Auld Kirk is Christian, an' a've never
said that a Moderate cudna be savit, but the less trokin' (trafficking)
ye hae wi' them the better. There 's maybe naethin' wrang wi' a
denner, but the next thing 'll be an exchange o' poopits, and the day
ye dae that ye may close the Free Kirk.'

"And the weemen"--here the housekeeper paused as one still lost in
amazement at the audacity with which they had waylaid the helpless
MacWheep--"there wes ae madam in Muirtown that hed the face tae invite
hersel' oot tae tea wi' three dochters, an' the way they wud flatter
him on his sermons wes shamefu'.

"If they didna begin askin' him tae stay wi' them on Presbytery days,
and Mrs. MacOmish hed the face tae peety him wi' naebody but a
hoosekeeper. He lat oot tae me though that the potatoes were as hard
as a stone at denner, an' that he hed juist ae blanket on his bed,
which wesna great management for four weemen."

As Carmichael's aunt seemed to be more and more impressed, Margaret
moistened her lips and rose higher.

"So the next time ma lady comes oot tae see the spring flowers," she
said, "a' explained that the minister wes sae delicate that a' didna
coont it richt for him tae change his bed, and a' thocht it wud be mair
comfortable for him tae come hame on the Presbytery nichts, an' safer.

"What said she? No a word," and Miss Meiklewham recalled the ancient
victory with relish. "She lookit at me, and a' lookit at her, an'
naething passed; but that wes the laist time a' saw her at the manse.
A 've hed experience, and a 'm no feared tae tak' chairge o' yir
nephew."

Carmichael's aunt was very deferential, complimenting the eminent woman
on her gifts and achievements, and indicating that it would be hard for
a young Free Kirk minister to obtain a better guardian; but she had
already made arrangements with a woman from the south, and could not
change.

Drumtochty was amazed at her self-will, and declared by the mouth of
Kirsty Stewart that Carmichael's aunt had flown in the face of
Providence. Below her gentle simplicity she was however a shrewd
woman, and was quite determined that her nephew should not be handed
over to the tender mercies of a clerical housekeeper, who is said to be
a heavier yoke than the Confession of Faith, for there be clever ways
of escape from confessions, but none from Margaret Meiklewham; and
while all the churches are busy every year in explaining that their
Articles do not mean what they say, M