as a woman who had been badly burned by her clothes taking
fire, while she was in a drunken sleep. She was recovering now, and her
little girl was allowed to come and see her now and then.

"Ye can do naething for me," she said as Allison set down the child
beside her.

"No, I fear not, except that I might ease you a little, by shaking up
your pillow and putting the blankets straight. Are ye in pain?"

"Ill enough. But it's no' the pain that troubles me. It's the fear
that I mayna get the use o' my hand again."

"Oh! I hope it mayna be so bad as that," said Allison, shaking up the
pillows and smoothing the woman's rough hair, and tying her crumpled
cap-strings under her chin. "What does the doctor say about it?"

"Ye'll need to speir at himsel' to find that out. He says naething to
me."

"We will hope better things for you," said Allison.

She took the child in her arms again. A fair, fragile little creature
she was, with soft rings of golden hair, and great, wistful blue eyes.
She was not in the least shy or frightened, but nestled in Allison's
arms in perfect content.

"Come and see Charlie," said she.

Charlie was a little lad whose right place was in another room; but
being restless and troublesome, he had been brought here for a change.

"What ails you, my laddie?" asked Allison, meeting his sharp, bright
eyes.

"Just a sair leg. It's better now. Oh! ay, it hurts whiles yet, but
no' so bad. Have you ony books?"

"No, I brought no book with me except my Bible."

"Weel, a Bible would be better than nae book at a'."

"Eh! laddie! Is that the way ye speak of the good Book?" said a voice
behind him. "And there's Bibles here--plenty o' them."

"Are ye comin' the morn?" asked the lad.

"Yes, I am," said Allison.

"And could ye no' get a book to bring with you--a book of ony kind--
except the catechis?"

"Heard ye ever the like o' that! Wha has had the up-bringin' o' you?"

"Mysel' maistly. What ails ye at my up-bringin'? Will ye hae a book
for me the morn?" said he to Allison.

"If I can, and if it's allowed."

"Oh! naebody will hinder ye. It's no' my head, but my leg that's sair.
Readin' winna do that ony ill, I'm thinkin'."

And then Allison went on to another bed, and backwards and forwards
among them, through the long day. There were not many of them, but oh!
the pain, and the weariness!--the murmurs of some, and the dull patience
of others, how sad it was to see! Would s