A Daughter of Fife

Her uncle came home a little sad. "Allan has gone again," he said. "I seem

to have seen very little of the lad. He is such a fine lad, too. We had a

few happy hours together at the last. I am very glad of that! When he

comes home next time, he will settle, and never leave me again. I shall be

a happy man when that day gets around, Mary."

"He will settle, that is, he will marry that fisher-girl! He has told you

all about her, he says?"

"He was very honest and candid with me, very."

"What is her name, uncle?"

"I do not know. He did not tell me, and I never thought of asking."

"Where does she live?"

"Really, Mary, I never asked that either. I don't think it makes the least

difference."

"Oh, but it does. I am very much disappointed. I was thinking we could

take a trip to the village, and see the girl ourselves. Would not that be

a good thing?"

"It would be a very bad thing, a very dishonorable thing. If I thought it

necessary to play the spy on my son Allan, I should prefer to know he was

dead. The girl may become my daughter. I should be ashamed to meet her, if

I had gone to peep at her behind her back. She would not despise me more

than I should despise myself."

"I do not look at it in that light, uncle. There might be several good

reasons."

"We won't discuss them, Mary. Let us talk of Drumloch. Wilkie is drawing

the plan of the new wing. When will you go back to Glasgow? I was at

Blytheswood Square to-day; the house is in beautiful order."

"I will go back to-morrow. I am weary of Meriton this year. I have found

myself everywhere at a discount. Allan refuses my estate and myself. The

minister and the kirk refuse my services as organist. And when I had a

very kind idea in my head about Theodora, you make me feel as if I had

been plotting treason against her, and against honor and everything else

of good report. Let me hide my head in the smoke of Glasgow to-morrow."

"Theodora! Is that the girl's name?"

"That is the fisher-girl's name, the one I have given her. I suppose she

will have to descend to Jennie or Christie."

"Are you not a little ill-tempered, Mary?"