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thegither。 The last lord； no upo' the main brainch； they tell me；
spelled his name wi' the diphthong； an' wasna willin' to gie't up
a'thegithersae tuik the twa o' them。 You 's whaur yoong Eppy 's
at service。An' that min's me； sir； ye haena tellt me yet what kin'
o' a place ye wad hae yersel。' It's no 'at a puir body like me can
help； but it's aye weel to lat fowk ken what ye're efter。 A word
gangs speirin' lang efter it's oot o' sichtan' the answer may come
frae far。 The Lord whiles brings aboot things i' the maist oonlikly
fashion。〃
〃I'm ready for onything I'm fit to do；〃 said Donal； 〃but I hae had
what's ca'd a good educationthough I hae learned mair frae my ain
needs than frae a' my buiks； sae i wad raither till the human than
the earthly soil； takin' mair interest i' the schoolmaister's craps
than i' the fairmer's。〃
〃Wad ye objec' to maister ane by himsel'or maybe twa？〃
〃Na； surelygien I saw mysel' fit。〃
〃Eppy mentiont last nicht 'at there was word aboot the castel o' a
tutor for the yoongest。 Hae ye ony w'y o' approachin' the place？〃
〃Not till the minister comes home；〃 answered Donal。 〃I have a letter
to him。〃
〃He'll be back by the middle o' the week； I hear them say。〃
〃Can you tell me anything about the people at the castle？〃 asked
Donal。
〃I could；〃 answered Andrew； 〃but some things is better f'un' oot nor
kenned 'afore han'。 Ilka place has its ain shape； an' maist things
has to hae some parin' to gar them fit。 That's what I tell yoong
Eppymony 's the time！〃
Here came a pause； and when Andrew spoke again； it seemed on a new
line。
〃Did it ever occur to ye； sir；〃 he said； 〃'at maybe deith micht be
the first waukin' to some fowk？〃
〃It has occurrt to me；〃 answered Donal； 〃but mony things come intil
a body's heid 'at he's no able to think oot！ They maun lie an' bide
their time。〃
〃Lat nane o' the lovers o' law an' letter perswaud ye the Lord wadna
hae ye thinkthough nane but him 'at obeys can think wi' safety。
We maun do first the thing 'at we ken； an' syne we may think aboot
the thing 'at we dinna ken。 I fancy 'at whiles the Lord wadna say a
thing jist no to stop fowk thinkin' aboot it。 He was aye at gettin'
them to mak use o' the can'le o' the Lord。 It's my belief the main
obstacles to the growth o' the kingdom are first the oonbelief o'
believers； an' syne the w'y 'at they lay doon the law。 'Afore they
hae learnt the rudimen's o' the trowth themsel's； they begin to lay
the grievous burden o' their dullness an' ill…conceived notions o'
holy things upo' the min's an' consciences o' their neebours； fain；
ye wad think； to haud them frae growin' ony mair nor themsel's。 Eh；
man； but the Lord 's won'erfu'！ Ye may daur an' daur； an' no come
i' sicht o' 'im！〃
The church stood a little way out of the town； in a churchyard
overgrown with grass； which the wind blew like a field of corn。
Many of the stones were out of sight in it。 The church； a relic of
old catholic days； rose out of it like one that had taken to growing
and so got the better of his ills。 They walked into the musty；
dingy； brown…atmosphered house。 The cobbler led the way to a humble
place behind a pillar； there Doory was seated waiting them。 The
service was not so dreary to Donal as usual； the sermon had some
thought in it； and his heart was drawn to a man who would say he did
not understand。
〃Yon was a fine discoorse；〃 remarked the cobbler as they went
homeward。
Donal saw nothing fine in it； but his experience was not so wide as
the cobbler's： to him the discourse had hinted many things which had
not occurred to Donal。
Some people demand from the householder none but new things； others
none but old； whereas we need in truth of all the sorts in his
treasury。
〃I haena a doobt it was a' richt an' as ye say； Anerew；〃 said his
wife； 〃but for mysel' I could mak naither heid nor tail o' 't。〃
〃I saidna； Doory； it was a' richt；〃 returned her husband； 〃that
would be to say a heap for onything human！ but it was a guid honest
sermon。〃
〃What was yon 'at he said aboot the mirracles no bein' teeps？〃 asked
his wife。
〃It was God's trowth 'at；〃 he said。〃
〃Gie me a share o' the same I beg o' ye； Anerew Comin。〃
〃What the man said was this'at the sea 'at Peter gaed oot upo'
wasna first an' foremost to be luikit upon as a teep o' the inward
an' spiritual troubles o' the believer； still less o' the troubles
o' the church o' Christ。 The Lord deals wi' fac's nane the less 'at
they canna help bein' teeps。 Here was terrible fac's to Peter。
Here was angry watter an' roarin' win'； here was danger an' fear：
the man had to trust or gang doon。 Gien the hoose be on fire we
maun trust； gien the watter gang ower oor heids we maun trust； gien
the horse rin awa'； we maun trust。 Him 'at canna trust in siclike
conditions； I wadna gie a plack for ony ither kin' o' faith he may
hae。 God 's nae a mere thoucht i' the warl' o' thoucht； but a
leevin' pooer in a' warl's alike。 Him 'at gangs to God wi' a sair
heid 'ill the suner gang til 'im wi' a sair hert； an' them 'at
thinksna he cares for the pains o' their bodies 'ill ill believe he
cares for the doobts an' perplexities o' their inquirin' speerits。
To my min' he spak the best o' sense！〃
〃I didna hear him say onything like that！〃 said Donal。
〃Did ye no？ Weel； I thoucht it cam frae him to me！〃
〃Maybe I wasna giein' the best heed；〃 said Donal。 〃But what ye say
is as true as the sun。 It stan's to rizzon。〃
The day passed in pleasure and quiet。 Donal had found another
father and mother。
CHAPTER VIII。
THE GATE。
The next day； after breakfast； Donal said to his host
〃Noo I maun pey ye for my shune； for gien I dinna pey at ance； I
canna tell hoo muckle to ca' my ain； an' what I hae to gang by till
I get mair。〃
〃Na； na；〃 returned the cobbler。 〃There's jist ae preejudice I hae
left concernin' the Sawbath…day； I firmly believe it a preejudice；
for siller 's the Lord's tu； but I canna win ower 't： I canna bring
mysel' to tak siller for ony wark dune upo' 't！ Sae ye maun jist be
content to lat that flee stick to the Lord's wa'。 Ye'll du as
muckle for me some day！〃
〃There's naething left me but to thank ye；〃 said Donal。 〃There's the
ludgin' an' the boord； though！I maun ken aboot them 'afore we gang
farther。〃
〃They're nane o' my business；〃 replied Andrew。 〃I lea' a' that to
the gudewife； an' I coonsel ye to du the same。 She's a capital
manager； an' winna chairge ye ower muckle。〃
Donal could but yield； and presently went out for a stroll。
He wandered along the bank of the river till he came to the foot of
the hill on which stood the castle。 Seeing a gate； he approached
it； and finding it open went in。 A slow…ascending drive went
through the trees； round and round the hill。 He followed it a
little way。 An aromatic air now blew and now paused as he went。
The trees seemed climbing up to attack the fortress above； which he
could not see。 When he had gone a few yards out of sight of the
gate； he threw himself down among them； and fell into a reverie。
The ancient time arose before him； when； without a tree to cover
the approach of an enemy； the castle rose