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him！〃
Donal rose； and looking about him； saw two decent； elderly women on
the other side of the low stone wall。 He was approaching them with
the request on his lips to know which of the Lord's commandments
they supposed the cobbler to be breaking； when； seeing that he must
have overheard them； they turned their backs and walked away。
And now his hostess； having discovered he was in the garden； came to
call him to breakfastthe simplest of mealsporridge； with a cup
of tea after it because it was Sunday； and there was danger of
sleepiness at the kirk。
〃Yer shune 's waitin' ye； sir；〃 said the cobbler。 〃Ye'll fin' them a
better job nor ye expeckit。 They're a better job； onygait； nor I
expeckit！〃
Donal made haste to put them on； and felt dressed for the Sunday。
〃Are ye gaein' to the kirk the day； Anerew？〃 asked the old woman；
adding； as she turned to their guest； 〃My man's raither pecooliar
aboot gaein' to the kirk！ Some days he'll gang three times； an'
some days he winna gang ance！He kens himsel' what for！〃 she added
with a smile； whose sweetness confessed that； whatever was the
reason； it was to her the best in the world。
〃Ay； I'm gaein' the day： I want to gang wi' oor new freen'；〃 he
answered。
〃I'll tak him gien ye dinna care to gang；〃 rejoined his wife。
〃Ow； I'll gang！〃 he persisted。 〃It'll gie's something to talk aboot；
an' sae ken ane anither better； an' maybe come a bit nearer ane
anither； an' sae a bit nearer the maister。 That's what we're here
forcomin' an' gaein'。〃
〃As ye please； Anerew！ What's richt to you's aye richt to me。 O'
my ain sel' I wad be doobtfu' o' sic a rizzon for gaein' to the
kirkto get something to speyk aboot。〃
〃It's a gude rizzon whaur ye haena a better；〃 he answered。 〃It's
aften I get at the kirk naething but what angers melees an' lees
agen my Lord an' my God。 But whan there's ane to talk it ower wi'；
ane 'at has some care for God as weel's for himsel'； there's some
guid sure to come oot o' 'tsome revelation o' the real
richteousnessno what fowk 'at gangs by the ministers ca's
richteousness。Is yer shune comfortable to yer feet； sir？〃
〃Ay； that they are！ an' I thank ye： they're full better nor new。〃
〃Weel； we winna hae worship this mornin'； whan ye gang to the kirk
it's like aitin' mair nor's guid for ye。〃
〃Hoots； Anerew！ ye dinna think a body can hae ower muckle o' the
word！〃 said his wife； anxious as to the impression he might make on
Donal。
〃Ow na； gien a body tak it in； an' disgeist it！ But it's no a bonny
thing to hae the word stickin' about yer moo'； an' baggin' oot yer
pooches； no to say lyin' cauld upo' yer stamack； an' it for the life
o' men。 The less ye tak abune what ye put in practice the better；
an' gien the thing said hae naething to du wi' practice； the less ye
heed it the better。Gien ye hae dune yer brakfast； sir； we'll
gangno 'at it's freely kirk…time yet； but the Sabbath 's 'maist
the only day I get a bit o' a walk； an' gien ye hae nae objection
til a turn aboot the Lord's muckle hoose afore we gang intil his
little anewe ca' 't his； but I doobt itI'll be ready in a
meenute。〃
Donal willingly agreed； and the cobbler； already clothed in part of
his Sunday best； a pair of corduroy trousers of a mouse colour；
having indued an ancient tail…coat of blue with gilt buttons； they
set out together； and for their conversation； it was just the same
as it would have been any other day： where every day is not the
Lord's； the Sunday is his least of all。
They left the town； and were soon walking in meadows through which
ran a clear river； shining and speedy in the morning sun。 Its banks
were largely used for bleaching； and the long lines of white in the
lovely green of the natural grass were pleasant both to eye and
mind。 All about； the rooks were feeding in peace； knowing their
freedom that day from the persecution to which； like all other doers
of good； they are in general exposed。 Beyond the stream lay a level
plain stretching towards the sea； divided into numberless fields；
and dotted with farmhouses and hamlets。 On the side where the
friends were walking； the ground was more broken； rising in places
into small hills； many of them wooded。 Half a mile away was one of
a conical shape； on whose top towered a castle。 Old and gray and
sullen； it lifted itself from the foliage around it like a great
rock from a summer sea； and stood out against the clear blue sky of
the June morning。 The hill was covered with wood； mostly rather
young； but at the bottom were some ancient firs and beeches。 At the
top； round the base of the castle； the trees were chiefly delicate
birches with moonlight skin； and feathery larches not thriving over
well。
〃What ca' they yon castel？〃 questioned Donal。 〃It maun be a place o'
some importance！〃
〃They maistly ca' 't jist the castel；〃 answered the cobbler。 〃Its
auld name 's Graham's Grip。 It's lord Morven's place； an' they ca'
't Castel Graham： the faimily…name 's Graham； ye ken。 They ca；
themsel's Graeme…Grahamjist twa w'ys o' spellin' the name putten
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 'a