Part 43 (1/2)

The meeting now broke up, and John Bairdieson went to reprove Margate Truepenny for knocking with her crutch on the door of the house of G.o.d on the Sabbath morning.

”D'ye think,” he said, ”that the fowk knockit wi' their staves on the door o' the temple in Jerusalem?”

”Aiblins,” retorted Margate, ”they had feller [quicker]

doorkeepers in thae days nor you, John Bairdieson.”

The morning service was past. Gilbert Peden had preached from the text, 'Greater is he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

”Oor minister is yin that looks deep intil the workings o' his ain heart,” said Margate, as she hirpled homeward.

But when the church was empty and all gone home, in the little vestry two men sat together, and the door was shut. Between them they held a miniature, the picture of a girl with a flush of rose on her cheek and a laughing light in her eyes. There was silence, but for a quick catch in the stronger man's breathing, which sounded like a sob. Gilbert Peden, who had only lost and never won, and Allan Welsh, who had both won and lost, were forever at one. There was silence between them, as they looked with eyes of deathless love at the picture which spoke to them of long ago.

Walter Skirving's message, which Winsome had brought to the manse of Dullarg, had united the hearts estranged for twenty years.

Winsome had builded better than she knew.

CHAPTER XLIII.

THREADS DRAWN TOGETHER.

Winsome took her grandmother out one afternoon into the rich mellow August light, when the lower corn-fields were glimmering with misty green shot underneath with faintest blonde, and the sandy knowes were fast yellowing. The blithe old lady was getting back some of her strength, and it seemed possible that once again she might be able to go round the house without even the a.s.sistance of an arm.

”And what is this I hear,” said Mistress Skirving, ”that the daft young laird frae the Castle has rin' aff wi' that cottar's la.s.sie, Jess Kissock, an' marriet her at Gretna Green. It's juist no possible.”

”But, grandma, it is quite true, for Jock Gordon brought the news.

He saw them postin' back from Gretna wi' four horses!”

”An' what says his mither, the Lady Elizabeth?”

”They say that she's delighted,” said Winsome.

”That's a lee, at ony rate!” said the mistress of Craig Ronald, without a moment's hesitation. She knew the Lady Elizabeth,

”They say,” said Winsome, ”that Jess can make them do all that she wants at the Castle.”

”Gin she gars them pit doon new carpets, she'll do wonders,” said her grandmother, acidly. She came of a good family, and did not like mesalliances, though she had been said to have made one herself.

But there was no mis...o...b..ing the fact that Jess had done her sick nursing well, and had possessed herself in honourable and lawful wedlock of the Honourable Agnew Greatorix--and that too, apparently with the consent of the Lady Elizabeth.

”What took them to Gretna, then?” said Winsome's grandmother.

”Well, grandmammy, you see, the Castle folk are Catholic, and would not have a minister; an' Jess, though a queer Christian, as well as maybe to show her power and be romantic, would have no priest or minister either, but must go to Gretna. So they're back again, and Jock Gordon says that she'll comb his hair. He has to be in by seven o'clock now,” said Winsome, smiling.

”Wha's ben wi' yer grandfaither?” after a pause, Mistress Skirving asked irrelevantly.