each in turn,
for all that evening she was in great good-humour.

"By the way, there will be one more to laugh at us, for I 've asked the
Free Kirk minister to make a fourth for our table. He is a nice young
fellow, with more humanity than most of his kind; but did not I hear
that he called at the Lodge to pay his respects?"

"Certainly he did," said the General, "and I rather took a fancy to
him. He has an honest eye and is not at all bad-looking, and tells a
capital story. But Kit fell upon him about something, and I had to
cover him. It's a wonder that he ever came near the place again."

"He has been at the Lodge eight times since then," explained Kate, with
much composure; "but he will on no account be left alone with the head
of the household. The General insulted him on politics, and I had to
interfere; so he looks on me as a kind of protector, and I walk him out
to the Beeches lest he be massacred."

"Take care, my dear Catherine," for the Doctor was a shrewd old
gentleman; "protecting comes perilously near loving, and Carmichael's
brown eyes are dangerous."

"They are dark blue." Kate was off her guard, and had no sooner spoken
than she blushed, whereat the Doctor laughed wickedly.

"You need not be afraid for Kate," said the General, cheerfully; "no
man can conquer her; and as for the poor young padres, she made their
lives miserable."

"They were so absurd," said Kate, "so innocent, so ignorant, so
authoritative, that it was for their good to be reduced to a proper
level. But I rather think your guest has forgotten his engagement. He
will be so busy with his book that even a manse dinner will have no
attraction." The Doctor looked again at Kate, but now she wore an air
of great simplicity.

It was surely not Carmichael's blame that he was late for Dr.
Davidson's dinner, since he had thought of nothing else since he rose,
which was at the unearthly hour of six. He went out for a walk, which
consisted of one mile east and another west from the village, and, with
pauses, during which he rested on gates and looked from him, lasted two
hours. On his return he explained to Sarah that his health had
received much benefit, and that she was not to be surprised if he went
out every morning at or before daybreak. He also mentioned casually
that he was to dine at the manse that day, and Sarah, who had been
alarmed lest this unexpected virtue might mean illness, was at rest.
His habit was to linger o