434 The Little Minister

the earl heard. Across that thundering water
only Gavin’s voice could carry, the most powerful
ever heard in a Thrums pulpit, the one voice that
could be heard all over the Commonty during the
time of the tent-preaching. Yet he never roared,
as some preachers do of whom we say, “Ah, if
they could hear the little minister’s word !”

Gavin caught the gesticulating earl by the
sleeve and said, “ Another man has gone for
ropes. Now, listen to me; how dared you go
through a marriage ceremony with her, knowing
her already to be my wife?”

Rintoul did listen this time.

“How do you know I married her?” he
asked, sharply.

“| heard the cannon.”

Now the earl understood, and the shadow on
his face shook and lifted, and his teeth gleamed.
His triumph might be short-lived, but he would
enjoy it while he could.

“ Well,” he answered, picking the pebbles for
his sling with care, “ you must know that I could
not have married her against her will. The frolic
on the hill amused her, but she feared you might
think it serious, and so pressed me to proceed
with her marriage to-day despite the flood.”

This was the point at which the shepherd saw
the minister raise his fist. It fell, however, with-
out striking.

“ Do you really think that I could doubt her?”
Gavin said, compassionately, and for the second
time in twenty-four hours the earl learned that
he did not know what love is.

For a full minute they had forgotten where