“Eh, it’s Harry!” cried Violet Muir--and affectionately grasping the pipe in one hand, she ran up the road to secure Harry with the other. “Who’s to smoke the pipe? Lettie, you must go no more messages like this, for you’re a young lady now,” said Harry, drawing himself up. “Is it for that idle fellow, John Rodger? What a shame, Lettie!” “He’s my friend; I like him best,” said Violet, decidedly. “He’s a mean fellow!” said Harry. “See that you don’t go anywhere for him again!” For Harry had just now been a little irritated. Some one had met him, who did not know his new dignity, and who in the old days had been the superior of Mr. Buchanan’s clerk; but having extinguished his wrath by this condemnation of poor John Rodger, and highly amused to notice the violent flush of anger which rose upon the little defiant face of Lettie, Harry entered the house in great spirits. “He’s turning steady, that lad,” said Mrs. McGarvie, looking after him with a sigh. “I’m sure it’s a great blessing; and a’ body mends o’ their ill courses but our guid man.” Harry had come by the coach; the economic tardiness of the canal was not necessary to Harry now; and except that he was sunburnt, and hot, and dusty, the quick inquisitive eye of Rose decided in a moment that there was nothing in his appearance to-day to rouse Martha’s suspicions. “Don’t let Lettie run about so,” said Harry, when their first greetings were over. “It is great presumption of those Rodgers; don’t let her go errands for them. Lettie is clever, Martha; we must make something of her. And now, when will you all go home?” “Is that all that remains now, Harry?” exclaimed Agnes, clapping her hands. “May we go at once? Is it so near as that?” “Well, I don’t think you should,” said Harry. “Let me get all the alterations made, and the place furnished, and then you can come. But Charteris said he was sure you would like better to be there at once, and have a hand in the improvements; so I promised him to give you your choice.” “Oh, surely! Let us go now,” said Agnes. “Eh, I would like!” echoed little Violet. “But I should not like,” said Harry. “I want you to go when the place is complete and worthy of you. If you saw it now, you would think it a dingy, melancholy desert; but just wait for a month or so! There is a good deal of wood to be cut down, and they tell me the estate may be much improved; and to have a thousand pounds to begin with, you know, is great good fortune. There is a new church building close by--I think of giving them a hundred pounds, Martha.” “A hundred pounds!” exclaimed Agnes and Rose. The eyes of both were wet. It was so great a gladness to be able to give such a gift, and then to propose it was so good of Harry! They were both overpowered with his liberality.