344. THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



She did not know when the new laird of Orgert 

 arrived ; but next morning a deep voice calling a big 

 dog off her flower-beds told her that a master reigned 

 in her old home. 



Miss Halcro peeped over her blind, and saw the new 

 laird standing before the side door surveying his domain. 

 He looked not less than fifty years of age, and his dark 

 hair had long since become considerably grizzled. 

 There were deep lines on his face, which, perhaps, 

 misled one in judging of his years, for his brown, 

 muscular hands looked able to do good service yet. 

 Also his shoulders were broad and his figure upright. 

 The man had seen the best of his days no doubt ; but 

 his frank, fine-featured face, somewhat concealed by a 

 leonine beard, was not the, sort of face that women 

 think belongs to one who despises their sex. 



" This laird of Orgert is not dissipated," Ingath 

 said to herself, rather bitterly. Then as she watched 

 Mr. Nemo walk with firm, manly steps down the 

 little garden and along the shore, she added more 

 softly — 



" He will hold what he wins ; ay, and perhaps 

 improve and renovate in such a way tliat I shall not 

 grieve so very much after all. Ah ! if the men of my 

 race had been men like this one ! " 



Miss Ingath turned away heartsick, and could not 

 bring herself to begin the work that lay before her. 



All that day she moved restlessly between her bed- 

 room and the parlour. She did not venture out to 

 pluck a morning nosegay, as was her wont : and she 



