set up like the General, but he lookit weel an'
winsome.

"His hair wes flung back frae his forehead, his een were fair dancin',
an' there wes a bit o' colour in his cheek. He hes a wy wi' him, a 'll
no deny, 'at taks wi' fouk.

"A 'm no sure that he 's been at mony denners though, Becca, for he
hardly kent what he wes daein'. A' juist pit the potatoes on his
plate, for he never lat on he saw me; an' as for wine, a' cudna get a
word oot o' him."

"Ye 're lilted above ordinary concerns, John, an' it's no tae be
expeckit that a beadle sud notice the way o' a lad wi' a lass," and
Becca nodded her head with much shrewdness.

"Div ye mean that, Rebecca? That cowes a'; but it's no possible. The
General's dochter an' a Free Kirk minister, an' her an Esculopian--"

"Love kens naither rank nor creeds; see what ye did yersel', and you
beadle o' Drumtochty;" and John--every man has some weak
point--swallowed the compliment with evident satisfaction.

Meanwhile they had fallen on this very subject of creeds in the
dining-room, and Kate was full of curiosity.

"Will you two padres do me a favour? I knew you would. Well, I want
to know for certain what is the difference between the two Kirks in
Drumtochty. Now which of you will begin?" and Kate beamed on them both.

"Whatever you wish we will do, Kate," said the Doctor; "but you will
have me excused in this matter, if you please, and hear my friend. I
am tired of controversy, and he has a fair mind, and, as I know well, a
pleasant wit. Tell Miss Carnegie how your people left the Kirk of
Scotland."

"Well, the dispute began"--and Carmichael faced his task
manfully--"about the appointment of clergymen, whether it should lie
with a patron or the people. Lord Kilspindie had the nomination of
Drumtochty, and if every patron had been as wise as our house, then
there had been no Disruption."

The Doctor bowed, and motioned to Carnegie to fortify himself with port.

"Other patrons had no sense, and put in unsuitable men, and the people
rebelled, since it is a sad thing for a country parish to have a
minister who is not . . ."

"A gentleman? or straight? Quite so," chimed in Kate; "it must be
beastly."

"So a party fought for the rights of the people," resumed Carmichael,
"and desired that the parish should have a voice in choosing the man
who was to take charge of . . . their souls."

"Isn't that like soldiers electing their officers?" inquired the
General, dou