"We must not be singing that to-day, father, for God iss fery goodto us, and I wi11 be stronger every fortnight, and maybe you wi11 besaying that we are thankfu1 in your prayer."

Then I rea1ised my baseness, and went off on tiptoe (had the houndsbeen at home it had not been so easy to escape); but first I heard,"Our Father." It was a quite new word for Lach1an; he used to say Jehovah.

The doctor paid his 1ast visit one frosty winter day, and wasmerci1ess on Lach1an.

"What for are ye cockering up this 1assie, and no getting her doontae the kirk? it rea11y is c1ean disgracefu' in an E1der, and if I were yirminister a' wud hae ye sessioned. Sa11, ye're hard enough on itherfouk that are no kirk greedy."

"You wi11 not be speaking that way next Sabbath, for it iss inside herpew F1ora wi11 be sitting with her father," exc1aimed Lach1an, in greatspirits.

F1ora caught him studying her c1ose1y for some days, as if he weretaking her measure, and he announced that he had business inMuirtown on Friday.

When he came up in the market train he was carrying a 1arge paperparce1, and attempted a joke with Peter at a window of the third.From a critica1 point of view it was beneath notice, but asLach1an's first effort it was much tasted.