Some time after Alec had gone a letter was received from Margaret, written in a less happy strain than was usual to her. Janet had been suffering from rheumatism, and found it impossible to spin as much as she had been accustomed to do. The state of her health made her feel an unwonted anxiety about the future prospects of her beloved charge. “I know, however, that all will be well,” wrote Margaret, “so I do my best to keep up her spirits, by reminding her of God’s loving kindness, in which she has hitherto so firmly confided. Were it not, however, for the assistance you have given us, my dear brothers, I confess that we should have a great difficulty in supporting ourselves. I do all I can to repay our kind and loving friend for the years of tender care she has bestowed on us. What would have become of us all had it not been for her?”
Donald and David had a short time before this sent home a larger sum than usual, which they hoped would have been received soon after the letter was written, and they trusted that it would assist to restore Janet’s spirits, and convince her that as long as they lived Margaret would not be left destitute.
Weeks and weeks passed by, and no acknowledgment of the sum was received, and no other letter came to hand.
As they hoped that Alec Galbraith would not be long absent, wishing to give him a pleasant surprise, they had gone on with the erection of his house, and completed it, declaring that as their reward they would sell their property, for which they had had several advantageous offers, and go and live with him till they should fix on another location further off in the wilderness, to bring under cultivation.
“He must have been at home several weeks, and had plenty of time to arrange his affairs with his brothers,” observed David.
“I wonder he has not written to us. Perhaps the letter, or the vessel herself bringing it, may have been lost,” observed Donald. “That has been the fate of several of Margaret’s letters. Depend upon it we shall hear from him or our sister before long, and he is sure to pay her a visit before he comes back, that he may bring us news of her and Janet.”
They were seated together one evening in their log-house, their meal just placed on the table. “I fancy I heard footsteps,” said David. “Yes, some one hails.”
It was Alec Galbraith’s voice. Donald and David rushed out. There stood Margaret and Alec Galbraith, while dear old Janet followed with eager looks close behind them. Donald, seizing his sister’s hands, drew her to him, while David grasped those of Alec, till his brother could relinquish Margaret to him, and then land Janet, rushing forward, threw her arms around both the brother’s necks, and sobbed out, “My bairns, my bairns, though I feared the salt sea I would have gone over more than twice the distance to hold ye thus agen!”
The new arrivals were soon seated at the already spread board. As Margaret happened to place her hand on the table Donald observed a plain gold ring on her finger.