going to tie, and they wadna
let her come oop."

"Kenneth is not going to die; he's much better."

"She wants to see for hersel'."

"Will you go down, then, as soon as you've seen?"

"She wants to know why Scoodrach canna stay, when a strange Southron
stops always in ta place."

"I am a visitor here, and was asked to stay," said Max rather stiffly;
but his words were not heard, for the young gillie had dropped into the
room, and ran barelegged and barefoot over the carpet to the bedside, to
bend down and gaze intently in Kenneth's face.

Just then a low cough was heard on the stair, and Scoodrach darted to
the window, crept out, and disappeared, just as the door-handle faintly
rattled.

Max went quickly to the window, but could only see something shadowy
creeping downward, and he would have stopped gazing down at the climber,
whose progress had a strange fascination for him, if the doctor's voice
had not taken his attention.

"Perhaps you had better shut the window. Lovely night. Has he been
sleeping quietly?"

"Yes."

"That's right. Going on capitally; but do you know what time it is?"

"Yes, nearly twelve. I was waiting for him to wake up and say
good-night before I went."

"Then you'll have to wait till to-morrow morning, my dear sir, for he is
in a deep, satisfying sleep, and I don't suppose he'll wake again.
Good-night."

He shook hands and left the room, when Max's first step was to run to
the window, and open it gently, but there was not a sound to be heard
but the lapping of the waves among the rocks below.

Time after time The Mackhai, whose manner seemed greatly softened to
him, suggested to Max that he should go fishing, shooting, or try one of
the ponies.

"The keeper will go with you," he said; "and you seem to be wasting so
much time. Why, we are turning you into quite a hospital nurse."

"Oh no; I would rather not go without Kenneth," said Max hastily; and
The Mackhai said no more, being in doubt in his own mind whether the
refusal was from cowardice or from disinclination to leave the invalid,
who grew more fretful and impatient every day that he approached
convalescence.

"Why can't you go and fish, or shoot, or do something, Max? You haven't
tried for the trout yet. How I do hate to see you sitting there gaping
at a fellow!"

"Did I gape?"

"Yes; you're always gaping, or bothering me to take one of old Curzon's
doses. I say!"

"Yes."

"See Tavvy this morning?"