CHAPTER I.

THE WISHING-WELL.

The well was deep, and the water, From some mysterious spring, Was ever gushing far below With a tender murmuring, And deep under ground a tiny rill Stole on in the dark to sing.

"HOW lovely it is! Only see, Aunt Charlotte! It is mine, you say? Oh, I wish I were old enough to wear it! The rubies are beautiful; how they sparkle!"

The speaker herself was a pretty sight—a blue-eyed, brown-haired little maiden of about twelve years old, dressed in a bright-coloured print frock, with a jacket to match, finished off at the neck and round the loose sleeves with a pretty crimped frill. She was standing at the moment we write of, at a window in an old-fashioned country mansion in the Highlands of Scotland, carefully poising on her fingers a beautiful diadem, composed of gold and rubies, which latter glistened brightly as the rays of the autumn sun played on them.

The lady she addressed as aunt was engaged in writing, and hardly seemed to notice the child's words; but a bright-looking boy, perhaps a year older than his sister—for such she was—looked up admiringly at the costly ornament.

"Well, it is a beauty, Nora, the gold 'specially. I wish I had it, I know—the gold, I mean, not the diadem." And he laughed as he added, "Fancy me wearing a diadem! But it suits you to perfection."

"Children," said their aunt, who had put aside the letter she had been writing and come towards the couple, "take care what you are about. Put the diadem back into its casket carefully, and then give it to me to lock up in the old escritoire. So you both like it?"

Two voices answered in one breath, "Oh, so much aunt!"

"Nora admires the rubies, but I like the gold," said Eric. "But are not they both beautiful?"

The lady thus appealed to looked down for a moment, thoughtfully, at the rich casket in which Nora had enclosed her treasure.

"Yes," she said; "but when your own dear mamma died, and left the diadem to me for her little daughter, she said she hoped both she and her boys would find out that there was something 'better than gold and above rubies.'"

"Better than gold!" repeated Eric. "Well, I think gold is pretty good; one can do such lots of things with it."

But his words met with no response. Nora's head was bent, and a tear had risen to her eye; for, though dimly, she still retained a remembrance of the mother who had loved her so fondly.

"Above rubies!" And they were so beautiful; yet her mother hoped she would find out something more beautiful than they. "Can there be anything more so, aunt?" she said.

Her aunt smiled. "Yes, darling, much more so, much more valuable; and you can obtain it, my child."

"I! O aunt—"

But just then the door opened, and a pleasant-faced gentleman entered.

"Eric! Nora! Indoors still on such a lovely day? Fie for shame! Put away work and playthings, and off into the glorious sunshine. Look yonder; the trees are glistening to-day as with many-coloured gems. And, mamma," he said, turning to the lady the children termed aunt, "as I passed the nursery door, I heard two little voices asking, 'Where's mamma?' You had better go and see what's wanted. But where's Ronald? Not at his book, I hope, when to-day is a holiday? He studies too much, and you, Master Eric, too little."

"O uncle," said Nora, "Ronald is out-of-doors—I saw him go: but, for all that, he had a book under his arm; he can't live without books," she said with a smile. "And this is his last day here for a long time. Let us go, Eric, and find out where he is—at the Wishing-Well, I believe. Oh, it will be lovely there to-day!" And so saying she ran off, followed by her brother.

"What a sweet-looking girl Nora grows," said her uncle, addressing his wife. "She daily reminds me more and more of her dear mother when she was the same age, and I only some five years her senior. We two were always great companions, although there was a brother between us—Charlie, you know, who died some years ago in Canada. Ah well! I am glad my own loving-hearted wife yielded to my desire to bring up dear Elenora's children when they were left orphans. The charge has not proved too much for you, Charlotte?"

"Oh no," was the ready response; "the three orphans have brought joy, not sorrow, into our home, I think, Ralph; and our own little ones love them dearly. Nora is a sweet girl; but Ronald has the most character of them all. How I shall miss the noble boy when he leaves us! Eric can hardly fill his place to me yet: he is very heedless; he is the only one who causes me a moment's anxiety. He has not the generous nature of the other two, I fear. Still, he is young, and I may prove wrong in my judgment of him. We need much wisdom, Ralph, from God, rightly to train these children and our own."

"Indeed we do; but, you know, we have the command, If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God.'"

Just then the door opened, and a messenger from the nursery called Mrs. Macleod away.

It was, indeed, a happy home in which the three orphan children of whom we are mostly to write had, shortly after their parents' death, found a warm welcome. Benvourd House, the residence of their dead mother's brother, had also been the home of her own young days; and very grateful did she feel when on her death-bed, her favourite brother, with his young wife's full consent, undertook to bring up the little homeless children, whose father had died in India only one year before.

Seven years had elapsed since then, and the children were growing up quickly in their quiet Highland home, in which three little cousins had been born since the death of Elenora Macintosh.

Ronald, the eldest of the three orphans, was now fifteen years old—a clever, thoughtful lad, only prevented from being too much of a book-worm by his love of outdoor sports, which had rendered him bold and manly. And amid the mountain breezes, he had grown-up a strong, hardy lad, with as gentle and loving a heart for the poor and weak ones of earth as his own mother had possessed.

Nora was right. At the time our story begins, Ronald was seated beside the Wishing-Well, book in hand. But the boy was not reading just then; his heart was somewhat full. On the morrow he was to leave his quiet home to go to a large school in England; and from thence, at the age of seventeen, a cousin, who was the head of a mercantile house in London, had offered to give him a situation in it. He hardly liked the idea. He had a soldier's spirit, and would have chosen his father's profession (who met his early death bravely fighting in an Indian war).

But Ronald had others to think of. He must work for his little sister, whom his mother had left to him as his special charge, and Eric as well. He was thinking of these things as he sat beside the Wishing-Well, and he heaved a sigh as he laid down the spirited account of the early Crusades which he had been reading.

"Ah, well!" he said. "The days of the Crusades are gone. I can no longer join the noble band who sought to free the grave of our Lord from the hands of the Infidel, nor boldly bear the banner of the Cross and fight under it. I wish I could."

Was the boy thinking of the old legend of the Wishing-Well? At all events, his amazement was great when a voice spoke:

"Have, then, thy wish. In the name of the King of kings, I invite you to join in the noblest crusade that has ever been made—to rescue the thousands of prisoners held captive in vile bondage by the Prince of Darkness. Will you join?"

The lad rose quickly, a flush on his cheek. He had forgotten that he had spoken his thoughts aloud; and certainly imagined he was alone in this solitary spot, forgetting that an open pathway to the village below ran through the copsewood close behind the well. Turning, he faced the speaker—a young man of tall figure, and a countenance full of intelligence and fire.

"Who are you?" said the boy. "And what do you wish me to do?"

In a powerful yet musical voice the answer came: "I am an ambassador of the Most High God, seeking in his name to get recruits for his service to join the crusade I have spoken of, which is led by the Captain of Salvation, the Lord Jesus. Again, I say, will you, while the dew of your youth is upon you, join the band?"

"How can I?"

"First may I ask, have you taken the Lord as your Master, and given him your heart?"

The lad bent his head, then raised it calmly. "I have," he answered. "By my mother's death-bed, seven years ago, I gave myself to Jesus."

"The Lord be praised!" answered the stranger. "Then, when the Captain calls, you are bound to fight his battles, and display his banner fearlessly."

"But, sir, how can I? To-morrow I leave this for school."

"The very place to begin," was the earnest reply. "Help the weak ones there, like a true Knight of the Cross, and try to set some bond ones free. Carry the Lord's banner there, and see to it you are a true standard-bearer. Now, farewell! My time here is short. In the world's great field of battle we may meet again; if not, let our trysting-place be before the throne on high." Then, saying the words, "Inasmuch as ye do it to the least of these my brethren, ye do it unto me," he strode off through the heather as silently as he came.

For a moment or two Ronald gazed after him; then sank down once more in the moss and ferns beside the Wishing-Well. When he again raised his head, the stranger was out of sight.

Had it all been a dream? No; every word, every look, of the mysterious speaker was too deeply impressed on his mind and eyes for that. One thing was certain: he had promised anew to live to God and for God. He had joined the great army of the Lord of hosts; and bending his head a moment in prayer, he asked strength from above to "endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

Just then a loud shout rang on the air.

"Here he is, Eric! I told you we'd find him here;" and with a bound Nora stood beside the Wishing-Well. "Reading again, I declare, Ronald!" said the merry little maiden, catching up her brother's book and tossing it up in the air; taking care, however, to catch it ere it reached the ground. "Do come, and let us have a race."

But ere Ronald could answer, the child's mood had changed again. "No, wait a moment. I forgot, Ronald, this is your last day, and I want a long talk with you; you know it will be an age ere we have a nice one again."

And with the gentle look stealing over her face which so often reminded her brother of their mother, she sat gently down and let Ronald twine his arm round her waist.

For a moment there was silence; Nora was gazing thoughtfully down into the waters of the well. Then she spoke: "Ronald, what is it that is above rubies?"

"Rubies!" he said. "Little sister, what makes you think of them?"

A shadow crossed her face. "Eric and I have been looking at mamma's diadem; and oh, it is so beautiful! I only wish I were old enough to wear it, the rubies sparkle so. But aunt says mamma's wish for me was that I might obtain that which is above rubies, and I thought I would ask you what that is."

Ronald drew his sister very close to his side. "Yes, I know what it is, Nora. It is the wise king who says, 'A virtuous woman is above rubies.'"

"Virtuous!" repeated Nora. "Oh, I know! That means 'good.' I'll try to be that, and begin at once."

Ronald's reply to her remark was cut short by Eric, who had run off after his favourite dog Cherry, and now returned, dashing down his cap in his impetuous way; then, telling Cherry to lie down, he exclaimed, "Come, Aldy—" (his great name for his brother), "as this is your last day here for ever so long, let us all wish for some special thing beside the well. Never mind whether the old legend is true or not. Who knows? Let us try."

"I have wished already, Eric."

"And so have I," said Nora.

"Well, then," replied Eric, "tell out your wishes."

"Ah no, Eric!" said his brother. "Wishes are sacred. I won't tell mine."

"Nor I," put in Nora.

Truth to tell, she had wished she might wear the lovely diadem when she grew up, and was not sure whether her brother would not laugh at her wish.

"What stuff!" said Eric. "What's the use of wishing, if no one knows. I'm not ashamed of mine one bit; so here goes: 'I do wish to get very rich, have lots of money, heaps of gold.' Wait a bit, and see if my wish is not fulfilled."

"Heaps of gold, Eric?" And Ronald laid his hand kindly on his brother's shoulder. "Our mother used to say she hoped we would all find out what is better than gold."

Eric made no reply; the mention of his dead mother had touched his heart.

Only Nora spoke. "Ronald," she said, "I've unwished my first wish, and wished another. Can I?"

Her brother smiled. "I don't know whether it will stand good, pet, or not; I am not in the secret of the well."

"But, at all events, Ronald, my last is my real one. I'm sure the first was just a sort of one; but I'll keep to this one, and see if it comes true."

She had wished that she might obtain what is "above rubies."