hamed that I am to have sent for you, but he was very
bad and I was afraid. Come away! come away! I will make you a cup of
tea." But the minister's wife assured Kirsty that she was glad to come,
and declining the cup of tea, went to the room where Macdonald Dubh lay
tossing and moaning with the delirium of fever upon him. It was not long
before she knew what was required.

With hot fomentations she proceeded to allay the pain, and in half an
hour Macdonald Dubh grew quiet. His tossings and mutterings ceased and
he fell into a sleep.

Kirsty stood by admiring.

"Mercy me! Look at that now; and it is yourself that is the great
doctor!"

"Now, Kirsty," said Mrs. Murray, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "we will
just make him a little more comfortable."

"Yes," said Kirsty, not quite sure how the feat was to be achieved. "A
little hot something for his inside will be good, but indeed, many's the
drink I have given him," she suggested.

"What have you been giving him, Kirsty?"

"Senny and dandylion, and a little whisky. They will be telling me it is
ferry good whatever for the stomach and bow'ls."

"I don't think I would give him any more of that; but we will try and
make him feel a little more comfortable."

Mrs. Murray knew she was treading on delicate ground. The Highland pride
is quick to take offense.

"Sick people, you see," she proceeded carefully, "need very frequent
changes--sheets and clothing, you understand."

"Aye," said Kirsty, suspiciously.

"I am sure you have plenty of beautiful sheets, and we will change these
when he wakes from his sleep."

"Indeed, they are very clean, for there is no one but myself has slept
in them since he went away last fall to the shanties."

Mrs. Murray felt the delicacy of the position to be sensibly increased.

"Indeed, that is right, Kirsty; one can never tell just what sort of
people are traveling about nowadays."

"Indeed, and it's true," said Kirsty, heartily, "but I never let them in
here. I just keep them to the bunk."

"But," pursued Mrs. Murray, returning to the subject in hand, "it is
very important that for sick people the sheets should be thoroughly
aired and warmed. Why, in the hospital in Montreal they take the very
greatest care to air and change the sheets every day. You see so much
poison comes through the pores of the skin."

"Do you hear that now?" said Kirsty, amazed. "Indeed, I would be often
hearing that those French people are just full o