Kilmeny of the Orchard ings surging in her soul, and being held back from speech by her sheer, stubborn will. And, Master, never a word did Mar- garet say from that day until after Kil- meny was born — not one word, Master. Nothing we could do for her softened her. And we were kind to her, Master, and gentle with her, and never reproached her by so much as a look. But she would not speak to anyone. She just sat in her room most of the time and stared at the wall with such awful eyes. Father implored her to speak and forgive him, but she never gave any sign that she heard him. “ I haven’t come to the worst yet, Mas- ter. Father sickened and took to his bed. Margaret would not go in to see him. Then one night Thomas and I were watch- ing by him; it was about eleven o’clock. 'All at once he said, “ ‘ Janet, go up‘and tell the lass ’ —— he always called Margaret that — it was a kind of pet name he had for her — ‘ that 208