Year: 1866

ndu emerSeu from d huOG Ol SeHItulel
who were making the circuit of the room
and an examination of the pictures with
the ease of free-masonry of privileged pro-
fessional frequenters of the place.


Jess scarcely noticed this at first. Hel
heart leaped to greet her brother, and al
the same time she was terrified lest her IA
ther should think there had been an ap
pointment perhaps through Aunt Peggy,
and that she had deliberately betrayed him
into meeting with his son whereas Jess
had known nothing even of the picture,
had been as much struck by the sight of il
as the minister, and had only entered the
exhibition on the impulse of the moment
when she read it's name, determined to pay
that mark of respect to Sandy, and with
what lurking notion of establishing COM
munication or provoking an incounter be-
tween them she had not dared to tell her
self


Jess was in dread of how the minister
would behave to Sandy she might have
known her father better, in his sound sense
and old-fashioned code of politeness.


" How are you, Sandy? 2" the minister
asked, holding out his hand to his son, as
if nothing had happened


Sandy was great deal more put out as
he took the offered hand and shook it, and
said in breath, 81 am glad to see you
looking SO well, father and, Jess, when
did you come to town j"


Mr. Stewart satisfied his sons curiosity
with a word, and then it was in entire
keeping with the man, that his next words
were in indignant reprobation,- ..


"Sandy, how dared you make your fam
ily ra1inr.stock ON tho uol1S of n pnh1ic
exhibition without even asking their leave?"


81 did not think you would dislike it so
much, sir" stammered Sandy. There are
names, and did not fancy the original
would be generally recognized The pic
ture is sold to a friend"


"Sold !" exclaimed Mr. Stewart, with a
great increase of anger and a culver of
CONSERVATION in his voice chow could
you do such thing? Who is the buyer?"


81 meant to take copy, as l could not
afford to keep what | believe is the best
thing have done, though have sold some
other subjects readily enough since my re-
turn. dare say should have altered
tnis had not the buyer been an old friend.
He bought it at my own price the first
mornlng he saw IT," Sandy expatiated, with
pard0nabe pride He should be Judge
Of the ILLNESSES, when he is one Of your
own parishioners. He was here to-day,
and yonder he is finding you out -Birk-
! holm"


Misfortunes do not come alone, nor do
old friends meet singly. Adam Stottis-
woode was delighted to come in this man
ner upon the Stewards, and share the
pledge of reconciliation which the group
implied, to take it boldly as an omen of
other alliances For Birkholm still han
! kered after Jess with an inextinguishable
! hankering, which was beginning to deepen
into the glow of true love In all his ex-
perience Of life for the last year or two, he
had seen nobody yet to come up to Jess
Stewart -....


People from the same parish of Cloven-
ford, the Stewards and the laird, encoun-
tering each other in the wilderness Of
city, were like one family already and the
| laird improved the occasion by attaching
| himself assiduously to the Stewards, as he
( would not have had the confidence to do in
! the Den Of Birkholm, acting on the princi-
pie that it would be disrespectful to his
minister not to join his ranks when they
turned up in public place among stran-
gers, and that in these circumstances he
had as good right to investigate narrow
| ly VIXEN the minister and Jess had come,
where they were staying, and when they
were going home, as if he were as minutely
acquainted with the daily routine of their
| lives when he was at Birkholm and they at
Clovenford And without doubt BirkhoIm's
comely manly, gentleman-like presence
was like kind, kenned face" to the min
| lister and Jess in Edinburgh, however light
| ly they might regard it in their parish
Jess opened her eyes little at his atten-
| ton, but she did not repulse him, and the
minister only staggered him for moment.


Birkholm, you'll give up that picture +;
! it is mine by double right !" ....
The next instant Birkholm was eagerly
assuring the minister, 1t is yours, Mr.
| Stewart do not say another word about
it," and accrediting with a throb of Iri-
umph that he had earned the minister's
gratitude.


The picture was not Mr.. Stewards, how
| ever, ia the sense which Birkholm intended
at first The minister would pay him
| every pound of his money for it, though it
should stint his small purse and the laird
had the wit to see, soon, that if he would
stand we'll with the high-spirited old man,
he must refrain from offering him gift of
his wife and children's portraits Gas for the
minister's own, the minister might not have
! minded that. Until Birkholm had title
| to be painted ON the same canvas, he had
| better be modest in his favors.


Mr. Stewart took another lingering look
at the picture after it was his own, and ex
| amined Sandy strictly on its removal and
packing, a little nettled that it was at the
| service of the Academy for week or two
longer Afterwards the minister made the
rest of the round of the room on Sandy's
arm, freely availing himself of his sons In
formation, and making pertinent remarks,
which were honorable to the shrewd criti-
cism of an old prejudiced ignoramus
Before the picture of "John Knox Preach
ing to the Regent" not without correspond,
ing fire in the handling, Mr.. Stewart stood
still again, and commended it warmly. He
finished by more personal admission,
worthy of the minister, a halfsmile playing
over his powerful features Sandy, your
art is far below the cure of souls, yet own
there is something in it, after ALL But il
| was your mothers face that beat me-"
Birkholm accompanied Jess, and saw no
necessity for concealing from her what had