Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-17
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Parting of the WAYS.

The door of the Flower Cot being thus
shut against him, and, indeed, against all
the world, it was with infinite earnestness
that John went back to his duties in the
parish Of Cover. Death had touched him.
too. on the shoulder that night in the
Green Dock. and though the bony fingers
had slipped aside John GIendonwyn stood
ever after in a new relation to the Things
which-do-not-yet-app
Two women shall be grinding at the
mill-the one shall be taken and the other
left the stern message rang all day in
his heart The countryside talk which
dealt so freely with the last days of Ru-
pert, his BROTHER, his strange death and the
fetufn of Kate and Fairlie Glendinning TO
their home failed to reach him. The little
light in the little nianse window was now
seldom eXtinguiShed. He grew so diliSCnt
in visitation that there was in the parish
no ploughman's sick BARN that he had not
visited twice IN the week.
And poor, struggling farm folk and year
ly tenants who had long feared the hand of
Gregory Glendonwyn. and anticipated with
double fear the incoming of spendthrift Ru-
pert, had hope opened to them with the
thought that this slender, tblue-eyed young
minister of theirs was to be the greatest
landlord in the countryside. But this ap-
peared to add nothing to John G!endon-
wyns consequence or in any way to alter
the rigid simplicity of his life After the
funeral Of his brother, which Gregory Glen
dOnWyn carried out upon a scale OF eX-
ItlLSs "illtn was entirely without parallel
IN the district. IL had been generally under
stood that the minister would return to
Castle Cover 1t was even rumored that
he would resign the pastoral charge of his
parish.
John GIendonwyn did neither. He went
quietly back TO the manse. and from that
as headquarters continued his ministra-
tons as before. Indeed, it only thus
that he could live with comfort. His father
and he were of entirely opposite sentiments
upon all the great problems of church and
state More and more since his son Ru-
pert died and his mind had been eased of
the fear of the Glendinning complication
John now being heir to the estate and the
matter of the trust money having been ar
ranged by Johns readiness to yield his
fortune to his father without a question
being asked or answered. Gregory Glen
donwyn had thrown himself with vigor and
bitterness into the political aspects of the
great controversy.
He was of course by virtue IF bis ,osi
ton the leading elder in the parish Of Cow
er. though during the incumbency of Rev
Gilbert Aib!ins he had mostly attended the
chuch or kigour, where DR. Caesars
preaching and opinions were more to his
taste.
1t was in this way indeed that father and
son nrst came across each other in public
life. Since Rupert's death Gregory had
treated John in every respect as the heir Of
castle Cover. and on several occasions he
mad even ridden over TO ask his advice III
regard 10 the cutting of trees or the putting
in of new plantations.
You are to be laird some day" he would
say, and since you have put a large stake
into the estate-and indeed were the sole
means of rescung IL from the results of nv
poor boy S foly-it is right that you should
be consulted upon all matters which will ar-
feet its value in the future
And John Glendonwyn gave to his father
the same grave. calm attention he never
denied to any of his parishioners He con-
sidered the problems of wood forestry and
the rebuilding of farmsteading with the
same equal mind which he devoted to the
question whether Betty Salvison's kailyard
should. as a paying speculation contain
most cabbages or potatoes
But between father and son there was no
real confidence. no intimacy. no fellowship
however John still dined at the castle
regularly once week and listened to his
fathers talk concerning the manifold dis
eases OF the body polite. abstaning care
iuHy all the while from any expression Of
his own opinion. 1t was one Of the most
cherished OF Mr.. Glendonwyn's beliefs that
Whatever he undertook he could carry
through. And in general his success was
Of faith.
Mr.. Glendonwyn had never liked his
younger son, nor indeed. had he ever con-
sidered him at all, save as an unmitigated
nuisance, and dividing the Inheritance
with Rupert. More than ever of late his
easy readiness to part with his maternal
tempt. And 1t never struck Mr.. Gendon-
wyn that in any matter ecclesiastical or
civil. John would disobey him, or offer any
opposition TO him in the parish which he
looked upon as his own.
II his son John had money which could
rescue the estate from ruin, 1t was father
right. nay his bounden duty to use that
money. as 1t were, in trust for the family
II his son objected he was no true, Glep-
donwyn. II hs did hot, he Vas fool He
Gregory Gelndonwyn, had made his second
son minister Of the parish of Cover II
was his duty therefore. first Of all to pro.
mote the worship Of Glendonwyn with the
bounds. TO preach the gospel OF Great is
Glendonwyr Of Castle Cover In season and
out. For this purpose he had been ordained
made a member Of various presbyteries
Eynods and assemblies Of the Kirk. Now