high—much more so than her husband. It was with some embarrassment that Mrs. Lindsay greeted the great lady, wondering how she ought to behave to her, but she was very soon relieved from her dilemma. Mrs. Hammond gave her distinctly to understand that she had come to see the remains of the unfortunate gentleman who had been prevented by this fatal accident from fulfilling his engagement to Mr. Hammond, and also to see the child who had escaped; but that she ignored altogether the fact that she was in any way the guest or visitor of the Lindsays. She appeared quite unconscious of their presence, and spoke only to her husband, who, however, had something to say on the subject of the accident to Allan and his father, and who thanked Mrs. Lindsay very cordially for the trouble she had taken.
"I should like to see the body of this Mr. Staunton, George," said Mrs. Hammond.
"He is laid out on the bed in the spare room," said Mrs. Lindsay, "and Jessie and me have done the best we can for him, but it's no like a man dying quiet in his bed, an' the bit lassie is sitting beside him. We canna wile her away for a minute."
Mrs. Lindsay conducted Mr. and Mrs. Hammond into the room, and went out immediately, think-