The lads had the firmest belief in their father's power as a preacher.
But it must be remembered that those were the days when a full two hours
were not considered, either by preacher or hearers, too long to give to
a discourse. And the minister's sons were expected so to listen that
they should be able to give to their mother, at evening worship, all the
"heads and particulars"--and they were usually many--and a good deal
besides of the sermon. In those circumstances it is not surprising that
their turn in the summer garden, or even at the kitchen fireside, should
sometimes be preferred to going to the kirk.

So when it began to be noticed that Allison quietly made her
arrangements to be in the house every second Sabbath, instead of every
third, as would have been fair, Robin remonstrated.

"It's my turn at home to-day, Allie. No, Maysie, you mustna grumble.
It's but fair that Allie should have her turn at the kirk as weel as the
rest of us. You must just content yourself with me. I'm to bide
to-day."

"I'm no' carin' to go to the kirk to-day," said Allison.

"But that's no' the question. I'm carin' to bide at home," and as his
mother had already gone, and no appeal could be made to her, bide he
did, and so did Allison.

When this had happened two or three times, it was considered necessary
to take notice of it, and Mrs Hume did so, telling her, quietly but
firmly, how necessary it was that the minister's household should set a
good example in the place. And, beyond that, she sought to make it
clear that it was the duty of all to avail themselves of the privilege
of worshipping with God's people on His day, in His house. If Allison--
being the daughter of one who had been in his lifetime an elder in the
established kirk, as Dr Fleming had informed them--had any doubts of
the propriety of worshipping with dissenters, that was another matter.
But she should go to her own kirk, if she could not take pleasure in
coming to theirs.

"It's a' ane to me," said Allison.

But on the next fine Sabbath morning she availed herself of the
permission, and took her way to the parish kirk. She would like the
walk, at any rate, she told herself, and she did enjoy the walk down the
lanes, in her own sad fashion; but the lanes took her out of the way a
little, and made her late.

That night, at worship-time, when Allison's turn came to be questioned
as to what she had heard at the kirk, she could tell the text. But sh