him so far."

"Dinna bode ill o' the lad. The Lord'll hae the son o' his father and
mother in His good keeping. And there's John Beaton, forby (besides),
to hae an e'e upon him. No' but that there will be mony temptations in
the toon for a lad like him," added Peter, desirous to avoid any
discussion with his friend.

"John Beaton, say ye? I doubt he'll need himsel' all the help the Lord
is like to give to ane that's neither cauld nor het. It's wi' stumblin'
steps he'll gang himsel', if I'm no mista'en."

But to this Peter had nothing to say. They had been over the ground
before, and more than once, and each had failed to convince the other.
Crombie went on:

"He carries his head ower-heich (over-high), yon lad. He's nae likely
to see the stanes at his ain feet, to say naething o' being a help to
the like o' Robert Hume."

"Hae ye had ony words wi' him of late?" asked Peter gravely.

"Nae me! He's been here often eneuch. But except in the kirk, where he
sits glowerin' straecht afore him, as gin there was naebody worthy o' a
glance within the four walls, I havena set my een upon him. It's inborn
pride that ails him, or else he has gotten something no' canny upon his
mind."

"His mother's no' just so strong. It's that which brings him hame sae
often. His heart is just set on his mother."

"It's no' like to do his mother muckle gude to be forced to leave her
ain house, and take lodgin's in a toon. But gin _he_ be pleased,
that'll please her," said Saunners sourly.

"Hae ye ony special reason for thinkin' and sayin' that the lad has
onything on his mind? He's dull-like whiles, but--"

"I'm no' in the way o' sayin' things for which I hae nae reason," said
Saunners shortly. "As to special--it's nae mair special to me than to
yoursel'. Has he been the same lad this while that he ance was, think
ye? Gude-nicht to ye."

"Gude-nicht," said Peter meekly. "Eh! but he's dour whiles, is
Saunners! He is a gude man. Oh! ay, he's a gude man. But he's hard on
folk whiles. As for John Beaton--I maun hae a crack (a little talk)
with himsel'."

But Peter did not get his crack with John at this time, and if he had
had, it is doubtful whether he would have got much satisfaction out of
it.

John was not altogether at ease with regard to the state of his mother's
health, but it cannot be said that he was especially anxious. For
though the last winter had tried her, the summer "was setting her up
again,"