Thou say 'Yes' to thy mother, an' fear not." "Christine thou speaks hard words." "Was it to speak easy anes thou brought me here?
An' if I said, 'I counsel thee to tak thy ain will i' the matter,' wad my counsel mak bad gude, or wrang right?
Paul Calder's fleet sails i' twa days; seek a place i' his boats." "Then I shall see next to naught o' Margaret, an' Ragon will see her every day." "If Margaret loves thee, that can do thee nae harm." "But her father favors Ragon, an' of me he thinks nae mair than o' the nets, or aught else that finds his boats for sea." "Well an' good; but no talking can alter facts.

Thou must now choose atween thy mother an' Margaret Fae, atween right an' wrang.

God doesna leave that choice i' the dark; thy way may be narrow an' unpleasant, but it is clear enough.

Dost thou fear to walk i' it ?" "There hae been words mair than plenty, Christine.

Let us go hame." Silently the little boat drifted across the smooth bay, and silently the brother and sister stood a moment looking up the empty, flagged street of the sleeping town.