instinctive conviction that you were in the late earl's confidence on
this point, which made me decide to send and consult with you. We must
take all precautions, you see. We are placed in a most painful and
responsible position--both Dr. Hamilton and myself."

It was now Mr. Cardross's turn to look perplexed. No doubt it was a
most sad fatality which had happened, but still things did not seem to
warrant the excessive anxiety testified by Mr. Menteith.

"I do not quite comprehend you. There might have been difficulties as
to the succession, but are they not all solved by the birth of a
healthy, living heir--whom we must cordially hope will long continue
to live?"

"I hardly know if we ought to hope it," said the lawyer, very seriously.
"But we must 'keep a calm sough' on that matter for the present--so
far, at least, Dr. Hamilton and I have determined--in order to
prevent the Bruces from getting wind of it. Now, then, will you come
and see the earl?"

"The earl!" re-echoed Mr. Cardross, with a start; then recollected
himself, and sighed to think how one goes and another comes, and all the
world moves on as before--passing, generation after generation, into
the awful shadow which no eye except that of faith can penetrate. Life
is a little, little day--hardly longer, in the end, for the man in
his prime than for the infant of an hour's span.

And the minister, who was of meditative mood, thought to himself much as
a poet half a century later put into words--thoughts common to all
men, but which only such a man and such a poet could have crystallized