"And have all your people quite under your own care?"
"A grand thing, indeed, mother!"
"How can you say then it is no temptation to you?"
"Because it is none."
"How is that?"
"I would not have my clan under a factor of Satan's, mother!"
"I do not understand you!"
"What else should I be, if I accepted the oversight of them on terms of allegiance to him! That was how he tempted Jesus. I will not be the devil's steward, to call any land or any people mine!"
His mother kissed him on the forehead, walked erect from the room, and went to her own to humble herself afresh.
In the morning, Alister took his dinner of bread and cheese in his pocket, and set out for the tomb on the hill-top. There he remained until the evening, and wrote his answer, sorely missing Ian.