s shameless bare-kneed example followed by Harry Lauder and
three other foolish youths of the Highland club.

A few minutes before the hour for the service, when the bells had begun
to roll out their invitations from the three church towers, the
procession started. And the Methodists and Baptists and Anglicans kept
themselves late for church by lingering on the side-walk to see it
pass. It was worth watching; as very stately and solemn and slow it
moved along the street and up to the church door.

Mr. McPherson moved rather stiffly, for Archie Blair was walking beside
Lawyer Ed directly in front of him, and the very tilt of his bonnet and
the swing of his kilt was a profanation of the day. Somehow, the
doctor did not at all fit in with the Sabbath. He was a big straight
man, long of limb, broad of shoulder and inclined to a generous
rotundity, and he swaggered so splendidly when he walked, and held up
his bonneted head with such a dashing air, that he gave the distinct
impression that the bagpipes were skirling out a gay march as he swung
past.

The sight of him on this Sabbath morning struck dismay to Jock's
orthodox soul, clinging tenaciously to its ancient traditions. Lawyer
Ed, too, seemed to have donned the spirit of irreverence with the
bonnet, and was conducting himself as no elder of the kirk should have
behaved even at a St. Andrew's banquet.

"Eh, losh Ed, mon," cried the doctor, loud enough for Jock to hear.
"Ah wush we could hae a bit strathspey frae the pipes to march wi' to
the kirk, foreby."

Lawyer Ed's face became forbidding.

"Eh, eh, and that to an elder? Div ye hear yon, Jock? It's the
Heilan's comin' oot o' him!"

Jock could not resist a sudden temptation. That strange twist came
over his face, which heralded a far-off joke. He spoke very slowly.

"It's what you micht be expecting from the likes o' him. It's written
down in his history:

"_The Blairs they are a wicked race,
They set theirsels in sad disgrace,
They made the pipes and drums to play,
Through Algonquin on the Sawbbath day._"

He had paraphrased a bit to suit the occasion, and the doctor laughed
so appreciatively that the elder began to feel brighter.

But Jock should have known better than to have set an example of
rhyming before Archie Blair. He turned and looked down at the elder,
and the sight of him marching peaceably beside Captain Jimmie reminded
him of an old doggerel ballad: "But man, there's