It was out of good nature that Alec had told the one invalid what had been going on in the other's room, but Bates was only very much annoyed.
"I thought," said he, "that ye'd got that bee out of yer ain bonnet, but ye're baith of ye daft now."
"Come now, Bates; you wouldn't dare to say that to my 'brother, the clergyman.'"
"I know more what's due than to call a minister a fule to his face, but whiles it's necessary to say it behind his back."
"Now I call him a hero, after what he's said to-day."
Alec was enjoying the humour of poking up the giant of conventionality.
"Hoots, man; it's yourself ye regard as a hero! Set yerself up as a
Juggernaut on a car and crush him under the wheels!"
"Oh, I'm going to British Columbia. I won't take him at his word; but I'm pleased he had pluck enough to think of taking the bull by the horns."
"But I'm thinking ye just will take him at his word, for it's the easiest—standing there, patting him on the back, because he's given up to you!"
It was as odd a household this as well might be. Alec spent some of his time offering rough ministrations to his lame brother and asthmatic visitor, but more often left them to the sad but conscientious care of Mrs. Martha, preferring to exercise his brother's horses; and he scoured the country, escaping from social overtures he did not feel prepared to meet. To all three men Mrs. Martha was at this time an object of silent wonder. Before the Adventist disturbance she had appeared a very commonplace person; now, as they saw her going about her daily work, grim in her complete reserve, questions which could hardly be put into words arose in their minds concerning her. She suggested to them such pictorial ideas as one gleans in childhood about the end of the world, and this quite without any effort on their part, but just because she had clothed herself to their eyes in such ideas. Bates, who had exact opinions on all points of theology, tackled her upon what he termed "her errors"; but, perhaps because he had little breath to give to the cause, the other two inmates of the house could not learn that he had gained any influence over her or any additional information as to her state of mind.