cient to maintain them at the necessary altitudes. But among the elements which are permitted to elevate themselves sufficiently, carbon now assumes a distinctly prominent position in virtue of the other remarkable property of this element to which we have re

From Blackwood's Magazine. THE STORY OF MARGREDEL: BEING A FIRESIDE HISTORY OF A FIFESHIRE FAMILY.1

CHAPTER XIV.

to observe them. Howsoever things may change in fifty years, the habit is like to last out time of young knights reading most need of a champion in pretty faces.

THE next forenoon saw Margrédel ferred. It is certain that the greater take her seat in the mail-coach among the distance from the solar centre, the a mixed company on its way to the lower must be the temperature to ferry at Pettycur. She sat, unheedful which the materials are exposed. No of her neighbors, with a hard, fixed doubt in the interior of the sun the look, such as any traveller wears in our temperature is so high that even carfast day, when it is a robbery of time bon must be there permanently gaseeven to feel the wind on one's face; ous. But at a sufficient altitude above but it seemed so strange in a mailthe sun's surface or, to speak more coach, especially in a face so fair and accurately, at a sufficient distance from young, that there were few who did the sun's centre, the temperature is not remark it. One passenger at least, low enough to permit the carbon vawith some down upon his chin, thought pors to return to the liquid state and he should have liked to meet face to thus gather into the beads of liquid face with the man who caused her glowing carbon which forms the lumi- heaviness of heart. Doubtless the nous cloud. What then happens is fresh horses carried other heavy hearts clearly of the following nature. The as well as Margrédel's; but he failed high velocities of the carbon molecules are ever and anon conducting them to elevations in the solar atmosphere, where the temperature is sufficiently low to reduce the carbon vapors to the cloudy state which they are so prone Behind the hard eyes Margrédel was to assume. Herein lies the essential conning the professor's message, wondifference between carbon and the dering that he should have written it other elements. In the first place if he could come out to the street to many of the elements never possess deliver it to Rab, yet unable to think of sufficient molecular velocities to carry any cause for his sending it, save that them in any large quantities into the he required her by reason of illness. elevated regions. In the second place, From that her mind went back over among the elements which can attain many eccentricities of her uncle, and sufficient altitudes carbon is the most strange conduct of his in the past, with refractory, and therefore would be the the forebodings it bred; and all this first to take that step in condensation kept the memory of the last night's implied by its transformation into a emotions from overwhelming her, alcloud. though it gave tone to her thoughts, even as the ground color of our canvas comes up through what we paint upon it. And as not even the recuperative power of Margrédel's own land of France is stronger than that of youth and health, she was not within sight of the sea when the sunshine, and the smell of leaves from under the hedgerows, and the joy of motion, drove

On these grounds Dr. Stoney has concluded that the same element, which is the great source of artificial light in almost all forms on this earth, is also the source of solar light. Our conception of the important functions of carbon in the universe is thus greatly extended.

1 Published under arrangement with G. P. Put nam's Sons, the authorized American publishers of the book.

IL

away her cares, and she grew curious | from days in the sun and in the fields;
in the villages they passed through, and in her eyes, made familiar with
and, while she talked but little, smiled their ruddiness, her uncle looked no
at the small jokes which, as well as the paler than the shopkeepers, although
wittiest, whiled away the road for the they were in their white aprons, and
travellers. For Margrédel could not were out in the street, sun or no sun,
become heavy-hearted all at once, any all day long, and would have left their
more than the crafty look could have counters to mark the arrival of a pack-
come in a day into the eyes of the pro- man. These pale-faced gentlemen,
fessor, who was awaiting her in front being in their aprons, touched their
of the National Inn. Yet that day forelock to their children's teacher, as
that look was very strong in his eyes; became tradesmen, and said, by and
it is strange how, of a sudden, you by, that the professor's wench was
notice fingers grown crooked with con- handsome; while the women told one
stant handling of guineas, or cheeks another that she had returned from
pinched by long company with pov- Eden Braes, and that they "couldn't
erty.
fathom her ever having been there, no
more they could," which was true.
If it had been possible they should
have fathomed it long ago, for this was
not the first time, by many hundreds,
that they had discussed the intimacy
between the Oliphants and Margrédel.

Of course Margrédel was too delighted to see him to notice this look, which was patent to others. As soon as the coach jolted over the rough causeway, she was conscious of a feeling of new happiness at the thought of being home again. The sight of her uncle relieved her mind of its little fears; and whereas hitherto she had always thought of him and of herself as exiles in this grey street, her heart now went out to the ragamuffins who surrounded the coach, and to the shopkeepers in their doorways, as to friends and neighbors. That showed how deep had been the experience of the past twenty-four hours, for she could never have felt so towards Kirkcaldy and Kirkcaldy folks had not the dip into the world outside been so disastrous.

"I haven't been well," the professor said; "but there's worse than that. Another week would have meant ruin, as you'll see."

He laughed at her wonderment, and, letting her into the house, led her straight to where a little heap of broken crockery lay in the kitchen. He did not tell her that in a whirl of passion he had dashed to the ground the table and all that was on it, and that to the coarseness of the household's ware only did he owe it that he had been able to pick up much that was unbroken. But he blamed it all upon his When he had helped her to alight, clumsy hands, and said, "I told you it he kissed her, and the onlookers meant ruin; I am no housekeeper," as shrugged their shoulders. They were if he had broken one morning a cup, unaccustomed to kiss on the street or another morning a plate, piece by to shake hands even, except one should piece, during the time she was away. so salute another in the market for Margrédel, the blood rushing to her sport or mockery. Then she noticed face with the thought of her uncle his paleness; and he said, still hold- among the dishes each day (it would ing her in his arms and looking into her not have troubled her had she not seen face, as if they had been alone in the how, in Eden Braes, the men did nothhouse (only then he might have said ing in the house), cried out, it in French), "Oh, uncle! did I not say how it "And you're as brown as a berry, would be if I went away ? I wish I Margrédel." had not gone. You have had no comfort with me from home."

Quite relieved, she walked to the house on his arm. She had been living where all men's skins were brown

Yet she could not but laugh at the comical face he made, like a naughty

boy, as if he were winking to himself
and not looking slyer than usual.
"But I have been ill," he replied.
"I should not have been, had I stuck
to my own plain fare; but I dined with
Mr. Oliphant often, and drank his
wine."

Now that his eyes were directed to it, the professor thought that the town had an appearance of quiet and peace, with the smoke hanging lazily above it; so there he took Margrédel.

We know the rest; how, as the even years passed, now and theu a chance

He did not allow his voice to falter word, like Margrédel's recital of Opheas he spoke of this. lia's wrong, would rouse the slumberMargrédel said, "Then you would ing fury in him; how the child came have been very ill if you had been to be able to set it asleep again. All with me; " whereupon his eye became the time, he was hiding their story brighter again, and he had a thousand from the neighbors, then from Marquestions to ask about Eden Braes, and grédel herself. This habit made him the doings there, and especially con- crafty, and passion lived long, being cerning Douglas. covered like a gathered fire, till at length at the discovery of the carving in Margrédel's absence the volcano wakened and burned lurid.

To understand aright what it cost Robert Malbert to listen to Margrédel's talk about Dug Oliphant, or how bitter for him was the kindness of her mention of him, we must think what he had suffered. As he had told Wull, it was his sister Margrédel's memory that had cheered him throughout the wars and in his imprisonment. When he returned to his home at length, it was to find it desolate. His sister had gone as a nurse to the neighboring garrison But she was dead-dead of shame and of a broken heart—and had left behind her this child, whom the neighbors kept and called Margrédel. That, with the story of a handSome Englishman, was all; the villagers had had more to think of — building up | their broken walls, and recalling the memories of their own dead — than his name or his route.

town.

It was Douglas, of whose sailing and story in France Wull had spoken often, that the professor straightway marked as his enemy. He was not conscious of arguing how it must have been Douglas. It came like an inspiration with the discovery of his sister's name in the old mansion-house. Burning in his brain was the figure of the dark horseman whom Margrédel had pointed out from the windows as Jean's father; and he longed to confront him in Eden Braes, in his home, and When the spasm was past, the professor's palms were red, with nail-marks in them. He thought of Margrédel, and a calm followed the tempest, until the low moaning of it began again with thoughts of how she should have her In a torrent of shame Robert Malbert rights, and of Eden Braes, and of the had crossed the sea with the little Mar- mistress of Eden Braes. Why was she grédel. In the land of his exile, some-there, while his pretty Margrédel slept where, he would find means of living at the back of the village forever? away from hateful memories. The And the other Margrédel ought to be in sun, as he sailed up the Firth of Forth, Jean's shoes, and should be, by the lay on the roofs of Kirkcaldy, and the holy Mary, let him once set fingers on town looked like a gold band round the this Douglas. His impulse was to ride bay, set with jewels where the wind-out at once to Eden Braes. No! Marmills struck sparks out of the sunlight. grédel was there; and the fury died Leaning over the bulwarks at his side down, and doubt followed the doubt was an old skipper, who without turn- if he might not be wrong, if there was ing his eyes pointed a finger in the proof of Douglas's wickedness. Any direction of the town. one might know his niece as Margré"That's my toon," he said, del Malbert and carve her name. God! I'm gaun back to't a hantle She was as much Margrédel Malbert as puirer than I left it." any other name he knew of— Margré

"an'
sicht

was

del Malbert as soon as this pitiful Mar- | ships that required fitting up anew; grédel English, which name he had and when he returned he was much given her before the neighbors in his occupied in public, for reform early madness, and for his story's sake, greatly talked of, and the town was in a must stick to. But-Margrédel Oli- ferment of political feeling. phant! He fanned his fury by repeating the name again and again, and swore, looking on the stars from the black, back windows, that he would prove this discovery.

Round and round in this circle had the professor's feelings worked during the next day and night. The near approach of Margrédel's return found Craft at Passion's throat, keeping the upper hand, although it struggled hard, and got on its feet again, almost, when Margrédel spoke kind words in its ears of the family at Eden Braes.

And oftentimes as she lay abed, thinking of Jean, or of her uncle's new love for the town's company, the professor was lying longing to be in the old house, and to press his hands and feed his eyes upon the carved letters in the dining-room.

CHAPTER XV.

"HULLO, Margrédel!"

It was in the last days of February, while Margrédel was walking homewards, under Mrs. Birrell's confectionshop, opposite the narrow Kirk Wynd, with its two stone sentries on which the beggars sat, that Margrédel heard

So the fight lasted through the winter into the lengthening days, when men ceased to speak of the summer her name called aloud. Looking round, that was past, and thought of that which was to come. It was a poor fight to write about, but stern if you had seen how the knapsack sank deeper between the professor's shoulders, and how each morning found fresh grey hairs in his head.

she scarce recognized young Willy Oliphant of Eden Braes in the tall youth who, with a smile on his face, was leading his horse towards her. He had grown away from the schoolboy in these last months, and was a handsome young man, much like his Uncle Wull in the matter of looks and yellow hair, but perhaps firmer about the mouth, and with a dash of his mother's fire in his eyes. He wore not a little of a "milord" air, as became an Oliphant on Kirkcaldy streets. Moreover, he looked well in his buckskins and new boots, and it was perhaps because of them that he dismounted daintily, not at all after the manner in which he was used to fling himself from the brown pony.

Still he learned nothing. He drank with the sailors on the quay, and with the old topers in the inns, and, drunk or sober, could worm nothing from them concerning Douglas, except the stories of old dissolute doings about the town. One hope remained. As soon as summer was round he would go to France. He could not go sooner, for he must keep his pupils, for Margrédel's future. He said to himself that it was all for Margrédel's future, and feigned belief that revenge was not When he held out his hand to Martugging at his heart's strings. So Pas-grédel, and she pleased him with the sion took a new tack, and flattered Craft to get the better of it.

surprise in her eyes at the change in him, you had thought every door and During this time Margrédel had one window and close-mouth within fifty or two letters from Jean, who said yards held a curious face even as, nothing of Frank Hill. Margrédel, when Thrift crumbled the stale bread having been brought up out of the on the kitchen-sill, birds came flitting world, wondered if she could have to the tree-boughs in great flights and written so if her lover had proved sat there chattering like women at a false. Nor, beyond what Jean wrote, well, so that you wondered that the did she hear much of Eden Braes. gardens could have hidden them રી That winter Wull Oliphant was away minute before. To judge from the in London, where he had bought some faces at the windows, they had much

to say on what they saw; only, from | uncle's door, he could see the crown the street you could not hear what was of Margrédel's bonnet under his eyes. spoken-which was a pity. He could not have done that in the autumn.

Beneath the very fine and gallant exterior of the boy now chatting to Margrédel was the veriest hobbledehoy on this side the Firth. No sooner did his eyes light upon the confection-window, up to which they had often looked wistfully when his uncle's house was a holiday resort, than he must needs sport his new manhood. "Granny Birrell's, by the Lord Harry!" he said. "You like sugarrock, Margrédel ?”

"Do you know, you've a better color than Jean has ?"

Margrédel did; and a rather hectoring "Hullo there!" (because of the At Eden Braes they used to make little boys that were open-mouthed on fun of her "town color," and would the causeway) brought from behind say, "Put out your hand and make her counter, and down the one or two yourself at home. You maun grow steps, the white-capped, white-haired | ruddy in the country;" and no music old priestess of Willy's early temple. had ever sounded kinder to her ears. Such was the cheapness of the succu- So she replied to Willy, lent luxury, and the lavishness of our young squire, that I declare he cleared the window-stock, so that so much afternoon sunshine never found its way through the sweetie-shop panes before or since.

When the old body returned with I know not how many sticks, he waved

his hand, with a "For the lady," as if

his teeth had never watered where he stood.

But Margrédel laughed outright, and protested.

"Hadn't you better ask Rab Hetherwick to call for these?" she said, with gentle irony.

He'll be doon the morn," Granny said, seeing no farther than a possible loss of a large order.

"Take one. They are yours," Willy aid largely. "I'll carry some for you, and," — for this did not dispose of the Thole purchase yet, and it would never do to recall a penny of what was spent on a lady miserliness is not original sin,-"give the rest to the children, Mrs. Birrell.'

He spoke as if childhood were for bim a far-off reminiscence. So it was. Can anything be farther off than that hich has gone forever? As he led his horse slowly eastwards to her

"Thanks to Eden Braes and the good friends there." But Willy said,

"Have you not heard that Jean's not well? "

"What ails her?"
Willy shook his head.

"Grown pale and soft," he said. "Taken to sitting in the house, and that's not like her. It used to be, when I was at school, 'Willy, I'm dying for a gallop; or, Come along for a walk to Cage-whins and see the foxes.' Now that I'm about the place all day long, she'll not stir a foot unless she's asked. Even then she's not a mile from home when she turns Vic's. head. You see how fat he's getting." He was riding Vic to-day. “I can't make it out with Jean. It's just since

"Since when, Willy ?" Margrédel led him on.

"Since the regiment lifted."

His face was all aglow, and he stood looking shamefacedly at his boots, and tapping them savagely with his whip. Margrédel turned to stroke Vic's glossy side, and kept her back to him. She had had several letters from Jean, but in none of them was there any mention of Frank Hill. She knew that he had