A Daughter of Fife | Page 8

and contrary," when she heard him say--
"Grand words, and grand folk, Maggie; but there are far grander than
thae be."
"Than kings, and queens, and braw knights and fair leddies?" "Ay,
what are thae to angels and archangels, powers and dominions, purity,
faith, hope, charity? Naething at a'."
"Maybe; but I wish I could see them, and I wish I could see the man
who wrote anent them, and I wish you could write a book like it,
Davie."
"Me! I have an ambition beyond the like o' that. To be His messenger
and speak the words o' truth and salvation to the people! Oh Maggie, if
I could win at that office, I wouldna envy king nor knight, no, nor the
poet himsel'."
"Did you see the minister?"
"Ay; bring your chair near me, and I'll tell you what he said. You'll be
to hear it, and as weel now, as again."
"Surely he had the kind word to-day, and you that fu' o' sorrow?"
"He meant to be kind. Surely he meant to be kind. He sent me word to
come up to his study, and wee Mysie Balmuto took me there. Eh,
Maggie, if I had a room like that! It was fu' o' books; books frae the
floor to the roof-place. He was standing on the hearth wi' his back to
the fire, and you ken hoo he looks at folk, through and through. 'Weel,
Davie,' he said, 'what's brought you o'er the hills through wind and rain
pour? Had you work that must be pushed in spite o' His work?'"

"I felt kind o' shamed then at my hurry, and I said, 'Doctor, you'll hae
heard tell o' the calamity that has come to our house?' And he answered,
'I hae heard; but we willna call it a calamity, David, seeing that it was o'
His ordering.'"
"'It was very suddent, sir,' I said, and he lookit at me, and said, 'His
messengers fly very swiftly. Your father was ready, and I do not think
He calls the young men, unless He wants them. It was not of the dead
you came to talk with me?' I said, 'No, sir, I came to ask you aboot
Maggie and mysel'.'"
"Then I told him hoo I longed to be a minister, and hoo fayther and the
rest had planned to send me to Aberdeen this vera year, and hoo there
was still £50 which you wanted me to take, and he never said a word,
but just let me go blethering and blundering through the story, till I felt
like I was the maist selfish and foolish o' mortals. When I couldna find
anither word, he spake up kind o' stern like--"
"What did he say? You be to tell me that noo."
"He said, 'David Promoter, you'll no dare to touch the £50 this year. Go
back to the boats, and serve the Lord upon the sea for a twelve months.
Go back to the boats and learn how to face hunger, and cold, and
weariness, with patience; learn to look upon death, and not to fear him.
Forbye you cannot leave your sister her lane. Lassies marry young
among your folk, and she'll need some plenishing. You would not
surely send her from you with empty hands. You cannot right your own
like with wranging hers, not even by a bawbee.'"
"He shouldna hae said the like o' that. The siller isna mine, nor wasna
meant for me, and I'll ne'er touch it. That I wont." "Marry Angus Raith,
and tak' it, Maggie. He loves you weel."
"Angus Raith isna to be thocht o', and it's ill-luck mixing wedding talk
wi' death talk. The minister is right; whatna for are we hurrying up the
future? Let us be still and wait; good, as well as evil comes, and us not
looking for it. I'm sorry you didna hae a pleasanter visit."

"It wasna just unpleasant. I ken weel the minister is right. Put on a
covering turf noo, Maggie, for the tide serves at six o'clock, and I'll be
awa' to Largo the morn."
Maggie was up at gray dawn next morning, while yet the sea birds were
dozing on their perches, looking like patches of late snow in the
crannies of the black rocks. There was no wrath in the tide, only an
irresistible set shoreward. When David was ready for his breakfast,
Campbell was ready also; he said he wished to go with the boat, and
David's face lighted up with satisfaction at the proposal. And Maggie
was not ill-pleased to be left alone. She was restless, and full of strange
thoughts, and needed the calm and strength of solitude.
It was an exquisite morning; the sea was dimpling and laughing in the