"Must I remind you, Elder, that her ministers, almost without exception, are against the King? Did not this very Dr. Rogers pray in the pulpit for the success of the rebels? As for the Church of Scotland, she has been troubling kings, and encouraging rebellion ever since there was a Church of Scotland. What for? No reason at all, that I can see." "Yes, she had reason enough. Scotsmen read their Bibles, and they thought it worth while to fight for the right to do so. There's your colleague, Judge Ludlow; his great-grandfather fought with Oliver Cromwell in England in a quarrel of the same kind. He should have said a word for us." "Elder, it is undeniable that Dissent and Calvinism are opposed to royalty." "The Kirk is not subject to Caesar; she is a law unto hersel'; and the Methodists are dissenters, yet their chapel is open." "The loyalty of John Wesley is beyond impeachment. He is a friend of the King." "Yet his brother Charles was imprisoned for praying for the Pretender, and nae doubt at all, he himsel' would gladly have followed Prince Charlie." "As the Semples and Gordons _did do_." "To their everlasting glory and honor! God bless them!" "Will your Excellency please to sign these papers?" interrupted Neil; and his calm ignoring of the brewing quarrel put a stop to it. The papers were signed, and the Governor rising, said, as he offered his hand to the Elder: "Our sufferings and deprivations are unavoidable, sir. Is there any use in quarreling with the wheel that splashes us?" "There is nane; yet, if men have grievances----" "Grievances! That is a word that always pleases, and always cheats. There are no grievances between you and me, I hope." "None to breed ill-will. Human nature is fallible, but as a rule, Tory doesna eat Tory." "And as for the Whigs, Elder, you know the old fable of the wolf and the lamb. Judging from that past event, Tory and Whig may soon make an eternal peace." He went out well pleased at the implication, and Neil, after a few moments' silence, said, "I am going to register these documents, sir, or I would walk home with you." "Much obligated to you, Neil, but I can tak' very good care o' mysel'. And I have a letter from your brother Alexander. I must see what news he sends, before I tell your mother." He was opening his letter as he spoke, carefully cutting round the large red seal, which bore the arms of the Semples, and which, therefore, he would have thought it a kind of sacrilege to mutilate. A cup of coffee had been brought to him, and he took one drink of it, and then no more; for everything was quickly forgotten or ignored in the intelligence he was receiving. That it was unexpected and astonishing was evident from his air of perplexity and from the emotion which quite unconsciously found relief in his constant ejaculation, _"Most extraordinary! Most extraordinary!"_