She began by telling all she knew of the trouble from its beginning in the church, and then waited for her husband's story.
For some moments he lay silently smoking.
"Ah, well," he said, at length, knocking out his pipe, "perhaps I was a little severe with the lad.

He may not have been so much to blame." "Oh, papa! What did you do ?" said his wife, in an anxious voice.
"Well," said the minister, hesitating, "I found that the young rascal had struck Aleck McRae first, and a very bad blow it was.

So I administered a pretty severe rebuke and sent him home." "Oh, what a shame!" cried his wife, in indignant tears.

"It was far more the fault of Peter and Aleck and the rest.

Poor Ranald!" "Now, my dear," said the minister, "you need not fear for Ranald.