Page 69 (1/2)

And yet, when the visitor rose at last to go, Alison was al to be alone with her sister, and have that power of sympathy

put to the test by those clear eyes that ont to see her through

and through She ith Rachel to the door, and stood taking a last

instruction, hearing it not at all, but answering, and relieved by the

delay, hardly knohether to be glad or not that when she returned

Rose was leaning on the arer

face But Rose was to be no protection, for as passing between her

and her aunt?

"O auntie, I a back He is just like the picture

you drew of Robert Bruce for entleman speak to you in such: a nice soft voice"

Alison had no difficulty in s as Ermine stroked the child's hair,

kissed her, and looked up with an arch, blushing, glittering face that

could not have been brighter those long twelve years ago

And then Rose turned round, impatient to tell her other aunt her story

"O aunt Ailie, we have had such a gentlereat brown