Love, anger, regret, fear, perplexity, condemnation, excuse, followed close on each other, and John's mind, though remarkably clear and acute, was one trained rather to the consideration of things point by point than to the catching of the proper clew in a mental labyrinth.

After an hour's miserable uncertainty he was still in doubt what to do.

The one point of comfort he had been able to reach was the hope that David had gone straight to Jenny with his grievance.

"And though women-folk arena much as counsellors," thought John, "they are wonderfu' comforters; and Jenny will ne'er hear tell o' his leaving the house; sae there will be time to put right what is wrong." But though David had always hitherto, when lessons were hard or lassies scornful, gone with his troubles to the faithful Jenny, he did not do so at this time.

He did not even bid her "Good-night," and there was such a look on his face that she considered it prudent not to challenge the omission.
"It will be either money or marriage," she thought.