room, "lest his eyes should be
held waking in the night watches." He was much overcome by the care
that had been taken for his comfort, and at the door of his room blest
his boy: "May the Lord give you the sleep of His beloved, and
strengthen you to declare all His truth on the morrow." Carmichael sat
by his study fire for a while and went to bed much cheered, nor did he
dream that there was to be a second catastrophe in the Free Kirk of
Drumtochty which would be far sadder than the offending of Miss
Carnegie about Mary Queen of Scots, and would leave in one heart
lifelong regret.

THE FEAR OF GOD

It was the way of the Free Kirk that the assisting minister at the
Sacrament should sit behind the Communion Table during the sermon, and
the congregation, without giving the faintest sign of observation,
could estimate its effect on his face. When Dr. Dowbiggin composed
himself to listen as became a Church leader of substantial build--his
hands folded before him and his eyes fixed on the far window--and was
so arrested by the opening passage of Cunningham's sermon on
Justification by Faith that he visibly started, and afterwards sat
sideways with his ears cocked, Drumtochty, while doubtful whether any
Muirtown man could appreciate the subtlety of their minister, had a
higher idea of the Doctor; and when the Free Kirk minister of
Kildrummie--a stout man and given to agricultural pursuits--went fast
asleep under a masterly discussion of the priesthood of Melchizedek,
Drumtochty's opinion of the intellectual condition of Kildrummie was
confirmed beyond argument.

During his ministry of more than twenty years the Rabbi had never
preached at Drumtochty--being fearful that he might injure the minister
who invited him, or that he might be so restricted in time as to lead
astray by ill-balanced statements--and as the keenest curiosity would
never have induced any man to go from the Glen to worship in another
parish, the Free Kirk minister of Kilbogie was still unjudged in
Drumtochty. They were not sorry to have the opportunity at last, for
they had suffered not a little at the hands of Kilbogie in past years,
and the coming event disturbed the flow of business at Muirtown market.

"Ye're tae hae the Doctor at laist," Mains said to Netherton--letting
the luck-penny on a transaction in seed-corn stand over--"an' a'm
jidgin' the time's no been lost. He's plainer an' easier tae follow
then he wes at the affgo. Ma word"-