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And it was fine to mount the train at Barbie on the fresh, cool mornings, and be off past the gleaming rivers and the woods. Better still was the home-coming to board the empty train at Skeighan when the afternoon sun came pleasant through the windows, to loll on the fat cushions and read the novelettes. He learned to smoke too, and that was a source of pride.
"I think the railway means to come." The whole country was agog about the new railway. The question agitating solemn minds was whether it should join the main line at Fechars, thirty miles ahead, or pass to the right, through Fleckie and Barbie, to a junction up at Skeighan Drone. Many were the reasons spluttered in vehement debate for one route or the other.
Then nothing would serve him but he must drive back wi' young Pin-oe, who was even drunker than himsell. They drave at sic a rate that when they dashed from this side o' Skeighan Drone the stour o' their career was rising at the far end. They roared and sang till it was a perfect affront to God's day, and frae sidie to sidie they swung till the splash-brods were skreighing on the wheels.
"Sweet souvenir!" he cried, and kissed it, "most dear remembrance!" The Deacon fed on the sight. The richness of his satiric perception was too great to permit of speech. He could only gloat and be dumb. "Waiting for Jack Gourlay," Aird rattled again. "He's off to College again, and we're driving in his father's trap to meet the express at Skeighan Station. Wonder what's keeping the fellow.
"Have ye heard about him at the Skeighan Fair?" said Sandy Toddle. "No, man," said Brodie, bowing down and keeking at Toddle in his interest; "I hadna heard about tha-at! Is this a new thing?" "Oh, just at the fair; the other day, ye know!" "Ay, man, Sandy!" said big Brodie, stooping down to Toddle to get near the news; "and what was it, Sandy?"
Already he had borrowed considerably upon that security; he was now dressing to go to Skeighan and get more. "Brodie, Gurney, and Yarrowby" of Glasgow were the lawyers who financed him, and he had to sign some papers at Goudie's office ere he touched the cash. He was meaning to drive, of course; Gourlay was proud of his gig, and always kept a spanking roadster.
Gourlay's resolve to be equal to Wilson in everything he did was his main reason for sending his son to the High School of Skeighan. That he saw his business decreasing daily was a reason too. Young Gourlay was a lad of fifteen now, undersized for his age at that time, though he soon shot up to be a swaggering youngster.
"Ay, woman, Jenny, ye're there!" he said, and nipped her ear as he passed over to his chair. "Were ye in Skeighan the day?" "Ay, faither," she answered. "And what did the Skeighan doctor say?" She raised her large pale eyes to his with a strange look. Then her head sank low on her breast. "Nothing!" she said at last. "Nothing!" said he. "Nothing for nothing, then. I hope you didna pay him?"
Only the larger fullness of his fine nostril betrayed the hell of wrath seething within him. And when they alighted in Skeighan an observant boy said to his mother, "I saw the marks of his chirted teeth through his jaw." But they were still far from Skeighan, and Gourlay had much to thole. "Did ye hear," shouted Brodie, "that Wilson is sending his son to the College at Embro in October?"
Look at Skeighan and Fleckie and Barbie three towns at our back, and the new Coal Company forbye! A public opinion of that size ought to have a great weight if put forward properly! We must agitate, sirs, we must agitate; we maun scour the country for names in our support. Look what a number of things there are to recommend our route.
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