ly. 'They're making a work about
nothing. I've done as much twenty times since I saw you last, and I'm
not dead yet. But I think it's coming.'

'What's coming?' asked Robert, rising in alarm.

'Nothing,' answered Ericson, soothingly,--'only death.--I should like to
see Miss St. John once before I die. Do you think she would come and see
me if I were really dying?'

'I'm sure she wad. But gin ye speik like this, Miss Letty winna lat me
come near ye, no to say her. Oh, Mr. Ericson! gin ye dee, I sanna care
to live.'

Bethinking himself that such was not the way to keep Ericson quiet,
he repressed his emotion, sat down behind the curtain, and was silent.
Ericson fell fast asleep. Robert crept from the room, and telling Miss
Letty that he would return presently, went to Miss St. John.

'How can I go to Aberdeen without him?' he thought as he walked down the
street.

Neither was a guide to the other; but the questioning of two may give
just the needful points by which the parallax of a truth may be gained.

'Mr. Ericson's here, Miss St. John,' he said, the moment he was shown
into her presence.

Her face flushed. Robert had never seen her look so beautiful.

'He's verra ill,' he added.

Her face grew pale--very pale.

'He asked if I thought you would go and see him--that is if he were
going to die.'

A sunset flush, but faint as on the clouds of the east, rose over her
pallor.

'I will go at once,' she said, rising.

'Na, na,' returned Robert, hastily. 'It has to be manage. It's no to be
dune a' in a hurry. For ae thing, there's Dr. Gow says he maunna
speak ae word; and for anither, there's Miss Letty 'ill jist be like a
watch-dog to haud a'body oot ower frae 'im. We maun bide oor time. But
gin ye say ye'll gang, that 'll content him i' the meantime. I'll tell
him.'

'I will go any moment,' she said. 'Is he very ill?'

'I'm afraid he is. I doobt I'll hae to gang to Aberdeen withoot him.'

A week after, though he was better, his going was out of the question.
Robert wanted to stay with him, but he would not hear of it. He would
follow in a week or so, he said, and Robert must start fair with the
rest of the semies.

But all the removal he was ever able to bear was to the 'red room,' the
best in the house, opening, as I have already mentioned, from an outside
stair in the archway. They put up a great screen inside the door, and
there the lan'less laird lay like a lord.

CHAPTER XXI. SHARGAR ASPI