THE HOUSEHOLD OF McNEIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5944, 24 September 1890, Page 4

THE HOUSEHOLD OF McNEIL.

[BY AMELIA. E. BA.RR.J

CHAPTER VI. (Continued)

As lh-. v fli'st natural result of tbo increase of population, the Change House was enlarged ; and before the winter was over, a rival one had been opened. "The dovil is a "msy bishop in his parish," said Biodiek to the laird, when the subject was named, buc there is one good offset against it: the men are mostly very well pleusad to learn something-; it is woudorful how many of them come nt night for the. schooling thoy never had before." " Humoh !" " I have men forty years old, Laird, as eager as bairns for "knowledgo ; and I tell you, McNeil, it was v good thought to turn the manse barn into a warm room for them. When the lessons aro over and the children gone home, I ask the men to take out their pipes and gather about the fire and talk with inn. And they have a wcnd;?rful natural capacity for argument." " You need not toll me that, Doctor. I know it to nty sorrow, and I wish you would not encourage it. They dispute over everything—my own orders as well as tho rest. I don't approve of these night schools— specially for workitig-men. They aro a wroncr to : ij ; men cannot work all day and study at night. Some one's right is wronged, and I'm thinking it is mine." "If they werena in the schoolroom, they would bo in tho Change House, Laird. Which is the better?" Ths laird thought in his heart that the •whiskey would bo more to his interest than tho books, but he did not say so ; there was something in Brediek's face which restrained him. Yet he continued his complaint in that half-hctorimr way always hides the white feather somewhere beneath it, until the minister said solemnly: '•' McNeil, it seems to be your work to make money. It i.s my work to save souls. Our roads are so far apart that we need not ruu agaiunt each other unless we try to."

" But Ido not Hko the way you are doiug your worn, that is all, Doctor. I don't like tho way." " Miintmuii never did Hko God's waye. There is a very old disagreement between thorn."

"A man has it right to consider his own welfare, Brudick. lam justified in that."

" Just .->:/, ilciJfil; but a man's welfare pboui'.luu bu iii'iroto him than tho two tables of tho law and the four gospel ß ." McNeil had di'teriniiitKl at that vnry hour to spoak to Dr. Brodick about liis workers : but ho was not able to make a utroiuffT stand than this. For there was something imperial about the man when ho took hi;( statiil by the humblest altar of hU duty. And, bolides, a dim fear crept intj tho laird's huart that Brodiisk miglit siiy something to him which would make him feel uiifcmfortaole. It win, upon tho whole, hotter that both the iciuister and his conscience should be quiet lit pre?eiit

And vet, perhaps, tin. , sorest point iv this int<_'ri\:r.;!R'e of was Helen. He liud t<>r> busy as yet to interfere with

their alliance, but he promised himself he woiilit do m> very s>>c.n. Helen McNeil liursiii'.- Ni'-k fhiKiroii, :ind sending broths and ji'i:ies u> ihoso who could oat no c-z-ir-'i , fiiod, ami makin.ir clotliing fi/r the old and hidi-jtut, and intere-tiug herself in the lr'iiibl'W and fornnvH of evtry cott"r iv the i/Mijh.iu, was an iiupusiti'iu which he wir (icienniuod to put mi end u>. Me said to himself indignantly that, if felt he must. U: a kind vi Providence to every idle or unfortunate family around, ho hud no riu'ht to iinpo-c the rules of his own con.vcitiiee on Ilrleii.

But the liiir-.l need nothavn troublod himrffilf sibuiit Hul'i!. Nuver hail alia .-<pL-iit so hnpjiv :i year. . itr d>iy« were brimful of dutit.-. " She b-til nu* m> rioi-d to nsirt to bits ot fmbroi.li'i'y, or pencil sketches, or ituy of tins ma!ce-l>t.'lii;ves of emplovnuiu with which mitiiniily iiidustrium wo;ii"ii, wJiti(>ut n::il .york to d'>, attempt to ])i.-s ;lie S'"ng hours. Her own dume.-tic duties liiid been much enlarged, (iueets of some land or other wore constantly at the castle. The Kird's lunch must generally bo *<>ut to tho new buildiiig. He kept a mosseniter running between it and his home. For he had a score of wants, of uncertainties-, which must bo settled by references Helen alone could sine! him.

Colin also Ir-id his claims, and he was not inclined to forejro one- of them. Helen mu.-t leave everythi.iir «• -.unutimc!? and walk with him. She must'sit beside him whilo ho took a hurried journey. She must listen to iill that bad happened to him while he was itnv. She was the dear house-angel to whom he constantly looked for love and and n'sistatii-i'. ' But amid all l)ie.-.> c!::iine upon her time, those that Dr. Brodick brought were never uetrlwted. Th»y slipped in. betwiun, and briclitoiitid all the r.-t. They wero tlio precious ointment upon the feet of daily lift:. She found herself often wonderinir'how it was that Dr. Brodir-k, as well as Hel> n -icNfil. had been blind fin J deaf to all thN sweet servire, btforti George Sehvyti had opened tli. ir eye-* and ear.-) to it. If there had b«tn any shadow in the -unfihiuc of this year, it hud come from Griiscldu. fl-r li'tteis durinyr her stay in l,ondon had butii full of joy and triumph ; and even the l«ird had then hours in which he doubted if hi-had not be.-:s unjiift to Grizclda's huslmtul. After the sea.-nn close:!, the couple had betitl«-n,'thom>t;!ves to Switzerland and Germauy. It was while tlii'v -.vi:» truvulliujf in thc-o countri"s Helen lir.-t began to notice a change in the toue of her water's h;!t.T<. :-'he muic. no complaint, and they wcro bri'liant with the atmu-phere of foreign travel, luxurious and loJMiruiy ; but flelesi niis-eil something. However, Gii/.eldii was nt in very good health, and prolnbly. if then- v.mi a fault, it lay iv the lassitude uf her spirits, and in hn inability to tako the camu intcror.c iv what surrounded her. Helen was delighted when, in the late full, they returned to Blair<-;.>wrio. And ii spite of all her own CitreH.'slu; found time to f.'oth"r;' and Miperintciid the iidoniment of the hous-e ;t:id the arrangement of the aruheti of ever-reens vrhiiili the U nants Jesired to erc-et in honor oi their rotuni. tho siwill rehouivcs ,:-.nd tlio p-.v.Tty of the jieople on Miixrttll'f o'ate, tliey made a, hrave attuiri)>t at.[lγ..- -.'n -toman public welcome. But AInXA-.;] was scornfully imliiriiatit at v.'lmt ho called "tho farce." " His first step jiwos- bis iiivii tlnes!:o!d was to a muttered iiu!>ruiratiou at the stupid folly. He inft'lo iio'sjif.ioh, no acknowledgment of it, and looked with ti Mieor at Grizelda's poor, heart-fa'slintr attempt t» make up for her lord's churiishuofis by her owu smiles and courtesy. There was an inexplicable change in her face. Hok-ii fancied in her Jeprecntinjr tone tb'jtv was eyi-ii a distinct i-lement of fear. Sue was stiil'ovvly, but v look of fragility iJjout lu.r wit-, in dir>>;; ("'ntra»t to th;it'rov,!ty of exuberant life ami beituty which bad" ulriraoterized Grizulda at the tiiskO of h.r mariiat'.-). And Helen Hum perceived Maxwell wan J es9 suave The luird'ii now enterpriseM W (jvo in reality a groat and constant irritation to him. While he was away nothing hud b'.iti said m regt.rd to th<:m. Thu grand now building rising on tho Britta bluff was the greatest, p-jssiblu to him. So iverc the little lobster lleet and the i-apid growth of the clai.-han. He told McNeil tluit both these enterprises: bad been in 'his own mind when ho bought Blairfowr;i\ and that he thought he might have beui i'.skud ti ssliiire iv tii« r.peculation. ■' Ir was all planned /iv> »go, liaxwe l! " was the answer, "ami my partner, B'tlfuiii- w.t* tbo niii.'i who put th.; tliou-bl: int.» MiV bead. Sv, then, be bad the i1r.,1. right ('■> his o'.vu idea." "Kilt 1.1 x.>.■•;! deplored hi* ioss in the until;', .".li'l >'•' > ' lis <>w " '"'-' ti,, "■i" l " ilt Ji<''(ioo:. ht.ii'tily believed it; nor was ir n-Tii.'h'later rr, liv b,.',fiiii, oven in Grizc-ldVs (■(, Lilrfu'.' his marriagu for hid ■.'•:■ di.-!ipp!iii;tiiietit. «• i lj!#-.'i;Jit tbi-< pb'.ne," be would s:iy, fivi:gcly, •'U' l ' l - f might (iomrnand a fine biiild n nun.iner resort, unci start •. Idb.-ter fi-iunry, and I was. such a fool as to i< , : '<■ prett v ?'iii-.o and a rontradictioud old intiii liurry me into a marriage. I wonder Lo-,Y T.lcNeil got. bold of ;ny idea ! Did I tell you, Grizeldfi, tint these wero my intentioiKii' I sm tur , ! I nnwt liavo done so ;" ■ai rl be looked at her in a way which she uiidcistood to be an order to confirm his iusiiiUitiion. . But, greatly to her own .surprise, she dared to°disavow hit) abortion. "I never heard you speak of such a thing. Some , years v'o my faihui- .'md Mr Balfour used to discuss the rfubjeot. I often heard •'Then -vi'V the dovil did you not tell me about ir:- ir.-!cfi rlie room in a rage, ..tnd Grix>-id:i. buri'.-d tier tauu m her hands, and burcL into ji:\--;.ioiuM.o weeping.