, 'still,'--an honest shake of the head--'there's queer
things happens.'

'It is like going back to the Middle Ages'--Howitt was still
impervious--'to hear some of these poor creatures talk. I never thought
it would be my lot to come across anything so delightfully absurd.'

'Perhaps for the sake of the ministry ye'd better be careful how ye say
your mind about it,' suggested Mr. Torrance; 'in the hearing of the poor
and uneducated, of course, I mean. But if ye like to make a study o'
that sort of thing, I'd advise ye to go and have a talk with Mistress
Betty M'Leod. She's got a great repertory of tales, has Mistress Betty.'

Mary spoke again. Mary was a young woman who had the courage of her
opinions. 'And if you go to Mistress M'Leod, Mr. Howitt, will you just
be kind enough to ask her how to cure poor Trilium? and don't forget
anything of what she says.'

Miss Torrance gave her sister a word of reproof. There was still upon
her face the fine glow born of a new resolution never again to listen to
a word of witchcraft.

As for Howitt, there came across his clever face the whimsical look
which denoted that he understood Mary's fun perfectly. 'I will go
to-morrow,' he cried. 'When the wise woman has told me who has bewitched
Trilium, we will make a waxen figure and stick pins in it.'

The next day Howitt walked over the hills in search of Mistress Betty
M'Leod. The lake of the Bras d'Or held the sheen of the western sun in
its breast. The student walked upon green slopes far above the water,
and watched the outline of the hills on the other side of the inlet, and
thought upon many things. He thought upon religion and philosophy, for
he was religious and studious; he thought upon practical details of his
present work, for he was anxious for the welfare of the souls under his
charge; but on whatever subject his thoughts dwelt, they came back at
easy intervals to the fair, dignified face of his new friend, Miss
Torrance.

'There's a fine girl for you,' he said to himself repeatedly, with
boyish enthusiasm. He thought, too, how nobly her life would be spent if
she chose to be the helpmeet of a Christian minister. He wondered
whether Mary could take her sister's place in the home circle. Yet with
all this he made no decision as to his own course. He was discreet, and
in minds like his decisions upon important matters are fruits of slow
growth.

He came at last to a farm, a very goodly farm for so hilly a district.
I