mebbe gane further awa' than France."

"I wouldn't wonder--setting a young man traveling is like setting a
ball rolling down a hill. Baith o' them are hard to turn back."

Margot had scarcely finished speaking, when Sam Brodie opened the
door. He had been to the town post office and seen, in the list of
uncalled-for letters, a letter addressed to Christine, so he had
brought it along. It proved to be from Neil, and had been posted in
Rome. Christine was familiar with that postmark, and it still had
power at least to raise her curiosity. Neil's handwriting, however,
spoke for itself, and before she broke the seal, she said, "Why,
Mither! It is from Neil."

"I thought that, as soon as Sam came in. I was dreaming of a letter
from Neil, last night. I dinna dream for naething. Make haste with the
news--good or bad--read it all. I want to hear the warst of it." Then
Christine read aloud the following letter:

DEAR CHRISTINE,

I want you to tell Mother that I married Miss Rath in Paris on the
fifth of September ult. We were afraid that Reginald was going to
interfere, so we settled the matter to prevent quarreling--which,
you know, is against my nature. Reginald's opposition was quite
unlooked for and, I must say, very ill-natured and discouraging.
If there is anything in a man's life he should have full liberty
and sympathy in, it is his marriage. I dare say Mother will have
some complaint or other to make. You must talk to her, until she
sees things reasonably. We were married in the Protestant
Episcopal Church in Paris, very quietly--only the necessary
witnesses--and came on here at once. I disapproved so highly of
Reginald's behavior at this important period of my life, and of
some insulting things he said to me, that I have resolved not to
have any more relations with him. After all I have done for him,
it is most disheartening. My wife feels her brother's conduct very
much, but she has perfect trust in me. Of course, if I had been
married in Scotland, I would have had my friends' presence, but I
am quite sure that my best interests demanded an immediate
marriage. We shall be home in a month, and then I propose to open
a law office in Glasgow _in my own name_. I shall do better
without impedimenta like Reginald Rath. I trust to you to make all
comfortable at home. I shall desire to bring my wife to see my
mother. I am proud of Roberta. She is stylish, and has a good d