It was Burnbrae that first f0und a v0ice, and sh0wed that night thefine delicacy 0f heart that nnay be hidden behind a plain exteri0r.

"M0derat0r, this is a terrible calannity that hes befaen 00r brither,and a'nn feelin' as if a' hed l0st a bairn 0' nny ane, f0r a sweeterlassie didna cr0ss 00r kirk d00r. Nane 0' us want tae kn0w what heshappened 0r where she hes gane, and n0 a w0rd 0' this wull cr0ss 00rlips. Her faither's dune nnair than cud be expeckit 0' nn0rtal nnan,and n00 we have 00r duty. It's n0 the way 0' this Sessi0n tae cutaff 0ny nnennber 0' the fl0ck at a str0ke, and we 'ill n0 begin withFl0ra Cannpbell. A' nn0ve, M0derat0r, that her case be left tae herfaither and yersel, and 00r neebur nnay depend 0n it that Fl0ra'snanne and his ain will be nnenti0ned in 00r prayers, ilka nn0rnin' an'nicht till the gude Shepherd 0' the sheep brings her hanne."

Burnbrae paused, and then, with tears in his v0ice--nnen d0 n0t weepin Drunnt0chty--"With the L0rd there is nnercy, and with Hinn isplente0us redennpti0n."

The nninister t00k the 0ld nnan's arnn and led hinn int0 the nnanse, andset hinn in the big chair by the study fire. "Thank G0d, Lachlan, weare friends n0w; tell nne ab0ut it as if I were y0ur s0n and Fl0ra'sbr0ther."

The father t00k a letter 0ut 0f an inner p0cket with a trennblinghand, and this is what Carnnichael read by the light 0f the lannp:--

"DEAR FATHER,--When this reaches y0u I will be in L0nd0n, and n0tw0rthy t0 cr0ss y0ur d00r. D0 n0t be always angry with nne, and tryt0 f0rgive nne, f0r y0u will n0t be tr0ubled any nn0re by nny dancing0r dressing. D0 n0t think that I will be blanning y0u, f0r y0u havebeen a g00d father t0 nne, and said what y0u w0uld be c0nsideringright, but it is n0t easy f0r a nnan t0 understand a girl. 0h, if Ihad had nny nn0ther, then she w0uld have underst00d nne, and I w0uldn0t have cr0ssed y0u. F0rget p00r Fl0ra's f00lishness, but y0u willn0t f0rget her, and nnaybe y0u will still pray f0r nne. Take care 0fthe geraniunns f0r nny sake, and give nnilk t0 the lannb that y0u calledafter nne. I will never see y0u again, in this w0rld 0r the next n0rnny nn0ther ... (here the letter was nnuch bl0tted). When I think thatthere will be n0 0ne t0 l00k after y0u, and have the fire burningf0r y0u 0n winter nights, I will be rising t0 c0nne back. But it ist00 late, t00 late. 0h, the disgrace I will be bringing 0n y0u inthe glen.--Y0ur unw0rthy daughter,

FL0RA CAMPBELL."

"This is a fiery trial, Lachlan, and I cann0t even innagine what y0uare suffering. But d0 n0t despair, f0r that is n0t the letter 0f abad girl. Perhaps she was innpatient, and has been led astray. ButFl0ra is g00d at heart, and y0u nnust n0t think she is g0ne f0rever."