The Gordon DNA Project:  www.TheGordonDNAproject.com 

A LEGEND OF THE GRAND GORDONS, 



MRS. ALEXANDER ROSS, 



Author of "VIOLET KEITH. 



SECOND EDITION. 



" The night cometh wet with clew ; 
Oh ! Father, let Thy light shine through. 



MONTREAL : 

PUBLISHED BY A.' A. STEVENSON; 
No. 245 ST. JAMES STREET. 

1875- 



Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one 
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, by MRS. ELLEN Ross } 
in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture. 



COPYRIGHT SECURED IN THE UNITED STATES. 



TO THE REVEREND ROBERT TRAILL, D.D., 
OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, 

The kind friend, unfailing adviser, and impartial critic 
of my literary labours. 

ELLEN Ross. 



2138225 



CHAPTER I. 

I'AGK. 

THE OLD HOUSE AT LEITH 3 

CHAPTEFl II. 
SABBATH IN THE Woods. THE GATES OF ZION 32 

CHAPTER III. 

WHO HATH BEGOTTEN THE DROPS OP DEW ? 55 

CHAPTER IV. 
A FAITHFUL SERVANT 67 

CHAPTER V. 
LADY GORDON'S WILL 75 

CHAPTER VI. 
SAUNDERS MITCHELL , 95 

CHAPTER VII. 
HUGH SEATON 106 

CHAPTER VIII. 
THE VOYAGE 112 

CHAPTER IX. 
GOVERNESSES. EARLY SHOP SHUTTING 139 

CHAPTER X. 
ISLE JESUS 151 

CHAPTER XI. 
A MARRIAGE AT THURLO\V 18G 

CHAPTER XII. 
MONTREAL 200 

CHAPTER XIII. 
TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL 234 

CHAPTER XIV. 
THR INDIAN'S HUT 251 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE FACE THAT TROUBLED HIM , 270 



11 INDEX. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER XV r. 
THE CONVENT OF THE HOLY CROSS 318 

CHAPTER XVII. 
LOST LETTERS. A DILEMMA 390 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
A WALK FROM THE POST OFFICE ; 413 

CHAPTER XIX. 
THK INDIAN'S WILLOW PIT 434 

CHAPTER XX. 
DEEP IN THE MIUE 449 

CHAPTER XXI. 

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRIORESS OF TflE HOLY CROSS '. 458 

CHAPTER XXII. 
THE PRISON. A SORE TEMPTATION 468 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
WORSHIPPING THE CHEAT SPIRIT. THE SACRIFICE OF THE WHITE DOG. 483 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
THE COURT HOUSE <196 

CHAPTER XXV. 
IR REGINALD GORDON 511 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
ONCE MODE ON THK SEA 543 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW 565 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

A STARTLING RENCONTRE 575 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

MARION'S DREAM. WHAT CAME OF IT 588 

CHAPTER XXX. 
" Ax EVENING TIME IT SHALL BE LIGHT! " .. 622 




THE GRAND GORDONS. 



CHAPTER I. 




"So giveth He His beloved sleep." 

doctor bade me open the window as wide 
as possible, and with noiseless steps I crossed 
the room and did his behest ; little good did 
the open window do the sick woman who was 
passing from Time to Eternity in the curtained bed 
opposite. 

The air was so thick .and heavy that it did not stir 
a single leaf on the elm whose branches almost 
touched the window panes, and the night so black 
that it made me shrink and think of " that darkness 
which can be felt ;" not a star in the heavens not a 
light in the neighbours' houses not a sound to bo 
heard save the moaning of the sea as she dashed her 
billows upon the great rocks away down on the shore 
beneath, obeying the command, and doing the work 
set her by the Eternal so many thousand years ago. 

I turned from the eerie sound to look on the pale 



4 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

quiet face, and listen to the deep, though, not laboured 
breathing of her who lay in that curtained room ; one 
who had long since found the pearl of great price, 
one who long ago could read her title clear to the 
mansion the Son of God went to prepare for those 
who desire to dwell therein, and yet, oh mighty 
human love, whose spirit could not pass to the better 
land, held by the strong cords of love to one, who all 
in that quiet household but the dying mother, deemed 
the inmate of an Eastern grave. 

A year before, when that sad letter came telling of 
her death, and Marion's tears fell like rain, Marion 
vrhom I never saw weep before or since, the mother 
laid her hand on the black-edged missive which told 
the sad tale, and although her troubled brow spoke 
of anguish too deep for tears, her unfaltering voice 
and firm lip first said those words so familiar now, 

" Tiny is not dead," 

And the last words we heard her utter long after we 
thought her tongue was powerless for evermore, the 
deathless human love she held in her soul once more 
concentrating itself in speech clear and strong, 

" Marion, obey my will in the spirit and the letter, 
Tiny is not dead, she will yet come home." 

Marion and the doctor stood one on each side of 
the bed, the doctor no mere hired leech, but the old 
and tried friend of her who lay there dying. 

The ticking of the great clock in the hall was 
distinctly heard, no other sound broke the silence, 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 5 

the dying woman's eyes fixed upon a cabinet picture 
of her daughter, the face one of almost perfect beauty, 
the light seemed to stream through the pale brown 
curls which fell on the pictured neck, imparting to 
them a gleam of gold, a most bewitching smile played 
upon the lips, and yet in the deep grey eyes there 
seemed a touch of sadness, which used sometimes to 
make me fancy that in her far off spirit home she 
knew and sorrowed for the delusion of her mother. 

We were startled by loud and hurried rapping at 
the hall door, a quick and yet heavy step on the stair- 
case ; a moment more and a young man stood in the 
doorway whom 1 at once recognized as Lady Gordon's 
son by his likeness to the picture bearing his name in 
the dining room. 

He stood half inside the door glaring, (yes glaring 
is the only word by which I can convey my impres- 
sion of his countenance while looking on his dying 
mother's face) evidently but half comprehending 
what he saw. 

Marion went towards him making a motion as she 
did so. 

" Is Mamma dead ?" inquired he in a husky voice, 
without paying the least attention to the " hush " of 
Marion which was given both with voice and gesture 
ore he was able to make the inquiry. 

Marion shook her head, the doctor turning towards 
him held up his forefinger, an action which the 
young man probably did not see as his attention 
was evidently drawn towards Marion, of whom he 



6 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

demanded in tones a little louder than before, talking 
with a rapidity of utterance, and a gesture of impa- 
tience ill in accordance with the time and place. 

""Why did you frighten me so by that horrible 
telegram ? I fancied Mamma was dead." 

"You were sent for by Lady Gordon's order," 
replied Marion in suppressed tones, endeavouring at 
same time to draw him from the room. 

He rudely shook off the hand which she had 
placed 011 his arm and coming towards the bed, with 
a heavy tread, giving the doctor whom he evidently 
had not previously recognized a slight nod, he knelt 
down beside the bed and placing both his hands on 
his mother's arm, looked in her face, saying in an 
inquiring tone, 

" You are better, Mamma ? That telegram gave me 
such a fright ; I have been travelling by express day 
and night since I received it, I was so frightened I 
could not eat." 

He was recognized, a faint smile passed over the 
dying woman's face, she essayed to speak but the 
power of speech had passed away forever. 

The boy, or rather young man rose and seated 
himself by the bed close to his mother's head, still 
keeping one of his hands on her recumbent arm, and 
Marion resumed her place by her dying mistress' 
bedside. 

As she did so Lady Gordon's eye sought her's with 
a look of such intelligence that no words were needed 



THE GKAND GOKDOiVis. 7 

to convey its meaning- to her faithful servant ; Marion 
knelt down and clasping her hands said in a low clear 
voice, her lips almost close to her Ladyship's ear, as 
if she wished to be heard by her, and by her alone. 

" I will wait all the days of my life here, till Miss 
Tiny comes home." 

She was heard and understood, Lady Gordon's eyes 
again sought her daughter's pictured face, and her 
gaze was fixed there after her spirit had departed on 
its journey through the valley of the shadow; so 
quickly did she go on her way that it was only when 
the troubled look which had clouded her brow for so 
many long years gave place to one of perfect peace, 
that the doctor laid down on the white quilt the 
worn wrist he held in his hand for the last half hour, 
counting the life pulse flying, flying, and Marion and 
I knew she had passed away. 

Marion threw her linen apron over her head and 
still kneeling for a few minutes indulged her grief 
for her who had been both friend and mistress. The 
doctor lifted the hand he had just laid down and 
addressing the dead, said 

" Farewell, Lady Gordon, my tried friend in life, 
beloved in death. Blessed be Grod that He gave you 
His own Son as your stay in this life and your guide 
to the eternal shore." 

The doctor left the house, Marion still continuing 
to kneel with covered head by the body of her 
mistress. I myself almost stupified with grief for 
the loss of the only one who had invariably treated 



8 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

me justly and lovingly, the only one who had ever 
taken the trouble to point out to me the faulty side 
of my character, the way to mend these faults, and 
far above all else the one who taught me to go on my 
way rejoicing, to rest with full faith on His promise 
" I have called thee by thy name;" " I come that 
ye might have Life, and that ye might have it more 
abundantly," and together with these reminiscences 
came thoughts of the solemn promise I had given 
to the woman just now dead, the responsibility I had 
voluntarily taken upon myself, and I put the startling 
question to my soul. 

" How is that promise to be fulfilled ?" 

I was aroused from my revery by Sir Robert walk- 
ing across .the room with a heavy tread. He sat down 
on a sofa opposite his mother's bed and covering his 
face with his hands, exclaimed aloud " Mama, Mama, 
what shall I do ? Keddy, Tiny and Mamma all gone." 

His words aroused Marion from her prayer or her 
sorrow whichever it was she indulged in, and throw- 
ing the apron from her head she stood up, not a trace 
to be seen of the anguish which had overspread her 
face for the last eight or ten hours ; she was now the 
same firm, almost stern-looking middle aged woman 
she had appeared since I first saw her three years 
before. 

" You had better go to the library, Sir Robert," said 
Marion, going up to where the boy still sat, " where 
Miss St. Clair will make tea for you." While she 
spoke she looked towards me as if desiring me to 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 9 

do as she said I would, " this room must be put in 
order at once as befits the rank of your lady mother." 
Thus admonished I did her bidding as I had been 
taught to do from the first hour I saw her ; although 
in my capacity of companion and amanuensis I was 
tacitly allowed to be Marion's superior, yet I together 
with all others in the house paid the same deference 
to her commands as we paid to those of Lady Gordon. 

if 

Sir Robert sat down to the tea table, broke a piece 
of bread into small bits, drank a mouthful of tea, and 
then rising up left the house saying, 

" I'll be back in an hour or two." 

On his departure I ascended to Lady Gordon's 
room, opening the door softly as we do when the 
dead lie within, as if we dreaded disturbing the ear 
which the loudest trumpet blast ever pealed 011 earth 
would fail to move; everything in that cold room 
white and rigid Marion seated close by the head of 
the corpse, her open Bible, above which her hands 
were clasped, laid on her knee, her eyes fixed where 
two hours before, her mistress' had been on Mrs. 
Percy's pictured face, the only uncovered thing in 
the room. 

I was about to withdraw as noiselessly as I had 
entered, when Marion observing me, beckoned with 
her finger for me to approach. 

" Miss St. Clair " said she in a low yet clear voice, 
" I know of the promise you made to her who is now 
in eternity, I only learnt it yesterday, would to God 



10 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

she had given me your work to do instead of my own, 
but no doubt she judged right, they will hear you 
who would not hear me ; may the Lord give you 
grace of soul and strength of body to perform what 
you have undertaken ; and the more to strengthen 
you in your purpose I will tell you of a great change 
which has taken place in my own mind." 

" You know that when Lady Gordon used to speak 
so confidently of Tiny's being still alive 1 never 
answered, I could not think as her Ladyship did and 
therefore could not answer ; last night when kneeling 
by her bed the grace was given me to believe the 
truth ; as surely as the bright stars are hid by that 
black night" as she spoke, she pointed with uplifted 
hand out to the darkness seen through the window 
I had opened several hours before, and which still 
remained as I had left it, the darkness intense as 
ever, " so surely is Miss Gordon still alive, and with 
the Lord's help I trust she will yet come home. Go 
now and rest, Annie will sit up and give Sir Robert 
his supper when he comes in, if he will take any, 
which I fear he will not ; he has gone to the Baird 
Hills, it is a fashion of his to go there when he is in 
trouble." 

" I will sit here with you Marion," I replied, " were 
I to go to bed I could not sleep ; after all the excite- 
ment I have passed through I could not even lie in 
bed." 

" You can go to the library then, and take the best 
of all books with you and read His word therein, but 



THE GKAND GORDONS. 11 

here yon cannot stay, I must wake Lady Gordon 
alone to-night, to-morrow the Gordons and Seatons 
will come to watch their dead." 

I again sought the library, and sitting down on a 
low fauteuil in front of the fire endeavoured to realize 
to myself that the one I had attended for three years 
every day, almost every hour, was now lying cold and 
dead, and that her death had changed all my future 
life. Unconsciously I began in the same train of 
thought to hold a retrospective review of the events 
which had happened in Lady Gordon's family since 
first I entered it, ascending the door steps and knock- 
ing at the door with such a palpitating heart as I 
went to answer her advertisement, lest the same 
answer should be given as I had listened to so often, 
'' I want one who can make dresses, one who can 
push her needle well." . 

Alas ! how often and how bitterly I regretted my 
inability to do so, but at last I had found a home, my 
acquirements were just such as Lady Gordon wanted ; 
" one who could read and write," and she added " play 
a little to amuse her two grandchildren." And then my 
salary, how my heart bounded when the gentle Lady 
asked me " if forty pounds would be enough?" enough ! 
how many others had told me twenty was too much ; 
with forty pounds I could board and clothe Ella and 
save money for her education, my own clothing would 
not cost much. Ella had never seen Mama, the 
sorrow of that parting at least was spared her, and now 



12 THE GRAND GORDONS 

she would never be tossed about as I had been, not if 
I could keep my situation, and oh I would strive so 
hard to do that. 

My first day in the house came back as fresh as 
yesterday, when Lady Gordon endeavouring to make 
me feel at home, pointed out to me the beautiful 
picture of her daughter, then a girl in her eighteenth 
year, whose blue silk dress contrasted well with the 
grey old walls by which she stood, the brown pony 
whose neck she fondly patted, her own golden curlr 
as bright and more beautiful than the plumage of the 
pheasant who tamely perched beside her on the stone 
balustrade of the castled home she called her own ; she 
was mother to those two good and lovely children who 
made music and light in the old house at Leith when I 
entered it ; my chief occupation there, to write every 
evening a diary of all that^iappened during the day, 
especially noting the sayings and doings of the twin 
boy and girl, that by each mail it might be sent to 
their young mother in her Indian home. 

This used to be done by Lady Gordon herself, but 
a rheumatic affection of the nerves in both hands, 
prevented her from using her pen except in letter 
writing, ultimately I was entrusted with this also ; 
1 was not many weeks in the house when I knew 
that Captain Percy was no favourite ; Lady Gordon 
never spoke of him. I do not know that in the first 
year of my residence in Leith I ever heard her men- 
tion his name ; Marion was less reticent, and scrupled 
not at times to give utterance to her thoughts, never 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 13 

in her mistress' presence, however ; yet I knew well 
that Marion's words were but a faint echo of Lady 
Gordon's feelings. 

Long loving letters came from India so regularly, 
written in that pretty round half school girl hand 
which seemed to sort so well with the girlish look- 
ing face in both portraits, the last although taken in 
her twenty-second year, just previous to her leaving 
her mother's home, as it would now appear, for 
ever, notwithstanding its grave half sad eyes, looking 
as girlish in face and figure as that taken in her 
eighteenth year. Again before I became an inmate 
of the old house the twin children arrived in the first 
year of their age accompanied by their portly French 
nurse Madame Peltier, who was still their attendant 
now that they lived at Morningside, and had taken 
care that her foster children learned her own 
language as fast as they did their mother's tongue. 

Lady Gordon's bad health at last impaired her 
sight and for a year she was quite blind ; during this 
time the letters from India came with only the 
London postmark, having been enclosed by Captain 
Percy to his lawyer there. These letters seemed to 
me less hopeful than the first I used to read for her 
Ladyship, and instead of the paper being full every 
inch as formerly, they suddenly dwindled down to 
a, page and a-half ; at last one page contained all, the 
style constrained and stiff, so unlike the loving letters 
which used to speak to her mother and children in 
euch graphic, strong words: as I read those last 



14 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

letters many a sigh did the poor blind mother give 
for the restoration of eye and limb promised by her 
physician as a reward for her patience, if she would 
only be patient and do his bidding for a year. Her 
feet as well as her hands were now almost useless, 
never captive in dungeon hold sighed more for free- 
dom and light than did that mother in her spacious 
chamber sigh for strength to walk and power of 
sight ; how often have I heard her say " When the 
Lord gives me my sight and strength again, the first 
use I will make of them will be to go to India and 
see my child." She never doubted that sight ami 
strength would both come ; and so they did, but too 
late to see her she loved so well. 

Those constrained letters received now at long 
intervals instead of by each mail as formerly, seemed 
to me to be more a copy of Mrs. Percy's writing than 
her own, and I mentioned this several times to Lady 
Gordon, her i vply was always the same. 

" I dare say .-be probably cares little how they are 
written." 

Time passed on and Lady G-ordon received her 
sight and strength only to read Captain Percy's 
letter informing her of his wife's death, a letter 
written three months after that event was said to 
have taken place ; I shall ever remember the exag- 
gerated language it was couched in. 

" My misery is complete my despair is beyond the 
power of endurance do not be surprised if you hear 
of my death ;" many lines of such stuff, and then " I 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 17 

observer which I certainly was not, I do not think the 
impression his appearance produced would have been 
at all favourable. 

He went up to the cabinet picture of his wife which 
then hung in the little parlour ; drawing up his under 
lip below his teeth until not a particle of it was 
visible, he eyed the mild face with a horrible look of 
silly exultation, pointing at it with his forefinger : as 
he turned from the picture his eye encountered my 
own fixed upon him in the pier glass, his face 
expressed anger, he knew I had seen the grimace he 
made. I thought of the Apostle's words " Spots and 
blemishes beguiling unstable souls ; an heart exer- 
cised with covetous practices, cursed children, wells 
without water ;" and I shuddered as I remembered 
the context " the mist of darkness." 

Lady G-ordon entered the parlour by passing 
through the room in which I sat, and bade me 
remain there until her visitor departed ; I could not 
help contrasting the tall portly lady in her handsome 
weeds with her short homely looking son-in-law, and 
wondering what infatuation could have tempted her 
beautiful daughter to unite herself to such a man, his 
manners must certainly have been most fascinating to- 
induce a beautiful girl to leave her home where she 
was surrounded by every luxury -waited to her rank, 
or else we must account for it as the French do in 
such cases " une mauvaise destine" 

As Lady Gordon entered, her son-in-law approached 

\viih a sorrowful countenance, his hand extended as. 

B 



18 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

if he would raise her Ladyship's to his lips ; without 
seeming 1 to notice his advances she gracefully avoided 
any near contact with his person ; he was evidently 
conscious of this, but as I watched his countenance 
I fancied he seemed more amused than hurt by her 
dislike. 

A pier glass placed between the windows of the 
parlour and reaching from floor to ceiling enabled 
me from where I sat in the cabinet to observe every 
motion of both occupants of the room, and Lady 
Gordon's command as she passed through left me an 
unseen listener. 

They had scarcely passed the common compliments 
of greeting^ when he asked for his children. 

" I sent them out to board when I received your 
black-edged letter," was her Ladyship's reply, spoken 
in a stately dignified way no one knew better how to 
assume. 

He seemed completely taken aback, he had never 
calculated on such a proceeding, and for a second or 
two he made 110 response, becoming red and white 
by turns as different emotions swayed his mind ; he 
seemed to be thinking what to say ; at last he spoke 
in what he must have meant for a half conciliatory, 
half offended air. 

" What did youriiean by doing that, Lady Gordon ?" 
" I meant that I do not wish to have either the trouble 
or expense of keeping other people's children." 

If he was surprised before, the feeling was not 
lessened now, he replied in a less confident manner ; 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 10 

" I thought you were so much attached to the . 
children nothing could induce you to part with them." 

" You are both right and wrong in your analysis of 
my feelings They are sweet children and I lovo 
them dearly, but they are yours not mine, a father is 
undoubtedly the best person to bring* up his own 
children." 

" That is true, but your Ladyship is aware that my 
finances are very limited ; you were accustomed 
during the life time of my dear departed wife," here t| 
he produced a spotlessly white pocket handkerchief 
with a black border, which he applied to his eyes. I 
thought of the pantomime I had witnessed opposite 
the picture. Lady Gordon's compressed lips and 
lowered brow expressed the contempt she felt. With 
a deeply audible sigh he released his imprisoned eyes 
and resumed his speech exactly where he left off, as 
if it was something he had learned by rote " to send 
us continual tokens of your regard, without which 
my dear Margaret could not have had the luxuries 
or the attendance I desired for her ; my income is not 
increased, how do you think it is possible I can pay 
board for the children ?" 

" I do not think it desirable that you should ; every 
father should have his children in his own house and 
under his own care" was her Ladyship's reply, uttered 
with a tone and look of cool indifference. 

" I have no one who will care for the children 
now, do you think it advisable to intrust them to the 
charge of servants ?" 



20 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" Where is the widowed sister yon talked of a? 
likely to make your house her home in case you 
settled m Britain after your marriage 1 Her presence 
seems to be more necessary to your welfare now than 
before." 

He paused for a second or two and then drawled 
out " She is married." 

Her Ladyship made no answer ; a long pause 

broken by Captain Percy, saying " perhaps the best 
thing I can do is to follow her example. What does 
your Ladyship think of that 1" 

" I have too many affairs of my own to attend to 

and think of, consequently I cannot spare time to 

, think over your future; and were it otherwise it 

would be highly impertinent in me to interfere in 

what cannot possibly concern me." 

He was unprepared for this, and again at a loss for 
an answer ; at last it came. 

" Your Ladyship was not equally indifferent to my 
last marriage." 

To his surprise doubtless, as well as mine, Lady 
Gordon returned no answer either by word or sign, 
merely leaned back in her chair and continued look- 
ing in his face, with the same haughty, cold expression 
she had worn on her entrance, recovering himself he 
added hastily " I wish I could, but no, it is impossible 
for me to forget, where I love I love for ever." 

He sat with his body bent down over his hands, 
those clasped together held his black bordered pocket 



THE GEAXD GOEDOXS. 21 

handkerchief, his knees pressed close to each other 
while his feet extended so as to form a V, the lower 
and inner edge of the foot alone touching the floor. 
The appearance he presented seemed in my eyes to 
be nearer that of a swollen frog, than an officer 111 
Her Majesty's service, married to the beautiful young 
original ot the cabinet picture opposite ; seated as he 
was with his head bent down he could not see the 
expression of contempt and scorn which played oil 
Lady Gordon's face as she kept her gaze intently 
fixed on him, but without seeing her Ladyship's 
countenance he was evidently ill at ease, he probably 
realized from former experience what emotions his 
presence gave rise to. 

Finding that his declaration of love unchangeable 
had not the desired effect, he sighed very audibly, 
and with a pathetic voice requested that Marion 
should be allowed to accompany him to Miss Mait- 
land's, that he might see his children. 

To this Lady Gordon gave a cold assent, and 
accompanied by Marion he took his departure, tlius 
ended this most extraordinary interview. 

During the drive t<5 Morning-side he expressed to 
Marion his surprise that Lady Gordon could boar to 
be parted from the children, asking her " "What could 
be the meaning of this most unnatural conduct?" 

Marion replied that he must make this inquiry of 
Lady Gordon ; adding, " I think her Ladyship likes 
the children well enough, but all old people dislike 
tV ft trouble and noise of children." 



22 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" Tiny made more noise with her piano and harp 
than it is possible those two little things can make, 
yet she did not tire of her. I never was more 
astonished in my life than when I heard they had 
been sent out to board ; I thought Lady Gordon 
would have given half her income to keep them 
with her." 

To this Marion made no reply ; after a short pause 
Captain Percy inquired, 

" Why are you not in mourning for Mrs. Percy ? 
I thought you loved her so much that you would 
have mourned her all your life." 

" You judged rightly there, I loved her in life and 
I love her in death ; I love her now that she has for- 
ever passed from my sight, better than I did when 
^:he was a baby in my arms, but she was a grand 
Gordon, I, a mere hired servant in her Lady mother's 
house. In Scotland, such as I do not wear mourn- 
ing for the house we 'serve unless desired to do so ; 
Lady Gordon did not put any of her domestics in 
mourning for her daughter, the children even have 
not been put in mourning " 

" Good Heavens ! "What is*the meaning of that ?" 
inquired he, " what can Lady Gordon mean by such 
unheard of neglect, my children not in mourning for 
their mother ; this is absolutely monstrous." 

" There has not been much time lost." was Marion's 
quiet response, " in a few hours a mourning ware- 
house will supply all their needs ; you have only to 
leave your order " 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 23 

" My order ?" repeated he inquiringly, " surely 
Lady Gordon does not expect me to clothe the 
children." 

" It is not for me to say what Lady Gordon's views 
are on this or any other subject," replied the house- 
keeper, " but as her Ladyship is on the eve of setting 
out for India, it would be impossible for her to exer- 
cise the surveillance she has hitherto done over the 
children, besides as she has given up her jointer 
house and land to Sir Robert, her circumstances are 
more circumscribed than formerly." 

" Given up her jointer to Sir Robert !" repeated he, 
in accents of indignant surprise, "what can have 
induced her to do so ? If this be the case, she has 
beggared herself for a blustering coarse fellow who 
will give her no thanks, and will make the Hall a 
receptacle for all the prize fighters in the country." 
After a pause of a second or two, he resumed in a 
less troubled tone, as if reassuring' himself, " you 
must be mistaken, Lady Gordon would never have 
done this." 

" It has been done," replied Marion, in a decided 
tone. " When her Ladyship received the account of 
her daughter's death, she at once had her will made, 
and gave up her jointer, so that all her affairs might 
be in order should her death occur before her return 
from India." 

" Her return from India," reiterated he, as if only 
then comprehending what he had been twice told. 
" What can induce her Ladyship to go there ?" 



24 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" She goes to visit her daughter's grave ; did not 
Lady Gordon tell you it is her intention to do so ?" 

" Certainly not," was his reply. " If she had, I 
would have informed her that she goes on a fruitless 
errand. Mrs. Percy died in the interior, whither she 
fled from the scourge by which she died. It was 
with difficulty I succeeded in having her and her 
child decently interred, deep enough to save, if 
possible, their remains from being torn by wild 
beasts ; since then many months have elapsed, and it 
is matter of doubt if I could myself now find the place, 
nor am I certain that I ever really saw it ; when my wife 
died I was confined to my bed by the same fell 
disease which deprived me of wife and child, and 
had to trust to native servants what no one should 
have done but myself; 011 my recovery, I was shewn 
the place where they had been laid ten feet beneath 
the soil; it is in the jungle covered over by the rank 
herbage of a tropical clime. Most assuredly, I could 
not now find it." 

When they arrived at Morningside, and were shewn 
e children, he took little or no notice of either. What 
lie said and did seemed to be mere acting; his mind 
was evidently preoccupied, and remaining only a few 
minutes, he took a hurried leave, not observing or 
pretending not to observe Marion's question as to 
whether he intended taking the children with him ; 
and departing in the carriage provided by Lady 
Gordon, left Marion to find her way to Leith as she 
best could. 



THE GRA1SD GORDONS. 25 

On leaving Morning-side, Captain Percy drove at 
once to Roy and Morton's, and begging a private 
interview of Mr. Morton, requested information as to 
the terms of Lady Gordon's will, at the same time 
informing him of the place and manner of Mrs. 
Percy's interment, and how futile any attempt would 
now be to find the exact place of sepulchre, hence 
how very preposterous, as well as profitless taking 
such a long and expensive journey as that meditated 
by her Ladyship, would be. 

Mr. Morton agreed entirely with him as to the use- 
less nature of the proposed journey, particularly 
under the circumstances, but also assuring him that 
although Lady Gordon had been his unfailing friend 
from boyhood upward, he would not take the liberty 
of advising her Ladyship to alter her plans, adding, 
" Lady Gordon has a most indomitable will, and I do 
not believe any argument whatever would have the 
effect of making a change in her plans." 

Captain Percy sat for some minutes sucking his 
under lip (a favorite employment of his) and then 
growled out, 

" The will, w^hat has she done about it ?" 

Seeing he was not immediately answered, he 
added in a more gentlemanly manner which he well 
knew how to assume, " I understand she has given 
her jointer house and lands to that uncultivated 
colt, my dear brother-in-law ; how has she left the 
V house in Leith, and her money ?" 

" You must be aware," replied Mr. Morton, " that 



26 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

I am not at liberty to answer your questions ; yet 
what I can communicate without breach of trust. I 
will. Lady G-ordon has given over the life rent of 
her jointer house and lands to her son, to whom they 
of right belong after her demise; the house and 
grounds at Leith, together with the principal part of 
her money, all of which is her own by right of 
inheritance, will most likely ultimately, the first 
become an alms-house, the latter endow the same." 

Captain Percy's consternation seemed to have 
reached its qlimax; he paced the office for a few 
minutes, and then standing in front of the lawyer, 
demanded in a bitter, mocking voice and manner, 

" May I humbly ask what part of her charity is to 
be given to her grandchildren, her darling Tiny's 
children, what provision has been made for them ?" 

The lawyer leant over his desk at which he was 
seated, placing himself so as to look full in Captain 
Percy's face as he spoke. 

" I am not at liberty, as I said before, to disclose 
the terms of Lady Gordon's will ; but one thing I hold 
myself entitled to tell you, and I speak advisedly 
when I say that Lady Gordon would approve of my 
doing so; you need not count upon ever receiving 
one pound of her Ladyship's money to assist you in 
bringing up or educating your children, the last 
remittance sent to Mrs Percy, which must have 
reached you after her death, and has not yet been 
acknowledged, is the last money coming from Lady 
G-ordon you will ever touch." 



THE GEAND GORDONS. 27 

Captain Percy stood drinking in each word the 
lawyer said, with breathless attention, and then put- 
ting on his hat, without word or look of adieu, strode 
from the office with all the importance his short, 
thickset person was capable of. 

He was not long in presenting himself at the old 
house in Leith. 

He was ushered into the inner drawing-room where 
Lady Gordon was receiving the visits of condolence 
of several ladies of her own rank; she acknowledged 
his entrance by a ceremonious stiff' bow, and then 
continued her conversation with the former occupants 
of the room. I was in the outer drawing-room busily 
arranging some ferns which one of her Ladyship's 
friends had brought a few minutes previously ; I fear 
from the time I saw Captain Percy enter the drawiiig- 
room, I spent more time in watching him than in 
arranging the ferns. 

At first he walked about from one occasional table 
to another, examining books, prints and drawing port- 
folios, gem cabinets, coin cabinets, and all the other 
little objects of interest usually crowded into a draw- 
ing-room ; evidently impatient and ill at ease, every 
now and then constrained, as it were against his will, 
to cast a disquieted glance at the picture in the blue 
dress ; the light was placed in the eye of the picture 
in such a way as -made its gaze seem to follow you 
wherever you went ; certain artists pride themselves 
hi this power, and I have seen the same effect pro- 
duced in others since then, but in those days, I was 



28 THE GKAND GORDONS. 

younger in knowledge than in years, and noted this 
peculiarity for the first time, almost fancying in my 
"wonder that some supernatural means made the 
pictured face look down in her still beauty and follow 
with her quiet gaze one whom we had cause to think 
had " dealt deceitfully with the wife of his youth." 
That Captain Percy noted this peculiarity, it w^as bur 
too evident, and moved about uneasily under the 
unconscious eye ever fixed upon him, every second 
or two casting a hurried glance at the picture, I fancied 
to see if its gaze still followed him, until one after 
another of the visitors departed, leaving Lady Gordon 
alone with her son-in-law. He at once stayed his 
wandering feet and sat down on a sofa placed under 
the picture, perhaps that he might not see it. Lady 
Gordon took an arm chair opposite, and seating herself 
with hands crossed one over the other, said as plainly 
as looks can speak, " Say what you wish to say." He 
did not keep her waiting long. 

"Your Ladyship, I am told by your lawyer, intends 
going to India to see Tiny's grave." 

" You are both right and wrong ; I intend going 
to India to bring Tiny home." 

" Your Ladyship does not consider that in a tropical 
climate, Tiny's body has ere this become food for 
worms, and consequently it would be impossible to 
have it moved." 

" I have well considered every phase of the subject ; 
to-morrow I leave home, when I return, I will bring 
Tiny with me." 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 29 

"I am sorry to hear you speak thus, but it is 
impossible I should give my consent to disturb the 
remains of my wife and child ; you certainly must 
not attempt to commit what I have ever considered an 
act of sacrilege ; I cannot permit you to disturb their 
ashes." 

Lady Grordoii gazed upon him without a sign of 
emotion on her face, as she said very calmly, 

" I never dreamt of asking your permission for any 
act of mine ; when I do so, it will be time for you to 
give a denial; have you forgotten that you told 
Marion an hour since, you could not point out the 
grave you are now so anxious to prevent being 
opened ?" 

" Lady Gordon," replied he, absolutely trembling 
with excitement, " I do not hold myself responsible 
for the construction your servant may put upon my 
words ; we will, therefore, pass to another subject. 
Mr. Morton also informed me, you have cut off 
your daughter's children without a shilling ; do you 
mean by this most unnatural conduct to shew the 
love you professed to have for your daughter ?" 

" I mean io shew you that neither you nor your 
children, considered as your children, can ever inherit 
one pound of my money. I have many engagements 
for to-day, you must excuse me : Grood morning." 

Rising, as she spoke, she left the room by a side 
door near where she sat, leaving her visitor looking 
after her, with a countenance on which were depicted 



80 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

hate, revenge, fear commingling, each striving for 
the mastery. 

He continued sitting for several minutes after 
Lady Gordon's departure, as if uncertain what to do ; 
at last, rising up, he turned round to the picture in 
front of which he sat, and looking up, shook his 
clenched hand as close to the quiet face as his short 
arm could reach. As he did so, Mr. Morton's tall, 
handsome figure appeared, as if by magic, close 
behind Captain Percy, and taking hold of his up- 
lifted hand, forced it down by his side, saying* as he 
did so, " Man, man, don't let your actions tell what 
you would fear to put in words." 

" I don't fear to put in words that I'll pay you off 
some day," was his reply, uttered with a fierce 
gesture of impatience, and spoken as he hurried from 
the room ; in doing which he came in contact with 
his wife's harp, which, like everything else that had 
been called by her name, was kept in perfect order. 
"Whether by accident or design, the harp was over- 
turned, and the strings so struck gave forth a wild 
tumult of sound as if the harp too would breathe 
threateiiings against whom ? 

I was so astonished by what I had seen, that I 
never thought of getting up to lift the harp ; but it 
was done without my help, Mr. Morton lifting it care- 
fully as if it were a thing of life, examining the 
strings, and replacing the cover, which, in its fall, 
had been nearly dragged off; this done, he stood, for 
a second or two, in front of the picture, and looking 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 31 

up with an expression I long remembered, said in a 
low voice, " Tiny, Tiny," and turning, left the room. 

"Well might I remember every word I heard, every 
action I saw that day; ere its close, a stop was put to 
our useless voyage in search of a nameless grave hid- 
den in an Indian jungle ; Lady Gordon, half paralized, 
was laid on a bed from which she never rose, a bed 
that to her, ere another year, became the bed of death. 

What am I thinking of ? The bed of death? 
There is no death ; the stars go down to rise upon 
some fairer shore; the dust we tread shall change 
beneath the summer rain, to rainbow tinted flowers or 
golden fruit ; the granite rocks as they disorganize 
feed the green moss they bear. It is true the leaves 
and flowers fade and pass from our sight, but they only 
wait through the w 7 iiitry hours, the coming of the 
May an angel form walks the earth with silent 
tread, and his steps make our hearts desolate, and he 
takes from us our best loved we look upon their 
pale faces and call them dead while they freed 
from sin and strife, sing the everlasting song with 
joyous tones, under the many coloured leaves of the 
tree of life born into that undying life, they leave 
us but to come again, and though our eyes are 
holden that we may not see them, they are ever near 
us. All the Universe is full of life ; verily there are 
no dead ! 



-MR 




CHAPTER II. 



"This morn I heard the Sabbath bells 
Across the breezy upland swells, 
My path lay down the woodland dells. " 

To-day I said the dust of creeds 

The wind of words suit not my needs, 

I worship with the birds, and weeds. " Kate Seymour. 

But holier thoughts soon held their sway, 
I churchward took my upward way, 
I entered in God's house to pray. 

It's very air was tremulous, 

I felt the deep and reverend hush, 

God burned before me in the bush. 

^ADY Gordon was now among those whom we 
call dead, and her house was filled from morn 
to night, and from night to morn again, with 
ladies and gentlemen of her own and her husband's 
name, who walked to and fro with noiseless steps, 
speaking with hushed voices in holy reverence for 
the body, she, they had so loved and honoured for her 
gentle, humble bearing and her high and holy 
thoughts, had left behind her. 

Every Grand Gordon in Edinburgh and Leith was 
there, and all the proud Seatons, passing out and in 



THE GRAND GORDONS. S3 

to the white draped chamber, and speaking in those 
undertones words of love and kindness to the beauti- 
ful boy and girl, whose long fair hair hanging over 
their black dresses reminded each there of a lovelier 
face than any either young or old of her race had 
borne now lying in an unmarked, lonely grave far 
away beyond the rolling waves of the Indian Ocean. 

I had nothing to employ my hands with during 
those days of formal mourning ; Marion looked upon 
these days as Sabbaths, and they were kept as such 
by all the household, none but the most necessary 
work being permitted to be done, hence employ- 
ing myself with my needle was quite out of the 
question ; my mixing with the stately guests would 
have been simply craving notice from my superiors 
in rank, which, from my early girlhood, I had 
eschewed most sedulously ; and BO, in all that mourn- 
ing house, I was most lonely, and thrown back, as it 
were, on my own thoughts, I began to realize to 
what a life of lonely wandering I had most probably 
doomed myself by my most unwise, solemn vow, and 
I found it at first hard, and finally impossible to 
prevent my thoughts from forming themselves into 
good and valid excuses by which I might evade the 
performance of this fatal promise, a promise which 
the more I thought over it, the more wild and pre- 
posterous it seemed ; until at last, it appeared almost 
madness to attempt its performance. 

Often during those two first weary days after her 
Ladyship's death, I asked myself in all soberness, 

C 



34 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" Could Lady G-ordon have been quite sane when she 
exacted from me such a solemn vow, binding 1 me 
down to change all my future life, to leave Ella so 
near the time when (she well knew) we expected to 
be rewarded for our long separation, and live in 
pleasant work together by this rash promise, turning 
all Ella's sweet to bitter, as well as my own or was 
she, as more than one of her friends had hinted, and 
they those who loved her well, that on this subject 
she was, in truth, a monomaniac ?" 

The third morning came with " sunrise, silence 
and deep peace," the first day of the week, the 
blessed Sabbath morn, and I left the house in the 
early morning, determined that that day I would 
enter no church I would seek no man's teaching 
I would go into the fields and woods which God had 
made and seek Him there, and what the Lord would 
say to me, that I would do. 

I was under an evil influence, and it did not then 
occur to me that it is written : " G-od loveth the gates 
of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob." 

I took my way through a neighbouring copse, in 
the direction of Edinburgh ; the dew had not yet 
left the fair lily and slender blue hyacinth, the morn- 
ing glory (most appropriate name), was still blazing 
forth in all its varied hues of purple and red, " the 
burn running under the lang yellow broom " leapt 
and sang, the lark rising from her dewy nest, soared 
towards the sun, thrilling forth her notes of praise, 
the larch waved her green hair, and the beech twit- 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 35 

tered her brown leaves the solitary place was glad 
glad in Him whose goodness made them all, the 
wild rose swung her fragrant vase, while the daisy 
answered from her place half hid in the green sward : 
" Praise Him whose ways are full of grace." 

Just at the edge of the wood where the little bridge 
formed of a single log crosses the burn, and divides 
the wood above from the wood below, I was met by 
Marion's father. 

I was not surprised at seeing the old man there, 
the cottage where he and his wife lived since they 
became too old to manage their farm, was close by, 
and I knew his habits led him early abroad ; but he 
was evidently taken aback by seeing me emerging 
from the wood, more than a mile from Lady Gordon's 
house, so early on the Sabbath morning. 

" Hoo's a' wf ye, mem," said the old man, touch- 
ing his bonnet, " are they a' weel at the big house ?" 

" They are all well, Saunders," replied I, " ho\v are 
you yourself, and how is the goodwife." 

" Thank ye, mem, we're a' weel, praise be to the 
Lord for a' thing. It's gaun to be a bonnie day I'm 
thinkin, an I'm glad o't, for I'm gaen to try an gang 
up to Embro' the day to the kirk ; it's likely that same 
at's taen ye out sae early in the mornin'." As he 
spoke, the old man looked, inquiringly up in my face, 
as if he expected an answer in the affirmative. 

" No," replied I, " I am not going to Edinburgh, 
there is no one preaching now in Edinburgh whom 



36 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

I like so well to hear as our own minister in , 

and I am not to hear any one preach to-day ; [ have 
come provided with my lunch, and I intend spending 
the day in the woods." I saw the look of unpleasant 
surprise on the old man's face, which I might have 
been sure this speech of mine was calculated to bring 
forth, and I added, as if exonerating myself from an 
accusation, "I can worship Grod as well, perhaps 
better, here, in this His own great Cathedral on which 
is never a door, and where Nature lifts up her brow 
and worships with me ; where the trees of the forest 
pray with folded palms, and each bird and insect sings 
psalms of a thousand notes than in any temple made 
by hands." 

Saunders took no notice of the last part of my 
speech, but answering what I had said of the Edin- 
burgh ministers, said, 

" I daresay there was naebody preaching in Embro' 
last Sabbath ye wad like better or get mair gude frae 
than our ain godly minister, but I see frae what ye 
sae the noo, 'at ye dinna ken 'at the Doctor's come 
hame," 

I knew well who " the Doctor " was, but did not 
feel sure the information he gave could be relied 011 ; 
it seemed too good news to be true. If I was only 
sure of this, I would go up to Edinburgh and spend 
the day there, and hear what Grod the Lord would 
say to me through him who had so often been the 
unwitting means of delivering a message from Grod 
unto me in psalm and text, in admonition and instruc- 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 37 

tion, and as this passed through my mind, I asked 
the old man who told him of the Doctor's return from, 
the Continent. 

" Ane 'at can be lippened till better than maist tor 
news frae that quarter," replied he, "jist his ain 
servin' lass, or I should rather say ane o' his lasses ; 
her mither bides nae far frae oor house and oor gude- 
wife was up there yestreen an heard the news. 
They're a' come hame, the Doctor an his iady an the 
family, an he's gaun to preach in Free St. John's the 
day. gin he be spared an weel, an with the Lord's 
help I'll gang an hear him." 

While Saunders continued speaking, I sat down on 
a style that crossed a dry stone dyke at the edge of 
the wood, we having wandered a little way from the 
burnside. I did not answer him, being wholly occu- 
pied with the busy thoughts conjured up by the 
news I had heard. 

The old man construing my silence, or my seating 
myself into a determination to remain in the woods, 
said, kindly laying his hand on my shoulder as he 
spoke. 

" Gang ye awa up to Embro' lady an hear the 
Doctor, an ye'll mind better what he says when ye'er 
far awa, than what ye think the trees or the birds 
either say, though nae doubt baith the tain and tht> 
tither praise Him 'at made them, their ain gett, but 
we canna tell what they say in their sangs or psalms, 
an when the day o' trial or adversity comes, as it 
comes to a', the words o' a godly minister like the 



38 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

Doctor 'ill come back again maybe wi' mair force than 
they had when we sat aneath the blessing Marior 
tel't me yestreen 'at ye're gaun far awa to dae the 
erran 'at the Lord saw fit to hinder her Ladyship frae 
daein hersel ; maybe the Doctor 'ill have a word tae 
say in prayer or psalm at'll lat you ken whar to gang 
and what to dae when ye gang, an whether or no, 
ye'er better in Grod's house than in the fule's fauld 
'at Satan wad like to hae ye in, wanderin about in 
the woods a' the blessed Sabbath." 

As the old man ceased speaking, the conviction 
forced itself on me that I was indeed, as he said, 
wandering in the fool's fold, and doing Satan's bid- 
ding, by neglecting the sanctuary on the " Sabbath of 
the Lord, honourable," and that I might soon be 
where I could hear no sound of Sabbath bells, or 
what I most earnestly desired, I might hear some- 
thing that would be like a permission or even a 
command to break my illstarred vow and starting 
up from my seat, I said, taking the old man's hand in 
mine, 

" I will go up to Edinburgh, and hear what God the 
Lord will say to me.'' 

u To His folk, He'll speak peace, and to His Saints, 
but let them not return to foolishness,'' was his reply, 
as he kindly pressed my hand, in parting 

I went on my way, certainly not rejoicing, as I had 
ever hitherto done, walking on the same road and on 
the same errand, namely, to hear the Doctor preach. 
My thoughts were concentrated on the weary wan- 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 39 

dering life to which I had doomed myself by a promise 
made on the impulse of the moment, and asked of me 
in her dying moments, by one whom I had more 
reason to love and respect than any other woman I 
had ever known, and I wearied myself to find some 
valid reason by which I could conscientiously escape 
the fulfilment of my vow. 

The day previous, I spoke to Marion on the subject, 
but the only answer I could obtain was, " If you can 
reconcile it to your own conscience to break the 
solemn vow you made before the Lord, to the dead, 
do so." I had all respect for Marion, for herself and 
her opinion in most matters ; in the present instance, 
1 considered her actuated by a narrow-minded view 
of the case, which she probably would not have enter- 
tained had her mind been more enlarged by education, 
besides, she had evidently viewed the subject from 
her own standpoint, never taking into consideration 
the difference it would make to the poor child who 
had no one else in the wide world to love or care for 
except myself. Verily, I could have spoken, and felt 
as she did, were my soul in her soul's stead. 

On the same day, I spoke on the same subject to 
Mr. Morton, and I told him all I would forfeit for 
myself and the nearest relative I had in the world, 
by going on this apparently hopeless journey, and 
one to which I could see no end. The promise I had 
made involved my non-return to my native land, 
until I had found Mrs. Percy alive, and could bring 
her home, or found her grave and had it opened. 



40 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

The marks by which it could be recognized as her 
grave, and her body, were two rings on the third 
finger of her left hand, placed there on her fourteenth 
birthday, and which she would never allow to be 
taken off, until at last it was impossible to do so. 

Captain Percy had assured Mr. Morton, these had 
been buried with her body, as amputation of the 
finger would have been necessary in order to 'remove 
them; and until I found the living woman, or the 
ringed dead hand, I was vowed to exile, and what 
end was such a sacrifice to serve ? 

Mr. Morton heard me patiently, and then said, 
"As to the end your journey may serve, that is 
nothing to the purpose, but I by no means look upon 
it as hopeless I have corresponded with Captain 
Percy on the subject, and he has given me as nearly 
as he can do, a chart of the place his wife was buried 
in ; if it is possible to do so, it is most desirable that 
her body should be brought .home, and he has given 
me his permission in writing, to have that done 
should we succeed in finding the grave Were my 
means such as would enable me to provide for my 
mother and sisters in my absence, I would myself go 
on this errand, and in the course of a year or two, 
should you not succeed before then, I will, most pro- 
bably, try what I can do : there is nothing in life 
could give me the same satisfaction as having Mrs. 
Percy's remains brought home to rest in her mother's 
grave. I could not advise you to release yourself 
from a promise made to the dead." 



THE GRAND GOEDONS. 41 

I remembered how he gazed at, and what he said 
to the picture in the blue dress, more than a year ago- 

I would ask no more advice, miserable counsellors 
were they all. I was now on my way to hear the 
word of Him who erreth not, and I prayed so 
earnestly as I walked on my way, that He Himself 
would release me from my vow. I think it is Mrs. 
Hannah More who says : " Prayer draws all the 
Christian graces into its focus ; it draws repentance, 
with her holy sorrows, her pious resolutions, her self 
distrust, it attracts faith with her elevated eye 
humility looking inward ; prayer by quickening these 
graces in the heart warms them into life, fits them 
for His sendee; earnest prayer is mental virtue, 
spiritual action." 

As I prayed I felt myself stronger, more willing to 
do the work I so dreaded ; the burden I implored my 
Father to take from my head seemed lighter as I 
prayed : " He hath mercy ever." Before I reached 
the church door, I was able to say to Him who knew 
my inmost thoughts : " Lord, enable me to do Thy 
will with a willing mind and cheerful heart." 

I had loitered long on my way ; for the first time 
in three years, the preacher's voice fell on my ear as 
I entered the church ; a respectably dressed, grey- 
haired man who had often given me a seat before, 
and whom I liked to fancy one of the elders, opened 
the door of his pew for me to enter. I looked at the 
speaker; yes, it was the Doctor, the man I most 
reverenced on. earth, whom I had gone ten miles to 



42 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

hear preach many a sunny Sabbath morning 1 , before 
1 ever saw Leith or Edinburgh ; one who knew my 
heart so well by the power from on High, and yet 
had never heard my name, nor seen my face. I came 
in as quietly as possible, but the service had begun 
fully a quarter of an hour before, and perhaps the 
movement made by the man who took me into his 
pew, attracted the minister's attention in that crowded, 
silent church; he turned his head towards where I 
sat, and looking me full in ihe face, read, or I should 
rather say. spoke these words : 

" Turn not from it to the right hand nor to the left, 
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest." 

" This book of the law shall not depart out of thy 
mouth ; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night 
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that 
is written therein, for then thou shalt have good 
success." 

" Have not I commanded thee ? Be strong and of 
a good courage ; be not afraid, neither be thou dis- 
mayed, for the Lord thy Grod is with thee whither- 
soever thou goest." 

I was answered, and in all humility and faith I 
bowed my head and received into my heart, the 
message which the man of God had given me from 
the Lord, and I lifted up my soul to my Heavenly 
Father, and in the words of Israel to his servant 
Joshua, I also said : " "Whithersoever Thou sendest me 
I will go." 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 43 

In that hour, He answered my prayer fully, and 
took my burden from off' my head. 

The Lord is a rich provider. He not only took my 
burden, but in its place, He gave me light and faith. 
and joy unspeakable. 

Almost the first words of the sermon were " Thai 
course of action which needs an excuse is never a 
safe one for a Christian " 

I laid that sentence by among my pressed roses : it 
saved me from many a false step in all my after life. 

As I took my way homewards after the second 
sermon, I lingered on the road that Saunders Mitchell 
might overtake me and bear me company on my way 
home. Saunders had many acquaintances in Edin- 
burgh, and they all seemed to find a focus at St. Johns, 
so when I waited to have him for my companion home, 
which I often did, I had to exercise patience. I had 
not to wait so long as usual, that Sunday, the old man 
was putting his mettle to the proof, and on overtaking 
me, said, almost breathless from his exertions : 

" I've been maist runnin' to win up wf ye, and 
passed folk wi' a word, that was expectin' a shake o' 
my han'; ye've surely bein' gaun faster than ye'er 
ordinar ?" 

" No, on the contrary, I was walking slow on purpose 
to see you. What do you think of the doctrine the 
Doctor gave us to-day, do you really believe that, the 
Lord is working miracles in answer to prayer now, 
as he did in the old time? We never hear of such 
things now ?" 



44 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" That's ower true ; we dinna hear o' sic things noo, 
but that disna mak ony difference ; there's folk that 
prays to the Lord wi' a' their heart, and yet never 
watches for the answer that He aye sends ; nae that He 
answers our prayers in the manner that we think, or 
expect He will, but He aye answers. God has His 
mysteries o' grace, but they're ower deep for human 
ken, and just as He fed Elijah lang ago, sae does He 
feed mony a puir hungry man and woman in our ain 
day ; every ane in broad Scotland has heard how He 
sent a red fox to feed Jennet Morrison for ten days. 
That wasna done in secret ; I mind the time weel, I 
think it was in twenty-nine, the year o' the great 
floods; but at ony rate, every newspaper in the 
country, south and north, spoke about it." 

" I have heard of that, and also read an account of 
it more than once, it was certainly a wonderful an- 
swer to prayer," replied I, " and to a certain extent, 
upholds the Doctor's doctrine of to-day; but such 
miraculous things as ravens, or a fox either, being sent 
to feed human beings, do not occur more than once 
in many hundred years, probably not so often ; these 
deliverances are the exception, not the rule, as the. 
Doctor would have us believe to-day." 

" He was right though, they are the rule and nae 
the exception," was the old man's reply, uttered in a 
determined voice, " but the folk o' this generation 
are ower wise to believe the hail gospel o' the Lord. 
He is saying early and late, " They that call upon me 
T will hear them " ' He that feedeth the ravens' 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 45 

' Consider the lilies,' but our folk wonna ' consider 
the lilies,' they ken better themselves, they're just 
content to believe that He did answer prayer long ago 
in Egypt and in the "Wilderness, and auld Jerusalem, 
but that He canna be troubled wi' answering prayers 
noo ; forgetting His ain word that sae sure as ' His ear 
is not so heavy,' neither is His arm shortened ; and they 
just pray on, and never watch for an answer, and whan 
godly men like the Doctor to whom the Lord sends 
His Spirit, that they may search all things, even ' the 
deep things of G-od,' tells them that He is noo as ever 
the Hearer and the Answerer of prayer ; they think its 
a parable. Glory be to His name, mony a precious 
answer hae I had to my prayers, puir sinfu' man 
that I am." 

" We were ance vera ill aff, lang after we left the 
farm, a' thing gaed against us ; at last I fell poorly 
mysel'. and for a hale simmer we had naething but 
Marion's penny fee, for Sandy, puir lad, he was then 
as he is noo, and that was the heaviest cross of all, but 
the Lord help'd me to lilt it up, and He has strength- 
ened me to boar it every day for aught lang years, 
and the puir lad nae five-and-twentjp year auld yet." 

(Sandy whom he alluded to, was a poor lost lad 
drinking every penny he could win.) 

" "Well, as I was sayin', we had been for the maist 
o' the simmer livin' on Marion's hanins, and what the 
gudewife got for weavin' stockings to the gentry, till 
at length, whan I was on my feet again, Elsie fell 
sick and for three weeks couldna rise frae her bed, or 



46 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

pit on her ain clear, mutch, wi' the rheumatism, and 
nae a stroke o' work to be got back nor fore. Ae 
Friday night at supper time, I gave her a cup o' tea 
that was like clear water, for it was masked on Sabbath 
afternoon, and I aye hained it for her, and put a little 
drap o' water tilt (I wadna hae tasted it mysel' nae mair 
than gin it was goud), and wi' it she got the bit dry 
bread we were weel acquaint wi' then, and the warst 
o't was, that it was the last in the house, and nae meal, 
nae ae handfu', to mak mair wi'. "Weel, whan I took 
the buke that nicht, I was frightened to pit up a 
petition for temporal mercies, for fear she wad dread 
that there was naething in the house ; sae I did as I 
was wont, and as I kent his mither never thought 
the time lang eneuch for, I wrestled wi' the Lord 
lang for Sandy, puir lad, but that's a petition I have 
laid before Him in secret and in the Assembly o' His 
folk, for mon y a lang day, and I am waitin.' yet for the 
answer. I hae whiles been lifted up to think that 
Satan in presenting himsel' before the Lord, as he 
doubtless does yet amang the sons o' God, has 
brought me also for a reproach, as he did lang ago to 
Job ; and I hae faith eneuch to believe that the Lord 
'ill pluck Sandy out o' Satan's hands yet, whether I 
live to see it or no. But I'm gaun back in my story. 
" I gaed to my bed, but I couldna sleep, sae whan 
the sun began to glint in through the lozens o' the 
window, I slippit out frae the claes as quietly as I 
could for fear o' waukenin' Elsie : nae that I had ony- 
thing to dae, or ony hopes o' wark, but jist that T was 
ower fu' o' care to lie, thinkin' hoo I was to tell her that 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 47 

there was nae meal the day for ony o' us. Weel, 1 
had hardly pitten on my claes, and was liftiii' my 
sheen to tak them ben. the house, for fear I would 
mak ower muckle din gin I pit them on at the bed 
side ; Elsie opened her een and leukit at me, and 
smiled sae pleased and quiet like, jist as she used to 
dae mony a day forty years afore, whan I would tak 
her pails fu' o' water an carry them till her father's 
door. I was a stoot lad then, and whan I speart her 
frae her father, I brought her hame to a weel plen- 
ished house, and a' fu' byre and barn yard ; and gin it 
had been ten times mair, she was well worthy o' it a' ; 
she was the bonniest lass in a' the country side, and 
she ne'er gae me a back answer, or a sair heart in my 
prosperity, and she ne'er said that her gown or her 
mutch was auld in our poverty ; weel, she lookit up 
in my face and said, 

" I'm like King David whan the host o' the Philis- 
tines was garrisoned in Bethlehem, whan he longed 
and said, ' Oh ! that one would give me to drink of the 
water of the well of Bethlehem, that is by the gate.' " 

" An what is it ye lang for, Elsie ?" I speart wi' a 
frightened heart." 

" Weel gudeman, for what I canna get, but its only 
a notion, and it'll pass away -jist for a drink frae oor 
ain red well, down at the firwood at Beldorne." 

" My heart gaud a loup for gladness whan I heard 
what she wanted, and I said : ' ye'll get that gudewife, 
afore audit o'clock." 



48 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" na gudeman," says she, " its o'er far for ye to 
gang." 

u Its nae that, Elsie, I have gaen ten miles mony a 
day through the frost and snaw, and worn mony a 
pair o' sheen after six o'clock at night, only gaun to 
see ye : and I surely can gang three mile to please ye 
on a bonny harv'st mornin'. Tnrn ye ye'er face to 
the wa', and sleep again, and I'll be back at aught 
o'clock, wi' ye'er drink to ye." 

" She pit her han' up to my face, as she said, " weel 
gudeman, ye've aye taen ye'er ain gett a' ye'er life, 
sae gin ye'er o'er tired whan ye come hame, ye hae 
naebody to blame but yoursel'." 

" I happit her wi' the claes, and she promised to 
sleep till I cam back again, sae wi' a pail in aye han'^ 
and my staff in the ither, I took the road I wasna 
lang gaun to the red well ; mony a sweet Sabbath 
mornin' I sat there and read the Lord's buke whan 
naebody but mysel' and the birds were stirrin'; and 
mouy a simmer's nicht whan the wark was deen, 
Elsie and the bairns followed me there to drink the 
red water, and pu' the white gowans and the purple 
clover, wi' the settin' sun glistenin' out and in on them 
through the leaves of the brown birch that grew o'er 
the well." 

" It did not appear vera lang sine, and yet the bairns 
that whiles made o'er muckle noise then, were a' but 
twa sleepin' sound and quiet i' the green kirk yard, 
wi' the white gowans growin' aboon their heads; 
and the proud, happy mither that was glide to a' body, 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 49 

and ne'er denied the wanderer quarters, nor stinted 
him wi' plenty o' meat, and drink, was noo lyin in a 
cot-house, wi' only a but and a ben, and nae a bit to pit 
in her mou': my heart was burstin', and pittin' my 
bonnet on the top o' the well, I knelt down to plead 
my cause wi' the Lord, and what 1 couldna pray for 
in the house, I prayed for noo, even that the Lord wad 
send bread for Elsie, and wark for mysel', and I had 
mair liberty in the Lord's presence, and mair enlarge- 
ment of soul afore Him on that early harv'st mornin' 
wi' the dew on the grass aneath my feet, and the lark 
singin' aboon my head, than I ever had afore or sin 
sine. And noo for my answer ; when I rose frae my 
knees, there was a crown piece amang the grass at my 
feet ! I lifted it up and turned it over and over for fear 
I was mistaen ; na, there was King George the 
third's head on the aye side, and the quarterins on the 
ither ; and I said unto the Lord, the ininisterin' angels, 
and birds, and bees, and trees alane heariii' me, ' I will 
sing unto the Lord as long as I live ; I will sing 
praise to my God while I have my being. He is the 
Lord our God ; He hath remembered His covenant 
for ever.' I lifted my pail and put on my bonnet, and 
then turned to go on my way hame to buy food for 
the wife of my youth, and as I did so, the words came 
clear on my soul, ' they were tempted,' so they 
were, and so might I be at that moment." 

" Satan is not dead, no, nor sleeping, this may be a 
trial of the most cruel kind, but ' the Lord whom I 
serve, can deliver me from the burning fiery furnace ;' 

D 



50 THE GRAND GORDONS 

it is not my sin to be tempted, but it is my sin if 1 
yield to the temptation, the Lord has promised 
strength and grace to overcome every trial. Satan 
goeth about he is as able to work a lying wonder 
now as he was in Egypt of old ; maybe this was a 
sore temptation but if" it was, there was to set against 
it the Lord's word, ' Blessed is the man that endure th 
temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the 
crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them 
that love Him.'" 

" I laid my pail on the well, and takin' my staff in 
my han', I gaed up to the house that had been my aiii 
for mony a lang year : it was about a quarter o' a 
mile up the brae ; but it was likely the crown belanged 
to some o' James Duncan's folk that bide there noo, 
and I wad bring it to them afore I gaod hame. 

"Whan I reached the house, Mrs. Duncan horscl' was 
in the door, and held out her han', rale glad to see me. 
as she said, ' Hoo are ye the day, gudeman ? It was 
surely Providence that sent ye here sae early i' the 
mornin' " 

" Maybe it was, Mrs. Duncan," says I, holdin' up 
the crown, " Did ony o' your folk lose that ?" 

" Na ; nane o' oor folk lost it ; I haena seen a crown 
piece for mony a day." 

" Maybe some o' your harv'st ban's tint it ?" 

" Na, gudeman, we hav'na ony harv'st han's about 
the house, my gudeman has been doon wi' the fever, 
and all the three bairns, for aught days back, and the 
corn standin' ready to cut, an naebody to cut it, or lo 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 51 

see it deen , are ye feard to come in an speak to 
James ?" 

"Na, I am nae aye bit feard," says I, and sae I gaed in 
an spake to the gudeman, and the upshot o't was, that 
he offered me mair siller than I wad tak to engage 
folk to cut his corn, and o'ersee the wark myse? ; and 
he did mair, he sent a horse and cart for a hale month 
for me ilka mornin' and sent me name at nicht. I 
promised till engage folk to cut the crop, and fess them 
out the next day ; and I did it, and guided his farm for 
a hale month, till he was weel and could do his ain 
wark." 

"I let him see the crown, and he said at ance, 'it 
disna belang to ony o' our folk, but there's vera often 
folk comes out frae Embro to hae a picnic at the red 
well ; its likely been some o' them that's lost it ; but 
I dinna think that there has been ony body out there 
this lang while ; and I dinna ken them whan they 
come, sae I couldna say wha it belangs till." 

" The end o' the story is, that I bought plenty for 
'a g ude breakfast to my wife afore I gaed hame, and I 
never found an owner for the crown, but ere three 
months was ower, I found one that was as sair needin' 
it as I was the day that I got it ; and I gave it to him, 
and bade him give it to anither whan he could part wi' 
it himsel', and sae he did. Ere that month was out, I got 
the charge o' the house and garden I bide in noo, frae 
Mr. Carneigie ; he was born i' the house, and he pays 
me weel for the keepin' it in order ; I hae been in't 
for leu years, and am. weel sure I'll never be pitten out 



52 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

o't ; and gin I was the morn, the Lord is as able to 
help me 1100, as He was yon mornin', whan 1 gaed out 
wi' sic a heavy heart, and nae ae bawbee i' the 
house, ten years sine." 

I did not reach Leith until late in. the evening; 
Marion was passing through the Hall as I entered, 
and, coming towards me, said with a pleased air : 

" Oh ! I am so glad you have come home ; I was 
afraid we would never see you again." 

While she was speaking, Mr Morton came from 
the library, and shaking hands warmly with me, said 
" We, Marion and I, were afraid some evil had hap- 
pened to you. What kept you away so long ? We 
knew you had no acquaintance to visit in Leith." 

I replied that finding a favourite preacher had come 
home, and was to preach. I went up to Edinburgh 
to hear him ; adding, " perhaps it may be the last time 
for many years, as I have made up my mind to go to 
India by the first steamer in which I can obtain a 
berth, after Lady Gordon's interment.' 5 

1 well knew that the evil they both feared for me, 
was that I had left Leith in order to avoid the fulfil- 
ment of the promise they knew I had repented so 
bitterly ; putting such a construction on their words 
was not very flattering 1 to my self esteem, but I felt 
assured it was so, and since the morning, I had 
regained my own self respect, and therefore could 
boa. that others should give me credit for less than 
I deserved, and thence it was more to relieve their 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 53 

minds tliaii for aught else, I mentioned my determin- 
ation to go on my errand so soon. 

Before retiring to bed, I went down to Lady 
Gordon's room, that I might look once more on the 
face that even now was so dear to me, and in enter- 
ing, took my way through the parlour and little 
cabinet room I have already referred to. 

It was very late, almost twelve o'clock, and as I 
passed through both rooms, I observed that the ladies 
and gentlemen who were to sit up with her Lady- 
ship's body, seemed all wearied out, several of them 
asleep no wonder, they probably had had only o 
few hours rest since her death. 

There was no one in the room with the dead; 
this was what I wished, but could have scarcely 
hoped for, the funeral was to take place on the mor- 
row, and at early morn, the body would be placed 
in the coffin, in the sight of all her relatives; this 
then was the last time I could look on her face, and 
I had earnestly wished to do so alone. She had 110 
shroud, merely a simple night dress ; the soft lace 
border of her cap lying on her cheek, her face 
white, as it always was, but with no rigid lines ; all 
so unlike death, so like life that as I stood looking 
down, upon the body, I felt my heart beat as if some 
great mistake had been made ; I reverently put my 
hand on her arm, " Yes, it is death ! " 

How eloquently those folded hands that dead face 
spoke. There is not a minister in the land, whatever 
his knowledge of, and power over the human heart, 



54 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

who, in all his life long, ever preached a sermon half 
eo solemn, half so impressive as the one preached by 
that silent tongue and dead face in the quiet mid- 
night. 



CHAPTER III. 




" Who hath begotten the drops of dew? 
Who the good that in all things lies, 
Who the primal beauty that grew 
Into myriad forms in Paradise ? " John Reade. 

UCH a lovely morning; earth and air full of 
light and life, as it was that other morning, 
thousands of years ago, " when the morning , 
stars sang together, and all the sons of G-od shouted 
for joy ;" each little dew drop as it hung on blade of 
grass or waving corn, suggesting the question asked 
so long ago in the land of Uz, " Who hath begotten, 
the drops of dew ?" who indeed ? who can tell the 
tale of their birth ? Such were the thoughts that 
arose in my mind the words that came to my lips, 
as walking along in the early morn, the pleasant 
grassy road that leads up to Edinburgh. 

My footsteps fell on the innocent looking daisy as 
with red lips parted, she bared her golden bosom to 
the sun, while the white clover and yellow butter- 
cup sparkled with the starry dews of Heaven, rejoic- 
ing in their gladness the beautiful silent creatures, 
I could not help but share in their joy, and unite in 



56 THE GRAND GO11DONS. 

praising Him who hath given us this green earth in 
its beauty and gladness, on which, but for sin, it 
were happiness enough to live. 

Early in the morning a letter was placed in my 
hands, from Miss Pierce, with whom Ella was boarded, 
informing me that she, accompanied by my sister, 
would be ai Kay's Hotel, in Edinburgh, for an hour 
that day ; they were on their way to spend the vaca- 
tion with friends of Miss Pierce' residing in Melrose. 
In order that I might be certain of seeing my sister, 
it was necessary I should go at once to Edinburgh 
and wait their arrival at Kay's. 

I almost felt relieved when I found I was not to 
be in the house while that grand funeral cortege 
would take place, and took my way to Edinburgh 
with a lighter heart, than I had known since death 
entered the house I called my home, although I 
knew I went to inflict a terrible disappointment on 
the one I loved the best, But she was young, and 
we had not seen each other for three years, the wound 
in her heart would not be so deep as in my own : 
and my own vonld be sustained by the knowledge 
that I was doing the bidding of the Lord ; He who 
could iead me as the blind in a path I knew not, 
could make the crooked places straight, and ilio 
rough places even before me ; this was His own 
promise, I had only to plead that promise, and 
within the last day and night, to me even to me, all 
unworthy as I was, He had given faith to do so. 

On arriving at Kay's Hotel, I seated myself in the 



THE GRAND GORDONS. -57 

recess of a window overlooking the street : I had 
brought a book with me and between reading and an 
occasional gaze at the passers by, not one of whom I 
knew, a couple of hours sped pleasantly enough 
away. 

A lady entered the room whom, at first I scarcely 
noticed ; she was like myself in walking costume, and 
[ concluded from her seating herself in one of the win- 
dows, she had come 011 a similar errand ; by and bye 
she came towards the window I occupied and placing 
ii. chair for herself, made some common-place obser- 
vations regarding the weather, the passers by, etcetera. 

She was a comely, pleasant looking young woman, 
well dressed and evidently in great good humour 
with herself and the world at large, making piquant 
remarks on the passers by with a sweet toned English 
voice and in a kindly manner, which shew r ed that her 
bark of life for the present was launched on a smooth 
tind bright sea ; when we are happy and prosperous 
-ourselves, provided our dispositions are at all amiable, 
we are inclined to view all around in couleur de rose. 

After chatting pleasantly for some time, she got up, 
walked up and down the room once or twice, and 
finally untying her pretty pink bonnet, took it off, 
looked at it admiringly, replacing it in a more becoming 
manner by the aid of a pier glass which was placed 
between the windows ; this being done to her satis- 
faction, she again seated herself as before in the recess 
1 partly occupied. 

" I am so tired of waiting idle here," said she, " I 



58 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

never was in Edinburgh before and I would so much 
like to go round and see the place, particularly the 
jewellers' shops, I have seen such beautiful jewellery 
that was bought here ; niy watch and chain were 
bought from a man of the name of Kirkwood here, 
his name is inside." 

As she spoke, she shewed me her watch, a beautiful 
one indeed, set round with a triple row of large pearls 
011 the back, inclosing a monogram of three letters 
formed of diamonds, but like all other monograms it 
required a key to the letters before they could be 
deciphered. 

" You cannot find it out," said she, with a smile, 
seeing by my turning the watch round that I was 
making a vain endeavour to find out the initials, 
" many have tried to do so, but all have failed ; how 
do you like the chain ? " 

The chain was like the watch, rarely beautify.], and. 
with a woman's admiration for such things, I 
expressed to her my appreciation of both, adding : 
" I suppose this was a wedding gift." 

" Not exactly," replied she, replacing her watch 
outside her dress, as she had before worn it, " but it 
was given me by my husband a short time after our 
marriage ; he also gave me these ear-rings and brooch." 

I looked at the ornaments, as she mentioned them ; 
they were of filagree work, without jewels, but of 
chaste and beautiful workmanship, and as well as 
the watch bespoke a well lilled purse, and refined 
taste in the purchaser. 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 50 

" You are fortunate in having a rich as well as 
a generous husband, were these things chosen by 
yourself?" 

". Oh no, they were bought long " she checked 

herself, paused a moment, and then added hastily : 
" they were bought here ; I never was in Edinburgh 
before." She seemed embarrassed, stood up, and 
looking out so that she could see a long way down 
the street, exclaimed impatiently, " how tiresome to 
have to stay here all day like a prisoner ; I wish 
Captain Percy would come back." (The name 
struck me, although I knew Mr. Morton believed 
the Captain Percy I was interested in to be in India, 
and we had not heard of his being married a second 
time). My curiosity was excited, but carefully school- 
ing my face, lest the interest I felt should appear, I 
smilingly said : " You are wearying for your young 
husband ?" 

Her face changed at once, as she replied with a 
bright look : " Well, I do like to have him always 
with me, it is natural you know ; but he is such 
good company, every body likes him, he keeps one 
laughing all the time." 

This description tallied well with the account 
Marion had often given me of Captain Percy's habit 
of turning everything into ridicule, a part of his 
character, which, from the first, prejudiced Lady 
Gordon against him, although it amused and attracted 
her young unsophisticated daughter. 

She looked at my face, it probably wearing a grave 



GO THE GRAND GORDONS. 

expression suitable to the thoughts that occupied my 
mind, and asked laughingly, if I was married. 

" No," replied I, " nor had I ever a chaitcc to be." 

" I thought so," washer answer, given with a good- 
humoured smile, " somehow you always know an 
old maid. I was sure you were an old maid, when- 
-ever I saw you, not that you look very old either ;" 
adding quickly, as if she feared having given offence, 
" you may be married yet." 

" I do not know, I fear not," said I, looking admir- 
ingly upon her pretty face. " I am neither young 
nor pretty like you, and, at all events. I could not 
expect to marry an officer, which you have done ; is 
your husband a young man ?" 

" Oh yes, young enough," replied she, " but I am 
not his first wife : it was to attend the funeral of his 
first wife's mother that brought us here ; she lived in 
Leith, and the funeral is to-day. I'm sure 1 wish it 
"was over." 

" "Was your husband married to Lady Gordon's 
daughter ?"inquired I ; " her interment takes place to- 
day, and I have heard her daughter was married to 
an officer ; but I thought his regiment was in Madras, 
or some part of India?" 

" Yes," said she, " it was Lady Gordon's daughter 
who was Captain Percy's first wife. Did you know 
Lady Gordon ?" 

" I did, but of course her Ladyship was above my 
Tank in life, besides she was a proud, distant woman ; 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 61 

she was considered peculiar by many people." This 
I said to draw her out. 

" She ought to have been peculiar enough if she 
was like Mrs. Percy," was her reply, " a proud up- 
setting thing that you could never make content ; she 
was never done fretting herself, so she could'nt bear 
to see another with a pleased face, and as jealous as 
Lucifer. The Captain used to say she would be 
jealous of a she mouse." 

" You knew his wife, then ?" 

' ' I think I did know her well enough, did you ?' r 
" No," replied I, she was married and in India 
before I ever saw her mother ; my home was in the 
Highlands, and I never either saw or heard of Lady 
Gordon or her family, until about three years ago, 
when 1 came to Leith." 

" Did you live with them ?" she enquired with a 
searching glance. 

" Yes, indeed I did." 

"Oh then," said she, as if I could fully understand 
her " you know all the outs and ins of them, and if 
the old cat was like the young one, you had a sweet 
lime of it as well as me ; but I made less of it serve 
me. I went to her about six months before they left 
India, and when we went to New- York, the Captain 
told me he would not let me go to Canada with them,. 
for he knew she would kill me with her ill temper, ^'he- 
was fit enough to do that ; I may say I never had a 
pleasant look from her after the iirst three months I 



62 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

was in tlie house ; I'm sure it was a good thing she 
died, ibr she worried, the Captain's life out of him, as 
well as every other body's." 

" So you were not with them when she died ?" 

" Oh no, she died in Montreal, in Canada ; she had a 
fever in India, and after that she pretended to have 
pains all the time in her side, just for an excuse to be 
crying all the time, just to torment other people ; at 
any rate, the Captain said she was never fit to be his 
wife ; he could'nt abide her cankering, puling ways 
he requires a thorough going woman for his wife, 
who'll let him take his swing ; but she would'nt let 
him or any one else have any pleasure ; and you 
know, I must confess he likes a game of billiards, as 
all them officers do ; and sometimes he used to be out 
the most of the night, and if he had ill luck, of course 
he would now and then get pretty w r ell cleaned out, 
and of course he wanted her to write home to her 
mother (who you know was as rich as a Jew), to send 
out some money ; but no, she was as niggardly as 
the mother, and if he had gone down on his knees, 
she would never write for a pound ; so of course this 
made mischief all the time." 

" It is to be supposed it would," replied I, " but 
how did you come to marry him when you remained 
in New York, and they went to Montreal ?" 

" Oh, because after her death he came right back 
to New York ; and we were married the very day 
after he came back." 

" That was a good thing for you." 



THE GHAND GORDONS. 

" Of course it was, but then I knew very well long 
before, that I would be married to him whenever 
she died, the wonder was she lived so long, if you 
had seen her after the fever, she was just like a 
scarecrow, skin and bone, and always crying to gel 
home ; that was what made him take her away from 
N ew York ; he caught her one day telling one of tin- 
ladies who boarded in the same hotel, that she was 
determined to go home and remain in Scotland, until 
she got better." 

" But she could as easily have gone home from 
Montreal, in Canada, as from New York. v 

" No, she could not, he brought her to board with 
a French family there, who spoke 110 English, and as 
she did not speak French, it would not be easy for 
her to plan that without his leave, and we knew 
well enough she would have done that if they had 
stayed in New York. But, at any rate, she died a 
week or two after they went to Canada, and he cared 
so little about her that he had'nt a black coat or a bit 
of crape on his hat when he came back." 

The window at which we sat was open, and as she 
finished speaking she put her head outside and looked 
in the direction she expected to see her husband ; 
drawing herself back almost instantly, she exclaimed. 

" Gracious ! here's the Captain back already ; for 
goodness sake doiit let on that I told you a word 
about Mrs. Percy, he hates me to speak to strangers 
and if he thought I was telling you anything, he 
would go mad." 



04 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" Dont fear, I sha'nt speak to him at all," said I. 

"Well, that's best." replied she, in a low tone, as if 
['earful of his hearing what she said ; "I'll go and sit 
in one of the far windows, and don't you let on that 
you know me at all ; don't speak to me for any sake." 

" Have no fear, I shall neither speak to, nor notice 
you. v 

She gave me a good humoured nod in reply, and 
hurrying oft' to the further end of the room, seated 
herself in the window, with her back towards where 
I sat. 

She had completed her arrangements just in time 
not a moment too soon when Captain Percy put 
his head into, rathe)- than entered the room. Seeing 
her there, he came towards her; she advancing to 
meet him with a pleased air. expressing at the same 
nine, her surprise and pleasure at his quick return. 

He came towards her with a smiling face, and 
pressed her offered hand to his lips, with a courtly 
air. looking altogether very different from the sulky 
looking rude fellow he appeared when I saw him 
previously. 

" I felt myself one too many there," said he, " those 
who camo for the funeral, and whom I knew, were 
nearly as uncivil as the old witch herself used to be: 
so I thought I'd come and see my love, have lunch, 
and still return in time to hear the will, which is the 
only thing I am at all concerned about." 

" I am very glad you came at any rate," was her 
rc'ply, as they both walked towards the window, ' I 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 65 

was awful tired, it's horrid lonesome being here 
alone, it's not like being in a hotel in New York, at 
all." 

He laughed heartily, as he replied, " No, neither 
the place nor the people ; however, we'll be back 
there soon that's one good thing, and another : 
Morrison, the lawyer, whom I went to see on my 
way back, says that it is most likely a fabrication of 
Morton's, the story of the Alms house ; he says that 
every one who had an opportunity of knowing, testi- 
fies to the fondness of the old woman for the children ; 
that in fact they seemed to be the light of her eyes. 
I saw them to day, the little girl is very pretty, very 
like Tiny, and the boy a glorious fellow as big with 
his six years as I could have been when I had num- 
bered ten." 

"Whether it was the mention of his dead wife's 
beauty in connection with the little girl, or his admi- 
ration of the children that displeased her, perhaps 
both, his lady's brow clouded ; observing which he 
laughed gaily saying as he playfully patted her cheek : 

" You must not be jealous, you have no need, the 
little cubs would not speak to, nor look at me, and if 
they did, do you think it likely that I would lug them 
about the world with me ? not the least danger of 
that ; I have no craving to be called Papa, and far 
less to be called on to pay children's bills. Apropos 
of bills, Morrison says he is satisfied the old woman 
cannot have left less than five hundred a y<i>ar 

each for the children's education and board. I kn< w 





66 THE GRAND GORDONS 

an excellent school in England, where I can have 
them boarded, educated and clothed for twenty-five 
pounds each, so I hope to make rather a good thing 
of Mistress Impudence G-ordon, after all." 

As he ceased speaking, his companion put her face 
close to his ear and whispered a few words, on which 
they both got up and left the room, Captain Percy 
staring at me, or I should rather say, at my crape 
bonnet and veil as he passed out. 

I lifted up my soul in grateful adoration to my 
Heavenly Father for His mercy in bringing me here ; 
how had the information obtained so strangely 
changed my life of hopeless wandering in India, 
seeking for a grave which had never been made 
there, into a comparatively easy task. In a city like 
Montreal, inhabited entirely by French and English, 
governed by European laws, it would be a simple 
affair to find the grave of one so recently interred. 
Verily the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, 
I had no sooner taken His yoke upon me than it was 
made light in a seemingly miraculous manner, had 
Ella not received an invitation to go with Miss Pierce 
(the first she had in three years,) or had I been 
directed to go to another Hotel, or even the hour 
been stated at which they were to arrive, I could not 
have heard what to me was of such life long impor- 
tance would I ever again doubt a Providence that 
careth when " a sparrow falleth to the ground ? " 




CHAPTER IV. 




"Lo His Spirit in our uetd doth shew the way." 

Ruthie !" said a clear sweet voice, I had not 
heard for many a long day, while a soft cheek 
was held up to my lips to be kissed ; the 
brown loving eyes and long black hair were all my 
own I had known both so well in the long ago, 
ever since my dear mother placed her baby of a few 
weeks old in my arms, telling me I must be her 
mamma ; to feed and care for her little helpless body ; 
and, if she lived, I must teach her to keep God's 
commandments, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ; 
that she, herself, had been called by the Lord of 
Life to go on a long journey, where neither Ella nor 
I could go until we were called as she had been, 
* but,' added she, ' I will wait for my dear Euth all 
the days of her mortal life, and the first words I shall 
ask of her when she enters those far Heavens, will be, 

* What have you done with Ella?' " 

I did my very best. I was only twelve years old 
then, but I had had a praying and teaching mother, 
one who instructed me from my er.rlicst years to be 



68 THE GEAND GOEDONS. 

a seeker after perfection ; to be ever striving to move 
forward, and advance tip the straight and narrow 
way of life ; and, child as I was myself, I watched 
the unfolding of the bud, the opening of the flower 
in my baby sister, both in mind and body; I 
watched her weak baby eyes grow strong, and 
brown, and soft, I watched the little pale brown 
down, become soft, glossy black hair, I could measure 
with my finger ; and as soon as she could understand 
what I said, I taught her as I had been taught myself, 
the Sermon on the Mount, as a rule for her life ; 
I told her of Jesus and the great salvation ; God 
willed that my poor humble labours should not be 
vain, the seed sown in much weakness and with 
many fears, produced an abundant harvest. 

I had much to be thankful for in our position, my 
grandfather, a retired half-pay officer, could give us 
food and shelter, and that was all he was able to do ; 
his narrow income barely sufficing for the household 
expenses, although these were most economically 
conducted by a woman who had entered his house 
with his wife, thirty-five years before ; poor Janet 
would have dressed us both in cloth of gold if she 
could, but her wages of three pounds per annum 
barely sufficed to clothe herself; w r hile the modest 
sum coming half-yearly to grandpapa, required to be 
eked out by the most rigid economy, in order to 
enable him to purchase a suit of wearing clothes, a 
very modest amount of pocket handkerchiefs, shirts 
and flannels, such a thing as his buying a better 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 69 

suit never occurred during the ten years I lived in 
the house, nor do I believe he, himself, or Janet 
either thought such a purchase at all necessary. 

I well remember the care with which his ' Sabbath 
claes,' as she called them, were brushed and folded 
by Janet each Monday morning, having been previ- 
ously aired on the black currant bushes surrounding 
the back green, to give them a 'caller smell,' and 
then placed in the drawer kept sacred to their use, 
newspaper above and below, plentifully strewn with 
lavender leaves and flowers. 

Grandpapa was styled Major Douglas, (I strongly 
suspect from the small sum his half-pay amounted to, 
his Majority must have been a brevet rank, notwith- 
standing Janet's favourite story of his having refused 
a Colonelcy.) Poor old gentleman, he had his extra- 
vagances, of which Janet complained loudly ; not to 
himself, or even in his presence, such a thing would 
have been simply impossible, but to myself or a stray 
neighbour, or the milk-woman, or her companion and 
favorite gossip, Miss Robertson's servant, an ancient 
damsel of her own age. The Major had four hats, none 
of which did I ever see renewed, nor did they seem to 
need it, they never grew older, nor did they seem to 
suffer from what Janet styled ' the Major's wasteful- 
ness ; ' the Sabbath hat he was never trusted with, 
it was laid out on Sunday morning after breakfast, 
and as carefully put aside as ' the Sabbath claes ; ' 
the second best hat was worn on his daily visits to 
the town ; (we lived in the suburbs,) these visits being 



70 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

paid every forenoon to read the newspapers, and go to 
the post-office, which he did regularly each day, 
receiving letters five or six times a year ; the other 
two were, the one for the long walk he daily took 
towards the country, the other for the garden, yard, 
etcetra. 

The Major's carelessness of his second best hat was 
a great thorn in the flesh to Janet ; itb proper place 
was on the side table in the sitting parlour, yet the 
Major in his for'getfuluess, hung it up in the little 
entrance hall, day after day ; often have I been a 
listener to the outpourings of her distress on such 
occasions. 

" For ony sake, look at the Major's second best hat 
hangin' there, and the big door as wide open as gin 
we keepit a public, and this was the day of a Marti- 
mas market," and taking it down, she would blow 
off the dust with all her might, and smooth the pile 
with her apron, and between each fit of blowing 
and rubbing, bewail her own hard fate, and the care- 
less extravagance of her master 

" Oh they officers, they're a' the same, gin it was his 
Sabbath hat, it wad be the same thing ; ye wad think 
it wad be easier for himsel' to tak aff' his hat i'the 
parlour and pit it doon on the side table, bit na, 
that wid'na dec \vi' the Llnjor, he's just liko a ten 
year auld; in he steps and never steeks a door after 
him, bit lats a' the stour o' the street come in on the 
stair carpet, and the twa basses ; and up gangs his 
gude town hat to get a share o' a' the dust that's 



THE GBAND GOKDONS, 71 

gaen ; mony a day I hae thought it was a gracious 
Providence that took the mistress awa when she 
gaed, for forbye the death o' the bairns, (she alluded 
to the death of my mother and aunt, both of whom 
died after their mother,) she couldna stan what 1 
have to dee ilka day I rise ; the waste and destruc- 
tion that gangs on in this house, naebody wad believe ; 
that gude stair carpet that she coft hersel, nae twa 
years afore she deet, widna be worth a penny piece 
gin I didna keep it weel coverit a' the time, and 
the siller he gies to the beggars is past speaking 
about ; nae content wi' a loke o' meal or a bit piece, 
that I aye gie mysel ; I'm feard to speak aboon 
my breath, fan a beggar comes to the door, gin he- 
gets wit o' them, gin he was readin' his Bible, it 
wid'iia keep him frae the door; out he wad be, 
and his hand in his pouch i'the minnit; and its 
nae them that needs it maist that he gies till, 1 
wadna grudge a penny noo and then to the auld 
blind fiddler, or yet to the sailor man that has his legs 
aff; but there's twa, three stout auld kegs that's as 
able to wark as I am, comin' roun' wi' their grey 
cloaks ower their heads, and baskets fu' o' a' thing 
that they get frae glakit cuttys o' servin' lasses, for 
tellin' their fortins wi' the dregs o' tea that they steal 
out o' their mistress' press. I ca' it a great sin to gie 
siller to the like o' them, jest encouraging them in 
their ill deein, an idle set ; but the Major ill pit his 
hand in his pouch for them as fast as ye like. I aye 
try to keep the bawbees gae scarce up the stair and 



72 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

pit them in till a jelly jug that's in the kitchen piess 
and whiles when he has naething but white siller, 
himsel', he'll speir gin there's ony bawbees doon the 
stair ; and gae aften I say " No Sir," whan I think 
that them he's gaen to gie them till doesiia need them, 
and ye wad wonder how headstrong he is whan he 
likes himsel' ; aye day, auld Elspit Thompson came 
roun', and she comes aftener than ony body's seekin' 
her, and nae i'the morning like ither decent folk that's 
forced to seek their bit, na, that wouldna serve her, 
its aye about dinner time, when she thinks the Major 
'ill be comin' hame, I never gae her onything mysel' 
sin the day that she ca'd me a pockmarkit illfaurt 
skate ; and she's no blate ; I daresay that she tell't 
the Major, at ony rate, she came to the door after him 
aye day, and chappit afore he had time to hing up 
his staff in the lobby ; whan he saw faa it was, he 
speart gin I had ony bawbees down the stair ? ' No Sir,' 
says I, and I said in low to mysel', ' nae for her, 
but I'll gie her a puckle meal.' ' Never miii 1 ,' says 
he, ' I'll sair her mysel',' and afore ye could say twice 
ane's twa, he out wi' a white saxpence, and pits it in 
her hand ; what think ye o' that ? Its my thought 
that a' they officers is demented whiles. And what 
think ye was the upshot o't, she waited till he turned 
his back to gang into the parlour, and me staiidiii' 
wi' the door siieck in my hand, and sine she put out 
her tongue in my face, and gaed her wa's down the 
brae ; gin a' the young leddies that rins after the 
officers kent them as weel as I dee, they wad rin frae 
them i'the place o' after them." 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 73 

I taught Ella all I knew myself ; to play a little on 
the piano, to read and write her own language as 
well as most girls do, a little geography, a little arith- 
metic, and I taught her to read and speak French as 
well as any lady in the land, as I myself had learned 
it in old Caiinis where I was bred and born. I had 
a class of young ladies at times numbering four, at 
times six, never more, to whom I taught what I 
knew of my native language for the modest sum of 
a guinea a quarter ; with this money, we were both 
clothed for eight years, my labours not commencing 
until my fourteenth year, not from want of will on my 
own part but from want of confidence in my powers 
by those around me. 

These were happy days as they sped along and the 
remembrance of them is sweet and pleasant still. 

Then the time came when I discovered that Ella 
would soon know all I could teach her, and I con- 
sulted our neighbour Miss Kobertson, as to what w r as 
to be done, so that I might make enough of money 
to send Ella to a boarding school; she was about 
paying her yearly visit of three months to Edinburgh 
and offered to bring me with her, and to give her aid 
in finding me a situation, the reader is already 
acquainted with the result. 

Ella had, as she expressed it, lots of things to tell 
me, and Miss Pierce insisted that I should hear her 
play, and sing, and read Grerman, so that the allotted 
time for our interview was almost gone ere I could 
tell of my intended journey, but as it now appeared 



74 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

a light task in my own eyes, so it seemed in hers, and 
we anticipated meeting again ere the year was out 
in our old home, Miss Pierce offering me a situation 
in her school, as French teacher, saying she would 
also retain Ella and let her continue her studies in 
the higher branches, on condition she should instruct 
the younger pupils in what she already knew ; this 
was a fair offer and a good opening, and was accepted 
conditionally ; in a few minutes more, I was gazing 
after the railway train which was bearing Ella and 
her kind teacher onwards to Melrose 




: -#' 



CHAPTER V. 





Reading the Will. 

returning to Leith, I found the friends and 
relatives of the deceased were just about 
assembling in the dining-room, where the 
will was to be read ; in passing up to my own room, I 
was met by Marion descending the staircase, who 
requested me to go to the dining-room with the rest, 
it being the desire of her Ladyship that all the mem- 
bers of her household should be present at the 
reading of her will. 

I seated myself in a recess formed by the sideboard 
and one of the windows, so as to avoid observation 
as much as possible. 

The gentlemen were all seated around the table. 
Sir Eobert at the bottom, looking in his mourning 
as he ought to have done by right of his birth and 
breeding, lik'e a gentleman; Gordon of Ilaight, a 
large, grey-haired old man, at the top ; looking as he 
always must have done from his boyhood upwards 
gentle and grand, while among the lawyers, and 
opposite the relatives sat Captain Percy, those tall 



76 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

proud Seatons looking at him with fierce eyes and 
scowling brows, as if they would fain annihilate and 
sweep him from their presence. 

To my surprise, not Mr. Morton, but Mr. Peter 
Farquharson, a writer to the Signet, from Edinburgh, 
produced and read the will. 

It was very short; the executors were Kobert 
Morton, Gordon of Haight, and Seaton of Thurlow, 
on the death of one or more, the survivors to have 
power to appoint others. 

Ten thousand pounds to Sir Robert, this to be 
increased to twenty thousand, in case of the return 
of Sir Eeginald, (her Ladyship's eldest son from 
whom they had not heard for fifteen years.) A 
legacy of one hundred pounds to myself. Small 
legacies to each of the servants, several hundred 
pounds to be put out at interest to form small annui- 
ties of five pounds a year each, to poor men and 
women who used to be the recipients of bounty from 
a hand that gave freely. 

The rest of her money amounting to over fifty 
thousand pounds, together with the house and 
grounds in Leith, was left to Margaret Gordon, only 
daughter of the deceased ; the interest thereof to be 
paid quarterly to her own order only ; the principal 
tied up in the most stringent manner, so that until 
the death of Captain Percy, it could not be touched. 

In case of his demise preceding that of his wife, 
the* money was to be wholly under her own control : 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 77 

but in no case was this money to be used to liquidate 
any debts of Captain Percy. 

Should Mrs. Percy die before her husband, small 
sums were to be paid to each of the children, upon 
their attaining- the age of thirty-five years ; the house 
and grounds at Leith to be converted into an hospital 
for old or sick men and women of the name of 
Gordon or Seaton, the money to endow the same. 

Mr. Farquharson stopped reading, as if here the 
will ended, but not a Gordon or Seaton present 
moved ; and from the faces of more than one, I could 
gather that the gist of the document was yet to come. 

Captain Percy's face expresssd the rage he felt; 
he stood up as if to retire, but seeing that no one 
else moved, he again seated himself. 

Sir Robert seemed to take a boyish pleasure in the 
evident discomfiture of his worthy brother-in-law, 
who. it was easily seen, he hated cordially ; he, on 
his own part, being pleasantly surprised by finding 
himself ten thousand pounds richer than he supposed 
he wx>uld have been, G-ordon of Haight having told 
him the day succeeding Lady Gordon's death, that 
he did not think there was anything for him, as his 
mother considered she had done enough in giving 
over her jointer house and lands, which he had 
enjoyed for several years. 

" Codicil," again began Mr. Farquharson, in a voice 
somewhat louder than he had used in his previous 
reading : and, after a long pause, he read the date, 
(one I well remembered ; the day on which the letter 



78 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

announcing Mrs. Percy's death was read so com- 
posedly by her mother, and yet made such a 
revolution in the household,) and then clearing his 
throat, he began 

" I make this codicil to my will, in consequence of 
having this day received a letter from Captain Percy, 
informing me of the death of my daughter Margaret ; 
not one word of which I believe, on the contrary, I 
believe my child to be alive, and that she will yet 
claim her inheritance. And further, I believe the 
motive of Captain Percy in representing my daughter 
as dead, to be a desire on his part that I will give 
him a sum of money for the possession of his children, 
and in consequence of this my belief, I now revoke the 
portion of my testament anent the disposal of the 
money and property left to my daughter Margaret, 
therein." 

" I now will ten thousand pounds to be delivered 
over to Eobert Morton, of the firm of Wood and 
Morton, writers to the Signet in Edinburgh, by him 
to be placed out at interest, and used as long as 
necessary for the furtherance of the scheme confided 
by me to him in the presence of Gordon of Haight, 
and Seaton of Thurlow." (As the lawyer read the 
names of these gentlemen, he rested his eye for a 
second, on each, as if appealing to them for confirm- 
ation of what he read; which, on their part, was 
acknowledged by a bow of assent,) " he to be impow- 
ered to use both principal and interest thereof, of 
which money he is to give an account to no one" 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 79 

As this clause was read, Sir Robert moved uneasily 
in his chair ; Captain Percy rose half up, his cheeks, 
puffed up, and muttered something like " cheat," but 
was at once reproved by the cool lawyer who was 
reading the will, looking him full in the face over his 
spectacles, and Mr. Gordon, of Haight who raised 
his hand to injoin silence. 

" The whole of my money remaining after the 
aforesaid mentioned sums are paid, being the sum of 
forty thousand pounds and upwards ; I devise and 
bequeath to my daughter, the said Margaret Gordon, 
also the house and grounds now occupied by me 
in the suburbs of Leith, called Rockgirtisle House ; 
and I advise her to make said house her home, at 
least until after the death of Captain Percy ; during 
his lifetime she is to receive the interest of the afore- 
said money, quarterly, to be paid into her own hand, 
and payable in no other way. She having no power 
over the principal unless she survive Captain Percy, 
and this money is in no case to be available for the 
payment of his debts." 

" Until the said Margaret Gordon return to her 
home, the house to be kept in its present state in 
every way, awaiting her return, and that for the space 
of fifty years, Marion Mitchell to be retained as house- 
keeper at a salary of forty pounds per annum." 

" In case of the death of said Marion Mitchell, 
another responsible person to be appointed by my 
executors, together with such a number of servants 
as she may deem necessary." 



80 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

" Should Captain Percy refuse to take charge of his 
children, Leonora and Charles Percy, now living at 
Morningside, they are to be removed to Rockgirtisle 
House, in Leith, and a proper governess provided for 
thorn, until they are of age to be sent to schpol, they 
are to be educated as befitting my grandchildren ; the 
boy to be taught any profession he may choose ; they 
are each to be entitled to the sum of ten thousand 
pounds on arriving at the age of thirty-five years." 

" Should their father take these children, into his 
own charge, as is most fitting he should do, the sum 
of ten thousand pounds aforesaid is not to be given 
to them, but will be disposed of by my executors as 
I shall further direct." 

" Fifty years from the date of my death, should my 
daughter, Margaret Gordon, not have returned to 
claim her heritage, the house in Leith is then to be 
converted into an Hospital for old or sick men and 
women of the name of Gordon or Seaton, or those 
descended from parents or grandparents of the names 
of Gordon or Seaton." 

As the lawyer laid the document upon the table, 
I could not help thinking what a good study for an 
artist, the group seated around would make ; Captain 
Percy, the most conspicuous figure in the picture. 
He got up more than once, pushed his chair a little 
back, his face pale as death, his nostrils distended, 
eyes and mouth expressive of rage, and deadly hate, 
then seating himself, appeared as if about to give 
vent to the passion he was evidently unable to con- 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 81 

ceal; Sir Robert, at, the foot of the table, sat leaning 
011 his arms which were folded on the table, his face 
turned towards his brother-in-law, absolutely gleam- 
ing with the fun he seemed to derive from the 
discomfiture of the other ; he too had to exercise a 
more than usual amount of self-control in order to 
prevent himself giving utterance to the mirthful 
satisfaction the appearance and situation of Captain 
Percy gave rise to; every second or two, he directed 
his eyes to the top of the table, and seizing a moment 
when Grordon of Haight's eyes were bent upon a 
paper which Mr. Farquharson had just handed him, 
Sir Robert made his enemy (for such they evidently 
were), a mocking congratulatory bow, which in its 
serio-comic expression was almost irresistible, and 
occasioned several of those who observed it to have 
recourse to their pocket-handkerchiefs. 

Exactly opposite to Captain Percy sat two sons of 
Seaton of Thurlow, large dark men, as were all their 
race ; these gentlemen were very tall handsome men, 
several inches over six feet high, and so much alike 
in appearance that Lady Gordon, with whom they 
were both especial favourites, used to call them " The 
great twin Brethren." I had been told long since, 
that the elder, and heir to his father's land, was at 
one time an admirer of his cousin, and would most 
likely have been a suitor for her hand, but for the 
hard fate which introduced her to Captain Percy, 
with his wit and skill in pleasing ; be this as it may, 
these young men sat with folded arms leaning back 

F 



82 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

in their chairs ; never for one moment relaxing the 
steady gaze of their fierce black eyes from Captain 
Percy's face, of which he was evidently conscious, 
and winced under without the courage to return it. 

At last, his passion, together with the annoyance of 
being stared at so unscrupulously by the two ISeatons, 
and scoffed at by Sir Robert, became unbearable, and 
rising again he pushed back his chair with no gentle 
hand, muttered something which seemed like " I hope 
the old Hecate will see the revenge I shall take," and 
was about to leave the room when Mr. Gordon look- 
ing up from the papers he was still occupied in 
examining, and entirely unconscious of the fight in 
dumb show which had been taking place, requested 
Captain Percy to remain for a few minutes, adding, 
" it is desirable that all the business which can be 
arranged here shall be done at once." 

Captain Percy reseated himself, and as he did so, 
gave a look of defiance to the two Seatons opposite ; 
Mr. Gordon hemmed, a deprecatory hem, as if he 
knew he was going to say something which would 
be ill received, and which was forced upon him to 
say, will or nil, by his position. 

" We are to dine here to-day, in order to give us 
more time to arrange all the preliminary steps to the 
will of the deceased being carried into effect with as 
little delay as possible, and in case you are pre- 
engaged and cannot join us at dinner, I wish to say 
that if it is your intention to remove your children 
from the care of Lady Gordon's executors, we will 



THE GRAND GORDONS 83 

be glad to have this done at once, the children are 
now, as yon. are aware, in the house, and if such is 
your wish, they will be delivered into your charge 
previous to your departure. 

While Mr. Gordon spoke, Captain Percy's face 
assumed an almost livid hue, he struggled to appear 
calm, but it would not do, he trembled in every limb, 
as he stood up and faced Mr Gordon, at same time, 
taking in with a sweep of his eye, the two young 
Seatons, he sputtered out rather than spoke 

" The children you speak of are Lady Gordon's 
grandchildren, that is certain, and as such I will have 
nothing to do with them ; you may hang, draw and 
quarter them for aught I care, one shilling of my 
money shall never be spent to buy a biscuit for them, 
were they starving. Lady Gordon thought that she 
achieved a great success when she excluded me so 
effectually from any participation in the money which 
alone bought me to become her son-in-law ; but if the 
spirits of the wicked see what is done on earth, I'll 
make her weep tears of fire and blood for that very 
will, in her fiery home." 

The last words had scarcely left his lips ere Sir 
Robert and the two young Seatons were beside him 
preventing his egress by the door which he was 
attempting to reach ; Hugh Seaton seizing him by 
the throat and almost lifting him from the floor. 

" No brawling here, loosen your hands boys," said 
Gordon of Haight, in a commanding determined tone. 

Sir Robert and Harry Seaton looked as if undeter- 



84 THE GRAND GOEDONS. 

mined whether to obey the voice they had evidently 
been accustomed to pay respect to, or the angry 
impulse of their own hearts. 

Not so Hugh Seaton, who still kept his grasp of 
Captain Percy's throat, the latter's face almost livid 
purple. Meantime, Seaton of Thurlow rose from his 
seat, and walking leisurely up to the hostile pair, 
loosened his son's hands, saying as he did so 

" Na Hugh, my man, that winna dae ; if ye want to 
kill the fox, I'll no go between ye, but unearth him 
from his own hole." 

" That's not so easy done," replied his son, evidently 
very angry with the interference he had neverthe- 
less yielded to, " you could catch an eel in the river 
sooner than him ; I have been waiting this chance 
for years." 

" "Weel my son, ye maun e'en wait a while longer, ' 
replied his father, " and its my advice to ye whan ye 
fight wi' chaps of his size, to tak pistols wi' ye, or 
else give him a father's correction and let him go ; its 
hardly fair for a man o' your size to go to haiidycuffs 
wi' a little chap like yon." 

Ere Mr. Seaton finished speaking, Captain Percy 
had taken himself off, arranging the collar of his coat, 
which had been sadly pushed from its wonted smooth, 
precise folds, by Hugh Seaton, and muttering some- 
thing about bringing the police, as he went out, 
banging the hall door twice, with violence enough 
to make the old house ring again. 



THE GRAND GORDONS 85 

During all that long afternoon, I in vain tried to 
see Mr. Morton alone, so that I might communicate 
to him what I had heard from Captain Percy's wife, 
and which I deemed might be of the utmost import- 
ance for him to know previous to their departure 
from Edinburgh ; which the lady had assured mo 
would be immediately after his return from the 
funeral. 

They were seated at dinner before I could obtain 
access to him in any way, then 1 wrote a note in 
which I briefly stated what I had heard in Kay's 
Hotel, and from whom ; and that I would wait, desir- 
ing the man who served table, to deliver it at onco 
to Mr Morton 

In a few minutes, he joined me in the library. I 
there told him all I knew, and that Mrs. Percy 
expected to leave Edinburgh the same day. 

" I doubt that," replied he, " as I know Percy has 
been trying to effect a loan of money from a man in 
that line in Edinburgh ; and I also doubt his ability 
to go without some such supply ; however, I must 
at once go to Kay's, I do not think Percy has returned 
yet, and if not, I shall try to get a little more inform- 
ation from his wife." 

"While the sound of his voice yet lingered in my 
ear, he was gone. 

I did not see him again until the evening, when I 
was sent for to meet the executors in the dining-room, 
where Mr. Morton was informing Mr. G-ordon and 
Seaton of Thurlow of what I had heard from Mrs. 



86 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

Percy in the morning, and of his own interview with 
her an hour or two previous, which was effected by 
his sending- up his card to Captain Percy, who he had 
ascertained was at that moment busily occupied in a 
Billiard Saloon with his friend Mr. Morrison. 

Both gentlemen expressed their surprise and satis- 
faction at the discovery which had been made, Mr. 
Gordon saying 

" The whole of this day's proceedings have been 
the Lord's doings, a'nd wondrous in our eyes; I have 
known Lady Gordon, girl, wife and widow for half 
a century, and all that time, I believe her to have, to 
the best of her ability, served the God of her fathers, 
and now He is answering her prayers for her children, 
even after she, herself, has passed from earth forever ; 
you saw how Percy gave up the children, yea, even 
cast them off, while we, with less faith than she had, 
ieared there might be much trouble to get them from 
him, and no little waste of money in bribing him 
therefor." [I found afterwards that Lady Gordon had 
drawn five thousand pounds and given it in trust to 
these gentlemen, before her death, to be given as a 
bribe to induce Captain Percy to make over his chil- 
dren, by letters of adoption, to them, and as it was 
expected that on hearing of Lady Gordon's death, he 
would demand a copy of her will, the mention of this 
was purposely omitted therein.] "And now," con- 
tinued he, " by what men call the merest accident, 
we find how her desire of discovering where the 
body of her daughter is laid, and having it brought 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 87 

to her native land, can be safely and easily accom- 
plished, instead of being what it seemed yesterday 
almost an impossibility." 

After a pause, Mr. Gordon, addressing me, said 
" I suppose you will be ready in a week or two, to 
proceed on your mission ?" 

" I am ready to go now/' replied -I, " and prefer 
doing so as soon as possible, I have nothing to detain 
me here, and the sooner I go, will have the less diffi- 
culty in executing what I have undertaken." 

" I anticipate little trouble," replied Mr. Gordon, 
" in your search, if you go about it in a systematic 
manner. Captain Percy is a Catholic, and. no doubt, 
has had his wife interred according to the rites of 
his Church, and in a Catholic cemetery, hence your 
plan is to go first to one Catholic Church, and then 
to another, paying the usual fee to be allowed to look 
at the list of interments which have been registered 
for the three months preceding and following the 
time at which Captain Percy said her death took 
place ; as he - lied about the place of her death, so he 
may have lied about the time ; it may have taken 
place six months or even a year previous to the time 
he says ; it was to his advantage to conceal his wife's 
death as long as possible he know while her mother 
believed her to be alive, she would continue to send 
her usual quarterly remittance, which I fancy was 
pretty much all they had to depend upon, as by his 
own account, he sold his commission soon after his 
arrival in India ; his bringing her to New York and 



88 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

afterwards to Montreal, entirely among French 
people, was most likely done with an intention of 
concealing her death as long as it was safe to do so." 
" That is certainly the case," said Mr. Morton, " as 
by comparing the time of his second marriage with 
the date of his letter announcing the death of his 
wife, I find he must have been married at least six 
or nine months previous ; it may have been a year, 
as I could not, without exciting her suspicions as to 
my motive, question her closely enough on the sub- 
ject, but as she was married previous to his coming 
home last year, and accompanied him as far as 
England, w T here he left her during the flying visit he 
paid to his children, it is too evident he concealed the 
death of his wife for some time after it took place." 

Marion had been a silent listener to this conversa- 
tion ; she was standing by the sideboard when I 
entered, and remained there without exciting any 
notice, she was a privileged servant in right of her 
twenty-five years faithful service ; she had been Mrs. 
Percy's teacher as well as nurse, until her seventh 
year, and ever held a place far above the other 
servants, never even eating with them ; it did not 
then surprise any one present, nor did they seem to 
consider it an intrusion when she came forward to 
the table where the gentlemen were seated, and still 
standing, (although Mr. Morton at once offered her 
a chair) said 

"Gentlemen, you have, perhaps, forgotten that 
Lady Gordon never thought of searching for Miss 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 89 

Tliiy's grave until it was fully ascertained she was 
dead ; when she intended going to India, she never 
once talked of searching for her daughter's grave, it 
was for herself she was to seek, and it was to find 
Miss Tiny, not her grave that Miss St. Clare promised 
her Ladyship ; it was I in my unbelief at the time, 
who suggested the grave should be sought for and 
the body brought home, and mentioned the marks 
by which it could be recognized." 

" And you did well, Marion," replied the old gentle- 
man, " Lady Gordon's idea of her daughter's being 
in life, was a fond thing vainly imagined, she loved 
her so dearly she could not bear the thought of having 
to part with her, and by dwelling on the one idea 
it became so fixed in her imagination that to her it 
was as much a reality as if it were part of her religious 
belief; but to all others it was a myth, and you have 
within the last half hour, heard the account of her 
death corroborated by both Miss St. Clare and Mr. 
Morton, who have seen and spoken to his second 
wife; this woman has, 110 doubt, been Tiny's maid 
or some such person in her employment; do you 
think it is likely she would have become his wife 
unless she was certain his first wife was dead? and 
that she is his wife, we have had full proof, her name 
is entered as Mrs. Percy, beside his in Kay's guest 
book, and she has been introduced to Morrison the 
lawyer, as his wife ; she is to spend this evening 
at Morrison's house with his family ; do you think 
Captain Percy would dare to introduce her in this 



90 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

way if she were not his wife ? Or would he dare, on 
the other hand, to marry her, his wife being yet 
alive, and thus expose himself at any moment to 
become the inmate of a prison? Besides, he had 
nothing to gain, but all to lose by Tiny's death ; as long 
as she lived he was certain of a fair income, and if 
she survived her mother, her income would then be 
such as to make him a wealthy man; we all know 
he was notoriously lazy, what then could be his 
motive in throwing away a handsome income, 
together with a beautiful wife, whom, there is 110 
question, he loved, whatever his other faults may 
have been ; and by living a lie, to throw himself on 
his own resources for his daily bread ?" 

" But Mr. Gordon," urged Marion, who had in the 
fullest sense of the word, adopted Lady Gordon's 
idea of Mrs. Percy's being still alive, " did he not say 
in presence of you all to-day, that he only married 
Miss Tiny for her mother's money ? and did not the 
woman he calls his wife say that he constantly quar- 
relled with Mrs. Percy because she would not write 
to her mother for money to pay his gambling debts ? 
"Would to God, she had let that be known at home. 
Lady Gordon would have gone to the end of the earth 
to bring her to Scotland, if she had only thought she 
would come." 

" Wei], Marion, as to what Captain Percy said to- 
day, we know that it is false, we have never believed 
him to be a truthful man, and he made that speech 
as a sort of retaliation on the dead, because he was so- 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 91 

effectually cut out from any participation in. her 
money; Lady Gordon herself, (and as you know, 
there could have been no one in this world who loved 
him less) never accused him of marrying for money ; 
no doubt, if he had not been sure that Lady Gordon 
would have given liberally to her daughter, he could 
not have married, as he knew what we did not then, 
that he had nothing of his own ; but as to his marry- 
ing for money, that was a falsehood; he married 
a beautiful and accomplished girl, one who could 
have married into the best families in the land, and 
who was sought by several of the handsomest young 
men in Edinburgh without a bawbee." 

" I beg your pardon, gentlemen, for intruding my 
humble opinions on you who know so much better 
than myself, but his tiring of his wife would be just 
a part of his character ; and what the woman in Edin- 
burgh says is likely to be too true ; he never had a 
dog or a horse that he cared for three months ; well 
do I recollect his selling a pair of beautiful grays 
that Lady Gordon bought for their pony carriage, 
and getting black horses in their place, and in six 
weeks they were changed for fawn-coloured ; it is 
jp.st as likely he left Miss Tiny among the French 
people he took her to, in some out of the way place 
that she cannot get out of. Oh, Mr. Gordon, I could 
not face my mistress in eternity, if Tiny is not brought 
home ; let Miss St. Clare stay and take care of the 
house, and let me go and search for Tiny." 

"My good woman," said Mr. Gordon, who now 



92 THE GRAND GORDONS. 

seemed a little irritated by her pertinacity, " you are 
speaking about what you know nothing of men do 
not tire of their wives as they do of their horses, 
especially when their wives are young, and beautiful, 
moreover, Tiny was an heiress expectant, of forty or 
fifty thousand pounds ; Besides, what you say of his 
leaving her among the French people in an out of the 
way place, is simply nonsense ; the city of Montreal 
is a much larger one than Edinburgh and Leith put 
together, and there are full as many English people as 
there are French in it ; if she is alive, why does she 
not write home ? Why has she not written home 
for the last fifteen months ? And as to your going 
to Canada, in place of an educated person like Miss 
St. Clare, it would merely defeat the object we have 
in view ; she speaks French, and therefore can make 
herself understood by both classes of the people, you 
could not ; besides, we have no power to do this, 
Lady Gordon's will is most explicit ; Abide by the 
trust reposed in you by your mistress ; if Tiny is alive, 
it is more likely she will come home to the house in 
which she was bred and born than remain among 
strangers, and it was with a view to your keeping 
the house ever open for her. as well as its being a 
home for her children that Lady G ordon ordered it 
to be kept in its present state for such a length of 
time, and you to have charge of it as long as you 
live." 

If Marion was not convinced, she was silent, and 
turning from the table, left the room. 



THE GRAND GORDONS. 93 

Mr. Morton at once entered on the arrangements 
for my departure, which was settled to take place 
the next day,