at wad keep her folk in suspense. She wad ken fine that they'd
be anxious. Matthew an' Jenny are in an awfu' way."

"Ay. I believe they will," he replied, and a deep silence followed.

After a time, as the silence seemed to become oppressive, and for the
sake of saying something, Mrs. Sinclair said: "What kin o' a meetin' had
you the night?"

"My! we had an awfu' meeting, mither," he said in reply, his eyes
kindling with enthusiasm at the memory of it. "Smillie was askin' for
you, an' he's comin' owre to see you the morn afore he goes awa'."

"Oh, he had mind o' me then," she said, pleased at this information.

"Ay, an' he talked rale kindly aboot my faither to Hardie, mither.
Smillie's a fine man, an' I like him," he said with simple enthusiasm.

"He is that, Rob. I've aye liked Bob for the way he has had to fecht.
Lod, I dinna ken hoo he has managed to come through it a'. He's been a
gran' frien' to the miners. What kin' o' a man is Hardie?"

"He's yin o' the finest men I ever met," he answered in quick
enthusiasm. "You would hae enjoyed hearin' him, mither. It's an awfu'
peety that the weemin dinna gang to the meetin's. I'm shair there's no'
a woman in the place but wad hae liket him. My! if you had jist heard
him, strong, sturdy, and independent. Efter hearin' him, it fair knocked
the stories on the heid aboot him bein' oot to smash the hame, an'
religion an' sic like. He's clean and staunch, an' a rale man. Nae sham
aboot him, but a rale human bein', an' after listenin' to him tellin'
what Socialism is, it mak's you feel ashamed that you ever believed
things that you did believe aboot it. It's that simple an' Tam Donaldson
is fair carried awa' wi' it the night."

"I'm glad you had a guid meetin'," she said, her interest kindled too.
"Tell me a' aboot it," and Robert told her, sketching the fine picture
which Hardie had given to his memory to carry, as long as life lasted
for him.

"I've been appointed delegate to the Miners' Council," he said after a
while. "I'll hae to gang to Hamilton once a month to attend the
conferences."

"Oh!" she said in surprise, and with pride in her voice. "What way hae
they sent you?"

"I don't ken," he answered, "but I was a wee bit feart to take it. It's
only the very best men that should be sent there to represent the
branches, an' I thought they might hae sent an older man, wi' mair kind
o' thought about him, an' mair experience."

"Oh, weel, Rob," she said with pride,