"But ye maun try and no forget him, lassie."
"Sae I do. But it's dour wark, and 'maist impossible."
"Sae it maun aye be; to the auld Aidam impossible; to the young
Christian a weary watch."
Hope began to dawn upon Annie.
"A body micht hae a chance," she asked with meditative suggestion, "allooin' 'at she did forget him whiles?"
"Nae doot, lassie. The nations that forget God are them that dinna care, that never fash their heids, or their herts aither, aboot him—them that were never called, never chosen."
Annie's trouble returned like a sea-wave that had only retired to gather strength.
"But hoo's a body to ken whether she be ane o' the elec'?" she said, quaking.
"That's a hard maitter. It's no needfu' to ken't aforehan'. Jist lat that alane i' the mean time."
"But I canna lat it alane. It's no for mysel' aither a'thegither. Could ye lat it alane, Thomas?"