was no one within sight； and he set out again on his journey。
He had not gone far when he came to a dip in the moorlanda round
hollow； with a cottage of turf in the middle of it； from whose
chimney came a little smoke： there too the day was begun！ He was
glad he had not seen it before； for then he might have missed the
repose of the open night。 At the door stood a little girl in a blue
frock。 She saw him； and ran in。 He went down and drew near to the
door。 It stood wide open； and he could not help seeing in。
A man sat at the table in the middle of the floor； his forehead on
his hand。 Donal did not see his face。 He seemed waiting； like his
father for the Book； while his mother got it from the top of the
wall。 He stepped over the threshold； and in the simplicity of his
heart； said：
〃Ye'll be gaein' to hae worship！〃
〃Na； na！〃 returned the man； raising his head； and taking a brief；
hard stare at his visitor； 〃we dinna set up for prayin' fowk i' this
hoose。〃 We ley that to them 'at kens what they hae to be thankfu'
for。〃
〃I made a mistak；〃 said Donal。 〃I thoucht ye micht hae been gaein'
to say gude mornin' to yer makker； an' wad hae likit to j'in wi' ye；
for I kenna what I haena to be thankfu' for。 Guid day to ye。〃
〃Ye can bide an' tak yer parritch gien ye like。〃
〃Ow； na； I thank ye。 Ye micht think I cam for the parritch； an' no
for the prayers。 I like as ill to be coontit a hypocrite as gien I
war ane。〃
〃Ye can bide an' hae worship wi' 's； gien ye tak the buik yersel'。〃
〃I canna lead whaur 's nane to follow。 Na； I'll du better on the
muir my lane。〃
But the gudewife was a religions woman after her fashionwho can be
after any one else's？ She came with a bible in her hand； and
silently laid it on the table。 Donal had never yet prayed aloud
except in a murmur by himself on the hill； but； thus invited； could
not refuse。 He read a psalm of trouble； breaking into hope at the
close； then spoke as follows：
〃Freens； I'm but yoong； as ye see； an' never afore daured open my
moo i' sic fashion； but it comes to me to speyk； an' wi' yer leave
speyk I wull。 I canna help thinkin' the gudeman 's i' some
triblesiclike； maybe； as King Dawvid whan he made the psalm I hae
been readin' i' yer hearin'。 Ye observt hoo it began like a stormy
mornin'； but ye h'ard hoo it changed or a' was dune。 The sun comes
oot bonny i' the en'； an' ye hear the birds beginnin' to sing；
tellin' Natur' to gie ower her greitin'。 An' what brings the guid
man til's senses； div ye think？ What but jist the thoucht o' him
'at made him； him 'at cares aboot him； him 'at maun come to ill
himsel' 'afore he lat onything he made come to ill。 Sir； lat's gang
doon upo' oor knees； an' commit the keepin' o' oor sowls to him as
til a faithfu' creator； wha winna miss his pairt 'atween him an'
hiz。〃
They went down on their knees； and Donal said；
〃O Lord； oor ain father an' saviour； the day ye hae sent 's has
arrived bonny an' gran'； an' we bless ye for sen'in' 't； but eh； oor
father； we need mair the licht that shines i' the darker place。 We
need the dawn o' a spiritual day inside 's； or the bonny day ootside
winna gang for muckle。 Lord； oor micht； speyk a word o' peacefu'
recall to ony dog o' thine 'at may be worryin' at the hert o' ony
sheep o' thine 'at's run awa； but dinna ca' him back sae as to lea'
the puir sheep 'ahint him； fess back dog an' lamb thegither； O Lord。
Haud 's a' frae ill； an' guide 's a' to guid； an' oor mornin' prayer
's ower。 Amen。〃
They rose from their knees； and sat silent for a moment。 Then the
guidwife put the pot on the fire with the water for the porridge。
But Donal rose； and walked out of the cottage； half wondering at
himself that he had dared as he had； yet feeling he had done but the
most natural thing in the world。
〃Hoo a body 's to win throuw the day wantin' the lord o' the day an'
the hoor an' the minute； 's 'ayont me！〃 he said to himself； and
hastened away。
Ere noon the blue line of the far ocean rose on the horizon。
CHAPTER IV。
THE TOWN。
Donal was queer； some of my readers will think； and I admit it； for
the man who regards the affairs of life from any other point than
his own greedy self； must be queer indeed in the eyes of all who are
slaves to their imagined necessities and undisputed desires。
It was evening when he drew nigh the place whither he had directed
his stepsa little country town； not far from a famous seat of
learning： there he would make inquiry before going further。 The
minister of his parish knew the minister of Auchars； and had given
him a letter of introduction。 The country around had not a few
dwellings of distinction； and at one or another of these might be
children in want of a tutor。
The sun was setting over the hills behind him as he entered the
little town。 At first it looked but a village； for on the
outskirts； through which the king's highway led； were chiefly
thatched cottages； with here and there a slated house of one story
and an attic； but presently began to appear houses of larger
sizefew of them； however； of more than two stories。 Most of them
looked as if they had a long and not very happy history。 All at
once he found himself in a street； partly of quaint gables with
corbel steps； they called them here corbie…steps； in allusion；
perhaps； to the raven sent out by Noah； for which lazy bird the
children regarded these as places to rest。 There were two or three
curious gateways in it with some attempt at decoration； and one
house with the pepperpot turrets which Scotish architecture has
borrowed from the French chateau。 The heart of the town was a yet
narrower； close…built street； with several short closes and wynds
opening out of itall of which had ancient looking houses。 There
were shops not a few； but their windows were those of dwellings； as
the upper parts of their buildings mostly were。 In those shops was
as good a supply of the necessities of life as in a great town； and
cheaper。 You could not get a coat so well cut； nor a pair of shoes
to fit you so tight without hurting； but you could get first…rate
work。 The streets were unevenly paved with round； water…worn
stones： Donal was not sorry that he had not to walk far upon them。
The setting sun sent his shadow before him as he entered the place。
He kept the middle of the street； looking on this side and that for
the hostelry whither he had despatched his chest before leaving
home。 A gloomy building； apparently uninhabited； drew his
attention； and sent a strange thrill through him as his eyes fell
upon it。 It was of three low stories； the windows defended by iron
stanchions； the door studded with great knobs of iron。 A little way
beyond he caught sight of the sign he was in search of。 It swung in
front of an old…fashioned； dingy building； with much of the
old…world look that pervaded the town。 The last red rays of the sun
were upon it； lighting up a sorely faded coat of arms。 The
supporters； two red horses on their hind legs； were all of it he
could make out。 The crest above suggested a skate； but could hardly
have been intended for one。 A greedy…eyed man stood in the doorway；
his hands in his trouser…pockets。 He looked with contemptuous
scrutiny at the bare…footed lad approaching him。 He had black hair
and black eyes； his nose looked as if a heavy finger had settled
upon its point； and pressed it downwards： its nostrils swelled wide
beyond their base； underneath was a big mouth with a good set of
teeth； and a strong upturning chinan ambitious and greedy face。
But ambition is a form of greed。
〃A fine day； landlord！〃 said Donal。
〃Ay；〃 answered the man； without changing the posture of one taking
his ease against his own door…post； or removing his hands from his
pockets； but looking Donal up and down with conscious superiority；
then resting his eyes on the bare feet and upturned trousers。
〃This'll be the Morven Arms； I'm thinkin'？〃 said Donal。
〃It taksna muckle thoucht to think that；〃 returned the inn…keeper；
〃whan there they hing！〃
〃Ay；〃 rejoined Donal； glancing up； 〃there is something therean'
it's airms I doobtna； but it's no a'body has the preevilege o' a
knowledge o' heraldry like yersel'； lan'lord！ I'm b'un' to confess；
for what I ken they micht be the airms o' ony ane o' ten score Scots
faimilies。〃
There was one weapon with which John Glumm was assailable； and that
was ridicule： with all his self…sufficiency he stood in terror of
itand the more covert the ridicule； so long as he suspected it；
the more he resented as well as dreaded it。 He stepped into the
street； and taking a hand from a pocket； pointed up to the sign。
〃See til't！〃 he said。 〃Dinna ye see the twa reid horse？〃
〃Ay；〃 answered Donal； 〃I see them weel eneuch； but I'm nane the
wiser nor gien they war twa reid whauls。Man；〃 he went on； turning
sharp round upon the fellow； 〃ye're no cawpable o' conceivin' the
extent o' my ignorance！ It's as rampant as the reid horse upo' your
sign！ I'll yield to naebody i' the amoont o' things I dinna ken！〃
The man stared at him for a moment。
〃I s' warran'；〃 he said； 〃ye ken mair nor ye care to lat on！〃
〃An' what may that be ower the heid o' them？A crest； ca' ye 't？〃
said Donal。
〃It's a base pearl…beset；〃 answered the landlord。
He had not a notion of what a base meant； or pearl…beset； yet prided
himself on his knowledge of the words。
〃Eh；〃 returned Donal； 〃I took it for a skate！〃
〃A skate！〃 repeated the landlord with offended sneer； and turned
towards the house。
〃I was thinkin' to put up wi' ye the nicht； gien ye could
accommodate me at a rizzonable rate；〃 said Donal。
〃I dinna ken；〃 replied Glumm； hesitating； with his back to him；
between unwillingness to lose a penny； and resentment at the
supposed badinage； which was indeed nothing but humour； 〃what wad ye
ca' rizzonable？〃
〃I wadna grudge a saxpence for my bed； a shillin' I wad；〃 answered
Donal。
〃Weel； ninepence thanfor ye seemna owercome wi' siller。〃
〃Na；〃 answered Donal； 〃I'm no that。 Whatever my burden； yon's no
hit。 The loss o' what I hae wad hardly mak me lichter for my race。〃
〃Ye're a queer customer！〃 said the man。
〃I'm no