I.In Strange Surroundings "Noo, Wattie," said the Whaup, "ye maun say a sweer before ye get up.

" Wattie Cassilis, the "best boy" of the Airlie Manse, paragon of scholars, and exemplar to his four brothers, was depending from a small bridge over the burn, his head downward and a short distance from the water, his feet being held close to the parapet by the muscular arms of his eldest brother, Tammas Cassilis, commonly known as the Whaup.

"Wattie," repeated the Whaup, "say a sweer, or into the burn ye'll gang as sure as daith!"

"Noo," said the Whaup, standing over him, "let me tell you this, my man.

The Whaup himself had said, on the night of Coquette's arrival, "Oh, she's an actress, and I hate actresses!"

" "She has got the best part of all religions if she does her best for the people about her," said the Whaup.

"Look here," said the Whaup, trying to comfort his weeping cousin, "you can depend on me.

" "You shall not part with it," said the Whaup.

But the Whaup himself was troubled by the acquaintance of Coquette with Lord Earlshope, which, from a casual meeting, developed with startling rapidity.

Soon the young lord and Coquette began to meet when she was taking her early walk, a form of "carrying on" which outraged the sentiments of the parish, and caused the Whaup to announce his intention of "giving her up" and going to sea.

The alienation of the Whaup made Coquette very miserable, and when her uncle discovered her walking alone with Lord Earlshope, she tearfully requested to be allowed to go back to France.

" Her second conquestfor the Whaup, on seeing her dejection, had relented and returned to his allegiancewas Leezibeth, and it was by music she was won.

The minister, looking back anxiously at his parish, Coquette, and the Whaup, joined the party from the Manse.

"You're a pretty invalid," said the Whaup to Coquette as they went ashore for a scramble.

" From that moment the Whaup grew more serious, and ceased his boyish tricks.

The new sense of responsibility that had come to the Whaup determined him to return at once to Glasgow, and resume his studies.

And the Whaup thought that, if she would only wait two years he would work to such purpose as to be able to ask her to marry him.

" The next day she met him again, and told him she was going to Glasgow with Lady Drum to see her cousin, the Whaup.

To the Whaup it seemed that the empty pavements were made of gold; that the fronts of the houses were shining with a happy light; and the air full of a delicious tingling.

As time went on the Whaup pressed for the marriage day to be named, but he could not awake in her hopes for the future.

She married the Whaup, but was never again the old Coquette, and though Tom tried hopefully to charm her back to cheerfulness, she faded month by month.

We could hear the cry of the whaup, a mournful, plaintive note; our own voices were the only other sounds that broke the stillness.