This Mr. Mannering was a young divine of the U.P. Church who had an extraordinary popularity at this time among the young people of the south of Scotland, and especially the young people of Glasgow, and that from a variety of causes. He was a singularly eloquent preacher—flowing, ornate, and poetical; he was entirely unconventional, not to say daring, in his choice of subjects; his quotations were as commonly from Shakespeare and Coleridge and Byron and Browning as from the usual pulpit authorities; he was exceedingly handsome, and rather delicate-looking—pale and large-eyed and long-haired; and he had refused the most flattering offers—’calls’ is the proper word—from various west-end congregations of Glasgow, because he considered it his duty to remain among the mining-folk of Airdrie. When he did accept an invitation to preach in this or that city church, the young people from far and near came flocking to hear him; and a good many of their elders too, though these were not without certain prickings of conscience as to the propriety of devoting the Lord’s day to what was remarkably like a revel in pure literature. ’Dugald’s coming over here this afternoon,’ the elder brother continued, as if he were communing with himself. ’He’s an enthusiastic kind of fellow—he’ll stick at nothing, if he thinks it’s right. I wish, now, I had that portrait—but Maggie’s away to school by this time——’ ’What portrait?’ Ronald asked. The Reverend Andrew did not answer, but rose, and slowly and thoughtfully left the room. When he came back he had in his hand a photograph of Meenie framed in a little frame of crimson velvet, and that he put on the table: Ronald recognised it swiftly enough. ’He has got an eye for a handsome young lass, has Dugald,’ the minister said shrewdly. ’I’ll just have that lying about, as it were. Ay, it’s a straightforward, frank face, that; and one that has nothing to hide. I’ll just have it lying about when Dugald comes over this afternoon, and see if he doesna pick it up and have a good look at it.’ ’But what mean ye, Andrew?’ his brother said. ’Why, then, lad, I think I’ll just tell Dugald the whole story; and if he’s not as hot-headed as any of ye to carry the thing through, I’ll be surprised. And I suppose if he marries ye, that’s just as good as any one else?—for to tell you the truth, Ronald, I would rather not be mixed up in it myself.’ ’And the banns?’ said Ronald quickly. ’And the length of time in the parish? And the consent of her mother and father?’ The minister waved his hand with a superior air; these were trivial things, not to say popular errors; what had been of real consequence was the extent to which he dared implicate himself.