Only This Once - Page 2

rose, laid aside his book, and courteously offered his seat by the fire.
The stranger took it, eat heartily of the simple meal, joined decently
in their solemn worship, and was soon fast asleep in Archie's bed. Then
the old man and his son sat down and curtly exchanged their opinions.

"I don't like yon lad, fayther, and I more than distrust his being aught
o' a gentleman."

David smoked steadily a few minutes ere he replied:

"He's eat and drank and knelt wi' us, Archie, and it's nane o' our duty
to judge him."

When Archie spoke again it was of other matters.

"Fayther, I'm sore troubled wi' MacAllister's accounts; what wi' the
sheep bills and the timber and the kelp, things look in a mess like.
There is a right way and a wrong way to keep tally of them and I can't
find it out."

"The right way is to keep the facts all correct and honest to a straw's
worth--then the figures are bound to come right, I should say."

It was an old trouble that Archie complained about. He was MacAllister's
steward, appointed by virtue of his sterling character and known worth;
but struggling constantly with ignorance of the methods by which even
the most honest business can alone satisfactorily prove its honest
condition.

When Mr. Semple awoke next morning, Archie had disappeared, and David
was standing in the door, smoking. David liked his guest less in the
morning than he had done at night.

"Ye dinna seem to relish your parritch, sir," said David rather grimly.

Mr. Semple said he really had never been accustomed to anything but
strong tea and hot rolls, with a little kippered salmon or marmalade; he
had never tasted porridge before.

"More's the pity, my lad. Maybe if you had been brought up on decent
oatmeal you would hae thankit God for your food;" for Mr. Semple's
omission of grace, either before or after his meat, greatly displeased
the old man.

The youth yawned, sauntered to the door, and looked out. There was a
fresh wind, bringing with it flying showers and damp, chilling
mists--wet heather under foot, and no sunshine above. David saw
something in the anxious, wretched face that aroused keen suspicion. He
looked steadily into Mr. Semple's pale, blue eyes, and said:

"Wha are you rinnin awa from, my lad?"

"Sir!"

There was a moment's angry silence. Suddenly David raised his hand,
shaded his eyes and peered keenly down the hills. Mr. Semple followed
this movement with great interest.

"What are you looking at, Mr. Scott? Oh! I see. Two men coming up this
way. Do you know who they are?"

"They may be gangers or they may be strangers,