, the MacIvers."

"That was all well enough, Kit, but none of them could get the length
of corporal; they were fearfully ignorant, and were reported at
intervals for not keeping their accoutrements clean."

"That only showed how religious they were, did n't it, Mr. Carmichael?
Hadn't the early Christians a rooted objection to the bath? I remember
our Padre saying that in a lecture."

"There are a good many modern Christians of the same mind, Miss
Carnegie, and I don't think our poor Highlanders are worse than
Lowlanders; but Catholic or Protestant, they are all subject to the
gloom. I cannot give the Gaelic word.

"What is that? Oh, a southerner would call it depression, and assign
it to the liver, for he traces all trouble to that source. But there
is no word for this mood in English, because it is not an English
experience. My mother fell under it at times, and I saw the effect."

"Tell us, please, if all this description does not weary you?" and Kate
shone on Carmichael, who would have talked on the Council of Nice or
the rotation of crops to prolong his privileges.

"It comes on quite suddenly, and is quite a spiritual matter--a cloud
which descends and envelops the soul. While it lasts a Highlander will
not laugh nor sing; he will hardly speak, and he loses all hope about
everything. One of our men has the gloom at a time, and then he
believes that he is . . . damned. I am speaking theologically."

"The regiment must have been fond of theology, dad. Yes, we
understand."

"Once he went out to the hill, and lay all night wrestling and
agonising to be sure whether there was a God. You know he 's just a
small farmer, and it seems to me splendid that such a man should give
himself to the big problems of the universe. Do you know," and
Carmichael turned to the General, who was smoking in great peace, "I
believe that is the reason the Highlanders are such good fighting men.
They fear God, and they don't fear any other person."

"I 'll vouch for one thing," said the veteran with emphasis; "our men
put off the gloom, or whatever you call it, when they smelt powder; I
never saw a panic in a Highland regiment in more than forty years'
soldiering."

"What's the reason of the gloom? I believe that I have a touch of it
myself at times--don't stare at me, dad, it's rude--just a thin mist,
you know, but distinctly not indigestion. Is it a matter of race?"

"Of course, but that's no explanation." Carmicha