of that. See if we don't bring them to their senses! Seven yarbs, indeed!-seven devils!"

"Oh, Cuthbert!" I said, laughing, for I could not fird in my heart to scold him for the slip-he looked so good-tempered and happy.

Juno looked up from her occupation, and gave us to understand that her usual dish of milk would be agreeable, which I poured out for her.

"Ah, old lady!" I said, patting her handsome head, "you were very nearly tripping up the good Vicar this morning; I saw you. If he had not caught hold of a rail, he would have been down."

"The Vicar caught tripping; hey, Mag?—not so bad, is it?" laughed Cuthbert.

"Oh, you dreadful punster," I exclaimed, "and to speak in that way of his Reverence, too!"

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Harry Wilson does not appear to reverence his Reverence much, at all events," said Cuthbert, looking very mischievous.

"No, but he is but a boy, and talks nonsense." Why is it nonsense, Mag?"

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Oh, because it is not right to speak irreverently of God's appointed ministers."

"Appointed by man, you mean, sister; and

pompous and disagreeable into the bargain. He is sure to do my patients more harm than good. I wish he'd let them alone."

That is very sad," I replied, "but what does he do?"

"Do! why, not much good, I fancy. I suppose he sits down and reads a set form of prayers; talks to them in his rough voice, and scolds them for not coming to church. They all like young Edwards, the Dissenting Minister, ten times better, because he is kind and gentle to them, and they understand his simple language. I'm sure I like him better a great deal myself, if somebody must go to them, for he is a sensible sort of fellow, though he is only the carpenter. Not that that matters, for our Saviour was a carpenter's son, you know."

I looked at him with surprise.

"Then, after all, you do read your Bible, dear Cuthbert?"

"Well, of course I have read it; what then?" "Then I hope and believe it is not as indifferent to you as you pretend, and that you do make it the rule and standard of your life."

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Oh, well, as to that, I don't know that I care much about it one way or the other: things come into my head out of it sometimes, as they did

just now.

It is all full of discrepancies, from one

end to the other."

"Not so many as you think, dear brother and the more you read, the more you will perceive this. You ought not to study it in a spirit of doubt and contradiction, but with the humble faith and trust of a child."

"I don't know about that, Maggie, I am not a child, and prefer making use of my own senses, though I must say that some of you very good people seem to find wonderful pleasure in it. I can't say that I do; not at present, at least."

"But the time will come, Cuthbert," I sighed. Oh, my brother, you have yet to learn, in the hour of affliction, the comfort and consolation to be derived from its Holy pages."

He sat a long while deep in thought, watching the embers as they dropped upon the hearth; the fire was burning low. The house was very still, for, not having rung for the tea things to be removed, the servants had gone to bed at the usual hour. I was not inclined to interrupt the current of his thoughts, and I put up a mental prayer that the dear and only relative now left me, might yet have his eyes opened to the real value of the revealed Word of God. At length he looked up at me with a loving smile, and said,

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Maggie, I know that you never knowingly uttered an untruth in your life, and I know you fully believe what you assert. You may read a chapter to me now, if you like. I will think about all you say. I do sometimes."

I threw my arms round his dear neck and pressed my lips upon his forehead with many kisses, while tears of hope and joy filled my eyes, and you may be sure that I read to him many chapters ere we retired for the evening.

I lay long awake thinking of my brother, and wishing that I had the tongue of an angel to speak to his heart. I felt how incapable I was to guide or direct him, or to explain away the difficulties which seemed to beset him. I felt indeed that it was the "blind leading the blind," and a terrible fear came over me, lest we both together should fall, but then I recollected that we are only expected to make the best use we can of the talent committed to our charge, and something always assured me in my inmost heart that a time would arrive when his mind would be fully awakened to religious convictions.

I had not, I think, been asleep more than two hours, when I was awoke by a suppressed noise about the house, and, slipping on my dressing gown, I opened my door, when I saw Cuthbert coming out of his room with the surgery key in his hand. A messenger from Emerald Bank had arrived, to beg Cuthbert's immediate attendance, as Master Wilson was very ill. The day was just breaking, and, as soon as possible, I dressed myself, and, wrapping a warm cloak about me, followed my brother. When I entered, I found Cuthbert and Mrs. Wilson at the poor lad's bedside. They had succeeded in not alarming Lotty; he was then in what I should call a complete trance. His mother said he had complained of excruciating pains all over his body and limbs, sometimes darting into one place,