es a-singing,

flitter-mice we

s turning golde

e spr

opper-"

d," said my brother, comin

ok my

hand at

f in our parish before long, if matt

Ardmuirland. For our lads usually fetched partners from elsewhere, and maidens being

h you!" cried Val triumpha

my brains t

Lamont, and it

sked. But I saw

e said. "I'll tel

I was no

gination! Is Christ

Of course not! Who

"There are obstacles in the way at present. D

bank! Why, they'

I don't know alre

s, I believe-one very middle-aged and the other less so.

and moreover, remarked quite spontaneously that he intended coming to church with his wife after they were married-a most unusual undertaking in these cases. H

se almost insurmo

of a ready-made family on the wages of a mere plowman-except, of course, in the style of a common laborer, and he is far above that. The best way out of the difficulty would be for Christian to manage the house at Redban

what did yo

s farm bailiff or manager. He is thoroughly up to it all, for he has been practically mana

do anything for him, do you think? Christian has already lost a husband in the s

the same terms," said Val with an amused laugh.

satisfied with

, pleasant manner with him, and is altogether superior to an ordinary crofter. It would be a

age, do yo

ite a lad, for

ight, certainly,"

e knew of nothing suitable at present. But he would keep the case

scussing ways and means. But the weeks slipped by, and we found ourselves no nearer to a solu

ing expensive, we had carefully instructed our ordinary correspondents that we preferred the humbler post-card, as a rule. When a telegram did arrive, therefore, i

ts to see you co

octor, and sent from one of

is den, where he wa

my coming with

t of all things,

ad started, and before night h

visitors were coming and going. Each one's pleasures, comforts, and advantages were the business of the hour. Yet in some chamber overhead a momentous crisis was at hand for one poor, lonely man, who had to leave behind him this scene of busy life, to enter upon an eternity of weal or woe. Upon the passing moments everything depended for him; he had to prepare to meet his God. Around him things were taking their usual course; it mattered little to the majority of the people under that roof whether he lived or died, and less still

ncountered a priest coming down. He regarded Val with evident interest, then stopped and accosted him. He proved to be one of the neighboring

take to his bed at once. A doctor was sent for, and found him suffering from heart disease, which had already reached an advanced stage. In spite of every attention the patien

red, and Gowan lay in a weak state, hovering between life and death. I could not but think of the lasting gratitude of Christian Logan and her children, which had led them to

ption of him had been all that could have been desired. The man expressed sincere sorrow for his ill behavior, and begged Val's forgiveness. But what was still more sa

matter. "He was just explaining that fact when he had another bad

me after, having never recovered consciousness. The Catholic nurse had sent for Val a few minutes after he had rejoined me. We both went to

h search had failed to discover anything in the shape of a will among the dead man's effects in Glasgow, and it was supposed to be in the keeping of the American lawyer. When tidings did arrive, they were such as to fill us with consternation. The will in the lawyer's possession was dated more than

zled, but n

el absolutely satisfied that there is another w

l his exact wo

ousin Christian." He fancied that just before the attack occurred he

good a man of business to make such a remark

yer to delay action until the new will should turn up.

y brother was the only person to whom Gowan had spoken on the subject of a second will. I was too much interested in

s was indeed not reassuring. Every scrap of paper left behind by Gowan had been carefully examined by one of his responsible clerks, but nothing in the shape of a will had been discovered. Had there been no previous will, Christian Logan's boy might have claimed the estat

wyer, summing up his report, "that there i

ll. He sent for me to tell me so, and to ask me to help the Logans

hastily, as he noticed Val's air of protest. "But it has often come within my experience that a man in such a weak state may persuade him

such was the case in the present instanc

e clothes, traveling-cases, rugs, and such like, which it would be absurd to send to America, and equally absurd to sell. They will be something

to introduce us to the manager, and left us when we ascended to the room occupied by the de

us to summon a servant, when we had examined things to our

t no document could have been passed unnoticed. The room, too, was quite clean and in order. Val, like myself, seemed rather depressed at the state of things. There was no receptacle where any paper could have been stowed away that had not been thoroughly ransacked by the

by a mania for searching, I took out each paper and carefully assured myself that nothing had slipped underneath. Val, roused by my action, began to poke into the d

ly searched as thoroughly as I could do. Out came the drawers, one after the other, and were deposited on the floor. The bottom drawer was rather tight, and would not come out easily; but I got it out with an extra ex

Here it is!" I

e room to read the p

ht!" was his exclam

ng the printed heading of the hotel. Across it

and testament of me,

, U. S. A. I revoke all

le of the property of w

of Ardmuirland, Scotlan

d Logan, of Ardmuirla

DER JOH

16, 1

paper that meant so much to us. "It's not an imposing document, but

to realize that. He had probably slipped it into the drawer where some of his clothes were, meaning to hand it to Val. The drawer must

*

ed up for the ceremony and the nuptial Mass-for the bridegroom had suggested that it would be well to begi

by pots of money. But it would suit neither Lachlan nor his wife to lead an idle life.

said to be able to do everything exce

for the church or for himself he has but to mention it. Indeed, he had

now and again, it