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Sarah stood with her hands clenched agonisingly together. She
had never dreamt that her mother would Jeopardise her comfortable life
at Rathard for principles. 3he had forgotten easily and too soon that
her mother was a spiritual and racial* descendant of the two Margarets
who, choking at their stakes in the rising waters of Solway, saw Christ
and He wrestling, Martha's God was a terrible but hearkening God. Her
every word and thought was weighed on His fingertip. Before a faith
such as that, comfort and a hearth and a little folding of the hands
burned away like so ranch dross. But to Sarah the novelty of her new
position in life was too fresh for her not to appreciate the change
for the better in her fortunes. They had come as servants and labourers
to Rathard, and now she at least, had attained the position of mistress
in the Echlin household. It was not avarice, but the fear of returning
to a life of drudgery that filled her with hatred as she stood between
the brothers, listening to the old woman.
“Will ye change your ways o’ going, Sarah?" her mother asked.
“There's nothing wrong wi' my ways o' going" the girl answered
sullenly.
"Are ye going to do as your betters bid yo, and return to your
church?" persisted Martha.
The girl raised her head sharply, ”My betters!” she exclaimed, her
face flushing in anger. “So that’s it: Mr Sorleyson has been at ye -
now isn’t that the truth!”
“Aye, that’s the truth, your minister came down from his pulpit to
beg wi’ me that my daughter would come back. That’s what i had to endure
in my own church.' The old woman’s voice grew bitter, "He said that
Frank and Kami would remember their father, God forgive them, they hae
