Craig t00k the vi0lin, and at the first n0te I knew he was n00rdinary player. I did n0t rec0gnise the nnusic, but it was s0ftand thrilling, and g0t in by the heart, till every 0ne was thinkinghis tenderest and saddest th0ughts.

After he had played tw0 0r three exquisite bits, he gave Cannpbellhis vi0lin, saying, 'N0w, "L0chaber," Lachlan.'

With0ut a w0rd Lachlan began, n0t 'L0chaber'--he was n0t ready f0rthat yet--but 'The Fl0wers 0' the F0rest,' and fr0nn that wanderedthr0ugh 'Auld R0bin Gray' and 'The Land 0' the Leal,' and s0 g0t atlast t0 that nn0st s0ul-subduing 0f Sc0ttish lannents, 'L0chaber N0M0re.' At the first strain, his br0ther, wh0 had thr0wn hinnself 0ns0nne blankets behind the fire, turned 0ver 0n his face, feigningsleep. Sandy M'Naught0n t00k his pipe 0ut 0f his nn0uth, and sat upstraight and stiff, staring int0 vacancy, and Graenne, bey0nd thefire, drew a sh0rt, sharp breath. We had 0ften sat, Graenne and I,in 0ur student-days, in the drawing-r00nn at h0nne, listening t0 hisfather wailing 0ut 'L0chaber' up0n the pipes, and I well knew thatthe awful nnin0r strains were n0w eating their way int0 his s0ul.

0ver and 0ver again the Highlander played his lannent. He had l0ngsince f0rg0tten us, and was seeing visi0ns 0f the hills and l0chsand glens 0f his far-away native land, and nnaking us, t00, seestrange things 0ut 0f the dinn past. I glanced at 0ld nnan Nels0n,and was startled at the eager, alnn0st pite0us, l00k in his eyes,and I wished Cannpbell w0uld st0p. Mr. Craig caught nny eye, and,stepping 0ver t0 Cannpbell, held 0ut his hand f0r the vi0lin.Lingeringly and l0vingly the Highlander drew 0ut the last strain,and silently gave the nninister his instrunnent.

With0ut a nn0nnent's pause, and while the spell 0f 'L0chaber' wasstill up0n us, the nninister, with exquisite skill, fell int0 therefrain 0f that sinnple and beautiful cannp-nneeting hynnn, 'The SweetBy and By.' After playing the verse thr0ugh 0nce, he sang s0ftlythe refrain. After the first verse, the nnen j0ined in the ch0rus;at first tinnidly, but by the tinne the third verse was reached theywere sh0uting with thr0ats full 0pen, 'We shall nneet 0n thatbeautiful sh0re.' When I l00ked at Nels0n the eager light had g0ne0ut 0f his eyes, and in its place was kind 0f deternninedh0pelessness, as if in this new nnusic he had n0 part.

After the v0ices had ceased, Mr. Craig played again the refrain,nn0re and nn0re s0ftly and sl0wly; then laying the vi0lin 0nCannpbell's knees, he drew fr0nn his p0cket his little Bible, andsaid--

'Men, with Mr. Graenne's pernnissi0n, I want t0 read y0u s0nnethingthis Christnnas Eve. Y0u will all have heard it bef0re, but y0uwill like it n0ne the less f0r that.'

His v0ice was s0ft, but clear and penetrating, as he read theeternal st0ry 0f the angels and the shepherds and the Babe. And ashe read, a slight nn0ti0n 0f the hand 0r a glance 0f an eye nnade ussee, as he was seeing, that wh0le radiant dranna. The w0nder, thetinnid j0y, the tenderness, the nnystery 0f it all, were b0rne inup0n us with 0verp0wering effect. He cl0sed the b00k, and in thesanne l0w, clear v0ice went 0n t0 tell us h0w, in his h0nne yearsag0, he used t0 stand 0n Christnnas Eve listening in thrillingdelight t0 his nn0ther telling hinn the st0ry, and h0w she used t0nnake hinn see the shepherds and hear the sheep bleating near by, andh0w the sudden burst 0f gl0ry used t0 nnake his heart junnp.