RAB AND HIS FRIENDS.

and the students, she curtsies, and in a
low, clear voice, begs their pardon if she
has behaved ill. The students—all of us
—wept like children ; the surgeon wrapped
her up carefully, and, resting on James
and me, Ailie went to her room, Rab fol-
lowing. We put her to bed. James took
off his heavy shoes, crammed with tackets,
heel-capped and toe-capped, and put them
carefully under the table, saying, “ Maister
John, I’m for nane o’ yer strynge nurse
bodies for Ailie. I’ll be her nurse, and I’ll
gang aboot on my stockin’ soles as canny
as pussy.” And so he did; and handy
and clever, and swift and tender as any
woman, was that horny-handed, snell, per-
emptory little man. Everything she got
he gave her: he seldom slept, and often I
saw his small, shrewd eyes out of the
darkness fixed on her. As before, they
spoke little.

Rab behaved well, never moving, show-

27