Miss Insches lifted up her hands in the extremity of her astonishment. “The young lady of Mossgray!” “Why not?” exclaimed the Reverend Robert, indignantly impatient. “I am astonished, Janet;--you forget my position--you forget--” “No me, Robert--no me,” ejaculated his penitent sister. “And I suppose we must have some of the brethren,” continued Robert, after a pause. “There’s Mr Wright of the _quoad sacra_ at Fairholm; but then we could not ask him without his wife, and she--you know he made a very foolish marriage.” “Ay,” responded Miss Insches promptly; “he married Willie Tasker the joiner’s daughter, at Todholes, a bonnie-like wife for a minister. Weel, Robert, maybe I am not proud enough, but I would have you marry naebody but a lady.” The Reverend Robert blushed a little. “Do you know, Janet, little Hope Oswald has a theory that ladies are not made but born--not what you call well-born however; suppose we call on Mrs Wright and see what sort of a person she is. Wright has been very foolish, no doubt, but if we can consistently notice him, we should--” Mr Insches drew himself up, and thought of Mossgray’s graceful courtesy to the solitary Helen. Miss Insches was decidedly repugnant--she had no toleration for the _mésalliances_ of ministers. “And there is Paulus Whyte,” continued the Reverend Robert. “He is to preach for me on the fast day, so we can have it the night before; and, by the by, Janet, there is a young lady in Fendie, a great friend of Miss Maxwell’s. What is her name again? Buchanan, yes, Buchanan--you must ask her.” “You’re no meaning the schoolmistress?” said Miss Insches. The Reverend Robert faltered a little--only a little--he was reässured by remembering the kindly attentions of Mossgray. “Yes, I believe she does keep a school; but she is very intimate with Miss Maxwell--you must ask her.” “Weel,” said Miss Insches, with some astonishment, “I am sure I dinna object; but to you to ask the schoolmistress among thae big folk, Robert! and maybe she’ll no like to come--she’s but young, puir thing--when the maister of the house is a young man.” “Oh,” said the minister, with a hasty blush, “she will never think of me. You must ask her to meet Miss Maxwell.” Miss Insches looked somewhat suspicious; she did not understand this; besides, she had heard her brother speak of Helen before, and now he hesitated at her name as if he did not recollect it. “I dinna ken what Robert means,” she muttered to herself as he left the room. “I am sure he kens the lassie well enough; what for could he no mind her name? Weel, to be sure, he’s the minister--but if he were ony ither man, I would hae my ain thoughts about it.” And her ain thoughts Miss Insches had, minister though her brother was; but the will of Robert was not to be contested, so his suspicious sister prepared herself for obedience.