curves of the stair； but at last they saw him with it on his
shoulder coming over a distant roof。
〃Now we shall see！〃 he said； as he leaned it up against the chimney；
and stood panting。
〃You have tired yourself！〃 said lady Arctura。
〃Where's the harm； my lady？ A man must get tired a few times before
he lies down！〃 rejoined Donald lightly。
Said Davie；
〃Must a woman； Mr。 Grant； marry a man she does not love？〃
〃No； certainly； Davie。〃
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 said Arctura； in dread of what Davie might say next；
〃what do you take to be the duty of one inheriting a property？ Ought
a woman to get rid of it； or attend to it herself？〃
Donal thought a little。
〃We must first settle the main duty of property；〃 he said； 〃and that
I am hardly prepared to do。〃
〃Is there not a duty owing to your family？〃
〃There are a thousand duties owing to your family。〃
〃I don't mean those you are living with merely； but those also who
transmitted the property to you。 This property belongs to my family
rather than to me； and if I had had a brother it would have gone to
him： should I not do better for the family by giving it up to the
next heir？ I am not disinterested in starting the question；
possession and power are of no great importance in my eyes； they are
hindrances to me。〃
〃It seems to me；〃 said Donal； 〃that the fact that you would not have
succeeded had there been a son； points to the fact of a disposer of
events： you were sent into the world to take the property。 If so；
God expects you to perform the duties of it； they are not to be got
rid of by throwing the thing aside； or giving them to another to do
for you。 If your family and not God were the real giver of the
property； the question you put might arise； but I should hardly take
interest enough in it to be capable of discussing it。 I understand
my duty to my sheep or cattle； to my master； to my father or mother；
to my brother or sister； to my pupil Davie here； I owe my ancestors
love and honour； and the keeping of their name unspotted； though
that duty is forestalled by a higher； but as to the property they
leave behind them； over which they have no more power； and which now
I trust they never think about； I do not see what obligation I can
be under to them with regard to it； other than is comprised in the
duties of the property itself。〃
〃But a family is not merely those that are gone before； there are
those that will come after！〃
〃The best thing for those to come after； is to receive the property
with its duties performed； with the light of righteousness radiating
from it。〃
〃But what then do you call the duties of property？〃
〃In what does the property consist？〃
〃In land； to begin with。〃
〃If the land were of no value； would the possession of it involve
duties？〃
〃I suppose not。〃
〃In what does the value of the land consist？〃
Lady Arctura did not attempt an answer to the question； and Donal；
after a little pause； resumed。
〃If you valued things as the world values them； I should not care to
put the question； but I fear you may have some lingering notion
that； though God's way is the true way； the world's way must not be
disregarded。 One thing； however； is certainthat nothing that is
against God's way can be true。 The value of property consists only
in its being means； ground； or material to work his will withal。
There is no success in the universe but in his will being done。〃
Arctura was silent。 She had inherited prejudices which； while she
hated selfishness； were yet thoroughly selfish。 Such are of the
evils in us hardest to get rid of。 They are even cherished for a
lifetime by some of the otherwise loveliest of souls。 Knowing that
herein much thought would be necessary for her； and that she would
think； Donal went no farther： a house must have its foundation
settled before it is built upon； argument where the grounds of it
are at all in dispute is worse than useless。
He turned to his ladder； set it right； mounted； and peered into the
opening。 At the length of his arm he could reach the wires Davie had
described： they were taut； and free of rustwere therefore not iron
or steel。 He saw also that a little down the shaft a faint light
came in from the opposite side： there was another opening somewhere！
Next he saw that each following stringfor strings he already
counted themwas placed a little lower than that before it； so that
their succession was inclined to the other side of the
shaftapparently in a plane between the two openings； that a
draught might pass along their plane： this must surely be the
instrument whence the music flowed！ He descended。
〃Do you know； my lady；〃 he asked Arctura； 〃how the aeolian harp is
placed for the wind to wake it？〃
〃The only one I have seen；〃 she answered； 〃was made to fit into a
window； the lower sash was opened just wide enough to let it in； so
that the wind entering must pass across the strings。〃
Then Donal was all but certain。
〃Of course；〃 he said； after describing what he had seen； 〃we cannot
be absolutely sure without having been here with the music； and
having experimented by covering and uncovering the opening； and for
that we must wait a south…easterly wind。〃
CHAPTER XLII。
COMMUNISM。
But Donal did not feel that even then would he have exhausted the
likelihood of discovery。 That the source of the music that had so
long haunted the house was an aeolian harp in a chimney that had
never or scarcely been used； might be enough to satisfy some； but he
wanted to know as well why； if this was a chimney； it neither had
been nor was used； and to what room it was a chimney。 For the
question had come to himmight not the music hold some relation
with the legend of the lost room？
Inquiry after legendary lore had drawn nearer and nearer； and the
talk about such as belonged to the castle had naturally increased。
In this talk was not seldom mentioned a ghost； as yet seen at times
about the place。 This Donal attributed to glimpses of the earl in
his restless night…walks； but by the domestics； both such as had
seen something and such as had not； the apparition was naturally
associated with the lost chamber； as the place whence the spectre
issued； and whither he returned。
Donal's spare hours were now much given to his friend Andrew Comin。
The good man had so far recovered as to think himself able to work
again； but he soon found it was little he could do。 His strength was
gone； and the exertion necessary to the lightest labour caused him
pain。 It was sad to watch him on his stool； now putting in a stitch；
now stopping because of the cough which so sorely haunted his thin；
wind…blown tent。 His face had grown white and thin； and he had
nearly lost his merriment； though not his cheerfulness； he never
looked other than content。 He had made up his mind he was not going
to get better； but to go home through a lingering illness。 He was
ready to go and ready to linger； as God pleased。
There was nothing wonderful in this； but to some good people even it
did appear wonderful that he showed no uneasiness as to how Doory
would fare when he was gone。 The house was indeed their own； but
there was no money in itnot even enough to pay the taxes； and if
she sold it； the price would not be enough to live upon。 The
neighbours were severe on Andrew's imagined indifference to his
wife's future； and it was in their eyes a shame to be so cheerful on
the brink of the grave。 Not one of them had done more than peep into
the world of faith in which Andrew lived。 Not one of them could have
understood that for Andrew to allow the least danger of evil to his
Doory； would have been to behold the universe rocking on the
slippery shoulders of Chance。
A little moan escaping her as she looked one evening into her
money…teapot； made Donal ask her a question or two。 She confessed
that she had but sixpence left。 Now Donal had spent next to nothing
since he came； and had therefore a few pounds in hand。 His father
and mother had sent back what he sent them； as being in need of
nothing： sir Gibbie was such a good son to them that they were
living in what they counted luxury： Robert doubted whether he was
not ministering to the flesh in allowing Janet to provide beef…brose
for him twice in the week！ So Donal was free to spend for his next
neighboursjust what his people； who were grand about money； would
have had him do。 Never in their cottage had a penny been wasted；
never one refused where was need。
〃An'rew；〃 he saidand found the mother…tongue here fittest〃I'm
thinkin' ye maun be growin' some short o' siller i' this time o'
warklessness！〃
〃'Deed； I wadna won'er！〃 answered Andrew。 〃Doory says naething aboot
sic triffles！〃
〃Weel；〃 rejoined Donal； 〃I thank God I hae some i' the ill pickle o'
no bein' wantit； an' sae in danger o' cankerin'； an' atween brithers
there sudna be twa purses！〃
〃Ye hae yer ain fowk to luik efter； sir！〃 said Andrew。
〃They're weel luikit efterbetter nor ever they war i' their lives；
they're as weel aff as I am mysel' up i' yon gran' castel。 They hae
a freen' wha but for them wad ill hae lived to be the great man he
is the noo； an' there's naething ower muckle for him to du for them；
sae my siller 's my ain； an' yours。 An'rew； an' Doory's！〃
The old man put him through a catechism as to his ways and means and
prospects； and finding that Donal believed as firmly as himself in
the care of the Master； and was convinced there was nothing that
Master would rather see him do with his money than help those who
needed it； especially those who trusted in him； he yielded。
〃It's no； ye see；〃 said Donal； 〃that I hae ony doobt o' the Lord
providin' gien I had failt； but he hauds the thing to my han'； jist
as muckle as gien he said； 'There's for you； Donal！' The fowk o'
this warl' michtna appruv； but you an' me kens better； An'rew。 We
ken there's nae guid in siller but do the wull o' the Lord wi'
'tan' help to ane anither is his dear wull。 It's no 'at he's short
o' siller himsel'； but he likes to gie anither a turn！〃
〃I'll tak it；〃 said the old man。
〃There's what I hae；〃 returned Donal。
〃Na； na； nane o' that！〃 said Andrew。 〃Ye're treatin' me like a
muckle； reivin'； sornin' begg