THE SHADOW OF SIR WALTER Tommy was in Miss Ailie's senior class now, though by no means at the top of it, and her mind was often disturbed about his future.

On this subject Aaron had never spoken to anyone, and the problem gave Tommy himself so little trouble that all Elspeth knew was that he was to be great and that she was to keep his house.

So the school-mistress braved an interview with Aaron for the sake of her favorite.
"You know he is a remarkable boy," she said.
"At his lessons, ma'am ?" asked Aaron, quietly.
Not exactly at his lessons, she had to admit.
"In what way, then, ma'am ?" Really Miss Ailie could not say.

There was something wonderful about Tommy, you felt it, but you could not quite give it a name.

The warper must have noticed it himself.
"I've heard him saying something o' the kind to Elspeth," was Aaron's reply.
"But sometimes he is like a boy inspired," said the school-mistress.
"You must have seen that ?" "When he was thinking o' himsel'," answered Aaron.
"He has such noble sentiments." "He has." "And I think, I really think," said Miss Ailie, eagerly, for this was what she had come to say, "that he has got great gifts for the ministry." "I'm near sure o't," said Aaron, grimly.
"Ah, I see you don't like him." "I dinna," the warper acknowledged quietly, "but I've been trying to do my duty by him for all that.