iving and spending with people far above his
means and his class."

"The Lowland Scotch regard a minister as socially equal to any peer.
Are not the servants of God equal, and more than equal, to the
servants of the queen? No society is above either they or their
children. That I have seen always. And young men of fine appearance
and charming manners, like Ian, are welcome in every home, high or
low. Yes, indeed!"

"Yet girls, as a rule, should not marry handsome men with charming
manners, unless there is something better behind to rely on."

"If thou had not been a handsome man with a charming manner, Rahal
would not have married thee. What then?"

"I would have been a ruined man. I cared for nothing but thee."

"I believe that a girl of moral strength and good intelligence should
be trusted with the choice of her destiny. It is not always that
parents have a right to thrust a destiny they choose upon their
daughter. If a man is not as good and as rich as they think she ought
to marry they can point this out, and if they convince their child,
very well; and if they do not convince her, also very well. Perhaps
the girl's character requires just the treatment it will evolve from a
life of struggle."

"Thou art talking nonsense, Rahal. Thy liking for the young man has
got the better of thy good sense. I cannot trust thee in this
matter."

"Well then, Coll, the road to better counsel than mine, is well known
to thee."

"I think Bishop Hedley arrived about an hour ago. There were moving
lights on the pier, and as soon as the morning breaks I am going to
see him."

"Have thy own way. When a man's wife has not the wisdom wanted, it is
well that he go to his Bishop, for Bishops are full of good counsel,
even for the ruling of seven churches, so I have heard."

"It is not hearsay between thee and Bishop Hedley. Thou art well
acquainted with him."

"Well then, in the end thou wilt take thy own way."

"Dost thou want me to say 'yes' today, and rue it tomorrow? I have no
mind for any such foolishness."

"Coll, this is a time when deeds will be better than words."

"I see that. Well then, the day breaks, and I will go"--he lingered a
minute or two fumbling about his knitted gloves but Rahal was dressing
her hair and took no further notice. So he went away in an affected
hurry and both dissatisfied and uncertain. "What a woman she is!" he
sighed. "She has said only good words, but I feel as if I had broken
every