Robert Falconer

th his condition and pursuits. The doctor had likewise visited Rothieden, and had comforted the heart of the grandmother with regard to her Robert. From what

nest nature of the youth gradually assimilating into his life. He had too much respect for sorrow to approa

truth of Jesus, the life of Jesus. However his intellect might be tossed on the waves of speculation and criticism, he found that the word the Lord had spoken remained steadfast; for in doing righteously, in loving mercy, in walking humbly, the conviction increased that Jesus knew the very secret of human life. Now and then some great vision gleamed across his soul of the working of all things towards a far-off goal of simple obedience to a law of life, which God knew, and which his son

e affect their reality than the dulness of chaos disprove the motions of the wind of God over the face of its waters. He saw that any true revelation must come out of the unknown in God through the unknown in man. He saw that its truths must rise in the man as powers of life, and that only as that life grows and un

g heartily. Tall as he was, Robert's great black head towered above him, and his shoulders were like a rock against which Shargar's slight figure leaned. He looked down like a compassionate mastiff upon a distressed Italian grayhound. His eyes shimmered with feeling, but Robert's tears, if he ever shed any, were kept for very solemn occasions. He was more likely to weep for awful joy than for any sufferings either in himself or others. 'Shargar!' pronounced in a tone full of a thousand memories, was all the greeting he returned; but his great manly hand pressed Shargar's delicate long-fingere

on-I oughtn't to keep up an old nickname,' said Robert, as th

t, Robert, as I told you before. If any one else

octor?' asked Robert,

an A.M. now, and has distinguished himself besides. You'll see him in hi

as a rare occasion. He then rose, and with equal slowness, and a tremor in his voice w

nk the health of George Mo

e his cheeks. The men repeated the words, 'George Moray, Gentleman,' emptied their glasses, and resumed their seats. S

n, Dr. Anderson and Robert Falconer, it's you twa 'at's made me a

embling hand, emptied it to hide his feelings, but without su

o many empty souls that have hidden their talent in a napkin, and have nothing to return for it when the Master calls them. Having looked this one in the face, he felt stronger to meet those other places before which his heart quailed yet more. He knew that Miss St. John had left soon after Ericson's death: whether he was sorry or glad that he should not see her he could not tell. He thought Rothieden would look like Pompeii, a city buried and disinterred; but when the coach drove into the long stragglin

aid Robert, and to

d!' faltered she. 'He's ow

ed up her vo

she had not expected him till the evening

when Betty came in. If she had shown hi

or I wadna hae come into the room ohn chappi

e turned to l

bert, 'dinna be a gowk.

esolute, overcome at sight

ll jist awa' ower to Muckledrum, an' ha

ful threat, and the ice once broken, thing

ay hairs. The fields, too, had little change to show; and the hill was all the same, save that its pines had grown. His chief mission was to John Hewson and his wife. When he le

on the same crook for their supper. They rose, and asked him to sit down, but did not know him. When he told them who he was, they greeted him warm

indifferent cha

h Aberdeen yes

ng in the fire. His wife rose and went to the other end of the room, busying hersel

ie last nic

s a stone face, but Robert thought rather from the det

' weel ever sin'

fearing some outburst of indignation e

, an' he's sair pleased wi' her. She's a fine woman. But

the mother, but stil

oot it, and had only come to help her throu the warst o' 't; for it gaed hame 'maist as sune's

at for dinna ye speyk? Ye hear what Maister Faukner says.-Ye dinna think a thing's clean

eet. 'What ca' ye a spot?-Wuman, dinna drive me

there was ane thocht as muckle o' 't as ye do, an' wad hae b

' returned Hewson, look

r Lord 'cause he loot the wuman 'at was a sinner tak her wull o' 's feet-the feet 'at they war gaein' to tak their wull o' efter anither fashion afore lang. He wad hae shawn her the door-Simon wad-like you, John; but the Lord tuik her pairt. An' lat me tell you, John-an' I winna beg yer pardon for sayin' 't, for it's God's trowth-lat me tell you, 'a

, and buried his face in his hands. A

assie'

obert; and silen

o?' asked John, lifti

The lassie's hert's jist longin' efter

' assented

en his visitor rose he ba

er of such a message as made poor Jessie glad at

he threw himself down, and gazed into the heavens. The sun was below the horizon; all the dazzle was gone out of the gold, and the roses were fast fading; the downy blue of the sky was trembling into stars o

bandon myself to thee. Fill me with thyself. When I am full of thee, my griefs themselves will grow golden in thy sunlight. Thou holdest them and their cause, and wilt find some nobler atonement between them than vile forgetfulness and the death of love. Lord, let me help those that are wretched because they do not know thee. Let me te

same time accompany him in his visits to the poor. He did not at all mean, he said, to determine Robert's life as that of a medical man, but from what he had learned of his feelings, he was confident that a knowledge of medicine would be invaluable to him. I think the good doctor must have foreseen the kind of life which Fal

t been far less of an enjoyment to him than it was, he could yet hardly have failed of great progress therein; but seeing that it accorded with his best feelings, profoundest theories, and loftiest hopes, and that he re

, but in every individual case to take a new position whence the nature and history of the man should appear in true relation to the yet uncompleted result. He who cannot f

ards the close of the four years he had leave of absence, and was on his way home. About the same time Robert, in consequence of a

lk had vanished, and a firm step and soldierly stride had taken its place; his bearing was free, yet dignified; his high descent came out in the ease of his carriage and manners: there could be no doubt that at last Shargar was a gentleman. His hair had changed to a kind of red chestnut. Hi

pace with his body's change. It would be more correct to say that it had preceded and occasioned it; for however much the army

eir natures had grown both worthy and capable of more honour and affection. They had both much to tell; for Robert was naturally open save in regard to his grief; and Shargar was prou