Archie Maxwell, having at the cost of many lies postponed his trip to Buenos Ayres, has duly arrived, and, strange to say, the vicar takes a great fancy to him. After living for so many years with no other company than a rusty housekeeper and a library of rustier books, he is quite delighted at the presence of two young men in the house, and actually foregoes his after-dinner sleep in order to talk with them while they smoke their pipes. Archie tells him all his history, of his travels, his struggles, his income, his aspirations, his love-affairs--in fact, everything about himself, and the old man's heart warms towards this handsome, graceless youth, who he sees has the makings of a fine man about him. He listens sympathetically to the endless catalogue of Kaituna's charms, to the hopes and fears and heart-burnings which are part of the disease of love, and then undergoes the same thing in duplicate from Toby. Indeed, so genial is he that both the young men wax eloquent on the merits of their respective Dulcineas, and spare him no detail, however small, of their perfections. As to Toby's suit, Mr. Clendon thinks it will prosper if Thomasina is that way inclined, as Mrs. Valpy is a widow and would be only too glad to see her daughter in the safe keeping of such an excellent young man; but when questioned about Archie's wooing, the sage is doubtful. He has seen Sir Rupert and thinks him haughty and supercilious--not at all the kind of man to bestow his daughter on a pauper engineer, however good his prospects. The best thing he can do is to bid Archie wait and hope. If Kaituna loves him, parental opposition may be overcome; but the course of true love never did run smooth, and Archie must be prepared for trouble. But as gold is refined by passing through fire, so both these young lovers, if frizzled up in the furnace of affection, may benefit by the ordeal, and prove their mutual passions to be strong and enduring, whereas at present it may merely be the effect of juxtaposition and a desire to pass the time. Archie is horrified at this flippant view of the case being taken by venerable age, and vows by the stars, the moon--yea--by the heart of his sweet mistress, that the love he bears her is not of to-day or to-morrow, but of all time, and that nothing shall prevent him marrying the object of his passion, even if he should have to adopt that last resource of young Lochinvar--a runaway marriage. So things stand at present, and Toby sends a note over to Kaituna, asking permission to renew their acquaintance with her; then, without waiting for such permission to be granted--the note being a mere matter of form--sets off Thornstream-wards with his friend Archibald. Before they start on this errand of charity on the part of Toby, and wooing on the part of Archibald, the sage discourseth.