The difficulty which had seemed so insurmountable had disappeared; and to Alec it seemed as if the world lay at his feet. True, the parting with his father would be a painful one; but that could not be helped. He would do his best to soften the old man’s resentment at this second frustration of his wishes--and perhaps, he thought, some day his father would be glad that he had taken his own way, and determined to carve out his fortune with his own hand. FOOTNOTES: [1] A barrister. CHAPTER XV. ‘BUT YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN.’ Mr. Lindsay listened in silence while his son detailed to him the plans he had made for his future; and when Alec came to an end, he made no remark. ‘I hope, father, you do not disapprove of what I have done,’ said Alec, after waiting for his father to speak. ‘You are not acting in accordance with my wishes, as you know very well,’ was the reply. ‘I do not forbid your going to London, because you would pay no attention to me if I did. But I do not approve of your going. You will have no properly defined position in this firm of lawyers, of whom, after all, you know next to nothing. You are throwing away an excellent opportunity for a vague chance, out of mere caprice; and you may live to regret that you have not taken my advice. I wish you would go over to Muirburn to-morrow, and tell Symes that I must have the new cart-wheels at once.’ Nor did Alec get much more sympathy from his sister; though, unknown to him, she often dropped a tear over the articles of his outfit which she was busily preparing. ‘You have never wished me good luck, Maggie,’ he said on one occasion. ‘You know I don’t think you are doing right,’ she answered without looking up. ‘I am doing nothing wrong in choosing my own path in life,’ cried Alec. ‘And I must say,’ he added, provoked at her want of sympathy, ‘you and my father are not----’ Then he stopped. ‘But I’m not going to quarrel with you, this last week, Maggie.’ ‘I know quite well what you were going to say, Alec. But I am very sorry you are going away at all, and the more so that you are going without my father’s consent.’ Alec sighed impatiently. ‘What _is_ the use of going back to all that now?’ said he. And his sister made no reply. It may easily be imagined that it was a relief to Alec, and indeed to the whole family, when Hubert Blake made his appearance at the farm. ‘Well,’ he said, passing his arm through Alec’s as they strolled together towards the river, ‘so you have settled the great question without me?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘I am sorry I am too late to be of any use; but I came off as soon as I read your letter--that is, the very next morning. I think I had better go back to-morrow, for my uncle was not particularly well pleased at my running away directly after I got home.’