i ■ aafejteJMffl! i^^apFs^^- CHAPTER XV. A Glahcii Uhdjse the Sdhbohmt. thepari^hofTeEvlS^hl'^-^ e«mn.onwe,Uth of linen on &bbaT™ r^^^^'^a'^chTt t"' =^1 that bairn," a proeSJ*^«h i^^^ °'""^'' 'P^^ aU. Hester woV^^L^ , ' ™«ed, waa patent to beyond SyJIS b^i?^ '°°^\ "old-faSioned" ol/peopC^^rne^^tfo^tS ^'t l.fl^ node of trees win. tiL KT i. "°** double colon- little way^oni ^"^^ ™**'' """-"rinK a -"^^rrr^v^- CINDERELLA.. 107 ont^+^>,?^ *^'°^'. S** ^*^"* ^«*"»e^ •' Thej were at once the glory and the scandal of the neighbourhood. w^i^lh^lH'^ 5 neighbouring joung minister, who N^^o 3 f^« \ "upsettmg," with a. question ibout riero and the burning of Rome? And when he iTlipl ^^, °1*««^<»1 hi«<^orj, wa« it not Hester who E ' x^' ^^\ P^P^® "«®^ *o think so, I know, but Mommsen has put an end to aU that ' " war! 7^*"^ first Mr. Anthony Borrowman, and after- wards three presbyteries chuckled. To another who was "a bit of a poet," she recom- m^ded the study of Milton. "Par^ise Ct-^as mcer to read tiian the little book he had sent her Sr/fl *^^t^^«H%^ too. She had given it to AdS for a flybook, and Anders Hked it fine asSn/wT*^'"» ""t *^ought to court Hester by ^m^ii^fv,^ leave Megsy and Mr. Borrowman, and «I won^^^^^ ^^^ was given her to reply as follows : J^ G?i^LZ^''/''?/°A*r^^' ^*^ Megsy as witness, Mi\ Crirvie— an<« after the last time, too !" -ni^^/T"^!.™^ "^^ currently reported to have paid fo^Tr fn '^J^^ *?, "^°^P« ^^ ^nsequences of a former love affair. For in Galloway no minister can ^m'a'^e. ' "^"^^ ""^ ^ «^* ^^r breach of promised? aiJhJ^^ ^^uf ® PfPPeriness of her tongue the little g^l M a wealth of love to bestow. She lavished it on he?baiJS W r' ^^ P!?^ exigencies, for to please y^nLot become as the breath of life to the manse housekeeper. The sadness of her pos^'^on, father and mother dead, her heritage token by anotiie^ the «^y Zi A f ^'!?^ g^ardian^only « twa auld dune bo^i (and Anders that is half doited) " to look after her~ rtrd^T '' ""^^l^^^ ^ *^^* ^^^y P^ace Hester ran a ^rd cnance of being spoilt. hiS?' ^'fJ* C"lpaWe of all, there was the minister ^«?fo« ^ with whom she trotted on ail his pastoral visitations. He>Jso did his best to spoil the ^rl, and is/ .rr 108 CINDEEBLLA. p . iMf <5»^ 1. ? ^^® y®^ s^o^d certainly be the ^t. She must go among her equals. She must m?x ^tii other more ordinarF girls) and leaTthd^t^ ^ugra%'^* L^y V^^"^ *^« ^^""^^^l^ ^i^> and were stm overWe fofhl^'^^^^^ "^^ ^^'^ ^«*^« in th« W,;!!: ^ . .. ' ^*^» *^®re was a something But It was ever "only this summer, and then I » ir„, ^"^St^*'^?»*^.<'f^"»»™"' I^- a^m II was after the wmter she shaU eo ! " Winf^r ^|^s,^trh.^s^™rn^-i-^""^5 fhn»^„r ^T^ . ^oiTowman often remembered how thenffl:,l,^:2^*-,«. Hke ->^P^- -^ nestCT, of course, had not much to do wifl, ih^ of It. The minister attended to these things h£sS. CINDEBBLLA. 100 ?w J^® criticiwd every deteil, raiged a hundred neat down the glen, the minister was in foil bCt H^Sd forgotten eve^tiiing but "cyclical revoluS." IW ItZet^^f^^' ^ ^^' ^^'^^ ^^^ consTering^Tn J at the soimd of his considering the cattle down on tho meadows began to bunch and Wgle hornew^d f bin^ mg they were being caUed to fromlf^. WW^Jhe s^± Z ^?^P^'^'' .^^^^^^ «^«' their 8ho^de« fo? IV Mow''^^' ^'""^^ "" '"^'^^ -^- °^-g «! l.nJSlS^"'''^*'' Tf ^ contending for a period of three «S>^l/T *' *^^* ^^^^^^ ^«* fit*«d the facte!! J^i^^I^ii « course-.you can't expect these thingfto ^ « S ^, ^^ ^^ "^^^ matches I " ^ v^ufL*^^^ ^®'*®'^ mischievously, "but most of yoiir^matohes are very slow, and some don't go off " That is an objection futil^perfectly futile » Mr Bom>wman wa^ declaiming. « I Cder It ySu, He^' In presence of a great and glorious ianith Hke thSl* newly discovered, and clea^^r demonXJ, you c^ &^'^ 'a^ ^}^y objections as that the^French Bevolution did not come exactly three hundred yeaS ^reltL^n^ ^'^ ^^^"^^*-' Hester sSi^:^ we^^T^'^- ^^ J^ '*^°^^y *he J^andle, as if it ZllaA' l"y^°&r^eel» and the works were racing So a^d^iTl*^"f * ^^.*^ ^^'y ^ ^"^^r of an ho£ a^o, and It seemed good for several months of discus- s^%™ r.^:i%^^^.ji^^ He ance of Christianity by the people of the one civilised no OINDBBILLA. ?K ^«A c»lmi™.tion i. „,rt . evolution." „„™^ •^ a„IBlLL4. Ill holding IJie ruin of his straw hat in his l^tSnd • whS for a moment he kept the youn^ girff SS his^* 1 ^II ^^"^ ^ °«^«' ^ thelittle girll carried hom« ^IhtlrJI^" I' "*^^^ eyes^teUiSTontte Mtomshment, « you have not grown. Yon ha.rm imJS- heen made aU over again I »» ^^ on nave simply The blood coursed richly in Hester's ohMka il^ ♦».-> remembr«ic«. Her face^had uT^^hSS^J L^ ^bi^. But now. in spite of herself, shVwSSd whS ^e taU young man looked down upon h^ SS^ Borrowman gasped and stopped, his eyw «owSi wid^ Sl^i'^^r^stn'^^.^^-^^^ aiSSISSf J^ no«r^. H7«|t/^J oVSTnlser ^HI grunted two or three time^ uncomfortebly ai XSd saviL"?' ? ™^Kn^ f ^ *^ '°'^^* ^^^^ Hester was 5S3S.^ ^ l""""^ ^ you-and all those people at AnolMid, except poor grandmotiier, Ihat is, w^K "Oh, no, I have never forgotten it," said Oam. SJTti T^^ *^y I ^«°* <« look at^e puS where I f omid you. The tree you were leaning !S was blown down some years ago, but everything^ k rttlt:Z!Z^^''^' You must com^^^^SliS hea^rtXirSfjSf'^''^**^^^^^ thm^*!^«T"*S ""« *® 1?®° sunbonnet whicu she had ttu^wn on hastily, « as they were not going through^ y^ and It was best for the midges!" And 3Se seemed mclmed to retire her face bSieath it, and l^k at tiieheatiier. It was strange. Fsually she tW Wfc her head, aoid ga^ atraigit and fearU at g^^el^ 112 CINDEBELLA. simple alike. But now ^9 fri.« , • • ± for a moment Thp^T" ^^^'^ ^-^^ter was puzzled. himselfT" Inthony Bn^^ ^ "**^" ^"^ ««^d to indeed to W f^J^otSfCwTe ^0^:^^^^^ ""'' We put off too lone L^yL ^* ^'^^^^ ^^^'^^^ ' ^ou AnthoV Umph_^phI;S^tdTll^ ."^^ .?«^' sand tiiies ? f ou shoiSd haTelnt thafef "' ^ *^^"- thouffh she STA+ iT ?.'^ ^®'' mother's too-and down ! Likl>whv ^u!f r1? " bhishmg, and looking Quick marcht"' Anthony! Shoulder arms! 3* CHAPTER XVI. An Answee to Peayee. hJkd\v^tf*^'i'^^P*x''^''°^^^ '"^ ^er smaU white bed lulled by the pleasant summer rustlf. nf +),r!. i J beeches about the old mansTL^den Mr^.^' ^""^ Decidedly Hester must go— but wherp 9 w^i. a "finish" hi? Mr R^, conation. A school to Secessary. ^* ""* '^^' *««« "«« absolutelj- Meggy shook her head. ^ "That's a* verra weel," she said «bi,+ +y,« i • that ye wld stick on tZ to 1T'' i "^^ /" ^^^'« bats ! She maun Hve as a v^,„i ^i ""^^"^ '^^'^ ^ ^^^ lassies. She i^a Teddy and Z, M ^^""^"^ ^^"^^ kind-no wi' auld selfiJh fo wV b°v ^ ^ ^T''^ ^^^ pardon, sir!" ^"^^ ^'^® us— askin' your ''Aye, ^.eiash/Megsy," groaned the minister, "ye 8 f( i: 114 CINDERELLA. have said it, woman. That was what came home to me on the muir to-day. When I saw the young Master trying to keek under that lassie's sunbonnet— it all came to me in a flash. Hester must leave us— must leave us ! " "But, oh, sirce! The desolation o* th? hoose'" lamented Megsy, "never to hear her step come flichtenii doon the stair, and her voice in the chambers liltm like a bird! Empty— a' empty ! " "Hoot^hoot," said the minister, with indignation, 1 am selfish, but you must not catch the disease! Margaret! True, it wiU be lonesome, but after all there s the post and there's the raUway. She will be back to us before we know it ! " Yet more sadly Megsy shook her head. "Aye, maybe," she said, with a pathetic fall to her voice, -'out never the young bird o' the nest. Na, never again ! Never ony mair oor ain wee lassie-the baimthat cuddled in to me when she hadnae ither mither. the baini that-oh, sir, bear wi' me. I am a fooUsh auld body, gm ye Uke, but she has been to me mair than ony dochter— me that was auld and thrawn and iU to look upon .ind she has lo'ed me weel, and I had nane itner 1 And Megsy picked at her black apron and alternately sobbed and wiped the tears with the beaded hem of her best apron, minding no more than if the rough let had been the^finest and softest silk. I.- *j^I®'l ^^^. ,*^® minister, sadly, " when the young bu-ds fly the auld nest is bound to look bare. But your lite and mine, Megsy, are wearing down to the swirl of the sand m the hour-glass. Hester's lies before her tmi to the bnm, scarce a score of grains yet faUen into the abyss. It remains to us, therefore, to keep an open door for her, here in the auld manse, to do our day's work and to pray." "Aye," said Megsy, bitterly, "ye hae your books— an' me my duster! They are braw consolations for the hcht o the e'e, the blithe word, the lovin' voung heart ! Oruid be thankit, there's better consolation still— oot ■. Wll'ii iimfi. CINDERELLA. jjg £pt u'^r^?' *"* ™' «■««'» ^» growin- green to W«^'S^7^;^^J7« « '" '"'^- ^»' •" ^ the a ^de'tTi^r?; r;'T^r ^-"•'— - habit of going mornWw^ • ^«"o^an had a where, clL hyZTS&XS^T! t,^' T^-^e, pleasant of shade dannJ^^^ ? a walk under trees flecks of sunsWne^nThll T^ J"^^^* ^^^ ^«i jeUow still caUed "thr^n^^'i? ^^i^k '" Hf Sf^^ ? « after whom it is called wa. Mr P. ^ *^® minister figure, bent a little at the ^mZ'''''''^i ^^.^«« ^ everjr mominff for thirfll . ' ^^« ^ be seen -o/wet mo?rW^^'^S\r/lf^? ^P «^^ down waterproof coat Sd^X >,« ^*^^ ^^^^ ^ ^ long back/ But on fine morniLr^' '^P^^ ^«^«d hi! Testement between KX^"dS™K ^ J/f « <^reek Xger^ be a sacred 'Jt ^^s^^> ^^^^^^^ p4?ng:^rte%^>^^^^ was reading, or the Two immediate^Lncernpi^^ ^^ '"'"'' ^"^^^ ^ does not come into CCtorj ' °^ '' ^ "^***^' ^^°^ clac^al'^^^ft^'^^e-^^ ^^ ^« -*--ed^ lol the of Fate ^ tS times rand ^'^ 'P^^^*^^^ disWbutor the enidre conclave Jthi Grim ^f"'?' **! ^"^^e as letter only was f Jr tL^SZ 'n'^ ^^* ^i^' One postmark: The ministS^no^:^ l^ ''°''^ *^® ^^^don thumb, and read the^swe??! V '* '^"^^^^ ^^^^ ^s bitter in the moS^hrard^^Lrr"-^ ^«^«^ August. uniooted for as snow in <^<>•>«»<' pound, unless ,ou ATe Z of SJl ~St "is ^t^fl'"' ■"?? to go away frf^you m" ' " """^ ^"^ "''^ ■»« y^ Z^ ^oked pT„»I\"" . 80 Sony I said it ! It sleep S^^do-'" ''"' *°'^™ ■»«•' I «'°'t go to I.afte?SSLg"*i^^U«^VT^ ^« "'^'- He the sough of the wSS^S ?. °'..*^* J^"''"* "'"^ow, black branches nf?i! I "?"?"* " ^' «»" and the against rXXly He '± *^'^ I"™"^ 3'"<»"''y ^ses of t3ed dark LT ^ J * **»'-'.*^'°«^ *»««. thatouiverodanrt^Vs^e!"'' " ""^*"'' """^^ it ^^rdfyTteCd^anf""^/?^ '■''''• ^0 thus oontracted thT »I!r. f ^ ^^"S girl had "Keverond " „?! f ? !?'"®?* a*'* sonorous title of she was e^pSlfof "" '* ™'' ""* '* ''^'"'^ ""^t ha^%^'d\rnLr^e^r» ^-^ ■-*— "« any ^^Id'Xr fll£° "^fi " ^°" »" "°" <» »« than thJcMdo/m/sDirit tt?f/T ''*™ ■''<"• To" are who has bLugh?S^pt;i°^| nljn' *^ """P^'"" stood on the rerge JfZ^te T^*'*»,\'^'"'1'0 least, we must l«f vm, «^ */ ,, ' ^^^ ^ *^^e at be cont^fto Syfu ^a^o^-^T^ ■"" l-"" the door !f the*:i/^*:<^r*pr^rtli«to. CINDERELLA. 119 ever the old place at the table for you. But it is right tJiat you should go, and the Lord who gave will heln us who wait to bide here in the hollow of His hand ! " Megsy, the same pleading voice from the same piteous red hps were to be heard at the old servant's LTeep?" '^'"''^ ^*^'- "^'^'^' ^^^' ^'« yo« «f3^ ^'^ sOenoe for a while, and Hester was almost steahng away sJently as she had come, when she heard Megsy s voice, altered somewhat, and hoarse, as if with many tears. " Yes, my bairn, bide— I am comin' te you » " «io. ^ T °^°^® ^ *o you," Hester said, " I want to sleep beside you this one last night ' » And so the two who had been almost a« mother and daughter-the woman who had never had a child of her flesh, and the pi who had never known a mother's s«^-r? ^»* of.^egsy Tipperlin's faithful and devoted IIT^'}^^ ^ f^^^ ^""^^^^ ^^^1« ^^ ^ai« splashed on wr^f.r'^^',"'*^'^^^*^'*^^ *he wind lashed the Iht??.^i, ® ^1^°^^' ''P'''' ^^^ °*^«^ ^th a noise like the Northern Sea on a rocky shore. But when with the dawn the storm as suddenly ceased, and the light ^e up broa^ and large and wa«n out of the east, the ^iZ ' ^-^^ ^kness seemed to pass from off ^d foce ' ^ '"""^ "^^ Mssed the wrinkled 1 have done nothmg for you. But now I wiU try to ^^J^^^iorjovrBake-andBeyyie^al I will— I wi— ^mm^^^^^m r* U-^ CHAPTER XVn. Hester is the Stbanger*8 Land. goal. He had entered politics nearly ten years before. mLnir^^ T 1 *^" ^"^^^«* contributors to thrcam: ?eSes^a^lM %«^J*^\P«?itical organisation which requires a great deal of such sinews of war. And, as he IZfJTAf deserving of a handle to his name as an ri?h%e w'7" ^^^':r^a*«- Besides, he was so Sw • * 'x "^^^ ^^'^' speculated in diamonds and Whispered that his share m certain diamond mines at tiie Cape amounted to several millions sterlinff It was heyond question that he was largely interested S precious stones. He went and cafie^a good deal to S^f^^ ""! n '"h^'^y^'^^ ««" ««^bon and alumina m their crystaUised forms. hi^L ^o* only his wealth, but his reputo had wa^ed higher and higher every year. He had now his • C^e £>S^n!fo^*\^^ It was whispered that, for the next London season, he was in treaty for a palace in Park His wife interested herself so largely in good works wL^P»• You .han't go unless. lon'SVoZf orm^^rr^fiT-^''' "'» »'7 ma's let's see your brrtZ^thM^TZ, > P"""*^^' the arm or we shan't own vou? w ** 't^a^Wry on out Como ht - !,.■ S^ 7P" ' "one Renuine with Ti,<._ 5 ?^ ''^^ Miss Martin aintr r " """ 4^0^^^-^^tr ^-■PhiS-Stirling turned GetS^d^a'f v^^^:j:,r^. "'<--^ » !«. W-lost-oousin-with^jStaLwhi "'"'*, ^""^ **»<'''er. Hizabeth Martin of itt H^nZ^rSr"'''' ^^ '^ ^^'^ inown as Betty Martin r " ^ ''Ollege, commonly »s shameful when I am *»t;- I j ""^f pa'e cheek, "it as kind to youas ii,s^?bltr.?^ *** ''° "^ "^"t. »°d to be daSn'u^nt'rm&rZ^'^T f " «»-» «' her She seemed to ^p~hlrt^ ' I°"« *<">ched went forward to pull the to M^r 1 °^ ^* »°'=«- Sie Master StanhopeC her ™y ' ''**• *"^ ^-countered he aS5; "K"gi?n*Xtto'drwr' ""•»?"" you stay you'll ha?e plenty lough" '^"' "'-^«*- " without his host. hSCs sl^/*"'''"""' "^together notg.e much idea o/ft^en^ftt ^rLh^fh^^ IMtMMAl CINDfiMBLLA. 127 sleek and soft with sweatmeats and surreptitious pasties, was as nothing in the grip of one who for years had accompanied the minister of Saint John over hiU and dale, and all unbreathed had kept pace with his heather-step, even when he had forgottin himself in the full blast of an argument. So Master Stanhope found himself as calmly set to one side as if he had been a doll. Lot, a girl of nine, puUed as vainly at Hester's skirts, and GrSbby, whose age ^s seven roUed on the floor in vain attempts to bite Hester's legs. But the table came back Never- theless, and Hester, with her hat still on her hea4. went forward to loosen the unfortunate girl from the armchair to which she had been tied. But by this fame Master Stanhope had rallied, and now once more flung himself between Hester and his victim. He gave the former a violent push on the chest, but the lirl. accustomed to the quick movements of animals Ind perfectly at home in the art of watching your oppo- nent s eye, anticipated Stanhope, and with a step wide f °~. Vif * ^'* ? swinging grasp upon the boy's coUar landed the red-headed youth with his back to the schoolroom wall. « Oh, I say-you let Master Stanhope alone ! " cried Timson from the door, « you're no right to hinterfere, avmg just come " ' Hester turned. It was one of the times she wished she had grown quicker. But she had height enough for her purpose, and there was something on her f^e which intimidated Timson as much as if he had found a desperate burglar astride the plate-chest. T Ti} '^^''. J.H''®'"^,^^!'^ ^°^^ ^'^^ ^^ *^at wench's eye, l^ul''''' he «aid afterwards to the other footn4 word^sr'"*"""^ '''' ^''^' *^^* ""^ y^"" "'^^^ °^y +l,r ^"^ ^ ^T^'^S^^ - " ^««*^^ ^*^e ^i°»> pointing to }^'?:'^''' A^i.^"^^?"". ^«^*' muttering something r^^M' ^''^''^ ^^' ^'^Wp* that But he was not even thanked for his pains, for Master f"-!. •ailHMil Miii IMIli 128 CINDBRELLA. Stanhope put his red head out at the door and cried a^r him, « Bully for Countey-served you right "^ 8*»cfang your oaj- in, old Straw-calves ' » ^ f^ «!?** ^"l^ ^^^ happened after tiiat it is difficult to say. Hester was busy unfastening the cords from the unhappy governess's ankles whe/a loud "Hem- anSLwT ^^^ ^"""^ *^® P*««^&® announced the f?^T 3,^ a.Jiewcomer. As soon as Master Stan- hope heard this, he seized a knife which lay on the martins feet. In a moment he had the cords cut gatJier^ up and flung into a comer. In Se same Sm T * IV."^^^^^ P^^^®^ °^<^^e quickly than it can be t^:t^ and Grubby had seated themselves at throng ink-stained table, while Stanhope, seizing a book at at the bottom of the table and became desperatelv absorbed in his studies, his brows knit, his eyS W and the fingers of one hand making riit 2 hfs hal^!^' weighty tread approached slovvly alone the lT^-% .?'/ ^"'" *^« ^^d of footsteps whfch go well with the tune of « See the conquering hero comes^" Thej seemed to bring with them the accompaniment if -LTT^ ^7 ?®f ^^^^ ®^®' ^e^" roughened hair, and seat herself scholastically at the table-head when tba d^ropen^andSirSylviiusToi^^^^^^^ tt'H" ni' *?•' ^."^'^ ^"^^""^ ^tli li" bland smile an^i^^^' ^ '* '^^^? ^^ ^^ unfortunate pecuSy of imtatmg some people. (« For heaven's sake l^hl g^t eman teke th^t simile o^ff his face before f^^*^: roI'i^'^drnLln^^'*'''*!"'^"' beaming upon all in the ^^'Ar. ^A'''^J\^^''^y^ pleasing in the young » How do you do-Hester Stirling, is it not? I tWht W T ^^ ^? "?'" ^"*y °^^* ^* th« station. You vw^.*, 1 r* °^^y "'^^^ *^e acquaintance of our youtiiful hopes. I trust you will be aU very hannv together. They are good' children, and have n^^Z CINDERELLA. 129 giren either their mother or mrsftlf ««.. uneasiness. You find them d^'lS"! ^ moment^s Martin 9 » inl T <""gent, do you not. Miss Zl.^^ The pale governess bowed silently as if study's P®*"''"^' "^ *"'' ">■«* « that you are Stanhope made a curious noise in his throat Ti,^ -7 intonation '^^^T'Z^'^nZyTJ^XS^Zti me through where other men would have faUed 1^ leam to speak clearly, my bov And nZ toit i. x jou a« studying ih , C&bltf TL'^arto't aat. Stanhope. It argues weU for your future tC .rKnVhTcS^r ort' ™^^' P^^*^« theScripturer^fhSlinlo^^^'^noSlfrt^t" ££r?^---^trrhS^ « Wh-^a??'?!! ^«^^/?i»g to Ezra," he gulped. «c7t .V"^Jr gasped his father. ^ ^ "Luke ! whispered Hester, taking pity. liiib 130 CINDEEBLLA. KS " Saint Luke, sir ! » said Stanhope, picking his words hke one weU accustomed to the opStion. ^ whatMspfcirs;^"'" ^^' ""' ^^*^-'-^« -- -me. Stanhope gulped, fumbled, and dropped the book ?Z^\''^''7'^' '**^^^& °l««e behind the boy^s chSr hfted the volume as if to hand it to Sir SyWnus and . with a quick movement, learned in the Kirk oTst tX. she opened it at the Gospel of Luk^the next moment presenting it open to the baronet. moment "Ah, thank you, Hester," he said; « I can see fhaf you have already won the ^affection ind confidence of your young charges-I mean companions." tired Might I go up to my own room ? " « w.^ ?? \!?^ ^^*^'" .'^^^ Sylvanus, with a smile- we will doubtless see you agaii after dinner I will pi^w^ryo^^lr bTun!*^^? ;ou*^;^-- a^pXtt:,^^^ ^^' -^^ ^^- ^- wiirrLl^.^, Sir Sylvanus passed away up the corridor annar- «ntly t« the same unheard roll of martial mus^T A ex'ctieVulhTdu^ '^ *^^ schoolroom, thSSTast^d exactly tiU the didl and resonant sound of his footstens on the mlaid wooden floor of the passage had Wn «t changed for the sharper fall of boot-lf ather u^n thj W^MtteT'll,'.'"- 1'''' PandemoniuTSrok: Whi;+^^ ™, stanhope flung the leather-covered Bible to the end of the room, carrying with it an ^k bottle and plentifully bespattering^Miss cLrioL on the way, as also that young lady's doll, which he had been concealing on her lap under the tible during her father 8 visit Angry at this affront. Lot threw hfrself upon her brother and pulled his ha r-in the circum- stances an unfori^ate method of assault, for her o^ single Gretchen plait was much better adapted f^ rude seizure. So in a few moments she waT r^uced to sulky sobs and moody shakes of the head She would CINDBRILLA. 181 HlSTal'l^sfwd"^^^'^- «^« -uld be n^venged. critically, as Hester extended th^mi of T?l!?' vcmttL3^' ^^ ¥T y°^ °**<^« ^e see stai^ when you fetehed me round that whopper against X^ wall? .A^e has got none at all. That's^^hy wl can rot her" o tin^t^r""^ gentleman pointed casually at Mias Mar- everywhere and restoring tlZ tosome tnS nf 'T^ on the shelves that fiUed^ne TntSe s^e o^he room S^nhope watehed her contemptuously ^ ''*^°'- She s aU nght, but has got no savvy," he remarVprl exactly as if Miss Martin h£ been dial ^^'"^'^^^^ . 1 think you are a horrid little boy," Hester bpc«,r, indignantly, "and if I had anything^'to do^th v^ f would teach you to behave differeaif ' » ^°'' ^ +>,.„ "^^^ ^'''' T^^,"*^*^'" ^^-id Stanhope, calmlv « but " And who is Tony Gibbons ? " said Hester who woo T "^°='y «'''''»"8 w mj sohool-pal. He » a wonder i^L'r-' "•"* "^ *"" •-«"«»' temers-I°S roo'™Ur P •**'*' "■''"' ^ ™ *» '^■"-■0" you to TOUT woZ^^;oij?ea';"'ttirr:^;f.?L^ Barter. Howdo.&rker? Come'and dllce?. ' ^^ I ':%- ^^2 CINDERELLA. "You may see me dance the polka rou may see me whirlinf? round- lou may eee my coat-tails flying—" he sang to no tune in particular. tJ^h^tlTt *^/ j*?"* a^d dignified woman could pro- fit w f^"^^"!^^ '/"P °^ mischief had seized her by ^LTS' tV^*^''.^^.^^"^"^^^^^* ^' h« arm could encircle. The next instant the two were spinning round the room, colliding freely and solidly wi?h S shelves, desks, and chairs, besides sending GiXy howling into a comer by a resounding whalk on the le&'l^rrt'^ """"^^ '"^""^^^ ^" P^- ^^-*-" -d duck cned the old dame, breathlessly, when the whirl ceased ; "your lady mother shall know of this mdignity before I am an hour older." /If you tell Biddy," retorted the red-headed boy, "n^. wvf \^'''^- ^ ^^^ ^"*« ^^'^ th« certificate 5 your birth and give it to the coachman. He only wants your money anyway. * Why. it's like kepmr,' rr^y ! """"^ '"°°°'°' ^"''"""■- rttTu> "Figgis never said no sich imperence," said theladv resetthng her hair and dress. "He is a most res^t' able man and careful of his words, ^d as f^r ^/ot Master Stanhope, the birch does not grow that would make you speak the truth » ^ +»,r ?''' ^"* *^® ^'^''^ ^^^«»" """^^^ a new voice from the doorway, as a stoutish silk-hatted young ma^ round-faced and ruddy, rather over-dressed and o^erl buttoned as to surtout, but with a good-humoured th^s^P^ Why,U?tleHeXTot\ou'^V^^^^ SW iJ^ T '^'''^ Stirling, up from college, and grown nto a fine young man about town. He had just^ome in from airing Iiis latest stick and lavender gloves on the most suitable and fashionable pavemente. ^ CINDEEELLA. 188 the^^e*^' "^"""^ ^" ^0 '"d l"k»d him straight in w^he'dltt r^ th^wX'tf-D.^.!:"' ."'" °" 7"*- far o£B to-ni..ht It Si? Darroch appeared very get back the?e again *^ °°* """"' ^' " "•« «>»ld ««' eh'?*^ Soii^ ^'" 7»" things off and tittivate a bit master — I mean Mr Tnm /« t^.> i, MissEthe&Lfd^i:^^^-,,:^'"- ^ -oJoi hole, hang"? I „ni L 1% "Tu"? ^"«» '" *"* °^ the ™ J die, St what tt^ ^ m' impudence, and about it I " ^ *' "** 8U-1 sajs. ITl gee thl'TrtiJr^t' "^'^' "^"^ *>•« «'-p» himself, and Ster was th.rt* "l* «??™<>»ed "ith W ?st*inX '°«:?r. ■""^^ An°^Ve l"don'1 than havine Vic awnv S *if- ' , ' " ^'K*** ''«**e'" of Ethel's atout ttHC in^l"^ but these beast, .line in the schooS^^rn J?', ^"^ " '"«»*^'"' ""» house hi Impress Gal? i^tw'*^^ ?"« "^^ » «» —at 1»«,t ^ *l t-ate.and that no unimportant one To^^hlSlltirS;.''^"""'' "' ^- ThonLs AlLC i vlafifef j * ii i i»»» CHAPTER XIX. Mt Loed Daeroch Talks Business. Caeus Daeroch steadily confronted his father in the busm.ss-room at Da^och Castle. He came but seldom into the presence of Lord Darroch, save at meal-times, or when he had been specially sent for as notllTrco^ '""" ^'''''' ^^^ -- hanbsXte" most nL +V,o """"^ '^""^ ?^°^^ ^""^ ^^^> ^d for the most part they were content to meet without gladness and part without regret. g^aoness woods" oS* """S? ^^ ^' ^^^ ^i*^ ^ ^«k about the 7^J:' V^^ '''' *?^ ""^^^^ «^ leather with a seldom- 1^ h?« nf tf ^^^^fM^^ ^'^' ^^d a favourite author m his pocket. He had been bom at the tall old castle b^h So IL^r^'' "5 ''' ^"^^^"- -' *^« ^etd of the loch. So the bums and scaurs of Glencaim, the pebblv ^ w' Ti?- ^^^-«*?.d/«d shores of Loch DLmTch were as part of his own life. u;^ t^^H""* ^K P/®^®^* ^ord Darroch, had but two ^ m,T.r ^' ^^«^^d *1^« Strath, tiie first' being to g^? S ^f 5 r'' ^'°§ accomplished to the accompani- ment of cajohngs and coaxings-or, as it might be of ^ths and curses,--^ get himself aa rapiSy aTd as swiftly away as possible. ^ Lord Darroch considered the universe as madp Z'l^^VrJ'^^'^t^'t'^^' TotCr^rthereTu^d be no exceptions. He had impressed it on his wife so Zi^Tln T.'f'^l ^r/birth to cLs, s^had Duchefs o\ N^^^A 1^"''"^ ^^^ ^ ^'' °^«*b«^> the liucness of Niddisdale, and presently, discovArino- no claim or hold upon life, yet fa^heri-'to tTe pS of ^'4tei CINDERELLA. H 185 all unfulfilled hopes and wasted lives. The Duchess considered this very weak, as doubtiess it was She herself would probably have first horse-whipped Lord Darroch, and t£en brought a suit against him in the proper court. But she could not inspire tL same determinate course of action in the Lady^Sophia! «airl "^^S^ ?^^ Niddisdale it^ould turn out so," she said. What can you do with a person who has no pnde, and who is named Sophia ? " Lord Darroch had come all the way from Paris in order te have this interview with his s^on. He mLS have sent for Cams to come te him there, indeed but cin« 1 f?'^?^^*^^^^ of such parents he did not ^ant « b^l » "'• Z?*^ ^.t'^^'^ *^«'« ^^^« ^^"ou« other birds connected with the cutting of wood and the Tat ffi"^ of some remainingmorsefs of free prope^! that he hoped to kill with the selfsame stone. ^ ^ ^' ««lft„''5. ^T*?^,^ ^^^' ^^ arrival, he installed him- self in the high-ba<;ked chair at the upper end of the ris^to^i'^^' from which his own fXr had often risen to flog him and sent the butler to summon Caxus to the momentous interview. Of the two. Lord Darroch was by a great deal the more nervous. Yet Cams had known that there was something in^e wind as soon as his fattier came in the night before. H^had CnL^'^^* ^^^*"'^. °^°'« thanusuaUy effusive, and ^ifJZLS^'!'''' ' ^^^* '^^' o^f pleasantness But Carus I^och knew his father weU enough to llZT *^* ^^i\^^^^i^ was merely assumed for a of h^ltfl* Jf J^^T""^ ""^^ ^ °^^^ ^^o at one time of his life, when the "smart set "of the period was nrlL'nV'^l by milKonaire proteges of roya^'; ?£an S present, had made a certain figure in life a^ a young fellow of expensive testes and a dashing manJe? of S^^S'^fnir- ^^ °?.^ ^^^^ ^« was^three-score m J i. J^^^/^'T^ ^'^^ straitened means and the »;^*ai^%t!''^^'- ^--^^-^ others ,*a 136 CINDERELLA. .1.,^^ -^^ "^^^ * ^^^^ ^^ clustering (and yet not too nf siioo r«i„ 1 '=^ """BBu. ijut tnen it was tlie pnde W ^thnt r^^''^®?''' that when allowed to do their their mS f ^^""^ ^?^'^ ^^'y ««°* a man to study their subject for a month before putting so much as the foundation upon the block. Well-prfse^rd w^ n^t the name for Lord Darroch. He wasHrfectTpr^- fierved-tresh as if he had been packed^ki L?e?e7v night and unpacked by his valet in^he Irniig. ^ chair n?«fTT^:,?^"'«'" said bis Lordship ffom the ToS^take anij^^'"'^"^ graciously towards his son, "do fatt^^fiflf ""^"^y- ""^ ^* "io™. regarding his best. Tou ha7e taken yo-ir degree, which there wa! fSow recitedin jo,i wS^r T^iTn ^'JP"** what you are goiL to drTfa ^7ate Tthini ^Z ^«^ ^H™"" Ton could do a Uttle tor soldierine-a »uu X was m the Guards. The o>ir]a lih^ n- „ i W. thats what I always say-when a teUow is^ Mm*. CINDERELLA. 187 catch, he can get a pretty rich girl just as easy as an ugly one." " There is no need to think about that yet, sir, I think," said Carus, smiling. "Never too soon to think about it, when it's got to be done," rejoined his lordship, "or to *go where money is,' as somebody or other said. Well, about your future ? " ** I had thought, sir, of reading law, and by-and-by writing a little, if I have the ability," said Cams, modestly. " Tut— tut, what does a man want with scribblin*^ for a few pence, when he will have a title, and one of toe oldest in Scotland? Eeading law is all right. The naore you get up about that, the better you will know how to raise the wind when your time comes. By the way, speaking of law, it was a matter of that kind which brought me here. I have waited till you were twenty-one in order to speak freely with you. It IS this. The Glen Som estate does not lie well to the rest of the Darroch property. It is chiefly arable land, and contains no considerable moors worth shooting oyer. It is badly burdened. Now, there has come along an offerer for it who is willing to give a fancy price, and I have determined to sell. We shall never get another such offer." "But, sir, is the Glen Som estate not a good two-thirds of all the property— in rental at least^-and IS it not strictly entailed ? " Lord Darroch bit his lip and was silent a full minute, while he controlled his temper. Then he rose, took his son's arm and stepped to the window. " Look," he said, and the young man's eyes swept from verge to verge of bounding horizon. Dark heathy mountains extended far to the west. Rolling moor- land, purple and yellow and brown, undulated along the east in great waves that never broke, and to the north rose the deep-bosomed green hills of Windy Standard. " Two-thirds, you say, and yet all that would be ^J 138 CINDERELLA. left P Hamperini? debts would be cleared, and. if that "a|7man.»' '' ^^"' ^^^^ '**^^^ --^« - ^^^^^ wtJif"!^^ led the young man to the other window which looked down the Loch of Darroch. sTue and oeneath, nule beyond gleaming mile. White farm houses nestled upon either side. The fiel«L aCt were golden and green, and the pastures nearer at hand were dotted white with sheep, tS Sd no bigger than gowans, so high towered Darroch Se on oZpq^^i^J^;^ Wett^^eTotfJ^^ l^^l^^>r<^ ''^ I^nowWe^thlVyTC nhlf""^ P^"*?^^ ''®"* «1°^^J back and sat down in hig ^hT^'^'' '.^^ ^*^"^ a moment longer at the wfn- dow before turning and saying quietly, "What wou?d you have me do, father?" ^' vvnat would The elder looked up hopefully. He had not heard his son speak so affectionately for a W time Bfe congratulated himself on tli success of^hS^^ppeS jWey.' '"' carefully thought out upon his northTa^d "I would ask you to join me in breaking the vexa- tious entail on the Glen Som property," hf said iSk woX mni?^ your own interests. Indeed the courts r^ f T 1*1 c^^"^lj see to that. A part of the nricT ^iT^-^^^ ^i""^^ P^^^^ ^^^"I'i be «et aside for yoT- invested m good securities, that is ' » ^ youn/mlZr n^^^ ""t^^?^ *^' proposal," said tiie S o?m!^Lnfi, ^'''■'''^'.^°" ^^^« considered the terms of my mother's marriage settlement?" +l,if I uT^'^i eyebrows rose a full half-inch with that haughty lift which is only seen on the face! of rnted."'" "^^" *^^^ ^^ *^«--l-- une^pSd^y « I have," he answered, with a quick ugly look, and ■ii.M ft CINDERELLA. 189 something like a snarl in his tone, " or I should not be here asking your consent. But how are you so glib concerning marriage settlements ? ve you beg^im to read law already ? Who has been . Jking to you, I should like to know ? *' " My grandmother showed me a copy of it the Inst time I was at Dalveen," said Carus, quietly. My lord muttered a malediction upon her Grace of Niddisdale between his clenched teeth. "I thought it was the old harridan who had put 3'ou up to all this. You refuse your conBent, then ? " " I have not said so," said Carus, still more quietly. " But you mean to say it 1 Quick, out with it— aye or no ! None of your dashed philosophical melan- cholies with me ! I want to know my friends ! " "I certainly have seen no adequate reason for giving my consent to what, once done, would be ir- revocable, and might gravely prejudice not only myself, but those who may come after me ! " His lordship rose up in furious auger. " Then I will do it without you, and in a way you may like even less. If you do not give me your consent to this arrangement, and in addition consent to marry a daughter of my friend. Sir Sylvanus Torphichan-Stir- ling, I will see to it, sir, that you succeed to a worthless estate. Not a penny of money, not a farmhouse that will not need to be rebuilt before a tenant will live in it, not a stick of wood thicker than my little finger from one end of the property to the other ! Now you have heard, sir, and what I say, I will do ! " " Is Sir Sylvanus the customer you proposed for Glen Sorn, sir?" said Carus, with the least touch of weary scorn in his voice. ** And if he is, sir, what is that to you ? Is his money not as good as any one else's ? " cried my Lord, white with the very intensity of his passion. " So you propose to sell your estate to the father and your heir to the daughter," ^-^ id Carus. "Well, sir, I will be a party to neither transaction ! " " You infernal young puppy ! " cried Lord Darroch, 140 CINDERELLA. the devil your own wav I ^11 h! °^*--'^^3^^ fiTO to to you! " ^* ^" ^*^® »o °»ore to saj #>*- I. CHAPTER XX. Her Grace op Niddisdalk. Carus did go to London, but it was by way of Dalveen. He found her Grace the Duchess of Niddisdale in her rose garden. She was a tall powerful frame of a woman who, though over seventy, still carried herself like a grenadier, and showed hor age far less than her perfectly preserved son-in-law. As WM her custom when in the country, her Grace was oqujpped with a hat shaped Uke a Chinese um- Drei » the brim of which came down nearly to her shoulders. It was, however, tilted well back from her strong, capable, masculine face. Her dress was of stout dust-coloured calico, such as no one of the house- maids of Dalveen Castle would have done their morn- ing s dusting in. The Duchess's slight but quite perceptible grey moustache had a top-dressing of red earth, and m her hands there were the trident and spud used by gardeners for applying fertilising materials to the roots of rosebushes and other plante m need of nourishment. This nutriment was also present m a bwrow. And a gardener, well accus- tomed to his mistress's ways, and too well bred to smile at them, was receiving a practical demonstration as to his business from the Duchess's own gracious lips But scarcely had he begun to carry out her instruc- Hons— indeed, before he had been a minute at work —the " spud " and " graip " were snatehed from him. aa he had expected. An aristocratic heel, concealed in a huge "tacketty" boot, laced half-way up the leg, was driving in the prongs of the "graip," and a plant was receiving food in the only proper mmttam i&mSm 142 CINDEBELLA. "Helio, Cams, what wind blew you here? I wish Lr W •*. -^^ "^^ blow from that wheelbarrow to my myself Did you ever study the theory and applicatiS of court manures, Cams? Just move the barrow a yard to leeward, will you? No? Whatever didT you spend your time on in coUege ? You can go, Thomson The Master of Darroch will assist me ! Now teU me SatSgr;-?"'^''^' ""^^"^^^ ^^« *^« ^^^ ^^- ^- tinn«l'iJTr\^^*^" name that this most unconven- tional of Duchesses was in the habit of referring to her son-m-law. ^ JJi^iT^f^ ^''?' grandmother ! » said Carus, offer- ing to take the spud and graip out of her hands. . .^°^L "^11^^ ^®' ^'*''®' *^^&% astonished at his te; i%^^' T^^ i^^^* ^^ acquainted with all the fn^f /p^?^'^*S^^^*^^* ^^ *^^« to shovel dung to my satisfaction. Do ye reaUy think, Carus, that what So with Carus at the '* trams" of the wheelbarrow and the Duchess feeding the roote of h^ ro^""^ daintily as if they had been sick canary birds th^ tale of Glen Som was told. ^ ' ^® "What did I tell ye?" cried her Graoi* ««+««« - hand on her hip in tie attitude of a fishwife l^tfn^ her creels against a railing while she « r^dds " up f fnend s character over the way. « I think I hear fiim -your interest '-* safeguards '-' burdens ' ! Truly «ilu S -1 ^ ^ '''' gumptionless Eve, that he should beguile me. The burdens he put on himself- ' your interest • forsooth, when all thi^s is Just tTat i^ may get tenthousand to squander on besoms like "_ uf^A xu . 9"^"^ entered into unnecessary detail) And that for his threats, Carus." (Here the Duchess snapped her loamy fingers.) « TherJ>s aye ^ mu^'^ ^^■iitri I iiii'i I "ii.. CINDBBBLLA. 143 mnfW^oT,^** 7!?}** you advise me to do first, grand- "Get another fill from John Tamson » said th« Duchess of Niddisdale, "and when I have done tWs Ust row ru ^et peace and ease to cast my mind over *yri T '''** ^''^^^^ teaching the young man to observe ^e^ no'^ZJf/r "* J^ Vo^«e^ but the old Ti; owned no bndle for her tongue. And to do her ustice, she would have spoken £> the f uU as f mnWy in the verv face of my Lord Darroch himself and moreover, We ^en most grateful for the o^rtunHy: After she had cleansed her hands and given a perfunctory dabble to her face at the sto^cSc of a garden watering-pipe, she called out "^7e je I napkin Cams ? » Cams instantly plucked one from She rubb^ her large-featured good-hiSnoured fiS with It and as she finished off by poUshing W hands she took up the burden of her^prophecyf It has been in my mind, Carus, that ye were in danger of Woming somewhat overcaSfiJ and prnicketty. But I have hopes of vou v^ fiir ihi. 18 a good stieve linen napkin,^one of ;^i1>' L^' Mid cambnc that make the young men of the day lit ^olah and Aholibah, thatVinted their eyeS Ind decked them with ornamente and other applrel ! whaff £[l t^ »P««f Gary's daughter, Cai-us, this is Z. +»r IT' ^^loo^^-see ! That is neither here T^^^' T^«y,f '^"ot tie ye to a bed-post and ma^ uddie?" ^'^ * * ^'*^^ y^^s^ ^^'^ ^^^ yo". father that I would have nothing to 4o witl» ^ther 1- ^1 ^' il I4i CINDEBBLLA. entail-brealdng or wife. Am I to go back to my father with a finger m my mouth ' " j^ w «ir^^?/SP* did ye?" cried her Grace, indignantly, un nZ^ ^^"^ J""? telling you, lad, if'ye h^flared up oftener and higher-as hfgh as Etna and as often as-your grandmother! Nor do ye need to gang back with any finger m your mouth. What for need ye to be beholden to the Old Adam to introduce ye to the lass? She «)mes of as good blood as yourself on the * woman' side of the shilling. And when ye are tiunking of marrying, that is the only one to bJ con- wiU be worth kissmg by daylight. She was a beauty m the year '30-1 mean 'SO-and my yery eood friend I ma^ed poor NiddisdaJe, and sh^e alfent K laird, but neither of us wa« the better or the worse for that. Aye good friends we were till the day of her death, as when we skelpit it oyer the braes barefoot and bareleg, wild as colts turned out to the hill " .J'^A^'l^^'' this fashion her Grace of Niddisdale coun- seUed her grandson with the wisdom of an expert; in affairs and a woman of the world. Cams had always been a fayoujite with her, and wheneyer he rode oyer tT ?T?-^ ""^^^ chestnut, his grandmother used to look at him and say, "Ye should be clothed in blue Bilk, my young Assyrian captain ! " woulT Mk^° y«>^ caU me that, grandmother?" the boy Then the old lady would sigh a little and answer. Aye me and the days that were-the days that were But It shall not be an auld wife's fault if ye be not clothed in scarlet and other devices-which, being interpreted, means that ye shall haye the whe^with^ to haye your fling hke every other proper lad. May I be there to see ! And I shall also Sye vou ad^ce J^n^tiie best kinds of fling-yery judicious S « I^^^ ^H' ^?," f "^ ^'""^ ^ °*®' grandmother ? '» .f^^']?l \ '^® """^l^ ""^P^^' "^^ tJ^a* is a long ■tory. It has been my blessing, or my bane (I kenn^ CINDERELLA. 145 gJUXlrP^ ^°" ^™ ""« «»* •"'"tout aare. But that mSds me ^i^"" *" "T^ °" t^e scene. love with another. Are vJ>u ir. iL! n *^* o® "i with it, lad. I shaU c^^Jr^l ff- 1' ^^^"^ ^ 0«* vou for if wu • certamlj think none the less of 8hLd?'>- ^^" " ^^^^^^'^ Niddisdale that she "On my honour, no, grandmother ! " takes ve. Carno 1 Tir;«^ •<.» , . ® '^^'^ "i® lass the AuZe »»'"ii't%'"'th:'tetd thtr^' looJduY'fri'^ifefSa^^Sl'J^ -"'But i, .e'a« 10 .-u "J* CHAPTER XXI. The Four "Woelds op Empress Gate. TLi^-\^^®Q.-^r*'^®''^;^'*''f 7®^^ ^^ ^der, the lorphichan-Stirhng girls had enough beauty and money to be attractive to three-fourths of mankind enough sense to be tolerable to the other quarter, and —what was doubtless a chief factor in rendering the house in Empress Gate an agreeable resort— the tact to keep their father and mother in the background with- out appearing to do so. By almost universal acclamation Ethel was allowed to be the beauty of the trio. Victoria was a fine handsome girl of the more dashing sort. But that type had not yet fuUy come m, along with the decay of lawn-tennis and the apotheosis of golf. Claudia— well, Claudia sat in comers, and it was pleasant enough to sit in comers also-when you could not get Ethel. Indeed, Claudia, on her own merits, was as yet no more than the snapper-up of Ethel's unconsidered trifles. But for all that, the youngest Miss Torphichan-Stirling was the cleverest of the three by a very great deal. Devoted to her elder sister as Claudia apparently was, she secretly aspired to quite another r6le. She beheved from an early age that knowledge is power and she had studied under several able instructresses. She knew how to sting a dull man by a whip cracked over his vanity, how to astonish a clever one by an unexpected qmp, generaUy at the expense of another woman, or how to draw on a reluctant cavalier by a bold sally. Then she had taught Ethel a code of f!?**?.!: ?"^ "^^^^^ co™e in or go out, according to the lift of Ethel's eyelids, or telegraph to her helio- CINDERELLA. 147 excluding the coteries of tfc servant,- fc,f. /"' 8epa«Lte and independent worlds!!^" betw^i' ^Z stand the iS-ir^liSro^trest. Sn^ '^"■ tttt^" n^L?^ ""^^^^^ sometimes considerably out ^ *^'°^ *^ take pUce. having" thl ^n"2Sn;,l ^^^^17^ 148 CINDEEELLA. own imd her sister's foreheads with bay— or even with rtrawberry leaves. As to the third world, its perfume was tobacco, its temnle enclosure and court of the Gentiles being the smoking and bUliaxd rooms (added by Sylvanus against his prmciples, but with the strongest feeling of their necessity), and its Holy of Holies a certain nondescript barracks at the top of the house, full of aU manner of long-seated cane chairs, pipe-racks, guns, rods, golf- clubs, dressing-gowns, with a table for Vic to sit on and swmg ner legs while the men talked horse and race- course, rod and gun, wine, women, and the music-hall song of the moment. This comfortable lumber-room was called, for no particular reason, " Tom's study." To it a few approved men were sometimes invited to ascend "after you have got through with Eth." But the apartment was strictly tabooed, not only to the majority of « Eth's wild beasts " and " tame cats," but to the young lady herself, and her aider and abetter, Claudia. ' "See here, you fellows," Tom would say upon occasion, "light up and smoke like chimneys, or these cnmpy girls from the Blue-room will be joming up to spoil the fun. Light up, Vic, old gal— here's a gold- tip for you ! " "^ And in five minutes there would arise a white cloud suffocating like the smoky steam from a score of high- pressure engines— not the dim blue haze pervading and fragrant as incense which gathers when men are smok- ing slowly and with their souls in the evening oblation. Ihis faked-up pother would not have deceived a man for a moment— even Vic v aald have detected the impos- ture. But " bless you," as Tom declared, " Eth and Clau will never know that we have not been at it for hours." ^en, when, having themselves "got through" with their visitors in the Blue Drawing-room the two young iadies of the house (Vic being avowedly one of the "feUows ') were heard gingerly ascending the wooden stairs, Tom would wave his arms wildly " to mix things," as he said, occasionally animadverting, in -#^-N CINDERELLA. 140 rSS SlV ?°^oke as if you meant it ! " thJSSsfSl^fafsSS.r*^^' ^^' ^^«^^« ^-'- «Cor£,Tdl?rl!^*^^^^' the war, Tom would cry. "Ugh ! ugh! You horrid wretches, you have an atmosphere as thick a« black fog. liid^he smeS^ ^me Claudia, we shaU be Uke costel^hi a m^ute J b{%^' T"^ f^."^ *^® ^^'^ of ^ public-house !^> • «^r^t K*"""^ Sa*^\^^° ^ on their feet. Look here, Eth— hold on ' " Didn^t'^wf ' ^^' ®*^'"°^ ' ^«'" «l^"t off stea^! /inowV" '^ ^"" ^"'" ^«^^& "P •' Awfullj sorry; JklVe^Su^D^^^^^^^^^ -- ^^-7 "and «JfmVn??if'" *^»*« Claudia would mediate, sadly; haTe sSye^ l"' *^'°^ *^"^*« °^^' *-o ! I wish we co Jd in '^vl fourth and last circle of this doubtful Paradise WM^u«t «mp!i- '°^^^oo°^ »^d the day-nursery, which was just emerging mto the " children's parlour." This Sbe G^r nl' ™ *.^u" ^T*^^* «f StanW Lot, ^d Sor M^s ]V^f„T' -^^ Inquisition and fioly Office of ^mof s«v^Hf ""°^^*^^ ^^^'^^"i^' and the lecture- room of several tutors and masters during the day— the a h^d Jfir^.^"! ^ ^"^^ ^^- Cl«^«oe Shimnglaw! tut^t^M t ^^'^-^^"^■i"? Scot, than whom no lltte; tutor could have been obtained for such Crim Tartars as T^r^r ^"^'' "^ *\" ^^"«« «f Torphichan-sS! ticular'^fffT'?' "T?" ??? ^^^^^ ««* a"