ess. If Jan is to be saved, his wife can
now do it. At this hour he is sick and sore-hearted, and she can win
him back, she can save him now, Fae."

"Shall I lose my child to save Jan Vedder? What is it to thee? What
can thou know of a father's duty? Thou, who never had child. Deacon
thou may be, but thou art no Dominie, and I will order my household
without thy word, thus or so. Yes, indeed I will!"

"Just that, Fae. I have spoken for a good man. And let me tell thee,
if Margaret Vedder is thy daughter, she is also Jan's wife; and if I
were Jan, I would make her do a wife's duty. If all the women in
Shetland were to run back to their fathers for a little thing that
offended them, there would be an end of marrying."

Peter laughed scornfully. "Every one knows what well-behaved wives old
bachelors have."

"Better to be a bachelor, than have a wife like poor Jan Vedder has."

"Thou art talking of my daughter. Wilt thou mind thy own affairs?"

"I meant well, Fae. I meant well. Both thee and I have much need of
heaven's mercy. It will be a good thing for us to be merciful. I am
willing to help and trust Jan again. Thou do so too. Now I will say
'good morning', for I see thou art angry at me."

Peter was angry, intensely angry. Under the guise of Christian
charity, Tulloch had come into his store and insulted him. Peter would
believe in no other motive. And yet he was scarcely just to Tulloch,
for his intentions had first and mainly been sincerely kind ones; but
the tares are ever among the wheat, and it was true enough that before
the interview was over Tulloch had felt a personal pleasure in his
plain speaking.

Very soon there was a little crowd in Fae's store. It was a cold,
blustering day, and its warmth and company made it a favorite lounging
place. Jan's misfortune was the sole topic of conversation, and Jan's
absence was unfavorably criticised. Why did he not come among his
fellows and tell them how it had happened? Here were good men and a
good ship gone to the bottom, and he had not a word to say of the
matter. They were all curious about the wreck, and would have liked to
pass the long stormy day in talking it over. As it was, they had only
conjectures. No one but Tulloch had seen Jan. They wondered where he
was.

"At Torr's, doubtless," said Peter, harshly.

"It is likely. Jan ever flew to the brandy keg for comfort."

"It is like he had been there before he steered for the Quarr Rocks."

"It did n