She's a kind, wise lassie, and if she condescends to the Lord, I'm sure I hope he'll be guid to her.

For ma ain pairt I wud faur rather see her marry a dacent, ordinary man like a minister or a doctor--but we've nane o' thae kind needin' wives in Priorsford the noo, so Miss Jean 'll mebbe hev to fa' back on a lord...." On the afternoon of the day this conversation took place in Hillview kitchen, Jean sat in the living-room of The Rigs, a very depressed little figure.

It was one of those days in which things seem to take a positive pleasure in going wrong.

To start with, the kitchen range could not go on, as something had happened to the boiler, and that had shattered Mrs.M'Cosh's placid temper.

Also the bill for mending it would be large, and probably the landlord would make a fuss about paying it.