anything but thy best suit."

"It seems to me, my own dear daughter, that very common people wear
kirk toggery. When I go to the hotels in Edinburgh, or Aberdeen, or
Inverness, I find all the men who wait on other men are in kirk
clothes; and if I go to a theatre, the men who wait on the crowd there
wear kirk clothes, and----"

"Thy Bishop also wears black broadcloth."

"That will be because of his piety and humility. I am not as pious
and humble as I might be. No, indeed! Not in everything can I humour
thee, and trouble myself; but this thing is what I will do--I have a
new suit of fine blue flannel; last night I brought it home. At
McVittie's it was made, and well it fits me. For thy sake I will wear
it. This is the end of our talk. No more will I do."

"Thou dear father! It is enough! With a thousand kisses I thank
thee."

"Too many kisses! Too many kisses! Thou shalt give me five when we
finish our dance; one for my curled hair, and one for my white, fresh
linen, and one for my socks, and one for my buckled shoes, and the
last for my new blue suit. And in that bargain thou wilt get the best
of me, so one favour in return from thee I must have."

"Dear Father, thy will is my will. What is thy wish?"

"I want thy promise not to dance with Wolf Baikie. Because of his
sneer I am coaxed to dress as I do not want to dress. Well, then, I
will take his place with thee, and every dance he asks from thee is to
be given to me."

Without a moment's hesitation Thora replied: "That agreement does not
trouble me. It will be to my great satisfaction. So, then, thou art
no nearer to getting the best of the bargain."

"Thou art a clever, handsome little baggage. But my promises I will
keep, and it is well for me to be about them. Time flies talking to
thee," and he looked at his watch and said, "It is now five minutes
past five."

"Then thou must make some haste. Dinner is set for six o'clock."

"Dost thou think I will fiddle-faddle about myself like a woman?"

"But thou must wash----"

"In the North Sea I wash me every morning. Before thou hast opened thy
eyes I have had my bath and my swim in the salt water."

"There is rain water in thy room; try it for a change." And he
answered her with a roar of laughter far beyond Thora's power to
imitate. But with it ringing in her heart and ears she saw him go to a
spare room to keep his promises. Then she hastened to her mother.

"Whatever is the matter with thy father, T