Mr. Henry,
and a faithful minister of the Word, but ye would be a better, with
fewer dreams and more sense for daily duty, besides being more
comfortable, if you had a wife. Doubtless the days are evil, and
there be those who would say that this is not a time to marry, but if
you had the right wife it is no unlikely ye might be safer than ye
are to-day. For there would be a big house to hide you, and, at
the worst, you and she could make your ways to Holland, and get
shelter from the Prince till those calamities be overpast."

"My fear," continued her ladyship, "is not that ye will do wrong in
marrying, but that ye may fail to win the wife ye told me yesterday
was your desire. No, Mr. Henry, it is not that I am not with you, for
I am a favorer of your suit. In those days when the call is for
everyone to say whether he be for God or Baal, I would rather see my
daughter married to a faithful minister of the kirk, than to the
proudest noble in Scotland, who was a persecutor of the Lord's people.
As regards blood, I mind me also that ye belong to an ancient house,
and as regards titles, it was from King Charles the earldom came to
the Cochranes, and the most of the nobles he has made have been the
sons of his mistresses. There will soon be more disgrace than honor in
being called a lord in the land of England."

"It may be," hazarded Pollock anxiously, "that the Earl then does not
look on me with pleasure, and as the head of the house----"

"As what?" said Lady Cochrane. "It is not much his lordship has to say
on anything, for his mind is failing fast, and it never, to my seeing,
was very strong. He says little, and it's a mercy he has less power,
or rather, I should say, a dispensation of Providence, for if the
misguided man had his way of it, Jean would be married to-morrow to
some drinking, swearing officer in Claverhouse's Horse, or, for that
matter, to that son of Satan, Claverhouse himself."

"While I am here," continued this Covenanting heroine, "you need
not trouble yourself about the Earl of Dundonald, but I cannot speak
so surely for my daughter. Jean's name was inserted in the Covenant,
and she has been taught the truth by my own lips, besides hearing
many godly ministers, but I sorely doubt whether she be steadfast
and single-hearted. It was only two days ago she lent her aid to
her grandfather when he was havering about toleration, and before
all was done she spoke lightly of the contendings of God's remna