Ralph “grounded” himself as best as he could, explaining the views of the mother of King Lemuel as to the woman of virtue and faithfulness.  He seemed to himself to have a fluency and a fervour in exposition to which he had been a stranger.  He began to have new views about the necessity for the creation of Eve.  Woman might possibly, after all, be less purely gratuitous than he had supposed.

“The woman who is above rubies,” said he, “is one who rises early to care for the house, who oversees the handmaids as they cleanse the household stuffs—­in a” (he just saved himself from saying “in a black pot")—­“in a fitting vessel by the rivers of water.”

“Well put and correctly mandated,” said Mr. Welsh, very much pleased.  There was unction about this young man.  Though a bachelor by profession, he loved to hear the praises of good women; for he had once known one.

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and—­”

Here Ralph paused, biting his tongue to keep from describing the picture which rose before him.

“And what,” said the minister, tentatively, leaning forward to look into the open face of the young man, “what is the distinction or badge of true beauty and favour of countenance, as so well expressed by the mother of King Lemuel?”

“A lilac sunbonnet!” said Ralph Peden, student in divinity.

CHAPTER III.

A treasure-trove.

Winsome charteris was a self-possessed maid, but undeniably her heart beat faster when she found on the brae face, beneath the bush of broom, two books the like of which she had never seen before, as well as an open notebook with writing upon it in the neatest and delicatest of hands.  First, as became a prudent woman of experience, she went up to the top of the hill to assure herself that the owner of this strange treasure was not about to return.  Then she carefully let down her high-kilted print dress till only her white feet “like little mice” stole in and out.  It did not strike her that this sacrifice to the conventions was just a trifle belated.

As she returned she said “Shoo!” at every tangled bush, and flapped her apron as if to scare whatever curious wild fowl might have left behind it in its nest under the broom such curious nest-eggs as two great books full of strange, bewitched-looking printing, and a note-book of curious and interesting writings.  Then, with a half sigh of disappointment, Winsome Charteris sat herself down to look into this matter.  Meg Kissock from the bridge end showed signs of coming up to see what she was about; but Winsome imperiously checked the movement.

“Bide where you are, Meg; I’ll be down with you presently.”

She turned over the great Hebrew Bible reverently.  “A.  Welsh” was written on the fly-leaf.  She had a strange idea that she had seen it before.  It seemed somehow thrillingly familiar.