"Yes, indeed; he has told me so himself. It was Pedro's firm belief that he was a Christian boy, because he shrank from spending the Lord's day in the way many of you then did, that first led him to see that he took his religion only from the 'precepts of men,' but was a stranger to Jesus, as his Saviour and Friend; so, as he says, it was Pedro who all unconsciously led him to seek the Lord. But see—here comes Sir James Dudley with uncle; let us join them."
It was well for Ronald that whilst thus occupied in talking to his wife, he did not hear the conversation which Sir James Dudley was carrying on with Mr. Macleod, for, indeed, praise of his friend Ronald was the chief theme of it: the lad's admiration of the counsellor of his boyhood was increasing with his years, and in his ardent way, he loved to speak of the one to whom he felt he owed so much.
"Why, Mr. Macleod," he said, "I don't believe you half know what a splendid fellow he is, nor how he is adored by all who serve with or under him. You see, there is a friend of my mother's, whose only son is a clerk in the house, and you should hear how he speaks of Macintosh. Why, he says, but for him he might have been a dissipated man. He was just standing on the verge of ruin, when Ronald came to his aid, took him from the society of bad companions, and led him into the right path."
Mr. Macleod's eyes glowed with pleasure as he listened. God had indeed given to him and his wife a rich reward, in the way the three orphan children whom they had brought up had turned out; and their praises were sweet to his ear. And with growing pleasure, he saw the influence for good that all three were exercising over his own children as they advanced in years.
In the meantime, Nora had contrived to get alone with her aunt on this the last day in her happy home, for the morrow was to be her bridal day, and also that of a long farewell to Scotland's shores; for after a short visit in England, she and her husband, accompanied by Eric, were to set sail for China, the land in which her husband worked as a missionary and her brother as a merchant. Her heart was full as she thought of leaving so many dear ones, but yet new ties and a new love filled her heart; and it was no small addition to her happiness that she was going to help in the work of spreading the knowledge of Jesus in a heathen land. Many loving words of advice and encouragement did she receive that day from her mother-aunt,—words to be pondered over and acted on when seas rolled between them.
Evening had come, and the youngsters, under the leadership of Sir James Dudley and Pedro, started for a walk, when Ronald, Eric, and Nora, detaching themselves from the rest, set out together. Almost involuntarily, it seemed, they turned their steps in the direction of the Wishing-Well. The sun's parting beams were just striking there when they reached it, and a rich golden hue was glowing on all around, lighting up the brilliantly coloured leaves of the various trees that formed the background to the well. For a minute or two they paused beside it, each heart recalling vividly the last time they had all stood there together, on the eve of Ronald's departure for school in England.
Eric was the first to break the silence. "Who remembers," he said, "the day, many years ago, when we stood here, and each wished for something beside this well? I wonder if our wishes have been fulfilled."
For a moment there was no reply.
Ronald remembered vividly how his wish had been to be a true Knight of the Cross, and bear the royal banner boldly into the enemy's country; and with that remembrance there arose the form of the mysterious stranger who had showed him the real meaning of his somewhat fanciful desire.
And Nora, too, was recalling the wish of her heart, that she might obtain what her mother desired for her, that she might be above rubies.