"If Mr. Chalmers thinks it such a fine thing to fight," said Robert, "why doesn't he go and do it? He's not much more than thirty." "He's married, Robert," his mother reminded him, "and three wee ones. You could hardly expect it. Besides, he was telling me that if many more ministers go away to be chaplains they'll have to shut some of the churches." "And high time, too," said Robert. "Aw, Rubbert," wailed poor Mrs. Thomson, "what harm do the churches do you?" "Never heed him, Mamma," Mr. Thomson said. "He's just sayin' it." Mrs. Thomson sat on her low chair by the fireside--the nursing chair where she had sat and played with her babies in the long past happy days, her kind face disfigured by much crying, her hands idle in her lap, looking at her first-born as if she grudged every moment her eyes were away from him. It seemed as if she were learning every line of his face by heart to help her in a future that would hold no Robert. Jessie, freed for the night from her nursing, sat silently doing a last bit of sewing for her brother. Alick was playing idly with the buckle of Robert's haversack, and relating at intervals small items of news culled from the evening papers, by way of cheering his family. Robert, always quiet, was almost speechless this last evening. "I saw Taylor to-day," Mr. Thomson remarked, after a silence. "He asked to be remembered to you, Rubbert. In fact, he kinda hinted he would look in to-night--but I discouraged him." "Wee Taylor! Oh, help!" ejaculated Alick. "You were quite right, Papa," said his wife. "We're not wanting anybody the night, not even old friends like the Taylors." Silence fell again, and Alick hummed a tune. "Rubbert," said Mrs. Thomson, leaning forward and touching her son's arm, "Rubbert, promise me that you'll not do anything brave." Robert's infrequent smile broke over his face, making it oddly attractive. "You're not much of a Roman matron, wee body," he said, patting her hand. "I am not," said Mrs. Thomson. "I niver was meant for a soldier's mother. I niver liked soldiers. I niver thought it was a very respectable job." "It's the _only_ respectable job just now, anyway, Mother," said Jessie. "That's so," said her father. "There's the bell," cried Alick. "I hear Annie letting somebody in." "Dash!" said Robert, rising to fly. But he was too late; the door opened, and Annie announced "Mr. Seton." At the sight of the tall familiar figure everybody rose to their feet and hastened to greet their old minister. "Well, I niver," said Mrs. Thomson, "and me just saying we couldn't put up with visitors the night." "You see we don't count you a visitor," Mr. Thomson explained. "Rubbert's off to-morrow." "I know," said Mr. Seton. "That is why I came. We are in Glasgow for a few days. I left Elizabeth and Buff at the Central Hotel. Elizabeth said you wouldn't want her to-night, but she will come before we leave." "How is she?" asked Mrs. Thomson. "Poor thing! She'll not laugh so much now."