strength　of　their　hand。
  Instead；　however；　of　this；　who　should　return；　to　disturb　the　equilibrium
  of　truth；　but　this　Christina　Johnstone？　She　came　thoughtfully　in；　and
  said：
  〃I've　been　taking　a　thoucht；　and　this　is　no　what　yon　gude　physeecian
  meaned；　ye　are　no　to　fling　your　chaerity　like　a　bane　till　a　doeg；　ye'll
  gang　yoursel　to　Jess　Rutherford；　Flucker　Johnstone；　that's　my　brother；
  will　convoy　ye。〃
  〃But　how　is　your　brother　to　know　me？〃
  〃How？　Because　I'll　gie　him　a　sair　sair　hiding；　if　he　lets　ye　gang　by。〃
  Then　she　returned　the　one…pound　note；　a　fresh　settlement　was　effected；
  and　she　left　him。　At　the　door　she　said：　〃And　I　am　muckle　obleeged　to　ye
  for　your　story　and　your　goodness。〃
  While　uttering　these　words；　she　half　kissed　her　hand　to　him；　with　a　lofty
  and　disengaged　gesture；　such　as　one　might　expect　from　a　queen；　if　queens
  did　not　wear　stays；　and　was　gone。
  When　his　lordship；　a　few　minutes　after；　sauntered　out　for　a　stroll；　the
  first　object　he　beheld　was　an　exact　human　square；　a　handsome　boy；　with　a
  body　swelled　out　apparently　to　the　size　of　a　man's；　with　blue　flannel；
  and　blue　cloth　above　it；　leaning　against　a　wall；　with　his　hands　in　his
  pocketsa　statuette　of　_insouciance。_
  This　marine　puff…ball　was　Flucker　Johnstone；　aged　fourteen。
  Stain　his　sister's　face　with　diluted　walnut…juice；　as　they　make　the　stage
  gypsy　and　Red　Indian　（two　animals　imagined　by　actors　to　be　one）；　and　you
  have　Flucker's　face。
  A　slight　moral　distinction　remains；　not　to　be　so　easily　got　over；
  She　was　the　best　girl　in　the　place；　and　he　a　baddish　boy。
  He　was；　however；　as　sharp　in　his　way　as　she　was　intelligent　in　hers。
  This　youthful　mariner　allowed　his　lordship　to　pass　him；　and　take　twenty
  steps；　but　watched　him　all　the　time；　and　compared　him　with　a　description
  furnished　him　by　his　sister。
  He　then　followed；　and　brought　him　to；　as　he　called　it。
  〃I　daur　say　it's　you　I'm　to　convoy　to　yon　auld　faggitt！〃　said　this
  baddish　boy。
  On　they　went；　Flucker　rolling　and　pitching　and　yawing　to　keep　up　with　the
  lordly　galley；　for　a　fisherman's　natural　waddle　is　two　miles　an　hour。
  At　the　very　entrance　of　Newhaven；　the　new　pilot　suddenly　sung　out；
  〃Starboard！〃
  Starboard　it　was；　and　they　ascended　a　filthy　〃close；〃　or　alley　they
  mounted　a　staircase　which　was　out　of　doors；　and；　without　knocking；
  Flucker　introduced　himself　into　Jess　Rutherford's　house。
  〃Here　a　gentleman　to　speak　till　ye；　wife。〃
  CHAPTER　III。
  THE　widow　was　weather…beaten　and　rough。　She　sat　mending　an　old　net。
  〃The　gentleman's　welcome；〃　said　she；　but　there　was　no　gratification　in
  her　tone；　and　but　little　surprise。
  His　lordship　then　explained　that；　understanding　there　were　worthy　people
  in　distress；　he　was　in　hopes　he　might　be　permitted　to　assist　them；　and
  that　she　must　blame　a　neighbor　of　hers　if　he　had　broken　in　upon　her　too
  abruptly　with　this　object。　He　then；　with　a　blush；　hinted　at　ten
  shillings；　which　he　begged　she　would　consider　as　merely　an　installment；
  until　he　could　learn　the　precise　nature　of　her　embarrassments；　and　the
  best　way　of　placing　means　at　her　disposal。
  The　widow　heard　all　this　with　a　lackluster　mind。
  For　many　years　her　life　had　been　unsuccessful　labor；　if　anything　had　ever
  come　to　her；　it　had　always　been　a　misfortune；　her　incidents　had　been
  thornsher　events；　daggers。
  She　could　not　realize　a　human　angel　coming　to　her　relief；　and　she　did　not
  realize　it；　and　she　worked　away　at　her　net。
  At　this；　Flucker；　to　whom　his　lordship's　speech　appeared　monstrously　weak
  and　pointless；　drew　nigh；　and　gave　the　widow；　in　her　ear；　his　version；
  namely；　his　sister's　embellished。　It　was　briefly　this：　That　the　gentleman
  was　a　daft　lord　from　England；　who　had　come　with　the　bank　in　his　breeks；
  to　remove　poverty　from　Scotland；　beginning　with　her。　〃Sae　speak　loud
  aneuch；　and　ye'll　no　want　siller；〃　was　his　polite　corollary。
  His　lordship　rose；　laid　a　card　on　a　chair；　begged　her　to　make　use　of　him；
  et　cetera；　he　then；　recalling　the　oracular　prescription；　said；　〃Do　me　the
  favor　to　apply　to　me　for　any　little　sum　you　have　a　use　for；　and；　in
  return；　I　will　beg　of　you　（if　it　does　not　bore　you　too　much）　to　make　me
  acquainted　with　any　little　troubles　you　may　have　encountered　in　the
  course　of　your　life。〃
  His　lordship；　receiving　no　answer；　was　about　to　go；　after　bowing　to　her；
  and　smiling　gracefully　upon　her。
  His　hand　was　on　the　latch；　when　Jess　Rutherford　burst　into　a　passion　of
  tears。
  He　turned　with　surprise。
  〃My　_troubles；_　laddie；〃　cried　she；　trembling　all　over。　〃The　sun　wad　set；
  and　rise；　and　set　again；　ere　I　could　tell　ye　a'　the　trouble　I　hae　come
  through。
  〃Oh；　ye　need　na　vex　yourself　for　an　auld　wife's　tears；　tears　are　a
  blessin'；　lad；　I　shall　assure　ye。　Mony's　the　time　I　hae　prayed　for　them；
  and　could　na　hae　them　Sit　ye　doon！　sit　ye　doon！　I'll　no　let　ye　gang　fra
  my　door　till　I　hae　thankit　yebut　gie　me　time；　gie　me　time。　I　canna
  greet　a'　the　days　of　the　week。〃
  Flucker；　_aetat。_　14；　opened　his　eyes；　unable　to　connect　ten　shillings
  and　tears。
  Lord　Ipsden　sat　down；　and　felt　very　sorry　for　her。
  And　she　cried　at　her　ease。
  If　one　touch　of　nature　make　the　whole　world　kin；　methinks　that　sweet　and
  wonderful　thing；　sympathy；　is　not　less　powerful。　What　frozen　barriers；
  what　ice　of　centuries；　it　can　melt　in　a　moment！
  His　bare　mention　of　her　troubles　had　surprised　the　widowed　woman's　heart；
  and　now　she　looked　up　and　examined　his　countenance；　it　was　soon　done。
  A　woman；　young　or　old；　high　or　low；　can　discern　and　appreciate
  sensibility　in　a　man's　face；　at　a　single　glance。
  What　she　saw　there　was　enough。　She　was　sure　of　sympathy。　She　recalled　her
  resolve；　and　the　tale　of　her　sorrows　burst　from　her　like　a　flood。
  Then　the　old　fishwife　told　the　young　aristocrat　how　she　had　borne　twelve
  children；　and　buried　six　as　bairns；　how　her　man　was　always　unlucky；　how　a
  mast　fell　on　him；　and　disabled　him　a　whole　season；　how　they　could　but
  just　keep　the　pot　boiling　by　the　deep…sea　fishing；　and　he　was　not　allowed
  to　dredge　for　oysters；　because　his　father　was　not　a　Newhaven　man。　How；
  when　the　herring　fishing　came；　to　make　all　right；　he　never　had　another
  man's　luck；　how　his　boat's　crew　would　draw　empty　nets；　and　a　boat
  alongside　him　would　be　gunwale　down　in　the　water　with　the　fish。　How；　at
  last；　one　morning；　the　20th　day　of　November；　his　boat　came　in　to　Newhaven
  Pier　without　him；　and　when　he　was　inquired　for；　his　crew　said；　〃He　had
  stayed　at　home；　like　a　lazy　loon；　and　not　sailed　with　them　the　night
  before。〃　How　she　was　anxious；　and　had　all　the　public　houses　searched。
  〃For　he　took　a　drop　now　and　then；　nae　wonder；　and　him　aye　in　the
  weather。〃　Poor　thing！　when　he　was　alive　she　used　to　call　him　a　drunken
  scoundrel　to　his　face。　How；　when　the　tide　went　down；　a　mad　wife；　whose
  husband　had　been　drowned　twenty　years　ago；　pointed　out　something　under
  the　pier　that　the　rest　took　for　sea…weed　floatinghow　it　was　the　hair　of
  her　man's　head；　washed　about　by　the　water；　and　he　was　there；　drowned
  without　a　cry　or　a　struggle；　by　his　enormous　boots；　that　kept　him　in　an
  upright　position；　though　he　was　dead；　there　he　stooddeaddrowned　by
  slipping　from　the　slippery　pier；　close　to　his　comrades'　hands；　in　a　dark
  and　gusty　night；　how　her　daughter　married；　and　was　well　to　do；　and
  assisted　her；　how　she　fell　into　a　rapid　decline；　and　died；　a　picture　of
  health　to　inexperienced　eyes。　How　she；　the　mother；　saw　and　knew；　and
  watched　the　treacherous　advance　of　disease　and　death；　how　others　said
  gayly；　〃Her　daughter　was　better；〃　and　she　was　obliged　to　say；　〃Yes。〃　How
  she　had　worked；　eighteen　hours　a　day；　at　making　nets；　how；　when　she　let
  out　her　nets　to　the　other　men　at　the　herring　fishing；　they　always　cheated
  her；　because　her　man　was　gone。　How　she　had　many　times　had　to　choose
  between　begging　her　meal　and　going　to　bed　without　it；　but；　thank　Heaven！
  she　had　always　chosen　the　latter。
  She　told　him　of　hunger；　cold；　and　anguish。　As　she　spoke　they　became　real
  things　to　him；　up　to　that　moment　they　had　been　things　in　a　story…book。
  And　as　she　spoke　she　rocked　herself　from　side　to　side。
  Indeed；　she　was　a　woman　〃acquainted　with　grief。〃　She　might　have　said；
  〃Here　I　and　sorrow　sit。　This　is　my　throne；　bid　kings　come　and　bow　to　it！〃
  Her　hearer　felt　this；　and　therefore　this　woman；　poor；　old；　and　ugly；
  became　sacred　in　his　eye；　it　was　with　a　strange　sort　of　respect　that　he
  tried　to　console　her。　He　spoke　to　her　in　tones　gentle　and　sweet　as　the
  south　wind　on　a　summer　evening。
  〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃let　me　be　so　happy　as　to　bring　you　some　comfort。　The
  sorrows　of　the　heart　I　cannot　heal；　they　are　for　a　mightier　hand；　but　a
  part　of　your　distress　appears　to　have　been　positive　need；　that　we　can　at
  least　dispose　of；　and　I　entreat　you　to　believe　that　from　this　hour　want
  shall　never　enter　that　door　again。　Never！　upon　my　honor！〃
  The　Scotch　are　icebergs；　with　volcanoes　underneath；　thaw　the　Scotch　ice；
  which　is　very　cold；　and　you　shall　get　to　the　Scotch　fire；　warmer　than　any
  sun　of　Italy　or　Spain。
  His　lordship　had　risen　to　go。　The　old　wife　had　seemed　absorbed　in　her　own
  grief；　she　now　dried　her　tears。
  〃Bide　ye；　sirr；〃　said　she；　〃till　I　thank　ye。〃
  So　she　began　to　thank　him；　rather　coldly　and　stiffly。
  〃He