, 1864-06-27

could be?" -.
"None' in the least" said the youngei
sister; "but this neigbbOrhOOd is filed with
bad characters, aud we have no doubt il
was some of them-for all Of them know.
we believe, that our father left us little
money. We have always dreaded this"
"In that case" said the soldier, l would
advise you to leave this directly, and 60 10
some place of greater safety" ~.
The sisters told him that they had, for
some time, meant to do so, and that they
intended going to Glasgow to reside.
What subsequently passed, on this event
ful night, between the sisters and their gal
liant protector, we will detail as briefly as
We can, in order to get at a more interesting
part of our story. Having again secured
the door, the soldier sat with his hostesses
by the fire till daylight, when, having pre-
viously partaken of plentiful breakfast,
he prepared to take the road. Just as he
was about to leave the house, the youngest
sister approached him, and after again ex-
pressing her gratitude for the protection he
had afforded them, slipped ten guineas into
his hand. The soldier looked at the glitter
ing coins for an instant, with a significant
smile, then, laying them down on table
that stood by
"Not a farthing," he said" not far
thing shall l take. consider myself suf-
ficiently paid by the shelter you afforded
me. l was bound to protect you while un-
der your roof, By admitting me last night
you saved my life-and l have saved yours ;
so accounts are clear between us. This, at
any rate" he added, laughingly, will ba-
lance them" And, soldier-like, he flung
his arms around James neck, and, ere she
was aware, had robbed her Of halfa-dOzen
hearty kisses.
This theft committed, he ran out Of the
door; but was almost Immediately after
called back again, by the elder sister, who,
ou his return, informed him that, as Jane
intended going into Glasgow on that day,
to inform her uncle Of what had happened,
and to mako arrangements for their instant
removal from Braehead, she thought her
sister could not do better than avail herself
of his company to thecity, and 60 with him
Just now. :" Besides" she said, 1 should
ike you to see our uncle, if you would be
so good as take step that length with Jane,
as you will be able to give a better account
Of theoeeurreuces of last night than she can,
and may better convince him Of the neees-
sity Of our leaving this instantly. Indeed,
! / do not know if he would believe our story
| at all, Of being attacked last night, unless
you were to corrObOrate it, he would think
it was just an invention to get away, as he
knows Of our anxiety to leave this"
The soldier was delighted with the pro-
pOsal, and did not attempt to -esneeal the
satisfaction he felt at having Jane, who, as
We have already said, was very pretty girl,
for companion into the city,
In few minutes Jane was prepared for
the journey, and in very few more she and
the young soldier were upon the road, and,
as the storm had now entirely subsidized,
they got on without much difficulty. What
conversation passed between them on this
occasion, we Know not, and can only con-
lecture from the result, which win be shortly
laid before the reader. That il was Of a
description, however, very agreeable to both,
there can be no doubt. ~3
In the meantime, our business is to fol-
low them into Glasgow, where they arrived
in little more than couple Of hours.
On reaching her uncles with her COM
panion, Jane was greatly disappointed, and
rather surprised, to learn from one of her
little cOusins-its mother being out Of the
way at the nloment-that Davidson was not
at home, and that he had gone to the eoun-
try on the previous night, and had not yet
returned.
"Then, where's your brOther?' inquired
Jane. ls4 d.of i r
"He's gone to the country, tOo,' said
the child. =
as he with your father?" z
"Yes." ~
@Did he go last night also:" % p a1s
"Yes." iisg
"And you don't know where they went
to, or when they will be home 7"
The child could not tell
AT this mOnfcnt the mother of the child
came in, and at once accounted for the alb
sence Of her husband and son, by saying
that they had got work at distance Of
some miles from the town, naming the
place, aud that she expected them home
that day, although she could not say when.
As the days were short, and her uncle's
return uncertain, Jane resolved on going
straight home again, and proposing to her
sister that they should, for that night at
any rate, remove, taking all their money
with them, to the friend Of their fathers
already alluded to, whose name was An-
dersOn. And this step the sisters accord
ingly took. ges -. s., -.
Leaving them thus disposed Of for a
short time, VIC shall return to their uncle's
house in Glasgow; and, by doing so, VIC
shall find there some things Of very ex-
traordinary character occurring. Shortly
after Jane had left her uncle's, that person
came home; but be returned q very differ.
ont man from what he had set out. Strong,
hale, and erect, though somewhat stricken
in years, when he went away, he now ap-
peared, as ke approached his own house,
CHASTITY pale, bent nearly double, and dread
fully weak and exhausted. He seemed, in
short, to be suffering from some cxcruciating
pain. He could hardly get along without
supporting himself by the walls Of the
houses he passed. On entering his own
house, he went directly to bed, without
speaking to any one, further than telling
his wife that he was very ill-that he had