n how the vagrant's grateful love and agility enabled him to
awaken the sleeping sentinel at his post, and save "the old soldier's
honour."

John Broom remained by his friend, whose painful fits of coughing,
and of gasping for breath, were varied by intervals of seeming
stupor. When a candle had been brought in and placed near the bed,
the Highlander roused himself and asked:

"Is there a Bible on yon table? Could ye read a bit to me, laddie?"

There is little need to dwell on the bitterness of heart with which
John Broom confessed:

"I can't read big words, McAlister!"

"Did ye never go to school?" said the Scotchman.

"I didn't learn," said the poor boy; "I played."

"Aye, aye. Weel ye'll learn when ye gang hame," said the
Highlander, in gentle tones.

"I'll never get home," said John Broom, passionately. "I'll never
forgive myself. I'll never get over it, that I couldn't read to ye
when ye wanted me, McAlister."

"Gently, gently," said the Scotchman. "Dinna daunt yoursel' ower
much wi' the past, laddie. And for me--I'm not that presoomtious to
think I can square up a misspent life as a man might compound wi's
creditors. 'Gin He forgi'es me, He'll forgi'e; but it's not a
prayer up or a chapter down that'll stan' between me and the
Almighty. So dinna fret yoursel', but let me think while I may."

And so, far into the night, the Highlander lay silent, and John
Broom watched by him.

It was just midnight when he partly raised himself, and cried:

"Whist, laddie! do ye hear the pipes?"

The dying ears must have been quick, for John Broom heard nothing;
but in a few minutes he heard the bagpipes from the officers' mess,
where they were keeping Hogmenay. They were playing the old year
out with "Auld Lang Syne," and the Highlander beat the time out
with his hand, and his eyes gleamed out of his rugged face in the
dim light, as cairngorms glitter in dark tartan.

There was a pause after the first verse, and he grew restless, and
turning doubtfully to where John Broom sat, as if his sight were
failing, he said: "Ye'll mind your promise, ye'll gang hame?" And
after a while he repeated the last word "Hame!"

But as he spoke there spread over his face a smile so tender and so
full of happiness, that John Broom held his breath as he