The letter was satisfactory--the warm readiness of belief in Norman's innocence pleased Anne. In such a matter, however strong one's own faith may be, it is a great satisfaction to hear it echoed by other minds. In the afternoon of that day, Anne went, by appointment, to the Tower, to communicate Robert's opinion to Mrs. Catherine.--She made a circuit by the mill, to see Lilie; for Mrs. Catherine and Archibald, she knew, had business in Portoran, and would not return early. It was a clear, bright, mild day, with a spring haze of subdued sunshine about it, reminding one, pleasantly, that the year "was on the turn." Lilie was not at home. "And I wish ye would speak to that outre lassie, Jacky Morison, Miss Anne," said Lilie's careful guardian. "She had the bairn away this morning, and trails her about to a' kinds of out o' the way places; in the wood, and on the hills; and I'm not sure in my ain mind, that it's right to let the bairn wi' the like o' her." "Jacky is sure to be very careful," said Anne. "Na, it's no sae muckle for that," said Mrs. Melder; "though I have a cauld tremble whiles when I think o' the water. Jacky's no oncarefu. It's a great charge being answerable for a stranger bairn, Miss Anne; but Lilie's learning (it's just a pleasure to see how fast she wins on) a' manner o' nonsense verses; and has her bit head fu' of stories o' knights and fairies, and I kenna a' what. It's Jacky's doing and no ither. I am at times whiles far frae easy in my mind about it." "No fear," said Anne, smiling. "Jacky will do Lilie no harm, Mrs. Melder." "To be sure," said Mrs. Melder, thoughtfully, "she's no an ill scholar, to be sic a strange lassie; and has been lookit weel after at the Tower. She was here the other day, when the minister was in--that's Mr. Lumsden--he had a diet[1] in my house, Miss Anne--and it wad have dune ye gude to have heard her at the questions. No a slip; and as easy in the petitions as in man's chief end. They say," continued Mrs. Melder, somewhat overpowered, "that she can say the hundred and nineteenth psalm a' out, without missing a word." [1] A diet of examination. One of the periodical visits made by Scottish clergymen in former times, during which the household, and especially its younger members, were examined on the "Shorter Catechism," the universal text-book of Scottish Theology.