lication--even from the man of
abeelity you have shown yourself to be. Tell me now," he went on, "have
ye heard ainything of the new Professor of Exegesis? D'ye know how he's
doing?"

Young Gourlay knew nothing of the new Professor of Exegesis, but he
answered, "Very well, I believe," at a venture.

"Oh, he's sure to do well, he's sure to do well! He's one of the best
men we have in the Church. I have just finished his book on the
Epheesians. It's most profound! It has taken me a whole year to master
it." ("Garvie on the Ephesians" is a book of a hundred and eighty
pages.) "And, by the way," said the parson, stooping to Scotch in his
ministerial jocoseness, "how's auld Tam, in whose class you were a
prize-winner? He was appointed to the professoriate the same year that I
obtained my licence. I remember to have heard him deliver a lecture on
German philosophy, and I thought it excellently good. But perhaps," he
added, with solemn and pondering brows--"perhaps he was a little too
fond of Hegel. Yess, I am inclined to think that he was a little too
fond of Hegel." Mrs. Eccles, listening from the Black Bull door,
wondered if Hegel was a drink.

"He's very popular," said young Gourlay.

"Oh, he's sure to be popular; he merits the very greatest popple-arity.
And he would express himself as being excellently well pleased with your
theme? What did he say of it, may I venture to inquire?"

Beneath the pressure of his father's presence young Gourlay did not dare
to splurge. "He seemed to think there was something in it," he answered,
modestly enough.

"Oh, he would be sure to think there was something in it," said the
minister, staring, and wagging his pow. "Not a doubt of tha-at, not a
doubt of tha-at! There must have been something in it to obtain the palm
of victory in the face of such prodigious competeetion. It's the
see-lect intellect of Scotland that goes to the Univairsity, and only
the ee-lect of the see-lect win the palm. And it's an augury of great
good for the future. Abeelity to write is a splendid thing for the
Church. Good-bye, John, and allow me to express once moar my great
satisfaction that a pareeshioner of mine is a la-ad of such brilliant
promise!"

Though the elder Gourlay disconsidered the Church, and thought little of
Mr. Struthers, he swelled with pride to think that the minister should
stop his offspring in the Main Street of Barbie, to congratulate him on
his prospects. They were close to the E