, &c. There were but two
subjects which Robert avoided--Miss St. John and the Bonnie Leddy.
Shargar was at length deposited upon the little bit of hearthrug
which adorned rather than enriched the room, with Robert's plaid of
shepherd tartan around him, and an Ainsworth's dictionary under his
head for a pillow.
'Man, I fin' mysel' jist like a muckle colley (sheep-dog),' he said.
'Whan I close my een, I'm no sure 'at I'm no i' the inside o' yer
auld luckie-daiddie's kilt. The Lord preserve me frae ever sic a
fricht again as yer grannie an' Betty gae me the nicht they fand me
in 't! I dinna believe it's in natur' to hae sic a fricht twise in
ae lifetime. Sae I'll fa' asleep at ance, an' say nae mair--but as
muckle o' my prayers as I can min' upo' noo 'at grannie's no at my
lug.'
'Haud yer impidence, an' yer tongue thegither,' said Robert. 'Min'
'at my grannie's been the best frien' ye ever had.'
''Cep' my ain mither,' returned Shargar, with a sleepy doggedness in
his tone.
During their conference, Ericson had been slumbering. Robert had
visited him from time to time, but he had not awaked. As soon as
Shargar was disposed of, he took his candle and sat down by him. He
grew more uneasy. Robert guessed that the candle was the cause, and
put it out. Ericson was quieter. So Robert sat in the dark.
But the rain had now ceased. Some upper wind had swept the clouds
from the sky, and the whole world of stars was radiant over the
earth and its griefs.
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