"I wouldna gie him the chance to insult you. I would keep oot o' his

way. There is naething unusual or discreditable in taking a journey to

Boston, to speir after the welfare o' your brother Alexander."

"Oh, indeed, sir, I cannot leave my affairs for an insolent and

ungrateful fool! I ask your advice for the ordinary way of life, not for

the way that cowardice or fear dictates. If without looking for him, or

avoiding him, we meet, and a quarrel is inevitable, what then, father?"

"Ay, weel, in that case, God prevent it! But in sic a strait, my lad, it

is better to gie the insult than to tak' it."

"You know what must follow?"

"Wha doesna ken? Blood, if not murder. Neil, you are a wise and prudent

lad; now, isna the sword o' the law sharper than the rapier o' honour?"

"Law has no remedy for the wrongs men of honour redress with the sword.

A man may call me every shameful name; but, unless I can show some

actual loss in money or money's worth, I have no redress. And suppose

that I tried it, and that after long sufferance and delays I got my

demands, pray, sir, tell me, how can offences which have flogged a man's

most sacred feelings be atoned for by something to put in the pocket?"

"Society, Neil"-"Society, father, always convicts and punishes the man who takes an

insult on view, without waiting for his indictment or trial."

"There ought to be a law, Neil"-"No law will administer itself, sir. The statute-book is a dead letter

when it conflicts with public opinion. There is not a week passes but

you may see that for yourself, father. If a man is insulted, he must

protect his honour; and he will do so until the law is able to protect

him better than his own strength."

"There is another way--a mair Christian way"-"The world has not taken it yet; at any rate, I am very sure none of the

Semples have."

"You are, maybe, o'er sure, Neil. Deacon Van Vorst has said mair than my

natural man could thole, many a time, in the sessions and oot o' them;

but the dominie aye stood between us wi' his word, and we hae managed

so far to keep the peace, though a mair pig-headed, provoking,

pugnacious auld Dutchman never sat down on the dominie's left hand."

"Then, father, if Captain Hyde should quarrel with me, and if he should

challenge me, you advise me to refuse the challenge, and to send for the

dominie to settle the matter?"




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