Year: 1871

" Have you sent for Walter ?" asked Pen.


ME, her eyes fixed upon his face.
4 4" Yes"


And then he sat down calmly in his place,
and VIC read together, while Penuic stood
! silent, leaning agains, the window frame. |
did not know whether she was glad that she |
should see Walter so soon, or sorry for his
, pleasant excursion to be interrupted.


Each day now, as soon as our studies we're
over, Scot went homo and in the afternoon
, Pennie drove me to Faster Hill, and leaving
! me in the carriage at the gate, went up to the
house on foot to see Walters mother. She


never stopped very long, though | am sure
J that if Mrs. Cowen had liked to have had her
! she would have taken up her abode there to |
watch aud nurse by night and day. But the |


sick mother cared for no one only counting
the hours before her son should come, and
frettiug that Scot had not bade him hasten.
: The day when Walter might have arrived had |


passed, and only then could / see how unques.
tionaby Pcunie had depended on his coming |.
E She seemed bewildered unable to believe he


was not in the train, and she stood on the
: platform as it rolled away, her yearning eyes
g following it pitcously


There were so many hindrances possible,


l told her so many unforeseen things might
0 have occurred to delay him But she never
e answered me word and when that whole


week went by and still he did not come, her
z silence grew more distressing to me than pas
/ sonate grief or anger.


On the last day the post brought two let
, ters. Ono for Peune, which she read with
r cold, tight lips, then threw across to me; and
o one for Scot, which he had taken away with
B. him unopened.


), The old lady was so fdgetty Walter
n wrote that it would be ridiculous to suppose


that she really meant him to come home from
/, such distance, and have the bore and ex.
= pense Of going back when her little attack Of


fear had subsided She wanted him with her
c, In the meantime he had written to her and it
e. would be all right.


y read no more folded the letter, and


passed it back to Pennie, asking her il she
to did not think it would be better for Scot to
have holiday for a time, that he might not


feel his duties pulling him two different ways.
to "No, Charlie" she said at once. Papa
or and both think las you would if you had been
d, to see Mrs. Cowen), that it is better for Scot
n. to have his old work If he were constantly
es with her, iretting as she always is for Walter


it would harass and weary him more than this
ng change does. She never expresses a wish to
If have him always there yet be is a tender,
n, cheerful nurse, Charlie
It. did not answer, for Just then Scot came
nd in, greeting us both with his gentle smile


He had been to the station--a iruitless er.
hit rand now and Peunie had never been since
N, that first hopeful day-and could see by he
nut glance at his solitary figure, as he came up
ess that the old hope had been with her thi
me morning. | had thought it would be so, be
be cause by this time Walter might have arriye
are in answer to the letter she herself had sen
od urging him TO come.


IL think my letter must have miscarried
cid Scot }" she asked with a quiet wistfulness
at " don't you2"


he Oh, he would be sure to come SEQ
ne, said, looking quickly away from her face
k There was no placing dependence on ioreigl


posts"


"Suppose you were to write again pro
r's posed Pennie, deferentialy.


That was exactly what he had been think
the ing. There must have been some mistake il
10 the last address.


Gro "Wouldn'tit have come back in that case
of | suggested


,es- We certainly ought not to expect II Dac
nd. 80 soon," he decided But be would not wa
rch for it he would write again at once.
,bt And after he had left us, could not hel
g. telling Penuie what | had heard at the po
20. offce-that every night letter went fro
Won Scot to his brother With large Immediat,
Sm on the envelope.


lse, Pennie turned away from me IN angry he'
en- /? What does he write then Why do
rt" he not write what will bring walter HON
ere. and not fret and worry him, yet keep hi
, be there while his mother is-dying2 " Th


her wrath and courage broke down, and 81