“I will!” cried the boy, flushing red. “I will never go near his grand house. He may do what he likes, he will get nothing out of me. I was just in an awful state of delight when he was coming home,” said Archie; “you know I was. It was the king enjoying his ain again, like the songs. I thought everything in the world was coming right” He turned a little aside and dashed something out of the corner of his eye. “Aunty,” he said in an altered voice, “I will confess to you that I am real disappointed in my father. He’s no the man I expected. He’s like other men, crabbed and thinking of himself. Even when he does a kind thing, as he did about that money, it’s in such a way that you just want to fling it back in his face!” “Oh dinna say that,” cried Mrs. Brown alarmed; “you mustna say that. He has his ain ways of thinking, but he’s a good father, Archie. Look how he has kept you all your lives with every luxury; he’s grudged you nothing. It was just for me to say what you wanted, and as much as you wanted it was aye ready; never an objection in his mind. Oh, no, no! you must never say that! To turn you against your papaw is the last thing in the world that would please me. Look what he’s done for us a’ for years and years. I always kent it had to stop some time or other. At first I thought when he came hame, we would just all go to him and keep thegither. I didna realise what a grand wealthy gentleman he had grown. I thought of the siller and nothing else. I expected he would be just like what he was in the foundry, but rich, and that’s what I brought you up to expect. It was just a dreadful mistake. I saw it all the moment I set eyes upon him. I just divined it before that when I heard of his new wife. It’s my fault: you’ve not been brought up as ye ought to have been, for I didna understand things, Archie. Now I understand. But oh, my bonnie man, dinna take up a grudge against your papaw! He’s been as kind to me as ever he could be. Now he’s done wi’ me, and I’m no more wanted. I’ve nae claim upon him that he should provide for me, a great, muckle, strong woman, no fifty, quite able to work. But for the Lord’s sake, Archie, whatever you do, dinna you turn on your papaw!” “Aunty Jane,” said the lad who was half sobbing too, “I think he’s a just man, and, as you say, he has never grudged money. If he provides for you, I’ll give you my word I’ll do justice to him. I’ll listen to no prejudice. I’ll just give him my best attention, and maybe we’ll come to understand one another. But if he doesn’t, God forgive him for it, for I’ll not. I’ll come back here, and I’ll take a situation, and we’ll fend together. You shall have no lodger but me; you’ll be housekeeper to nobody but me. This shall just be the test for him, if he’s the man I thought him or no. And if it’s no, he may search the world for a son: he’ll get none of me!”