, woman, it's maist unlikely the feesh will be here for a
week or mair, but they hae a will and a way o' their ain, and aince or
twice, or mebbe mair than that, I hae seen them in these pairts in
June."

"I think the Domine might hae notified Christine. She ought, by
rights, to hae been at that unpacking."

"Weel, Margot, it cam' my way. I dinna think my lassie grudges me the
pleasure."

And Christine looked at him with a smile that deified her lovely
face, and made Ruleson's heart thrill with pleasure.

"I wad rayther you had the pleasure than mysel', Feyther. You ken
that," she said, and Ruleson laid his hand on her head, and answered:
"I ken it weel! God bless thee!"

That evening, while Christine and little Jamie were busy over
Jamie's lessons, Margot said to her husband, "Gudeman, I'd like to
ken what prizes hae been bought. The Domine didna include me in his
prohibition, or else he has less sense than I gie him credit for."

"He said I had better tell naebody."

"Ay, but you had best tell me. What classes are you givin' prizes to?
It's a vera unusual thing to gie prizes. I think little o' paying
bairns to learn their lessons. But they're no likely to be worth the
looking at----"

"'Deed are they--vera gude indeed, for the wee bairns for whom they
were bought. There are three o' them. The first is for the infant
lass, nane o' them over six years auld."

"Weel, what is it?"

"The Domine----"

"Says many a thing you ta' nae heed to. Just sae. You needna heed him
on this point. Are not we twa one and the same? Speak out, man."

"The Domine----"

"Wha's minding the Domine here? Are you mair feared for him, than for
your wife?"

Then Ruleson, with his great hearty laugh, pulled a chair to his side,
and said, "Sit down, Margot. I'm mair afraid of you, than I am of any
man living. I'm trem'ling wi' fear o' you, right now, and I'm just
going to disobey the Domine, for your sake. What will ye gie me, if I
break a promise for your sake?"

"I'll keep my promise to you, and say naething anent your transgression.
What kind o' a prize could they gie to them babies i' the infant
class--nane o' them five years auld? Did you see it?"

"Ay, I unpacked it."

"Was it a rattle, set wi' wee bells?"

"Naething o' the kind. It was a big doll, bonnily dressed, and a
little trunk fu' o' mair claes, and a full set o' doll cheena, and a
doll bed and night claes; wonderfu', complete. My goodness! Whoever
gets it will