of you, if
ye would but let Him have His will o' ye. Able! ay, is He, and willing
as able, and surely He has given you a sign. Look at this woman against
whom, it is said, ye woefully sinned! If she, who is but a weak and
sinful mortal, has forgiven you, and is caring for you, and would save
you, how can there be doubt of Him who gave His life a ransom for you?"

A glance at Allison's face stayed his words. Then he knelt down and
prayed--not in many words--not as if entreating One offended or angry,
but One waiting, looking, listening, loving; One "mighty to save." And
then he rose and touched the hand of each, and went silently away.

Had Brownrig fallen asleep? Allison slowly turned her face toward him.
He lay with closed eyes, motionless, and there were tears on his cheeks.
As Allison tried gently to withdraw her hand from his clasp his eyes
opened.

"Is it true, Allie? Have you forgiven me?"

"I--was sorry for you long since, even before you were hurt. I never
wished ill to you. I came when I heard that you were like to die, so
that we might forgive one another--"

Allison had gone almost beyond her power of speech by this time, but he
held her fast.

"Oh! Allie, ye micht hae made a good man o' me, if ye had but had the
patience and the will to try."

But Allison said:

"No, that could never have been. I wasna good myself, and I was dazed
with trouble."

"Ay, poor lassie, ye hae much to forgive. But I will make amends, I
will make amends. Yes, in the sight of God and man, I will make full
amends."

Allison could bear no more. Where was it all to end? Surely she was in
the net now, and it was drawing close upon her, and she could not bear
it. For a moment it came into her mind to flee. But the temptation did
not linger long, nor did it return.

In his accustomed place Dickson was waiting.

"Your master requires you," said Allison, and then she passed on to her
refuge among the auld wives, and puir bodies in the wide ward beyond.
But it was not a refuge to-day.

"And how is your patient the day, puir man?" said she who was bowed with
rheumatism being `no' fifty yet.

"We heard that the minister had been sent for to see him," said another.
"It is to be hoped that he will do him some good."

Allison answered them both quietly: "He is just as usual. Yes, the
minister has been there," and moved on to some one else.

It was the hour which she usually spent among them, and she went fr