"Is that the English gentleman that came over to lunch with your master?" Mrs. Stormont asked. "I'm no that sure, mem, that he's English," Sandy replied. "I'm astonished that he's still about. I thought he was a tourist, or some of those cattle. What is he doing so long here?" the lady asked, peremptorily. "He's nae fisher," replied Sandy, with a slight shake of his head--implying at once a certain stigma upon Lewis' morals, and a deeper shade of mystery as to his object. The young man himself was seated on the river-bank, with a sketch-book before him. He was surrounded by a group of children, however, and was evidently making very little progress with his sketch. There was a look of indolence about him which disturbed these critics. "He's doing nothing," said Mrs. Stormont. "I canna make out that he ever does anything but tell the bairns stories," said Sandy. Such a phenomenon was rare at Murkley, where everybody had something to do. Had he been fishing however unsuccessfully, both mistress and man would have been satisfied. But in the absence of that legitimate occupation Lewis was a vagabond, if not a semi-criminal, meditating mischief, in their eyes. The appearance of Mrs. Stormont's carriage was very welcome at Murkley in the languor of the afternoon. Something in the sense that she "might have been their mother" gave a softness to her manners in that place. She kissed even Margaret and Jean with a certain affectionateness, although they could not have been more than step-daughters to her in any case. "And where is my bonnie Lily?" she said. There could not be a doubt that she loved Lilias for herself, besides all her other recommendations. She took the girl into her arms, into the warm enfolding of her heavy black-silk cloak. "Now, let me see how you're looking," she said, holding her at arm's length. "My dear Margaret, we'll have to acknowledge, whether we will or not, that this bit creature is woman grown." "I have not grown a bit for two years," said Lilias. "I am more than a woman, I am getting an old woman; but Margaret will never see it." "And what is the news with you?" said Miss Jean. "Well, my dears," said Mrs. Stormont, "I have some news, for a wonder, and I have come to get you to help me. I am going to give a party." Lilias uttered a soft little cry, and put out her hands towards Margaret with a gesture of appeal. "A--ball," said Mrs. Stormont, with deliberation, making a pause before the word. Lilias jumped to her feet. She clapped her hands together with soft vehemence. "Oh, Margaret, oh, Margaret!" she cried.