She went to the edge of the ridge, and saw Ian sitting with his book on the other side of the burn. She called him to her, and handed him the letter. He took it, read it through, and gave it her back.
"Ian!" she exclaimed, "have you nothing to say to that?"
"I beg your pardon, mother," he answered: "I must think about it. Why should it trouble you so! It is painfully annoying, but we have come under no obligation to them!"
"No; but Alister!"
"You cannot doubt Alister will do what is right!"
"He will do what he thinks right!"
"Is not that enough, mother?"
"No," she answered angrily; "he must do the thing that is right."
"Whether he knows it or not? Could he do the thing he thought wrong?"
She was silent.