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Rh that she was to have her home with us, and to be the companion of our girls."

"You engaged very rashly, as I told you; and besides, if the child had her father with her, the case would be very different."

"She looks very sweet-tempered, and I know she is a most intelligent child," said the astonished Mr. Hammond, who could not conceive any cause for his wife's unreasonable prejudice against one who had particularly attracted his liking.

"'Deed does she," said Mrs. Lindsay, Whose warm Scotch blood fired up at the grudging way in which Mrs. Hammond spoke about the bereaved and desolate orphan. "If you think it a burden to have the charge, I'm sure she's heartily welcome to bide at Branxholm till she can hear from her friends in England, and for longer too. The pot that boils' for eight may weel boil for nine, and the Almighty has prospered us, so that we would never miss the orphan's meal of meat, or her bits of claes. I thought she was owre genty for the like of us, but if so be as she'd be satisfied to take up her dwelling with us, there's none of us that would think twice of the burden or the trouble. And I dare say the lassie might take up to be of some service in the house. We're no to send the bairn that has by sic a sudden and awsome providence