A Knight of the Nets | Page 3

and you will require to ask for
strength to be kept out of temptation; for the Lord knows, the best of us
don't expect strength to resist it."
Christina turned her face to her mother, and then left her answer to
Jamie Logan. For he came in at the moment with a little tartan shawl in
his hand, which he gallantly threw across the shoulders of Mistress
Binnie.
"I have just bought it from a peddler loon," he said. "It is bonnie and
soft, and it sets you well, and I hope you will pleasure me by wearing
it."
His face was so bright, his manner so charming, that it was impossible
for Janet Binnie to resist him. "You are a fleeching, flattering laddie,"
she answered; but she stroked and fingered the gay kerchief, while
Christina made her observe how bright were the colours of it, and how
neatly the soft folds fell around her. Then the door of the inner room
opened, and Andrew came sleepily out.
"The fish is burning," he said, "and the oat cakes too; for I am smelling
them ben the house;" and Janet ran to her fireside, and hastily turned
her herring and cakes.
"I'm feared you won't think much of your meat to-night," she said
regretfully; "the tea is fairly ruined."
"Never mind the meat, Mother," said Andrew. "We don't live to eat."
"Never mind the meat, indeed! What perfect nonsense! There is
something wrong with folk that don't mind their meat."
"Well then, you shouldn't be so vain of yourself, Mother. You were
preening like a young girl when I first got sight of you--and the meat

taking care of itself."
"Me, vain! No! No! Nobody that knows Janet Binnie can ever say she
is vain. I wot well that I am a frail, miserable creature, with little need
of being vain, either for myself or my children. You are a great hand at
arguing, Andrew, but you are always in the wrong. But draw to the
table and eat. I'll warrant the fish will prove better than it is bonnie."
They sat down with a pleasant content that soon broadened into mirth
and laughter, as Jamie Logan began to tell and to show how the peddler
lad had fleeched and flethered the fisher wives out of their bawbees;
adding at the last "that he could not come within sight of their fine
words, they were that civil to him."
"Senselessly civil, no doubt of it," answered Janet. "A peddler aye
gives the whole village a fit of the liberalities. The like of Jean
Robertson spending a crown on him! Foolish woman, the words are not
to seek that she'll get from me in the morning."
Then Jamie took a letter from his pocket, and showed it to Andrew
Binnie. "Robert Toddy brought it this morning," he said, "and, as you
may see, it is from the firm of Henderson Brothers, Glasgow; and they
say there will be a berth for me very soon now in one of their ships.
And their boats are good, and their captains good, and there is chances
for a fine sailor on that line. I may be a captain myself one of these
days!" and he laughed so gayly, and looked so bravely into the face of
such a bold idea, that he persuaded every one else to expect it for him.
Janet pulled her new shawl a little closer and smiled, and her thought
was: "After all, Christina may wait longer, and fare worse; for she is
turned twenty." Yet she showed a little reserve as she asked:--
"Are you then Glasgow-born, Jamie?"
"Me! Glasgow-born! What are you thinking of? I am from the auld East
Neuk; and I am glad and proud of being a Fifer. All my common sense
comes from Fife. There is none loves the 'Kingdom' more than I, Jamie
Logan. We are all Fife together. I thought you knew it."

At these words there was a momentary shadow across the door, and a
little lassie slipped in; and when she did so, all put down their cups to
welcome her. Andrew reddened to the roots of his hair, his eyes filled
with light, a tender smile softened his firm mouth, and he put out his
hand and drew the girl to the chair which Christina had pushed close to
his own.
"You are welcome, and more than welcome, Sophy," said the Mistress;
but for all that, she gave Sophy a glance in which there was much
speculation not unmixed, with fear and disapproval. For it was easy to
see that Andrew Binnie loved her, and that she was not at all like him,
nor yet like any of the fisher-girls of Pittendurie. Sophy, however, was
not responsible for this difference; for early