They have
much to take, but they give themselves; and so it comes
about that the Empire is summed up in the race, and the
flag flies for its ideals.
Mrs Forsyth had been told of the approaching event; but
neither Dr Drummond, who was not fond of making
communications he did not approve of, nor the Murchisons,
who were shy of the matter as a queer business which
Advena seemed too much mixed up with, had mentioned it
to anyone else. Finlay himself had no intimates, and
moved into his new house in River Street under little
comment. His doings excited small surprise, because the
town knew too little about him to expect him to do one
thing more than another. He was very significant among
his people, very important in their lives but not, somehow,
at any expense to his private self. He knew them, but
they did not know him; and it is high praise of him that
this was no grievance among them. They would tell you
without resentment that the minister was a "very reserved"
man; there might be even a touch of proper pride in it.
The worshippers of Knox Church mission were rather a
reserved lot themselves. It was different with the
Methodists; plenty of expansion there.
Elgin, therefore, knew nothing, beyond the fact that Dr
Drummond had two ladies from the old country staying with
him, about whom particular curiosity would hardly be
expected outside of Knox Church.
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