s in God's care. I hae naething to do but help
and pleasure her, when she's waking. She sleeps much o' her time now.
I think the medicine o' the last doctor frae Aberdeen, is the because
o' her sleepiness. I was going to ask you to take a look at it."

He did so, and said in reply, "There's no harm in it, but it would be
well enough to give it with a double portion of water."

Then the Domine went away, and Christine did not know that this hour
was really the turning point of her life. And it is perhaps well for
the majority that this important crisis is seldom recognized on its
arrival. There might be interferences, and blunderings of all kinds.
But a destiny that is not realized, or meddled with, goes without let
or hindrance to its appointed end.

Christine rose with a new strength in her heart and went to her
mother. "Come here, dear lass," said Margot. "The Domine was telling
me thou art sick wi' the nursing o' me, and that thou must hae a
change."

"The Domine had no right to say such a thing. I am quite well, Mither.
I should be sick, if I was one mile from you. I have no work and no
pleasure away from your side, dear, dear Mither! I am sorry the
Domine judged me sae hardly."

"The Domine is an interfering auld man. He is getting outside his
pulpit. When I was saying I missed wee Jamie, and I wished him to come
mair often to see me, you should hae watched him bridle up. 'James
must be more under control,' he said, in a vera pompous manner. I
answered, 'The laddie is quite biddable, Doctor,' and he said,
'Mistress, that belongs to his years. He is yet under authority, and I
cannot allow him too much freedom.' And the bairn is my ain! My ain
grandchild! Too much freedom wi' his sick grandmother! Heard ye ever
the like?"

"Weel, Mither, he was right in a way. Jamie has been a bit stiff-necked
and self-willed lately."

"There isna a thing wrang wi' the laddie."

"Weel, he behaves better wi' you than wi' any other person. The Domine
is making a fine lad o' him."

"He was a' that, before the Domine kent him at a'. I wasna carin' for
the reverend this afternoon. I dinna wonder the village women are
saying he has his fingers in everyone's pie."

"It is for everyone's good, Mither, if it be true; but you ken fine
how little the village say-so can be trusted; and less now, than ever;
for since you arena able to sort their clashes, they say what they
like."

"Nae doubt o' it, Christine."

"The Domine promis