And then, with much lucidity and with a most dispassionate parade of arguments on both sides, he put before her this knotty question: whether it was a fit and proper thing for a body like the Strathgovan Commissioners to own public-house property? That was the general question. The immediate question was whether the "William Wallace" public-house, situated in the Netherbiggins road, should be re-let or summarily closed? On the one hand it was contended that the closing of the "William Wallace" would only produce a greater run on the other licensed houses; on the other hand, it was urged that a body like the commissioners should set an example and refuse to encourage a mischievous traffic. Now the Laird’s own view of the liquor question—which he always put forward modestly, as subject to the opinion of those who had had a wider legislative and administrative experience than himself—was, that the total suppression of the liquor traffic was a chimera; and that a practical man should turn to see what could be done in the way of stringent police regulations. He was proceeding to expound these points when he suddenly caught sight of the Youth, who had appeared at the gate, with two long fishing rods over his shoulder. He dropped his voice. "That just reminds me, ma’am," said he. "I am greatly obliged to ye—my nephew equally so—for your great kindness to him. I think it will not be necessary for him to trespass on your forbearance any longer." "I don’t quite understand you." "I think I will let him go back to his own pursuits now," said the Laird. "Oh, no," she said. "By all means let him come with us to Stornoway. He has been very good in not grumbling over any inconvenience. You would not send him away—just as we are going to start on our longest cruise?" She could not say anything further at the moment, for the Youth came up the gravel-path and threw the two huge rods on to the lawn. "Look there, uncle!" he cried. "I don’t care what size of lithe you get on the line, I’ll bet those rods won’t break, any way. Sutherland used to be lamenting over the big fish you lost up in the north: try them with those things!" Here their hostess passed on and into the house with her flowers. Uncle and nephew were left by themselves. "Howard, lad," said the elder of the two men, "bring that chair over, and sit opposite me, I do not want my papers to be disturbed. There are one or two matters of business I would like to put before ye." The Youth did as he was bid. The Laird paused for a second or two; then he began— "When I asked ye to come to the Highlands," said he, slowly, "I put an alternative before ye, with certain consequences. There were two things, one of which I wanted ye to do. Ye have done neither." Howard Smith looked somewhat alarmed: his hostess was not there to put a jocular air over that bargain. "Well, sir," he stammered, "I—I could not do what was impossible. I—I have done my best."