“Grappled them to his soul with hooks of steel,”

And believed in them to the last extremity of faith that was possible.

So, whether Captain Bruce came under the latter category or the former, his conduct was passed over, waiting for future explanation when Lord Cairnforth returned home, as now, every day, he was wearying to do.

“But I will be back again in pleasant Edinburg next winter,” said he to one of his new friends, who had helped to make his stay pleasant, and was sorely regretting his departure.  “And I shall bring with me some very old friends of mine, who will enjoy it as much as I shall myself.”

And he planned, and even made preliminary arrangements for a house to be taken, and an establishment formed, where the minister, Helen, and, indeed, all the Cardross family, if they chose, might find a hospitable home for the ensuing winter season.

“And how they will like it!” said he, in talking it over with Malcolm one day.  “How the minister will bury himself in old libraries, and Miss Cardross will admire the grand shops and the beautiful views.  And how the boys will go skating on Dunsappi Loch, and golfing over Bruntsfield Links.  Oh, we’ll make them all so happy!” added he, with pleasure shining in those contented eyes, which drew half their light from the joy that they saw, and caused to shine in the eyes around him.

It was after many days of fatiguing travel that Lord Cairnforth reached the ferry opposite Cairnforth.

There the Castle stood, just as he had left it, its white front gleaming against the black woods, then yellow and brown with autumn, but now only black, or with a faint amber shadow running through them, preparatory to the green of spring.  Between lay the beautiful loch, looking ten times more beautiful than ever to eyes which had not seen it for many long months.  How it danced and dimpled, as it had done before the squall in which the earl’s father was drowned, and as it would do many a time again, after the fashion of these lovely, deceitful lochs, and of many other things in this world.

“Oh, Malcolm, it’s good to be at home!” said the earl, as he gazed fondly at his white castle walls, at the ivy-covered kirk, and the gable end of the Manse.  He had been happy in Edinburg, but it was far sweeter to come to the dear old friends that loved him.  He seemed as if he had never before felt how dear they were, and how indispensable to his happiness.

“You are quite sure, Malcolm, that nobody knows we are coming?  I wished to go down at once to the Manse, and surprise them all.”

’Ye’ll easy do that, my lord, for there’s naebody in sight but Sandy the ferryman, wha little kens it’s the earl himsel he’s kepit waiting sae lang.”

“And how’s a’ wi’ ye, Sandy?” said Lord Cairnforth, cheerily, when the old man was rowing him across.  “All well at home—­at the Castle, the Manse, and the clachan”?