He looked at her again, with a threatening look, as if he might have seized her, but made no other movement. “Ye’ve done less harm than you meant,” he said; “ye’ve brought no canailye into my house; ye’ll just pass and drop with no importance, and have no mention in the family. Be it so. It’s no worth my while to interfere; a lass here or a lass there maitters nothing, so long as there’s no canailye brought into my house.” “Neil,” said the mother from the bed, “we must just pray the Lord to bless them a’ before we pairt. Fourteen of them between you and me--I’ve just been naming them a’ before the Lord. Alison, she was the first; you were terrible disappointed thinking there might maybe be no more.” Mrs. Douglas once more laughed feebly at this mistake. “And then there was Alexander, and ye were a proud man. And then Donald and William, and then Anne, my bonny Anne, my first lass that lived--” “Hold your peace, woman. Put out that name, damn her! confound her! She’s none o’ mine.” “And Neil that ye called Nigel, but I like it Neil best,” said the low voice rippling on without interruption. “And syne Mary, and syne---- But eh, it wearies me to name them a’. Their Maker just knows them a’ well, puir things, some in heaven, and some in India---- and some----. Just say with me, God bless them a’, fourteen bonnie bairns that are men and women now--and some of them with bairns of their ain. To think all these lads and lassies should come from me, always a waik creature--and no a blemish among them all--not a thrawn limb, or a twisted finger, straight and strong and fair to see. Neil, my man, take my hand that’s a poor thin thing now, and say God bless them all!” “What good will that do them? I’m for none of your forms and ceremonies,” said Drumcarro, putting his hands deep in his pockets, “ye had better try and get some sleep.” “I’ll get plenty sleep by and by. Kirsteen, I would like to turn upon my side, to see your father’s face. Neil, ye’ve been a good man to me.” He started a little, evidently not expecting this praise. “On the whole,” said the dying woman. “I was a silly thing when I was young, but the bairns were always a great pleasure. But you’re a dour man, Neil--ye canna forgive nor forget. Kirsteen, that ye put your curse upon, she’ll be the stand-by for the whole house. Mind you what I say. She’ll have no man, and she’ll be the stand-by----” “No man will ever have her, ye mean. She’ll just live and die an auld maid,” said Drumcarro, with a hoarse laugh. “She’ll be the stand-by,” said Mrs. Douglas, “and maybe my poor Anne--” She paid no attention to the interruption he made. “I would not wonder,” she said with a faint smile, “if my poor Anne---- Eh, I would like to see her little bairns, Kirsteen. Why are they not here?” “If one of the confounded set comes to my door----” “Oh, father,” cried Kirsteen, “hold your peace, and let her be.”