interposed. Very quietly but
firmly she spoke her mind.

"If you expect me to risk the loss of my children's souls as well as my
own for the sake of worldly advantages, Cousin Aleck, I may as well
speak plainly. I would rather stay here and work myself to death than
take your money."

This produced a terrific storm of abuse from Gowan. He called her
"priest-ridden" and every kind of fool and idiot. She would soon learn
to repent of her folly, for he would go straightway to a lawyer and
change his will! Not a penny would she get--now or later--from him, as
she would find one day to her cost! Then he dashed away without
further discussion.

"The fellow is a brute!" was Val's conclusion. "They are well rid of
him! What a blessing he showed himself in his true colors before it
was too late!"

Gowan left the neighborhood that very day. No one knew his
destination. Mrs. Dobie replied to all inquiries that Mr. Gowan had
paid "like a gentleman," and she was "sorry that some people did'na ken
when they were well off!"--alluding, of course, to Christian. But Mrs.
Dobie, not being "of the household of the Faith," could not be expected
to show sympathy toward a course of action which robbed her of so
profitable a guest.

Thus were our golden dreams dispelled! Ardmuirland, indeed, took some
little time to recover from the dazzling visions which the coming of
"the millionaire"--as Val and I delighted to style him in private--had
called up, but in a year or so Gowan's name had become a mere memory to
most of us. Christian alone--true to her baptismal name--held that
memory in benediction; every night she and her little ones gave a
prominent place in their family prayers to the "Cousin Aleck" whom they
all regarded as a generous benefactor. It was not difficult to
interpret the mother's intention in thus making the man a constant
object of prayer; to her the possession of God's grace appeared a good
beyond all earthly riches and delights, and I can well believe that she
even rejoiced that she had been called upon to give testimony of the
faith that was in her. Her sentiments were doubtless those of Tobias
of old: "For we are the children of saints, and look for the life which
God will give to those that never change their faith from him."

V

"DOMINIE DICK"

"A light to guide, a rod
To check the erring and reprove."
(_Wordsworth--"Ode to Duty"_)

Few of the many conversations I have