Madeline looked a world of thanks. Lastly, came the servants, who, one by one, advanced to receive their gifts from the hands of their beloved young mistress. Aunt Matilda was rapidly losing her prejudices against Roland; but, not willing to allow herself conquered, she attributed her change of manner to the conviction that he really was of gentle birth at last. Without her consent, he was gaining daily complete ascendency even over her pride, yet she often wondered whether he were not more than he pretended. One evening, seated together in the familiarity of family intercourse, Aunt Matilda turned suddenly to Roland, and said-- "Are you sure, Roland, that you are not distantly connected with the ancient Bruce? I have often thought you must be; for you certainly could not have got your carriage and manners from the common classes. Bruce and Gordon are grand names; I think that you must have had noble relatives in some of the branches." Roland smiled, as he replied-- "Can you not believe, Aunt Matilda, that God can choose a vessel of common clay, and, by his grace, endow it with high qualities, if he pleases? or must all your ideal great men be of the purest porcelain?" "I cannot help thinking, Roland, that there must have been some porcelain among them, even though you may not know it, or care for it if you do." "All I can boast, Aunt Matilda, in the way of pedigree, is that my ancestors, as far back as I can trace them, were a hardy race of plain Scotch farmers, shepherds, and mountaineers, among whom were always found faithful, earnest ministers of the Lord Jesus; their greatness consisting only in heroic deeds of calm and patient endurance in the cause of truth and holiness." Madeline smiled archly, as she asked-- "Aunty, what great deeds have the noble Hamiltons ever achieved? I have never heard of any. I believe their grandeur consisted wholly in their birth, in spending lives of idleness, and wasting their fortunes--which, I believe, drove my grandfather to this country a poor man--and in passing away from the world without recording one of their names among those who wrought heroic deeds or benefited the human family. Is it not so, aunty?" Aunt Matilda was silent for a moment, but, with a mortified expression, said, at last-- "You must allow that there is something in noble birth, Madeline." "Not apart from goodness, aunty; for I have set up my husband against all such pretensions." "Well, you need not be telling everybody about Roland's birth, anyhow." "I certainly shall take no pains to conceal it, Aunt Matilda; I am too proud of Roland Bruce himself." "And so am I, Madeline; but I am not going to tell everybody about his early days." "Conquered at last!" said Madeline, laughing heartily, as Aunt Matilda left the room. "She cannot let go her prejudices, Madeline; but she is a very kind-hearted aunt to both of us."