"You must have been reading the poets," saith she, "and not to much good purpose.--Flora, child, you look but white! And is this Miss Annas Keith, your friend? I am glad to see you, my dear. Don't mind an old woman's freedom: I call all girls `my dear'." Annas smiled, and said she was very pleased to feel as though my Aunt Kezia reckoned her among her friends. "My friends' friends are mine," saith my Aunt Kezia. "Well, Cary, I have brought you all the things in your minute, save your purple lutestring scarf, which I could not find. It was not in the bottom shelf, as you set down." "Why, where could I have put it?" said I. "I always keep it on that shelf." I was sorry to miss it, because it is my best scarf, and I thought I should want it in London, where I suppose everybody goes very fine. However, there was no more to be said--on my side. I found there was on my Aunt Kezia's. "Here, hold your hand, child," saith she. "Your father sends you ten guineas to spend; and here are five more from me, and this pocket-piece from Sophy. You can get a new scarf in London, if you need it, or anything else you like better." "Oh, thank you, Aunt Kezia!" I cried. "Why, how rich I shall be!" "Don't waste your money, Cary: lay it out wisely, and then we shall be pleased. I will give you a good rule: Never buy anything without sleeping on it. Don't rush off and get it the first minute it comes into your head. You will see the bottom of your purse in a veek if you do." "But it might be gone, Aunt Kezia." "Then it is something you can do without." "Is Hatty come home, Aunt?" said Flora. "Not she," saith my Aunt Kezia. "Miss Hatty's gone careering off, the deer know where. I dare be bound you'll fall in with her. She is gone with Charlotte and Emily up to town." I was sorry to hear that. I don't much want to meet Hatty--above all if Grandmamma be there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1. The great majority of Scottish Jacobites were Episcopalians and "Moderates," a term equivalent to the English "High and Dry." There were, however, a very few Presbyterians among them. CHAPTER EIGHT. RULES AND RIBBONS. "No fond belief can day and night From light and darkness sever; And wrong is wrong, and right is right, For ever and for ever." Last evening, as we were drawing our chairs up for a chat round the fire in our chamber, who should walk in but my Aunt Kezia. "Nay, I'll not hold you long," saith she, as I arose and offered my seat. "I come but to give a bit of good counsel to my nieces here. Miss Annas, my dear, it will very like not hurt you too." "I shall be very glad of it, Mrs Kezia," said Annas.