The times., 1897-12-12
where the waters of Dee flow about quietly
py the bonnie kirk-knowe or Balmaghie." I"
XXXYI.
"I LOVE YOU, ouINTINI"

| Drumgiass, and the remainder driven along
the Kenside by the fords of the Black Water
to Ardarroch, where my mother received
| It with upliited, querulous hands, and my
father calmly, as IL he had never expected
anything else.
You Think" cried my mother, that
| the laddie we sent So proudly TO tue
| college should Shut himself cut of manse
J and kirk hane, ana take To tue moors and
MOSES Us IL thea uIu leisecuunsd were
| back again."
1T is in a guild cause" said my father,
quieUing her as best he could.
Il dare say" said my mother, but
| the LAD will get mony wet fit and weary
| mile, ii he ministers To tue hill- Folk. Aye,
| and mony salT heart 10 please tuem.'
Fear yenoJ Tor Quiutin, SAID III Father,
TO sootte her, for IL it comes to dour-
ness, the Lord pit them that try to over
throw our Quintin!'
L matte no farewell round on the kindly
| faithf fulro1k OF Balmagiis. My heart would
have had TOO many breakings. Besides,
promised myself that, when l took up the
pilgrims staff and ministeTed to the Rem
nanb scattered abroad, seeking no reward,
l should often be glad Of a nights shelter
at DrumglaSs Of Cuilenoch
Nevertheless for all my brave resolves
IL was with an oyerweighted heart that l
passed over the Black Water at the Tor
norrach fords with my staff IN my hand.
| had, as IL were, come over in two bands,
with Hob driving the beasts, and L the
furniture upon a carr or trail cart.
Now LETT the parish poorer than | en-
tered it. l knew not so much as where /
would sleep that night. 1 had ten pounds
in my pocket, and when that was dome
well, would surely not be worse off than
a Kings Blue Gown. was To minister TO
! scattered people, mostly or the poorest. But
at the worst l was sure OF an inglenook, a
bed in the sEable-loft, and porringer Of
brose at morn and cen anywhere in Scot
land And am sure that orttimes the
Galilean fishermen had not SO much.
My mother threw her arms about my neck.
20, iaddIe, laddie, ye are ganging far
ava on rough road and lonely. Guid
kens II your aud mither viii ever look ON
| ye ag1n- Qutntin, this is a sair heartbreak
But ken hae myseF to thank rorit. bred
ye To the Hill Folks. 1t was your ain
mither that took ye in her arms TO the sweet
conventicies on the green bosom of Cairns
muir, that delectable mountain. had ye
baptised at the Holy Linn by guild aister
semple, and never whinge or q. greet did
ye gae when he stappit We into the thickest
o. the jaw"
And the remembrance seemed In part to
reconcile ms mother TO the stern Cameronian
ministry was about TO take up.
And what stipend are they promising
ye97' she said presently, after she had
thought the matter over.
''Nothingt" l answered, calmly.
''Nocht ava'-no bawbee-and a. that
siller spent on your eollegtng!' -
Then my mothers mind took new tack.
And what viii puir Hob gaun to do,
puir fellow? He has had nae ither thocht
than you since ever he was Iaddie.''
Faith, said l, smiling back at her.
i am thinking that now he has some
other thought in his mind.''
PaIf boa
lassIei' she cried; "a la ddie like him!"
Hob is no week-old bairn-chieken,
mother said l. He will be five and
thirty IL he is a day
sier'
AT what age might ye have been mar
ried, motherg' l asked, knowing that l
, could turn her from thinking 0 Hobs pre-
sumption.
Mel was married at seventeen, and
your father scant score! Faith, there
was sPunk in the countryside, then. Noe
lass VIII be over by four-and-twenty be-
lore she gets an offer-aye, and not think
hersei ayont the mark for the wedding
ring-'Shen had sons and dochters man
! 1 and woman-muekle!'
Then said /, we win not be hard ON
, / Hob II he marries and settles himself down
( at DrumglassT'
Ny father clapped me on the shoulder
r tell ye to be noways feared. And if We
! come TO the bottom of your purse-welI
! your father is no rich man, but there
VIII be a ye bit OF yellow siller for We in
, the cupboard OF Ardarroch"
had meant Co take my way past EarIs
toun without calling. And with that
intent iC was in my mind to hold directly
] 1 over the moor past Lochiuvar. But when
it came To the pinch l simply could not do
it.
So TO the dear gray tower among the
woodlands / betook me once more. My
eyes had been looking for the first CLINT
OF it over the tree tops for miles ere
came within sight of it. There" and
there" so l said to myself, under that
white cloud, by the nick Of that hill,
where the woodland curIs down, that is
, the place" At last I arrived.
Qnintin Mac Clellan. come your ways in
, Welcome are We as the smell O the supper
a brose!' cried Alexander Gordon. coming
g heartily across from the far angle of the
} courtyard at sight OF me. whittier away
I so travel-harnessed?"
, To the Upper Ward" said I, "to make
beginning on the widest ministers ehargs
in Scotland"
: You are, then, truly bent on leaving al
and takngupon you the blue bonnet and tn,
plaid of the Remnant?'
have already done it, sa id I; "burneC
! my boats, emptied my house, sold my pIen.
ishing and my bestial. And now with m.
, scrip and staff go forth-whither [ know
4 not, perchance to "A hole in a hedgeroet ant
j the death of a dog"
5 Tut, man." cried Alexander Gordon
e It's not thus that the ApostIe of the Hill
FOLK, the bearer Of their banner. should 81
[ forth. Bide at least this night with me
S and will set you up the watersile and fiji
). you with beast to ride on foTbyei"
2 4 thank you from my heart, EarIstoun
This is spoken like true man and from the
l fun heart. Only Alexander Gordon would
: offer it. But would begin as I must end
T Ii / am to be the poor mans minister
must tramp it, moss and mountain, dub and
J, mire. Yet. friend of mine. | could not gc
without bidding you a kindly adieu!''
q AT least bide till the mistress and Mary
+ can shake ye by the hand,'' cried Alex
{ ander Gordon.
2 And with that he betook him to the
j nearest window and without ceremony
pushed it open-for the readiest way was
T ever Sandy Gordon's way. Then he roa rec
/, for MS wife and daughter till the noise
{ shook the tower like an earthquake
y In a moment Mary Gordon came out and
j. stood on the doorstep with her fingers il
} her ears, pretending pretty anger
What hideous uproar, father We
} do they call You the Bull of EarIstou
2 and say that they hear You over the Hill a
i Ardoch bidding the herd lads to be quiet y
4 Then seeing me (as it appeared for tn,
first time she came forward and took m,
e hand simply and openly.
e You viii come in and rest, will vol
] not2'' she said. Are you here on bust
( ness with my father?'
. Nay" said /, smiling at her, II hav,
e no business save that OF bidding you fare
t weII.''
7 'Farewen!" cried She dropping the