336 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



thanks, and as cash was so scarce with them, a gift of 

 meal or potatoes from the farm, or a garment from the 

 defunct laird's wardrobe, had to do duty for payment. 

 Such acts of kindness were received with the gratitude 

 which humble retainers show when a master deigns 

 to confer a favour; and never once did the faithful 

 factotum or one of his family permit the ladies to 

 dream that the boon conferred was in reality bestowed 

 by the servants. 



The servitors were well aware that their " puir 

 ledies " were as poor, and more helpless, than any 

 fisherman's children in the Isle, and a great pity stirred 

 the honest hearts of the Harrisons. 



Especially did Ole Harrison feel for his high-born 

 foster sisters. He was younger than either of them, 

 and had a lad's worship for the fair women who were 

 so kind and benign, so lonely and unhappy. As he 

 grew older his pity and his admiration grew into love. 



The young fisherman, handsome, intelligent, fairly 

 well educated, as well as come of an old Nome stock, 

 saw no reason why an honest man's love should not be 

 a welcome gift to a friendless and poverty-stricken 

 young woman. It had become his habit since his 

 father's death to give the ladies advice regarding the 

 management of their bit of ground, their few sheep 

 and ponies, and the like ; and as every manhj man 

 feels himself to be in a sense the protector of every 

 unprotected woman, he had insensibly assumed towards 

 the sisters the attitude of one older, wiser, stronger 

 than they. 



