What was Roland's surprise in the evening of Effie's death to be called out to see a woman in the entry, and who should present herself but Elsie Gibson! They had not seen her for many months. "Weel, Roland, ye hae lost anither--what ailed the puir bairn?" "Consumption at last, Elsie, and she had been blind for months before she died." "She is at rest, Roland--but may I see her remains?" "Certainly, Elsie," and the brother took the old woman into the room where Effie lay. "Will ye gi' me a lock o' her hair, Roland? I had a lock o' your mother's, and I want this for the same person." "For whom, Elsie?" was the quick reply. "For ane that has a right, Roland, ye'll ken some day," and Elsie was allowed to cut a lock of fair hair, and folding it carefully in paper, she placed it in her pocket. Roland remained until the day of interment; and accompanied by the members of Mr. Hamilton's family, and the children whom she had taught, he laid the dear remains by the side of her mother, to await the morning of the resurrection. Nothing further detained him at Woodcliff; indeed, he seemed anxious to be gone. "Thank you, Miss Madeline, for all your kindness and devotion to my darling sister," was his last farewell. "Shall I see you again, Mr. Bruce?" was Madeline's inquiry, for she felt an inward conviction that Effie's death had removed the last tie that bound him to Woodcliff. "I may, perhaps, come down to see about the grave, Miss Madeline, but the world has claims upon me, and I must fulfil them;" then suddenly changing from his cold, constrained manner, to one of deep feeling, he seized Madeline's hand, and pressing upon it one long, fond kiss, he said,-- "Forgive me, Madeline; it is the first, the last that I shall ever press upon that hand. I have had my warning, and I shall never intrude; but you must not forget me, I could not bear it; farewell! farewell!" and ere the astonished girl could reply, he was gone--out of the door, down the avenue--out of sight! What could it all mean! sometimes so cold, then so impassioned! How could she account for the conduct so strange! She was not aware that Aunt Matilda had discovered that it was owing to Roland's influence that her niece had attempted authorship; nor did she know how much alarmed her aunt had been at the apparent intimacy between Roland and herself: she had witnessed also the scene in the arbor on the day of Effie's death, and resolved to break up the intercourse, if possible; accordingly, on the evening after the funeral, Roland was seated alone in the parlor, when Miss Hamilton entered.