place!

As the young man stood up during the singing of the first psalm, many
aged eyes noted with loving eagerness certain resemblances in voice and
gesture to their hero. His face was handsome and clear-cut and lit by
a pair of kindly, frank, blue eyes, a face which betokened a generous
and amiable disposition. And the way he held up his fine head and
straightened his broad shoulders was so like the first John McAlpine
that many an old couple nudged each other with delight.

Miss Cotton had never seen the first McAlpine, but as she sat at the
end of the Hamilton pew she could not resist giving Maggie a nudge when
the handsome young man's eyes travelled in their direction, a nudge so
pregnant of meaning that Maggie giggled and transferred the same to
Sarah, whence it passed down the long row, setting ribbons and flowers
quivering, all to the extreme disapproval of Mrs. Fraser, who was not
too much occupied with the new minister to overlook any of the
misdemeanours of the Hamilton pew.

John Hamilton, himself, was in a state of dazed joy and quite oblivious
of his daughters. Any sort of a minister was an object of reverent
delight to the pious old man, but this one was so much better than he
had ever dreamed, that he looked at him with something akin to awe.

Andrew Johnstone sat at the end of his pew as straight and forbidding
as ever, but the gleam of his eyes, from underneath his bristling
brows, showed that his spirit was rejoicing.

Back in the last row, the young men of the church sat regarding the new
minister with approval and some envy. Syl Todd, who did not follow
after his parents' form of religion, but went now to the Presbyterian
Church and now to the Methodist, with impartial irregularity,
emphatically declared Mr. Egerton the most stylish looking fellow he
had seen since he left the States, and during the sermon silently
registered a vow that he would part his hair in the middle, too, just
as soon as he got home.

Peter McNabb's voice seemed charged with the universal rejoicing. Not
since he had missed Mr. Cameron behind him had the precentor let his
notes roll out so tumultuously glorious as when he led the first psalm,

"Oh come let us sing to the Lord,
Come let us everyone
A joyful noise make to the Rock
Of our Salvation!"

But of all the happy hearts in that congregation, there was none like
Duncan Polite's. He looked up at the young divine standing, like Saul,
head and sho