ice,
and suffered the consequences of her folly. She gave me this note for
you."

He held out an envelope and I took it and put it in my pocket.

He raised his eyebrows, "Read it, man;--read it."

"It will do later, Mr. Auld;--there is no hurry."

He shook his old, grey head in surprise.

"Well,--well,--well," he exclaimed.

"Have you visited the Clarks yet, George?" he asked after a pause.

"Yes!"

"And what did you find there?"

"Discord," I answered.

"So you know all about it, eh!"

"You are a minister of God, Mr. Auld; you have influence with such a
man as Andrew Clark. Surely you can move him from the damnable
position he has taken up?"

"I would to God I could," he said fervently. "For ten years, I have
preached to him, scolded him, cajoled him, threatened him with
hell-fire and ever-lasting torment; yes! I have even refused to
dispense the sacrament to him unless he relented, but I might as well
have expended my energies on The Ghoul Rock out there at the opening to
the Bay."

"But he professes to be a good Christian, Mr. Auld," I put in.

"Yes! and no man on the coast tries to live a good life more than he
does. I am sure, every moment of his life he deeply regrets the rash
vow he made, but he believes, in the sight of God, he is doing right in
keeping to it. He is obsessed.

"Now, George,--what is there left for me to try?"

"Physical force," I exclaimed angrily.

"George,--" he said, almost horrified, "it is not for a minister of the
gospel to think of violence."

"Why not?" I went on. "Andrew Clark is slowly torturing his wife to
death. Surely, if there ever was an occasion,--this is it! A few
days' violence may save years of torture to both and, maybe, save his
eternal soul besides."

He sat in silence for a while, then he startled me.

"Come, boy! You have a scheme in your head. Tell me what it is,
and,--may God forgive me if I do wrong,--but, if it appeals to me as
likely to move that old, living block of Aberdeen granite, or even to
cause a few hours' joy to his dear, patient wife, Margaret, I'll carry
it through if I can."

I unfolded what had been in my mind.

"What do you think of it?" I asked.

He shook his head dubiously.

"It is dangerous; it is violent; it is not what a minister is expected
to do to any of his flock;--and it is only a chance that it will effect
its purpose."

"Where would you put him?" I asked, as if he had agreed.

He smiled.

"Oh!