oor, and Neil was grateful. He did not ask again for
it to be opened.

He went to his office. Perhaps there was a letter for him there. It
was locked, and the man who kept the keys lived over the river.
Thoroughly weary and distressed, and full of anxious forebodings, he
went to a hotel, and ordered supper in his own room. He did not feel
as if he could look anyone in the face, with this dreadful uncertainty
hanging over his life. What was the matter?

Thinking over things he came to no conclusion. It could not be his few
words with Roberta on the night of his return from London. A few words
of contradiction with Roberta were almost a daily occurrence, and she
had always accepted such offers of conciliation as he made. And he was
so morally obtuse that his treatment of his mother and sister, as
influencing his wife, never entered his mind. What had Roberta to do
with his mother and Christine? Suppose he had treated them cruelly,
what right, or reason, had she to complain of that? Everything was
personal to Neil, even moralities; he was too small to comprehend the
great natural feelings which make all men kin. He thought Kinlock's
reference to his dying mother a piece of far-fetched impertinence, but
he understood very well the justice of Kinlock's personal hatred, and
he laughed scornfully as he reflected on the Highlander's longing to
strike him with the whip, and then set the dog to finish his quarrel.

"The Law! The gude Common Law o' Scotland has the like o' sic villains
as Kinlock by the throat!" he said triumphantly. "He wad hae set the
brute at my throat, if he hadna kent it wad put a rope round his ain
red neck. I hae got to my Scotch," he remarked, "and that isna a good
sign. I'll be getting a headache next thing. I'll awa' to bed, and to
sleep. Monday will be a new day. I'll mebbe get some light then, on
this iniquitous, unprecedented circumstance."

CHAPTER XI

CHRISTINE MISTRESS OF RULESON COTTAGE

Now, therefore, keep thy sorrow to thyself and bear with a good
courage that which hath befallen thee.--Esdras ii, ch. 10, v. 15.

Be not afraid, neither doubt, for God is your guide.--Esdras i,
ch. 16, v. 75.

It was a cold winter day at the end of January, and a streak of white
rain was flying across the black sea. Christine stood at the window,
gazing at her brother's old boat edging away to windward, under very
small canvas. There was a wild carry overhead, out of the northeast,
and s