this very evening, if possible; for," he added, in a low voice," Claverhouse is not far off, and we must be careful."

"Aye, that we must," she answered hurriedly. "Do so, Andrew, this very evening, after dark. The moon rises late to-night; ask your father's old friend, Malcolm, to come; he was a good friend to your poor father, and will do it for us." And as she spoke she brushed her hand across her eyes; then hastily leaving the room together, Andrew shut the door and secured it with a piece of cord,

"I'll be sure to be home early, mother," said he, as he left the cottage, "and will bring Malcolm with me; good bye." And, calling his dog, he went off at a quick walk, and was soon out of sight.

All the long day through, the busy mother worked and toiled; but always listening in fear to every sound, and occasionally casting anxious glances at the door of the room in which lay the body of the dead man, whom she had nursed so untiringly. But the merry children knew nothing of her anxiety, and with no thought of danger were playing and frolicking in the sunlight outside the door, racing about on the green grass, and startling their mother with their peals of laughter, as at every minute something occurred to delight them. And so came the middle of the day, and meal-time; and slowly, slowly the afternoon went by to the watching, anxious woman, who took every sound on the turf outside for the tramp of a dragoon's horse, and every shout of joy for a harsh and sternly-uttered question, till at length the sun went down, and grey twilight fell, and with it came Andrew.

“He will be here in an hour, mother," he said as he entered, "and would to heaven it were sooner!" was added in an under tone. Beckoning her to the door, he said; "You have seen no one since I left?"

She shook her head.

“Not a―a man, on a grey horse, with-with a dragoon's uniform, and-one of Claverhouse's men! Has he been here ?"

"Mercy, lad!-no."

(To be continued.)

DAVID had a great desire to accomplish the work of building a temple to Jehovah. He said to the prophet Nathan, "Even now I dwell in a house of Cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." However, God saw fit to prevent the fulfilment of his wishes, but he collected and prepared a great quantity of gold and silver jewels, and other materials, for the important work, and communicated to his son Solomon, pious injunctions to devote his own heart also to this service of the Lord. Mount Moriah, one of the hills on which Jerusalem was situated, was the spot on which Solomon erected the temple. The plan of the structure was similar to that of the Tabernacle, but much larger; and the instruments and

North.

implements, as described in 2 Chronicles, iv. chap. The other division was the court of the Israelites; it

was a kind of piazza around the former, in which the Israelites remained while their sacrifices were burning in this court of the priests.

A flight of twelve steps led to the sacred porch, communicating to the inner part of the Temple, which consisted of the Sanctuary and the Holy of holies; and this was on the same plan as that already alluded to. (To be continued.)

THE COVENANTERS: A TALE OF 1685.

(Continued from page 40.)

He stopped

"THAT is well; do not be frightened. me on the common to ask the way to and I was afraid he might have come here. Keep the children quiet and out of the way, will you, mother? and I will stay outside here, and see that all is right;" and he walked quietly away to a little distance, leaving his mother, now thoroughly frightened, to attend to the children who were clamouring for their supper, and then to put them to bed.

She looked up once or twice; but the sight of Andrew, leaning quietly against the door-post, seemed to reassure her, and she went on measuring out the food more at ease, till, on taking a third glance, she saw that her son was no longer there. In another minute he hastily entered the cottage, and said,

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Mother, the Laird of Westherhall is coming!" "Lord, lad, what shall we do?" she cried, wringing her hands, "Is Claverhouse with him?"

No, no; do not be frightened. Come out and speak him fair and softly, and do not let him suspect anything." And, as a shadow darkened the little window, he hastily went out, pulling off his bonnet as he did so. She followed immediately, though trembling from head to foot.

Andrew was standing respectfully before a sternlooking man, who, wrapped in a long cloak, and mounted on a tall black horse, was apparently questioning him. Close behind him, dimly visible through the dusk, was a troop of mounted men; the nearest soldier on a

powerful grey charger, which loomed out white through the fog.

"He is a tall man," Westerhall was saying, "badly wounded when he escaped, and rode a chesnut horse with a white foot and browstar. The horse was found not half a mile from here, on the common, I know to a certainty; and he had last been seen with his rider at the village of ***, after which both went away over the moor in this direction. The man has not been seen since. I have searched many cottages already, and found nothing; he must be concealed somewhere near here. Answer at once-have you seen anything of him? and tell the truth, lad," he added sternly, "or it will be the worse for you."

"A man badly wounded and riding a chesnut horse such as you describe, came by here about a week ago, your worship," said Andrew, with as much command over his voice as possible, "He stopped at the door, and asked for water, and we gave it him, but he seemed hardly able to keep his saddle."

"Which way did he turn his horse's head?" said Westerhall eagerly.

"To the north," truthfully replied Andrew. For the horse, no longer of use, had been driven away when its owner dismounted.

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I have searched all places north of here," sternly said his interrogator, "and found him not. Allan, hold my horse! I shall search this cottage. And with these words he threw the bridle to the soldier on the grey horse, who rode up, and taking his foot from the stirrup prepared to dismount. Andrew felt his mother's hand in his own, and pressed it tight as he drew back to let the trooper captain enter; and then forcing himself to self-control, resolutely followed him into the cottage.

"Quiet those children," said the soldier angrily, "and lad, toss up that bed, old foxes know where to cover!" And the frightened mother hushed the screaming little ones, whom the sight of an armed man had terrified, and hastily bidding them get up, made way for the two dragoons who had followed their captain into the cottage, to commence their search. Andrew stood carelessly before the fatal door, and let the men do their work.