terms.

In her distress the dying woman sent a message to the priest, begging
for his intervention. It was the dead of winter, and a severe frost
had set in. The old priest had to drive in a friendly farmer's open
vehicle for ten miles in a keen wind. He succeeded in persuading one
of the men to seek for peace and friendship, then drove on five miles
farther to interview the other. Through his earnest remonstrances the
strife was entirely brought to an end. But it was at the cost of the
life of the aged peacemaker. He caught a severe chill, which he was
never able to throw off, and after two or three months he bade farewell
to earth.

Mr. McGillivray had desired, when old age should have rendered him
incapable of his priestly charge, to be allowed to retire from active
work, and end his days in the quiet seclusion of his native district--a
strath shut in by hills, many miles to the north of Ardmuirland. But
the family from which the priest had sprung were no great favorites
there, and his wish, when made known, had not been cordially received
by the people. This had been sufficient to excite the wrath of the
Ardmuirland folk; they had risen up as one man against any such
arrangement. An appeal was made to the Bishop to prevent their beloved
pastor from leaving his flock to die among comparative strangers. So
it had been settled by authority that Mr. McGillivray should continue
his ministrations among them as long as he was able, and should then
receive a helper; thus he was never to take leave of Ardmuirland except
to receive his heavenly reward. As we have seen, he died in harness,
before there could be any question of retirement.

And now another difficulty arose. His own native district naturally