we
need mair the licht that shines i' the darker place. We need the dawn
o' a spiritual day inside 's, or the bonny day ootside winna gang for
muckle. Lord, oor micht, speyk a word o' peacefu' recall to ony dog o'
thine 'at may be worryin' at the hert o' ony sheep o' thine 'at's run
awa; but dinna ca' him back sae as to lea' the puir sheep 'ahint him;
fess back dog an' lamb thegither, O Lord. Haud 's a' frae ill, an'
guide 's a' to guid, an' oor mornin' prayer 's ower. Amen."

They rose from their knees, and sat silent for a moment. Then the
guidwife put the pot on the fire with the water for the porridge. But
Donal rose, and walked out of the cottage, half wondering at himself
that he had dared as he had, yet feeling he had done but the most
natural thing in the world.

"Hoo a body 's to win throuw the day wantin' the lord o' the day an'
the hoor an' the minute, 's 'ayont me!" he said to himself, and
hastened away.

Ere noon the blue line of the far ocean rose on the horizon.

CHAPTER IV.

THE TOWN.

Donal was queer, some of my readers will think, and I admit it; for the
man who regards the affairs of life from any other point than his own
greedy self, must be queer indeed in the eyes of all who are slaves to
their imagined necessities and undisputed desires.

It was evening when he drew nigh the place whither he had directed his
steps--a little country town, not far from a famous seat of learning:
there he would make inquiry before going further. The minister of his
parish knew the minister of Auchars, and had given him a letter of
introduction. The country around had not a few dwellings of
distinction, and at one or another of these might be children in want
of a tutor.

The sun was setting over the hills behind him as he entered the little
town. At first it looked but a village, for on the outskirts, through
which the king's highway led, were chiefly thatched cottages, with here
and there a slated house of one story and an attic; but presently began
to appear houses of larger size--few of them, however, of more than two
stories. Most of them looked as if they had a long and not very happy
history. All at once he found himself in a street, partly of quaint
gables with corbel steps; they called them here corbie-steps, in
allusion, perhaps, to the raven sent out by Noah, for which lazy bird
the children regarded these as places to rest. There were two or three
curious gateways in it with som