only loading me with work, but viewing me with a shrewd

supervision. At length one day he looked up from his paper with a

kind of timidness, and says he, "Mr. Mackellar, I think I ought to

tell you that you do very well." That was my first word of

commendation; and from that day his jealousy of my performance was

relaxed; soon it was "Mr. Mackellar" here, and "Mr. Mackellar"

there, with the whole family; and for much of my service at

Durrisdeer, I have transacted everything at my own time, and to my

own fancy, and never a farthing challenged. Even while he was

driving me, I had begun to find my heart go out to Mr. Henry; no

doubt, partly in pity, he was a man so palpably unhappy. He would

fall into a deep muse over our accounts, staring at the page or out

of the window; and at those times the look of his face, and the

sigh that would break from him, awoke in me strong feelings of

curiosity and commiseration. One day, I remember, we were late

upon some business in the steward's room.

This room is in the top of the house, and has a view upon the bay,

and over a little wooded cape, on the long sands; and there, right

over against the sun, which was then dipping, we saw the

freetraders, with a great force of men and horses, scouring on the

beach. Mr. Henry had been staring straight west, so that I

marvelled he was not blinded by the sun; suddenly he frowns, rubs

his hand upon his brow, and turns to me with a smile.

"You would not guess what I was thinking," says he. "I was

thinking I would be a happier man if I could ride and run the

danger of my life, with these lawless companions."

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