"You're bonny, Elspeth," Aaron then said eagerly. "I'm glad, glad to
see you again."

"And him too, Aaron?" Elspeth pleaded.

"He took you away frae me."

"He has brought me back." "Ay, and he has but to whistle to you and
away you go wi' him again. He's ower grand to bide lang here now."

"You don't know him, Aaron. We are to stay a long time. Do you know
Mrs. McLean invited us to stay with her? I suppose she thought your
house was so small. But Tommy said, 'The house of the man who
befriended us when we were children shall never be too small for us.'"

"Did he say that? Ay, but, Elspeth, I would rather hear what you
said."

"I said it was to dear, good Aaron Latta I was going back, and to no
one else."

"God bless you for that, Elspeth."

"And Tommy," she went on, "must have his old garret room again, to
write as well as sleep in, and the little room you partitioned off the
kitchen will do nicely for me."

"There's no a window in it," replied Aaron; "but it will do fine for
you, Elspeth." He was almost chuckling, for he had a surprise in