A Daughter of Fife

ned the sacred

it to v

*

ed and too

not his ow

*

iling to the mai

n with Maggie she felt this truth, though she did not define the feeling to herself. She only realized the comfort of withdrawing from the fretful presence of her aunt to the contemplativ

the Book a we

ad it." Again it would be, "Havers! Hoo can the like o' you understand it, and no man body to gie you the sense?" And i

come to Pittenloch and be a companion to his sister. No sooner had he left her than she began to consider in what light the proposition could bring her perso

he said, with a sigh; "my nephew is settled for the ministry-an' nae le

fashed wi' a bairn

ter is a braw, handsome lass, wi' mair

the care o' it. I ken by the heartaches my ain Baubi

aordinar' self-willed. I ken I'm going to sorrow, but her fayther wa

aird, to hae feelings like them,

nce, and she made Janet Caird feel herself to be a very meritorious domestic martyr in accepting the charge of her. This idea satisfied Janet's crav

herself. She resented the constant conclaves of tea-drinking, gossiping women in her house, and she was too honest-hearted to hide her disapproval from them. The result was, that backed by Janet Caird, they came still more frequently, and were more and more offensive. If she d

one evening Maggie looked forward to, on different grounds; Janet Caird never missed the meeting, and her absence gave Maggie two sweet hours alone in her

to their admission to The Tables. Maggie had not been very faithful about the ordinances. The weather had been bad, the landward road was dangerous when snow had fallen, and she did not like going in the boats among so many who gave her only looks of grave disapproval. So

he flock to his superior shepherd, he felt obliged to repeat much of the gossip he had heard. He had no ill will to the girl, far from it; yet unknowi

nd he could not bear to think of a whisper against a name likely to stand in the list of God's servants. He was angry at Maggie's imprudences, even if they were no worse than impru

y of them she found it almost hopeless to try to explain; and when the doctor asked her, "if there had been any words of love between Mr. Campb

s wife. If he could, you would be wretched, for he would soon scorn you. Can the eagle mate with the kittywake? Sin and sorrow come of s

ir. Nae word my ain fayther and mither might

fret about the young man's absence, and neglect the ordinance

r ill thochts:-and I wish Davie was hame, for I'm broken-hearted wi'

r no woman to rail in my presence. Do well, and you wil

I am glad to see the tears, Maggie; no one can do more than be sorry for their sins and the

ld. You should hae stood up for the orphan lass, that has nae one near to

difference. The doctor was much annoyed; he felt that he had failed in reaching the girl's he

Dr. Balmuto received David a little coldly. He had not really been moved to help him by any personal liking, but rather from a conscientious conviction that the young man had a decided vocation for theology. In fact, there had always been a tinge of self-satisfaction about David which he seriously disliked, and for which very reason he had once sent

readily the fly in the ointment will be seen and heard tell of. I am sorry to say your sister has been very imprudent. Pittenloch does nothing but talk of her queer ways, and doubtless the

as by her side until Mr. Campbell left Pittenloch. And I will defend his name as well a

an it is. There seems to be ill-will and unhappiness in it. Make your women walk circumspectly, and giv

to offer it. And the home-coming from which Maggie had expected so much was an unhappy one. David blamed her for Dr. Balmuto's coldness and apparent lack of interest in his affairs; and whether Maggie had done wrong, or had only been wronged, he felt that she had injured

cked David on his weakest side, by giving him all the respect due to a placed minister, did not succeed in gaining his priva

she would neither lend nor hire the boat when it was asked of her. She kept Mr. Campbell's room locked up, and would not even let a friend of the family drink a cup of tea inside it. She was queer and cold to all the lads, a

she read were the same books Mr. Campbell had read aloud to them both. As for the boat, she did not want it to go to waste, and if she loaned it to one person, she might as well have given it to the village. If she had

s. Caird, "and you were that ill-tempered I couldna

was Maggie's; folks should speer it of hersel'; I would hae nae ri

s are gude

iths in Fife a

use of a' and sundry that liked it, how could I? You ken,

is room, if he had left his purse in your ke

he sits in your chair, and glowers at me, or he says words I canna listen till, and I want nae love from him or any other man. If you will b

it, Maggie. Folks should think shame o' themselves t

what I could wi' tr

ane; and I'll not hae Maggie asked for them either. As for Angus Raith, he might hae taken his 'no' before this. I'll not blame Maggie for not liking him; and I wad be as weel pleased for Maggie to bide single, till I hae my ain manse to marry her from. Now I will

now distasteful; he went little among them, but sat most of his time reading in his own cottage. If he walked down to the pier or the boat-house, he brought unavoidably a different element with him. The elder men disputed all he said, the younger ones took little notice of him. He might have understood from his own experience

a kind of travelling tutor; and he hoped for the appointment. If he got it a whole year might pass before his next visit to Pittenloch. And Maggie's position had not been in any respect bettered, either by the minister's or

onths before. Yet even then she had nursed a rebellious thought against the hopelessness of Fate. She had refused to believe that the boat had been built and destined for death and destruction; if something had been d

when one morning Angus Raith called early, and asked permission to use the "Allan Ca

isna yours, nor ever like to be yours. David

fe oot o' me, wi' your pride and

, and I'll send the water-bailiff after

nd will stand by him, afore a' the lords o' Edinburgh. Tak' the boat, Angus. I'll tak' the blame o' it! Da

your sweetheart, you may weel tak' his boat. I'll bring

h," said Maggie, passionately; "and as for luck, it is bad lu

aking sorrow for gude me

e an order. In great emergencies, the soul does gives orders; clear, prompt, decisive words, that leave no shadow of doubt behind them. "Go" said her soul to her, and she began immediately to consi

in his wagon to Stirling, and there, I'll tak' a train for Glasgow. David will

arious other women talking with her aunt: she heard herself repeatedly called to come and look after the broth, or other domestic concerns, but she took no notice of any demand upon her. She occupied the morning in locking away her simple treasures, and in making into a small bundle a linsey dres

hae brought. I hope there mayn

ill wish that is mair than idl

, and the ill tongue o' you, Maggie Promoter! I'd like fine to send you after him! Gie us a help, wives, and let's gie her a ducking at the vera least!" The wretched mother was half crazy, and Maggie fled from her presence. The circumstance was the seal to her

ving; but yet carefully watching the unusual proceedings and dress of her niece. At length, finding Maggie was not to be provoked into words, she pretended suddenly to observe her kirk clothes-"Whatna for hae you that fine merino on this night? Surely, Mag

uld make Him turn the keys that nane turn but Him. And if you want to ken whar I am going, I may as weel tell you now,

bad tongue! My bad heart! I s

e, Aunt Janet. You'll get the hoose

? A puir auld woman wile

key to Elder Mackelvine. But if you like this bien comfortable cottage better than the one bit empty room David took you fr

; but what will I do here at a'? Hae you mad

ick folk. There is mair spinning here, and mair sick folk. You are nae waur off, but better. And it

surely if you will gae, you'll no leave an auld body l

inks he can do for you; seeing that you are my fayther's sister.

go! I'll no be

am going in the morni

p me; no, nor Doct

minister, and she felt sure the minister would send her back home. So when Maggie passed out of the door soon after daybreak, and said "go

ing a kind hearing from him just yet. She found Sandy Young's wagon nearly ready to start for Stirling, and she easily got a seat in it. It was a slow, lumbering conveyance, but she was in no hurry; and she enjoyed very much the leisurely d

ginning to light them. She easily found her way to the Candleriggs, and to the house in which David lodged. Here, for the first time, her heart failed her. She loitered about the window of the bakery until she had a sense of shame and hunger and wearine

remptory "Come in;" but when Maggie entered he leaped to his feet in amazement, and let the big book in his hand fall to the floor. There were the r

ggi

's me,

rought you

am na unwelcome." Her eyes filled, she could scarcely

y only near relative, so I'm sure you'll excuse me the night." And the young man, wh

nt to know what ha

first, for I am fair famish

ut a sleeping place for you under her o

hat had dogged her life since he had left her at the New Year. "Let me stay near by you, Davie

stern and pitiless. "Yo

. Mr. Cameron will speak

n evendown ruin for a

to his room-young w

ain sist

be right for you to take a room and live by yourself, and sew out by the day. You are too noticeable, and I could not spare the time to call and look after you in any way. And as to going out to service, I am mair than astonished to hear you naming a thing like that. We are fisher folk. Nane of the Pro

What will I do? I am sae mise

nd as to my having pity on you, I would love you little if I gave way now to your impatience and your wounded pride.

d many a hope goes wi'

canna g

tell you, Maggie, I think it very unsisterly of you, bothering and hampering me with women's quarrels, when I am making myself a name among them that will be looked to for the carrying on o

edral and the college. He was even gentle with her at the last, and not a little proud of the evident sensation her fresh, brilliant beauty caused;

way that made his heart dirl and ache; but she seemed to have resigned herself to his direction. Only, at the