Playing With Fire

ur souls rej

s were in

d note made l

the bann

is singers

of sadness

ht touch the

em back to h

riticisms and reviews of books she considered objectionable for himself. He remembered then, what he had only casually observed during all the years she had dwelt with him, that Jessy Caird was never without a book in her work-basket. But he had noticed on all of them the cover and the mar

heart. It was surely the Word of His Father in heaven. He leaned forward and laid his head affectionately upon it. What a Friend it had been to him! What a Counselor! In every way he h

s hot with the love and fervor that thrilled the words through and through. In a few moments he rose, lifted the Book with tender homage, and laid it on a small

. "Why did I remove the Bible?" he asked himself. He was not sure why, b

anctuary in itself. How could I leave it among books that doubt and perhaps revile it?" Then his glance fell

God has set his mark upon the Bible. We cannot mistake it. Printed in any size or shape, bound in

Lord Cramer, but Thought has swift and secret passages, and perhaps the way had been through the discredited books; for he was thinking of the young nobleman with much the same feelings as he had given the doubtful and objectiona

at divine service as long as he was able to be so. Lord Richard does not observe the Sabbath. His stepmother is troubled at his attitude toward the Church. Such a man is not fit to be my son-in-law-a man who does not keep the Sabbath! The idea is an impossible one! Allan Reid fills his place every Sabbath in the Church of the Disciple

e was curiously asking his heart the question so many ask, "Why is it that, out of the thousands of persons we meet, only one can rouse in us the tremendous passion of a first true lo

e thought he knew all about women, but Marion was quite different, and she had called into life something deeper down than he had ever felt before. He was dreamy and yet restle

g he was not his own master. He had been a gallant cavalry officer, but not averse to relinquish the limitations of that position for the title and estate that had fallen to him. Yet he could not keep up the state necessary unless he married a rich woman. He had promised his fathe

oyful expectation filled her heart that it transfigured her whole person, and she smiled so brightly, and stepped so lightly, that she seemed at that hour just a little above mortality. And the brilli

the dwelling, Marion saw Lord Cramer descending the flight of steps which led to its principal entrance. She saw him coming to her! She felt him clasp her hand! She heard him speaking! But all these things took place to her in a delightful sense of semiconsciousness.

rtals of tha

voices sound, an

y, and squanders the richest and rarest of our feelings. It was an antique room, full of the most beautiful, world-forgotten old furniture, one piece of rich

sual and looked forward to. They rode, and read, and sang, they wandered about the house and garden, talking such divinity as only lovers understand. If there was company they kept much apart, and spoke

women whom she considered vastly superior to Marion in every respect. When she asked Marion to Cramer Hall, she believed that one week's unchecked intercourse would find Richard called to Edinburgh or London on very important business. When he received no such call she invited Marion to extend her visit for another week. In her opinion, it would be an incredible thing for Richard Cramer to live his l

eek's visit is most unusual. I am troubled and angry at your acceptance of it. You are imposing on Lady Cramer's kindness, and I do not thin

marry them. I know the Blair girls, with their brother, Sir Thomas, were there two or three days; and I heard the young people were walking quadrilles on the lawn, and playing billiards in the house. Moreover, Starkie was in the kitchen the other day, a

not to be in

od enough for

s thinking of her bein

tion than Marion will ever have to face. Did you notic

N

wnward purposely. If you lift it carefully, you w

Jessy, I have not time to r

ectly inside

r to Cramer, and say a few

lf. She is now in a fine school to learn that lesson, an

poke, and he was closing the door as her last w

She had advised him too much lately, and he felt that she ought to wait until asked for her opinion on s

wnward. She knew that this habit of hers seriously annoyed him, and that she had calculated on this annoyance making him lift the book and so in straightening the

thoughts on its white leaves. He could neither read nor write with that fallen volume before him. For he was so used to listen with his eyes to the absent

sage enclosed in strong pencil lines. So he walked to his desk and, taking a piece of rubber, erased with pains and caution the indexing marks, nor did he read one word of the message the b

e of all

soul what

Power that

ot out thy

o take the

nd so appr

nce of T

sage, and then he sat with the b

ead them, they could be left without discussion. He was in a less moody spirit all the rest of the week, and spoke to her several times of the hopeless discourag

ake off our shoes," answered Mrs. Caird. "This Grand être, this Gre

of this honor. Vast numbers will remain in a parasitic sta

icity. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This God is our God, and He has been, and will be our dwelling pla

nter into Comte's scheme, and indeed what is called

attacked? You told me yesterday that Strauss thought he had abolished Paul, and that Ewald answered there was nothing new in Strauss. As far as I

ly twenty years on his hearth, nursing his children, ordering his household, sewing, knitting, telling fairy tales, and yet pondering in her heart the highest questions of time

ing about them." And perhaps these very words were "the c

r the first time in all his ministry he felt a slight reluctance for spiritual work. But Mrs. Caird did not encourage this feeling, she was too anxious about Donald to miss his fathe

mptly. "If I am disappointed I s

larities of light or fugitive intercourse. Their attitude as they came nearer was distinctly, though unconsciously, that of lovers; and when Mrs. Caird met them she saw with delight the sunshine on their f

e answered. "The Ministe

urn from Glasgow? I w

that hour. He deviates a good deal and, as for speec

Monday, M

apt to be low on Monday, and he is tired and not

d of all mortal things. I am sure Dr. Macrae

hat the head and the heart do not run over at the same time; and men keep their reasonable

when it was ready she saw Cramer riding away from the gate, and Marion, still in her habit, standing there watching him. He

so. Run upstairs and take off your hat and that width o

mplest of her home dresses and, with a sigh of pleasure

happy time at

there. That

ther pleasa

es

ady Cr

weary of company, and it was an effort for

then, to hav

excuse for

an excuse for

es

d Cr

I am going to marry him, I di

urse, you will do what

er is re

father, and it does not make any exceptions a

hard, and no other man

ointed about it. There is no o

Richard and he loves me. We fell in l

ttle careful steps, hesitating, fearing, one at a time. Cowardly lovers! No woman wants su

two or three hours behind his usual time. What was keeping him? What was wrong? Then she began to worry about Donald; for, if anything usual becomes unusual, our

ersuasions, she was constantly asking her heart this woeful question. From the door to the gate she went with tiresome frequency, but it was after eight o'clock ere she saw two men walking lei

And Donald is with him!

ing goo

h never once asked, "What kept you so late?" She was satisfied with their presence, and with the fact that both were happy, and in the most affectionate mood with each other. She pl

e said; and she answered, "Not about you, Ian. I knew you were all right, but I was feared about Donald. I thought something was wrong with him, and I could not fix on any particu

n behaving himself after the ways an

eids being set for our example. What

nt. And serenading came into the thoughts of Donald and four others, and they lifted their violins and went together to the Provost's house. As it happened, he was eating a late supper after hi

hae wi' Wal

ass of toddy at their table, and the Provost thanked them he

w how to win the hearts of the Scotch laddies growing

Ballantyne, David Kerr, John Montrose, and Allan Reid,

ng much out of the way, unless the Rei

ght in his parlor; for, you know, he always reads until the new day is born, and this night he was reading 'Nicholas Nickleby,' and laughing with himself over that insane Mark Tapley's

the craggy

the woo

t na go a

lie and

is delightful complaint, and Donald

ts in Charl

d all true

hearts, for Ch

, you've done

he crowd began to sing with him, so that this passionate little rant filled the square. Wind

er were the

them to interfere. It was a perfectly orderly crowd, s

hae wi' Wal

y assured ea

land's Ki

ord would st

and, and fr

ide his door, and bid t

d old pagan-I

g to kiss him, but instead of that ceremony, which might have been a little abashing and confusing to th

of Alexander and Fergus Macrae when they fought to the deat

nd his eyes held a glimpse of the old dead world of his fathers. Jessy, a

were still holding the red rust of carnage; but Donald stretched up his hand and touched them reverently, and then kissed his hand, and he told me his tears wet the kiss, and that he was proud of them-and

which is the love of your son, and the love of your country, and the love of all the noble

and off went 'The Reel of Tullochgorum.' One of the boys from the orchestra played, and the other four danced it with wonderful spirit and, though my uncle did not try the springing step, he snapped t

again! My soul and my heart thank you, and here is a ten-pound note to ware on yourse

r and he did well to w

at his office in the morning. I thought it was concerning Allan and Marion, but Donald, on Sabbath night, told

say anything a

gan, Hector Macrae, giving the ran

oes.' Then Reid cooled a little, and answered, 'You know, Minister, it would have been almost a miracle if he had given ten pounds to our Foreign Mission Fund. I asked him myself one day, and he pretend

m; also, that Christ considered Home Missions had the prior claim, 'First at Jerusalem,' and so also first in Glasgow, and then in India. 'We are getting off our subject,' I said to him and he answered crossly, 'An altogether silly

y to that, Ian?"

eaf, they cannot speak for themselves. I need say no more to you, Elder.' And he begged pardon, and admitted he might be judging Major Macrae wrong, for it was true

the office when

ne of figures as I passed his de

was the best sign of grace y

y. I love my son with my whole heart.

you. What was the Elder wa

had no opportunity to do so, as she had been visiting Lady Cramer for the past three weeks. T

rced to marry anyone, surel

n the world for her. It is not much believed in, but perhaps it is the only Divine Right in this world.' He seemed puzzled at my remark, and I did not explain it. Then

core. Why did you not tell him you were as

Cramer. I let him see, and feel, I thought his words and temper very unbecoming in the

n-law. She knew well how "uncomfortable" he c

Was the little favor a propitiation for the Elder's

once, and answered, 'I hope you will, sir. For your sake, I should hate to send Donald off, but I must do so if he leads my son into any more ridiculous tom-fooler

u at Stewart's? I am proud

oom together. Every one had a word of praise and hope for Donald, and nearly all said, 'You will be for St. Andrews, Donald, no d

h. What advice d

r him. I certainly told Donald that the Elder would send him off if he tempted his son Allan again; and perhaps I l

ld unders

e wearying to see him, and that I would wait in Bath Stree

not come by

of 'sending himself off' and this he could not do unt

d is your chief Elder, and used few and civil

in the office lest he might offend again. And the Elder was much annoyed, and replied that he hoped he would remain; for, Jessy, I

ives, and in a little while both Allan and his father will have come to

e was going through the office, Allan called him, and then Donald's temper got a little beyond his control, and he walked near to where Allan sat among the clerks, and said, 'I have no wo

ther it is the end o

radiantly happy and satisfied with himself and, afte

o take ourselves as we are and other people as we

y anything that is at the same t