"To be a miserable cripple and a friendless beggar for the rest of my life," he muttered.

"No, no, dear Alec, you will not be either friendless or a beggar," said David, who sat by his side. "While Donald and I live you will find means of employment, even if you lose the use of your leg; and I am sure you know enough of us to feel that we can only rejoice to have you beneath our roof."

For many days Alec continued ill and feverish, and seemed to pay but little attention to what Mr Skinner from time to time said to him, although his kind friend spoke most judiciously, and always sought the right season for speaking. He did not always, indeed, address him directly.

"It seems surprising to me," he observed, one day, "that anyone should fail to acknowledge that man is composed of two parts, the physical and spiritual, and that G.o.d, his maker, who has so amply provided for his physical wants, and formed this world so beautifully and so perfect, should have neglected supplying the wants of his spiritual part--by far the most important--with what it so greatly requires, guidance and direction; and above all things, what it so yearns after, a knowledge of Him who formed it. Now those who really study the book (which professes to be given by G.o.d) according to the way He in it points out,--namely, in a humble spirit,--with prayer for enlightenment--invariably find that want fully supplied; and making due allowance for the various const.i.tutions of the human mind, they are entirely agreed on all cardinal points regarding the Bible, while its opponents, who profess to be guided by the light of reason alone, differ in every possible way, their theories being almost countless; while they agree only in denying the authority of a book, of the Divine nature of which they have no experimental knowledge, declining, in their pride, to follow the directions it gives them for obtaining that knowledge. Then, when we take a glance round the heathen world, past and present, we find men following courses, with habits and customs destructive to human happiness, and abhorrent to the conscience which G.o.d has given man when uncontaminated by them. Contrast the result which the theories of philosophers and the heathen systems produced, with that which the mild loving faith Christ taught, if universally adopted, would bring about in the world, and who would hesitate between the two? And then when, in addition, we remember that Christ ensures to His followers eternal happiness, greater even than the mind of man can comprehend, what madness is it in those who hesitate to accept His offers! True, there are mysteries which even the Bible does not explain, such as the existence of Satan; but it does explain why Satan has power over man, and why sin and misery and death came into the world. This was the reason that man was disobedient, that man refused to trust to his Maker and listened to Satan. Man, in the pride of youth, health, and strength, and mental powers, may look with contempt on the Gospel, but G.o.d, in His loving mercy brings down those He loves, by poverty, suffering, and loss of friends, and then they feel their weakness and the vanity of all human systems, and are led to turn to Him who alone can lift them up and give them comfort, and a promise of a better life.

How plain and easy are the demands He makes; how full of mercy; how simple is the plan He has arranged."

Alec, as usual, had had been listening attentively to all Mr Skinner had said. He never attempted to argue with him. He had long lost all confidence in the correctness of the notions he had held. Tears filled his eyes. "I believe, help Thou my unbelief," he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, in a broken voice.

His health and strength had been rapidly improving. Through the a.s.sistance of his friends, when perfectly recovered, he obtained employment, and was soon able to lay by money, and to feel himself independent. Notwithstanding this, by his life and conversation, he showed that the good seed had taken root; the only companionship he sought was that of Donald and David, and Mr Skinner, and other true Christians whom he could meet with in the neighbourhood. He had followed his friends' example, and purchased a piece of land, which he had commenced cultivating, and on which he told them he hoped soon to put up a substantial log-house.

"You will not like to live a solitary life," said Donald. "You will want a companion. I did not get on half as well as I do now before David came out."

"Perhaps I may some day find one," answered Alec, smiling. "I shall live on in hopes that one of congenial tastes to my own may be sent me."

"Till you find him you must promise to remain on with us," said Donald.

"We cannot part with you, and I suspect that we should be jealous of any one whom you might select."

A short time after this Alec received a letter from one of his long absent brothers, who had returned to England. He wrote saying that he had looked into their father's affairs, and found that there was yet some property which might be recovered, but that it would require his presence and that of the rest of the family, to settle the matter. A remittance, to enable him, without inconvenience, to pay his pa.s.sage home, was enclosed in the letter. Donald and David were truly glad to hear of this.

"You must not be persuaded, Alec, however, to stay away," they exclaimed. "You must promise to come back as soon as your affairs are arranged. You are wanted in this country."

Mr Skinner, while he congratulated his young friend on the brightening of his worldly prospects, cautioned him affectionately against the temptations to which he might be exposed.

"I know that I am very weak," answered Alec, humbly. "But I go forth, not in my own strength but seeking the aid and direction of G.o.d's Holy Spirit."

"While that is sought, and it will never be denied, you will be strong, and I have no fear of the result," was the answer.

The Morrisons and Mr Skinner undertook to look after Alec's property during his absence, and he set off on his journey to England.

CHAPTER TEN.

A LETTER FROM MARGARET.--JANET'S ILLNESS.--ANXIETY ABOUT ALEC'S RETURN.--A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE.--ARRIVAL OF ALEC AND MARGARET WITH JANET.--MARGARET HAS BECOME ALEC'S WIFE. CONDUCTED BY THE BROTHERS TO THEIR NEW HOUSE.--ARRIVAL OF MR. SKINNER'S SISTER, MRS. RAMSDEN AND HER DAUGHTERS, WHO, AS MIGHT POSSIBLY BE EXPECTED, BECOME THE WIVES OF DONALD AND DAVID JANET CONTINUING TO LIVE WITH MARGARET, PAYS FREQUENT VISITS TO HER OTHER BAIRNS, AND IS EVER WELCOMED BY THEM, AND THE NUMEROUS WEE BAIRNS WHO SPRING UP IN THEIR MIDST.--CONCLUSION.

In those days, when no magnificent ocean steamers, with rapid speed, crossed weekly the Atlantic, the settlers in Canada, whose friends had returned to the old country, had often to wait three or four months before they could hear of their safe arrival.

Some time after Alec had gone a letter was received from Margaret, written in a less happy strain than was usual to her. Janet had been suffering from rheumatism, and found it impossible to spin as much as she had been accustomed to do. The state of her health made her feel an unwonted anxiety about the future prospects of her beloved charge. "I know, however, that all will be well," wrote Margaret, "so I do my best to keep up her spirits, by reminding her of G.o.d's loving kindness, in which she has. .h.i.therto so firmly confided. Were it not, however, for the a.s.sistance you have given us, my dear brothers, I confess that we should have a great difficulty in supporting ourselves. I do all I can to repay our kind and loving friend for the years of tender care she has bestowed on us. What would have become of us all had it not been for her?"

Donald and David had a short time before this sent home a larger sum than usual, which they hoped would have been received soon after the letter was written, and they trusted that it would a.s.sist to restore Janet's spirits, and convince her that as long as they lived Margaret would not be left dest.i.tute.

Weeks and weeks pa.s.sed by, and no acknowledgment of the sum was received, and no other letter came to hand.

As they hoped that Alec Galbraith would not be long absent, wishing to give him a pleasant surprise, they had gone on with the erection of his house, and completed it, declaring that as their reward they would sell their property, for which they had had several advantageous offers, and go and live with him till they should fix on another location further off in the wilderness, to bring under cultivation.

"He must have been at home several weeks, and had plenty of time to arrange his affairs with his brothers," observed David.

"I wonder he has not written to us. Perhaps the letter, or the vessel herself bringing it, may have been lost," observed Donald. "That has been the fate of several of Margaret's letters. Depend upon it we shall hear from him or our sister before long, and he is sure to pay her a visit before he comes back, that he may bring us news of her and Janet."

They were seated together one evening in their log-house, their meal just placed on the table. "I fancy I heard footsteps," said David.

"Yes, some one hails."

It was Alec Galbraith's voice. Donald and David rushed out. There stood Margaret and Alec Galbraith, while dear old Janet followed with eager looks close behind them. Donald, seizing his sister's hands, drew her to him, while David grasped those of Alec, till his brother could relinquish Margaret to him, and then land Janet, rushing forward, threw her arms around both the brother's necks, and sobbed out, "My bairns, my bairns, though I feared the salt sea I would have gone over more than twice the distance to hold ye thus agen!"

The new arrivals were soon seated at the already spread board. As Margaret happened to place her hand on the table Donald observed a plain gold ring on her finger.

"What!" he exclaimed, turning quickly to Alec. "Is it really so?"

"I thought we should surprise you," he answered, laughing. "But I would not come away without her, and as she knew that you would mourn my absence, she at last consented to return with me as my wife, provided Janet would come also. It was a hard matter, however, I can a.s.sure you, to persuade her to venture across the ocean."

"Indeed, my dear Donald," said Margaret, when she and her brother were shortly afterwards together, and her husband was absent, "much as I found I loved him, and had loved him since I was a girl, I would not have consented to be his wife had I not been convinced that he had abandoned those infidel principles which had caused his poor mother so much grief, and had also become a faithful follower of the Lord. I was at first delighted to see him, and then my heart sank within me for fear that he was unchanged. He did not leave me long in doubt on the subject. I knew by his gentle and subdued manners, by the unmistakable expressions he used, and then by the deep sorrow that he expressed, that the opinions he once held had grieved his poor mother, that he no longer adhered to the vain philosophy in which he had formerly gloried. I soon discovered that he loved me, and then I had no hesitation in giving him my heart in return."

"You acted wisely and rightly, dear Margaret and David and I are truly glad to welcome him as a brother, whom we have long looked upon as the most intimate of our friends."

The next day, Alec and Margaret, accompanied by Janet, were conducted in due form by Donald and David to the house which they had but lately finished on Alec's property. The surprise was indeed a great and delightful one. As it did not take long to get in as much furniture as was required at that season of the year, Margaret and her husband, with her faithful nurse, in a few days took up their abode there.

Alec's worldly circ.u.mstances had greatly improved, for much more of his father's property had been recovered than he expected, so that his share was considerable, and with the experience he had gained, he was able to employ his capital in farming, with great advantage.

"What will you two poor bachelors do by yourselves," said Margaret.

"Could you not manage to come and live with us in this house as you purposed doing had Alec returned alone?"

"We have work enough in drawing our plans, and other business of our office to employ nearly every hour of the day," answered Donald. "And besides, we are anxious to a.s.sist Mr Skinner, who wishes to enlarge his house as soon as possible, as he expects a widowed sister and her family to join him shortly, and he does not consider the accommodation he can now offer them, sufficient."

"Oh, I suppose he wishes to have a nursery built where the children may be out of hearing," said Margaret, laughing.

"He has not mentioned the ages of his nieces, or how many there are of them," said David, "but I should think, from a remark he made, that they cannot be little children."

The young men made no inquiry of their friend about the more juvenile portion of the family of his expected relatives. As he had himself now been some time absent from England, he might have been able to give them very little information. David, however, confessed to Margaret that he felt somewhat curious on the subject. This was increased when the new part of the house having been finished, Mr Skinner fitted up one chamber which he said was for his sister, and two other pretty little rooms for his elder nieces, and certainly the furniture, which he put in to them, was scarcely such as he would have chosen for young children.

Just at the time Mr Skinner was expecting the arrival of his sister, Mrs Ramsden and her family, Donald and David had to leave home to visit some distant township on business. Mr Skinner had, before this asked the a.s.sistance of Margaret and Janet in fitting up his house. Janet, with her usual kindness of heart, offered to remain for a day or two to receive the new comers, whom she understood had no servant with them.

"The poor lady may be tired, and the bairns will ha' na one to gie them their supper, and put them to bed, and it will be just like old times coming back, and be a muckle pleasure to me," she observed, to Margaret.

Mr Skinner was very glad to accept her services, feeling sure that she would be of much a.s.sistance, although he might not have supposed that his nieces would require the attendance of a nurse.

Janet was to bring word to Margaret when Mrs Ramsden would be able to see her, and she proposed then walking over with Alec to visit her.

She had numberless occupations which kept her and Janet fully employed; for though her husband had engaged a st.u.r.dy Scotch girl to milk the cows, and perform some of the rougher work of the farm, the damsel herself required her constant superintendence. There were poultry of several varieties, as well as pigs, to be fed; the flower and kitchen garden to be cultivated, and numerous household duties to be attended to, Alec himself being constantly engaged in clearing fresh ground, and in the more laborious work about the farm.

Margaret had greatly missed Janet the days she had been absent, and with much satisfaction, therefore, she saw her with her knitting in hand-- without which, even in Canada, she never moved abroad--approaching the house.

"Oh yes, they are come, my bairn," she said, to Margaret's inquiry.

"Mistress Ramsden herself is a brave lady, and seldom have my eyes rested on twa mair bonny la.s.sies than her daughters, na pride, na nonsense about the young leddies, Mistress Mary and Emily Ramsden, and just as gentle, and loving, and kind as lambs to the younger children.

They thanked me for my help; but they put their hands to everything themselves, and would nae let me do half as much as I wished. I'll tell you what, Margaret, I have set my heart on having them for my twa bairns. They would make them bonny wives, indeed, but don't ye gang and tell your brothers, for there is that obstinacy in human nature that they might back, and kick, and run off into the woods rather than do what, if left alone, they would be eager after."

Margaret promised to be discreet, and allow her brothers to judge for themselves, without praising the Misses Ramsden, should her opinion of them, as she had little doubt it would agree with that formed by Janet.

Next morning she and Alec paid their promised visit, and she was fully as much disposed as Janet to admire the Misses Ramsden and their mother.

The more she saw of them the more pleased she was, not only with their appearance, but with their earnest piety, their simple una.s.suming manners, and their apparent energy and determination, and their evident readiness to submit to all the inconveniences to which settlers in a new country must, of necessity, be subjected.