White Fire

nock again. Not but what she had been there many times in betw

many changes in

ildhood, though the features were more pronounced and matured. But the chief impression it left upon you was still that of eager questioning, a great longing to know, tempered somewhat by years and freed

uch, and was not wanting in good deeds and charity. Her income was about ten times as large as was really good for her, an

ould have none of them. She was enjoying herself exceedingly, and fulfilling in their entirety the aspirations of her childhood

inor as well as the major accomplishments of a gentlewoman, such as had obtained during her own long apprenticeship to that high estate. And that is how it came to pass that Mis

to what she considered their proper place in the economy of her life, and, later,

f things as they came. Her husband had been a professor in Edinburgh, and the society he and she had enjoyed in the modern Athens, thirty years before, was her standard of what society ought to be. She was, however, each year becoming more reconciled to the disparities of the lighter age with which John Arnot's great success in life had forced her into contact. And Jean had been to her as her own daughter would have been, if she had had one, since the day she fir

her times. On such occasions Aunt Jannet went to Edinburgh and lived again in the past, but in a yearly narrowing c

since they no longer sat upon her and answered her erstwhile inconvenient questions by gentl

table; for she lived twenty to their one, and, moreover, posse

irteen inches long. She promptly scandalised them by going to the Tontine and putting up there. Then they gave way, and she had them. After that she was capable of anything, and they submitted to all her whims, which were always pretty and thoughtful ones, and-she assured them, just as they had been wont to assure her in the days o

ich their independency kicked, but in which, ne

hat only with clever handling; and they would no more have accepted bald gifts of money t

her dearly, rejoiced in her greatly, were proud of her, and wondered much when it would all come to an end in the centering of her thoughts

all approaches which might tend, even remotely, to any self-revelations. That there were no revelations to make only added piq

old Mr. MacTavish had retired long ago, and a younger man occ

asms which were generally at white heat and-which is more unusual-remained so. The older generation said he kept them on the perpetual "kee-vee" to see what he would do next; the younger people enjoyed him and the service he exacted from them. And on Sundays they all, old and young, always turned out both mornin

n amount of quiet amusement, and, apart from other feelings,

his people, which turned out, as his arrangements generally did, a perfect succes

en years ago, and spent half an hour with him, just incidentally hearing his name, it is doubtful if you w

the pulpit where the Rev. Archibald lorded it alone as a rule. The voluntary ceased, and he stood

hat none of us has taken a still nearer and dearer-than-all-otherly interest in him"-at which Fastneticism a smile rippled round. "Our young friend leaves this week to begin his work in the South Seas, where, as you know, he is about to join that

his seat in a front pew and

uietly, young Blair rose in th

er jump with surprise. He had spoken quite naturally, but there was a ring in it that told of immense possibilities behind, and ther

hested-a commanding figure in truth. It occurred to others besides Jean that if the natives needed more forcible arguments than words for their conversion, here was a likely man for the work. Light-haired and clean-shaven,

urely she had met h

d then only for half an hour, and under very differe

ld the key, to go find it, and sat gazing at him to give them such light as that might

noble Christian gentleman," he said, in a burst of enthusiasm. He asked them for their help, their prayers, their symp

s words were illuminating and full of power, and now and again were flung out white hot from the glowing heart within. Though he spoke for t

ies and pitfalls; but there was no doubt that his whole heart was in his work

hough perhaps at that time the inducement was chiefly the unknown, and the inhabitants, I fear, appealed to m

k, and stared at him as though she had only that

e was looking at and listening to-a new man, but an old friend. And she was sitting on one piece of rock eating co

different texture from most other boys. And so he had got what he wanted-the greatest prize a ma

e rich, and a lady, and do as she liked. Truly h

all the time. Her mind was away back to the hillside by the Cut, and it was onl

people went forward for that purpose, Jean's aunts among them, and she wit

d the straight blue eyes looking i

njoyment of his little surprise. "Now we have you, Blair. This lady, at all event

hand and looked stead

was stopped abruptly by a peremptor

suddenly into a smile of enjoyable reminiscen

Blair," she said brightly. "How wonderful t

have recognised me, Miss Arnot? We are bo

Rev. Archibald jovially. "I had n

Blair, with a smile. "I was keeping Highland cattle from goring little gi

still farther. I congratulate you very heartily. It

am very

d Fastnet on to speak about her, and offered him the best induceme

ht and deed, and incidentally mentioned that he had seen or heard some rumour of her possible marriage with

s doubtless a most worthy individual, but I know absolutely nothing whatever about him. Jean Arnot knew exactly as much, and one does not, as a rule, marry a man one knows absolutely nothing

od sort?" a

lder brother is not strong, so if it comes off you may perh

taking in her face-it is so bright and eager." Then he laughed at his thoughts. "I remember, that day up on the Cut, I quite accidentally hi

nd that she was especially curious to know all about what came after this life. She said she thought the thought that she was going to solve that g

spend his last two days with his old friends, Mr. and Mrs. MacTavish.

-the very day after little Jean Arnot's prattle had set him on the boy's tra

agricultural home. He knew the sturdy independence that would be in the boy; and, in his own full

e had learned, as a boy, that greatest of lessons-how to learn. The rough experiences of his boyhood on the hillside had given him splendid health and a body that never tired. He was tough as wire, and, among other things, was known at college for that passion for personal cleanliness which, in its earlier days, had helped to introduce him to Jean Arnot on t

toil, since it was only the natural satisfaction of a great heart-craving. Then he had come across Gerson, h

Gerson, "and I'll have

ero!" said Blair. "I'm h

and on Thursday they were to sail together for the oute

side the veil at all events. We'll hope to meet on the other side," he

t the Greenock church, incidentally mentioned Miss Arnot, b

dear boy, what at the time I deemed wisest to treasure within the repository of my own heart. It was from Miss Jean Arnot that I first heard about you. It was in consequence of her delight

t?" said the youn

y never told her, and I never told you, because I had been a studious herd-laddie myself, and I kn

ing me now, sir. It i

," Blair broke out abruptly a little later on, and the old g

ke, if you really think the knowledge

it woul

hich gave her very deep pleasure. And

o. The knowledge of it would be an additional spur, if any spur were needed. Time may come, however, when the remembrance of your kindness and all it has done for me, unconscious though it was, may nerve me for some critical passag

and bright, and beautiful, and

faith

ETH B

and put it carefully into a special corner of her desk, and then imme

lands, and was surprised to discover in herself a curious feeling of loss, as though something had gon

ardly given him a thought; and yet his going left a little blan

all come about, and of the share she herself had unconsciously had in the making of him-well, perhaps after all it was not so odd. For she had felt a sudden glow of pa

r than she had ever thought of any man be

why does that herd-ladd

come to the conclusion that it was, after all, only a case of the heart per

, she actually found herself sitting on that very same piece of rock where she had sat ten years before,

t leaning forward with her chin in her hand. "But I don't believ

renuously washing ever since. What a radiant face he had! It did not come from much washing, she knew; but somehow the two things

Long, Ben Lomond, Ben Ihme, The Cobbler, Holy Loch." She knew most of them still. How the sight of them all broug

ly; he was fulfilling the highes

ld be. And she remembered the touch of scorn with which the her

-one long, unceasing blessing. "Men may come and men may go, but we go on for e

creatures," said Jean Arnot, as she wandered