and read to her； and to give him something to read； good for him as
well as for her。
Donal did not see Davie again till the next morning。
〃Oh； Mr。 Grant！〃 he said； 〃you never saw anything so pretty as Arkie
is in bed！ She is so white； and so sweet！ and she speaks with a
voice so gentle and low！ She was so kind to me for going to read to
her！ I never saw anybody like her！ She looks as if she had just said
her prayers； and God had told her she should have everything she
wanted。〃
Donal wondered a little； but hoped more。 Surely she must be finding
rest in the consciousness of God！ But why was she so white？ Was she
going to die？ A pang shot to his heart： if she were to go from the
castle； it would be hard to stay in it； even for the sake of Davie！
Donal； no more than Arctura； imagined himself fallen in love： he had
loved once； and his heart had not yet done achingthough more with
the memory than the presence of pain！ He was utterly satisfied with
what the Father of the children had decreed； and would never love
again！ But he did not seek to hide from himself that the friendship
of lady Arctura； and the help she sought and he gave； had added a
fresh and strong interest to his life。 At the first dawn of power in
his heart； when he began to make songs in the fields and on the
hills； he had felt that to brighten with true light the clouded
lives of despondent brothers and sisters was the one thing worthest
living for： it was what the Lord came into the world for； neither
had his trouble made him forget itfor more than one week or so：
while the pain was yet gnawing grievously； he woke to it again with
self…accusationalmost self…contempt。 To have helped this lovely
creature； whose life had seemed lapt in an ever closer…clasping
shroud of perplexity； was a thing to be glad ofnot to the day of
his death； but to the never…ending end of his life！ was an honour
conferred upon him by the Father； to last for evermore！ For he had
helped to open a human door for the Lord to enter！ she within heard
him knock； but； trying； was unable to open！ To be God's helper with
our fellows is the one high calling； the presence of God in the
house the one high condition。
At the end of a week Arctura was better； and able to see Donal。 She
had had mistress Brookes's bed moved into the same room with her
own； and had made the dressing…room into a sitting…room。 It was
sunny and pleasantthe very place； Donal thought； he would have
chosen for her。 The bedroom too； which the housekeeper had persuaded
her to take when she left her own； was one of the largest in the
castlethe Garland…roomold…fashioned； of course； but as cheerful
as stateliness would permit； with gorgeous hangings and great
picturesfar from homely； but with sun in it half the day。 Donal
congratulated her on the change。 She had been prevented from making
one sooner； she said； by the dread of owing any comfort to
circumstance： it might deceive her as to her real condition！
〃It could not deceive God； though；〃 answered Donal； 〃who fills with
righteousness those who hunger after it。 It is pride to refuse
anything that might help us to know him； and of all things his
sun…lit world speaks of the father of lights！ If that makes us
happier； it makes us fitter to understand him； and he can easily
send what cloud may be needful to temper it。 We must not make our
own world； inflict our own punishments； or order our own
instruction； we must simply obey the voice in our hearts； and take
lovingly what he sends。〃
The next day she told him she had had a beautiful night； full of the
loveliest dreams。 One of them was； that a child came out of a grassy
hillock by the wayside； called her mamma； and said she was much
obliged to her for taking her off the cold stone； and making her a
butterfly； and with that the child spread out gorgeous and great
wings and soared up to a white cloud； and there sat laughing merrily
to her。
Every afternoon Davie read to her； and thence Donal gained a
dutythat of finding suitable pabulum for the two。 He was not
widely read in light literature； and it made necessary not a little
exploration in the region of it。
CHAPTER LXV。
THE WALL。
On the day after the last triad in the housekeeper's parlour； as
Donal sat in the schoolroom with Davieabout noon it washe became
aware that for some time he had been hearing laborious blows
apparently at a great distance： now that he attended； they seemed to
be in the castle itself； deadened by mass； not distance。 With a fear
gradually becoming more definite； he sat listening for a few
moments。
〃Davie；〃 he said； 〃run and see what is going on。〃
The boy came rushing back in great excitement。
〃Oh； Mr。 Grant； what do you think！〃 he cried。 〃I do believe my
father is after the lost room！ They are breaking down a wall！〃
〃Where？〃 asked Donal； half starting from his seat。
〃In the little room behind the half…way roomon the stair； you
know！〃
Donal was silent： what might not be the consequences！
〃You may go and see them at work； Davie；〃 he said。 〃We shall have no
more lessons this morning。Was your papa with them？〃
〃No； sirat least； I did not see him。 Simmons told me he sent for
the masons this morning； and set them to take the wall down。 Oh；
thank you； Mr。 Grant！ It is such fun！ I do wonder what is behind it！
It may be a place you know quite well； or a place you never saw
before！〃
Davie ran off； and Donal instantly sped to a corner where he had
hidden some tools； thence to lady Arctura's deserted room； and so to
the oak door。 He remembered seeing another staple in the same post；
a little lower down： if he could get that out； he would drive it in
beside the remains of the other； so as to hold the bolt of the lock：
if the earl knew the way in； as doubtless he did； he must not learn
that another had found itnot yet at least！ As he went down； every
blow of the masons pounding at the wall； seemed in his very ears。
He peeped through the press…door： they had not yet got through the
wall： no light was visible！ He made haste to restore thingsonly a
stool and a few papersto their exact positions when first he
entered。 Close to him on the other side of the partition； shaking
the place； the huge blows were falling like those of a ram on the
wall of a besieged city； of which he was the whole garrison。 He
stepped into the press and drew the door after him： with his last
glance behind him he saw； in the faint gleam of light that came with
it； a stone fall： he must make haste： the demolition would go on
much faster now； but before they had the opening large enough to
pass； he would have done what he wanted！ With a strong piece of iron
for a lever； he drew the staple from the post； then drove it in
astride of the bolt； careful to time his blows to those of the
masons。 That done； he ran down to the chapel； gathered what dust he
could sweep up from behind the altar and laid it on its top；
restored on the bed； with its own dust； a little of the outline of
what had lain there； dropped the slab to its place in the floor of
the passage； closed the door of the chapel with some difficulty
because of its broken hinge； and ascended。
The sounds of battering had ceased； and as he passed the oak door he
laid his ear to it： some one was in the place！ the lid of the bureau
shut with a loud bang； and he heard a lock turned。 The wall could
not be half down yet： the earl must have entered the moment he could
get through！
Donal hastened up； and out of the dreadful place； put the slab in
the opening； secured it with a strut against the opposite side of
the recess； and closed the shutters and drew the curtains of the
room； if the earl came up the stair in the wall； found the stone
immovable； and saw no light through any chink about its edges； he
would not suspect it had been displaced！
He went then to lady Arctura。
〃I have a great deal to tell you；〃 he said； 〃but at this moment I
cannot： I am afraid of the earl finding me with you！〃
〃Why should you mind that？〃 said Arctura。
〃Because I think he is suspicious about the lost room。 He has had a
wall taken down this morning。 Please do not let him see you know
anything about it。 Davie thinks he is set on finding the lost room：
I think he knew all about it long ago。 You can ask him what he has
been doing： you must have heard the masons！〃
〃I hope I shall not stumble into anything like a story； for if I do
I must out with everything！〃
In the afternoon； Davie was full of the curious little place his
father had discovered behind the wall； but； if that was the lost
room； he said； it was not at all worth making such a fuss about： it
was nothing but a big closet； with an old desk…kind of thing in it！
In the afternoon also； the earl went to see his niece。 It was the
first time they met after his rude behaviour on her proposal to
search for the lost room。
〃What were you doing this morning； uncle？〃 she said。 〃There was such
a thumping and banging somewhere in the castle！ Davie said you were
determined； he thought； to find the lost room。〃
〃Nothing of the kind； my love；〃 answered the earl。 〃I do hope they
will not spoil the stair carrying the stones and mortar down！〃
〃What was it then； uncle？〃
〃Simply this； my dear： my late wife； your aunt； and I； had a plan
for taking that closet behind my room on the stair into the room
itself。 In preparation； I had a wall built across the middle of the
closet； so as to divide it and make two recesses of it； and act also
as a buttress to the weakened wall。 Then your aunt died； and I
hadn't the heart to open the recesses or do anything more in the
matter。 So one half of the closet was cut off； and remained
inaccessible。 But there had been left in it an old bureau；
containing papers of some consequence； for it was heavy； and
intended to occupy the same position after the arches were opened。
Now； as it happens； I want one of those papers； so the wall has had
to come down again。〃
〃But； uncle； what a pity！〃 said Arctura。 〃Why did you not open the
arches？ The recesses would have been so pretty in that room！〃
〃I am sorry I did not think of asking you what you would like done
about it； my child！ The fact is I never thought of your t