"I will grant more—that the sins of the fathers are often reproduced in the children. But it is nowhere said, 'Thou shalt visit the sins of the fathers on the children.' God puts no vengeance into our hands. I fear you are in danger of being unjust to the girl, mother!—but then you do not know her so well as we do!"
"Of course not! Every boy understands a woman better than his mother!"
"The thing is exceedingly annoying, mother! Let us go and find
Alister at once!"
"He will take it like a man of sense, I trust!"
"He will. It will trouble him terribly, but he will do as he ought. Give him time and I don't believe there is a man in the world to whom the right comes out clearer than to Alister."
The mother answered only with a sigh.
"Many a man," remarked Ian, "has been saved through what men call an unfortunate love affair!"
"Many a man has been lost by having his own way in one!" rejoined the mother.
"As to LOST, I would not make up my mind about that for a few centuries or so!" returned Ian. "A man may be allowed his own way for the discipline to result from it."
"I trust, Ian, you will not encourage him in any folly!"