When her idea of a winter at school had to be abandoned, Grace gave him a few helpful class-books, and tried to direct his efforts to learn as much as was possible; but, during the past year, her aunt’s increasing weakness and dependence on her companionship made it impossible for Grace to give the boy such practical help as she would fain have done.  But Geordie had been fighting his own battle manfully, and had made more progress than Grace guessed.

Walter had first been telling her as they walked on the terrace together, that the day before he had found Geordie busy with a geography book as he tended his cattle, and how pleased he had been to hear about the new lands Walter had seen.  Like Elsie, Walter felt that, in Geordie’s mind, things seemed to gather a richness and an interest with which his own impressions had not clothed them.

“You’ve no idea how many queer questions the fellow asked me about everything,” continued Walter.  “Indeed, Grace, I couldn’t help thinking how much more good Geordie would have got out of all the things and places I’ve seen since I went away, than I have.  And yet he’s much too clever for a sailor’s life.  What can we do with him, Grace?  I really can’t bear to think of his drudging on as a farm servant to old Gowrie, though he seems quite contented with the prospect,” and Walter turned to Grace, who glanced at her brother’s kindly face with pleasure, though not unmixed with surprise, that he should take such an interest in her Sunday-scholar.

Walter seemed to look on Grace’s class rather in a humorous light when he first heard of its existence on his return to Kirklands.  And presently he had begun to grudge that she should devote herself to it, and thus deprive him of the pleasure of her society during the long Sunday afternoons, when they used to be together in the old days.  And, in the midst of all her joy in having her brother with her again, Grace had been feeling with sadness that there was as yet no response in Walter’s heart to those unseen, eternal things, which, in her efforts to share them with the little company on Sunday, had become increasingly vivid to her own mind.  He used occasionally to rally her on her new fancies, which he seemed to think quite harmless and suitable for a girl, provided they did not cross his plans and fancies.

One day, when he was on his way to fish, he had happened to meet Geordie, who was herding his cattle near the stepping-stones.  Geordie was a clever angler, and could wile more trout out of the river than most people, and Walter had been delighted with his information as to the fishing capabilities of the Kirklands river.  Since that day they had always been friends when they chanced to meet.  Walter could never see the sun-bleached locks gleaming in the distance without crossing whatever gate or field happened to lie between, and going to have a talk with him; so the boys had seen much more of each other than Grace knew.  She had often been obliged to leave “Walter to solitary rambles, owing to her aunt’s, increasing dependence on her during her long illness, so it happened that she felt some surprise when she saw Walter more moved than was his wont as he eagerly discussed plans for helping Geordie.