rities were munificent, his name unblemished by a
single mean deed.

Had James forgotten? No, indeed. Donald's success only deepened his
hatred of him. Even the silence he was compelled to keep on the
subject intensified the feeling. Once after his marriage he attempted
to discuss the subject with Christine, but the scene had been so
painful he had never attempted it again; and David was swift and
positive to dismiss any unfavorable allusion to Donald. Once, on
reading that "Advocate McFarlane had joined the Free Kirk of Scotland
on open confession of faith," James flung down the paper and said
pointedly, "I wonder whether he confessed his wrong-doing before his
faith or not."

"There's nane sae weel shod, James, that they mayna slip," answered
David, with a stern face. "He has united wi' Dr. Buchan's
kirk--there's nane taken into that fellowship unworthily, as far as
man can judge."

"He would be a wise minister that got at all Advocate McFarlane's
sins, I am thinking."

"Dinna say all ye think, James. They walk too fair for earth that
naebody can find fault wi'."

So James nursed the evil passion in his own heart; indeed, he had
nursed it so long that he could not of himself resign it, and in all
his prayers--and he did pray frequently, and often sincerely--he never
named this subject to God, never once asked for his counsel or help in
the matter.

Twelve years after his marriage with Christine David died, died as he
had often wished to die, very suddenly. He was well at noon; at night
he had put on the garments of eternal Sabbath. He had but a few
moments of consciousness in which to bid farewell to his children.
"Christine," he said cheerfully, "we'll no be lang parted, dear
lassie;" and to James a few words on his affairs, and then almost with
his last breath, "James, heed what I say: 'Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall--obtain mercy.'"

There seemed to have been some prophetic sense in David's parting
words to his daughter, for soon after his death she began to fail
rapidly. What James suffered as he saw it only those can tell who have
watched their beloved slowly dying, and hoped against hope day after
day and week after week. Perhaps the hardest part was the knowledge
that she had never recovered the health she had previous to the
terrible shock which his revelation of Donald's guilt had been to her.
He forgot his own share in the shock and threw the whole blame of her
early decay on Donald. "An