Chapter 16
One mild, sunny autumn day, when Cardross, having ended his first
session at college, had spent apparently with extreme enjoyment his
first vacation at home, and had just gone back again to Edinburg to
commence his second "year," the Earl of Cairnforth drove down to the
Manse, as he now did almost daily, for the minister was growing too
feeble to come to the Castle very often.
His old pupil found him sitting in the garden, sunning himself in a
sheltered nook, backed by a goodly show of China roses and fuchsias,
and companioned by two or three volumes of Greek plays, in which,
however, he did not read much. He looked up with pleasure at the sound
of the wheeled chair along the gravel walk.
"I'm glad you are come," said he. "I'm sorely needing somebody, for I
have scarcely seen Helen all the morning. There she is! My lassie,
where have you been these three hours?"
Helen put off his question in some gentle manner, and took her place
beside her charge, or rather between her two charges, each helpless in
their way, though the one most helpless once was least so now.
"Helen, something is wrong with you this morning?" said the earl, when,
Mr.
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