pers lest they disturb
him. They shared a room at the end of the hall and Auntie Elspie's
room was opposite his. It was quite late when finally he heard her
come up to bed. But yet he could not sleep. His window-blind was
rolled to the top and the moonlight flooded his room. Outside the
diamond-spangled earth lay still and frost bound. Craig-Ellachie stood
out white, silver-crowned, against the blue of the forest. Gavin
raised himself on his elbow and looked out at the silent beauty of the
night. The great white expanse seemed calling to him to come away and
do as his fellow heroes were doing. He ought to be lying in a freezing
trench, grasping a rifle instead of skulking in a feather bed wrapped
in warm blankets. But indeed the bed had become a very rack to poor
Gavin, the blankets smothered him. He tossed from side to side, vainly
seeking relief.

Suddenly he sat up in bed, holding his breath to listen. The great
glittering space of the outdoor world had taken voice and was crying
out against him for not playing the man. From far across the silver
sheen of the fields, clear and piercing, came the words,

"By oppression's woes and pains,
By our sons in servile chains,
We will drain our dearest veins
But they shall be free!
Lay the proud usurper low;
Tyrants fall in every foe;
Liberty's in every blow;
Let us do--or die!"

Gavin sprang from his bed and flung on his clothes madly. He had a
wild notion that he must run out to the road and shout aloud to the
world that he was coming, coming to the battle-front! When he was
dressed he ran to the window and threw it up and his madness departed
from him. It was only the gay sleigh-load returning from the Dalton
tea-meeting. They swept past the house, setting his dogs barking
madly, and the song died away as they disappeared down the glittering
silver road. Gavin leaned far out of the window; his burning face
stung by the cold air.

"Stand fast, Craig-Ellachie!" he whispered through his clenched teeth.
The hot tears came smarting to his eyes, and he suddenly drew back,
ashamed of his weakness. He closed the window, remembering even in his
misery to do it quietly so as not to disturb the dear ones who were
sleeping. He still knelt on at the window watching the shining track
where the song of deathless liberty was fading away.

But there was a pair of loving ears near, that had heard all Gavin's
movements. Auntie Elspie slept in