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〃I think I will make some fresh； if you will let me； Kirstyin the
way I make it for the minister； you know。〃
Kirsty； by this time； had completely surrendered to Mrs。 Murray's
guidance； and producing the oatmeal； allowed her to have her way；
so that when Macdonald awoke he found Mrs。 Murray standing beside
him with a bowl of the nicest gruel and a slice of thin dry toast。
He greeted the minister's wife with grave courtesy； drank the
gruel； and then lay down again to sleep。
〃Will you look at that now？〃 said Kirsty； amazed at Macdonald
Dubh's forbearance。 〃He would not like to be offending you。〃
Then Mrs。 Murray besought Kirsty to go and lie down for an hour；
which Kirsty very unwillingly agreed to do。
It was not long before Macdonald began to toss and mutter in his
sleep； breaking forth now and then into wild cries and curses。 He
was fighting once more his great fight in the Glengarry line； and
beating back LeNoir。
〃Back； ye devil！ Would ye？ Take that； then。 Come back； Mack！〃
Then followed a cry so wild that Ranald awoke and came into the
room。
〃Bring in some snow； Ranald；〃 said the minister's wife； 〃we will
lay some on his head。〃
She bathed the hot face and hands with ice…cold water； and then
laid a snow compress on the sick man's head； speaking to him in
quiet； gentle tones； till he was soothed again to sleep。
When the gray light of the morning came in through the little
window； Macdonald woke sane and quiet。
〃You are better；〃 said Mrs。 Murray to him。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I am very well； thank you； except for the pain
here。〃 He pointed to his chest。
〃You have been badly hurt； Ranald tells me。 How did it happen？〃
〃Well；〃 said Macdonald； slowly； 〃it is very hard to say。〃
〃Did the tree fall on you？〃 asked Mrs。 Murray。
Macdonald glanced at her quickly； and then answered： 〃It is very
dangerous work with the trees。 It is wonderful how quick they will
fall。〃
〃Your face and breast seem very badly bruised and cut。〃
〃Aye； yes；〃 said Macdonald。 〃The breast is bad whatever。〃
〃I think you had better send for Doctor Grant；〃 Mrs。 Murray said。
〃There may be some internal injury。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Macdonald； decidedly。 〃I will have no doctor at me；
and I will soon be round again； if the Lord will。 When will the
minister be home？〃
But Mrs。 Murray； ignoring his attempt to escape the subject； went
on： 〃Yes； but； Mr。 Macdonald； I am anxious to have Doctor Grant
see you； and I wish you would send for him to…morrow。〃
〃Ah； well；〃 said Macdonald； not committing himself； 〃we will be
seeing about that。 But the doctor has not been in this house for
many a day。〃 Then； after a pause； he added； in a low voice； 〃Not
since the day she was taken from me。〃
〃Was she ill long？〃
〃Indeed； no。 It was just one night。 There was no doctor； and the
women could not help her； and she was very badand when it came it
was a girland it was deadand then the doctor arrived； but he
was too late。〃 Macdonald Dubh finished with a great sigh； and the
minister's wife said gently to him：
〃That was a very sad day； and a great loss to you and Ranald。〃
〃Aye； you may say it； she was a bonnie woman whatever； and grand at
the spinning and the butter。 And； oich…hone； it was a sad day for
us。〃
The minister's wife sat silent； knowing that such grief cannot be
comforted； and pitying from her heart the lonely man。 After a time
she said gently； 〃She is better off。〃
A look of doubt and pain and fear came into Macdonald's eyes。
〃She never came forward；〃 he said； hesitatingly。 〃She was afraid
to come。〃
〃I have heard of her often； Mr。 Macdonald； and I have heard that
she was a good and gentle woman。〃
〃Aye； she was that。〃
〃And kind to the sick。〃
〃You may believe it。〃
〃And she loved the house of God。〃
〃Aye； and neither rain nor snow nor mud would be keeping her from
it； but she would be going every Sabbath day； bringing her
stockings with her。〃
〃Her stockings？〃
〃Aye； to change her feet in the church。 What else？ Her stockings
would be wet with the snow and water。〃
Mrs。 Murray nodded。 〃And she loved her Saviour； Mr。 Macdonald。〃
〃Indeed； I believe it well； but she was afraid she would not be
having 'the marks。'〃
〃Never you fear； Mr。 Macdonald；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃If she loved
her Saviour she is with him now。〃
He turned around to her and lifted himself eagerly on his elbow。
〃And do you really think that？〃 he said； in a voice subdued and
anxious。
〃Indeed I do；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； in a tone of certain conviction。
Macdonald sank back on his pillow； and after a moment's silence；
said； in a voice of pain： 〃Oh； but it is a peety she did not know！
It is a peety she did not know。 For many's the time before
beforeher hour came on her； she would be afraid。〃
〃But she was not afraid at the last； Mr。 Macdonald？〃
〃Indeed； no。 I wondered at her。 She was like a babe in its
mother's arms。 There was a light on her face； and I mind well what
she said。〃 Macdonald paused。 There was a stir in the kitchen； and
Mrs。 Murray； glancing behind her； saw Ranald standing near the door
intently listening。 Then Macdonald went on。 〃I mind well the
words； as if it was yesterday。 'Hugh； my man；' she said； 'am no
feared' （she was from the Lowlands； but she was a fine woman）； 'I
haena the marks； but 'm no feared but He'll ken me。 Ye'll tak'
care o' Ranald； for； oh； Hugh！ I ha' gi'en him to the Lord。 The
Lord help you to mak' a guid man o' him。'〃 Macdonald's voice
faltered into silence； then； after a few moments； he cried； 〃And
oh！ Mistress Murra'； I cannot tell you the often these words do
keep coming to me； and it is myself that has not kept the promise I
made to her； and may the Lord forgive me。〃
The look of misery in the dark eyes touched Mrs。 Murray to the
heart。 She laid her hand on Macdonald's arm； but she could not
find words to speak。 Suddenly Macdonald recalled himself。
〃You will forgive me；〃 he said； 〃and you will not be telling any
one。〃
By this time the tears were streaming down her face； and Mrs。
Murray could only say； brokenly； 〃You know I will not。〃
〃Aye； I do；〃 said Macdonald； with a sigh of content； and he turned
his face away from her to the wall。
〃And now you let me read to you；〃 she said； softly； and taking from
her bag the Gaelic Bible； which with much toil she had learned to
read since coming to this Highland congregation； she read to him
from the old Psalm those words； brave； tender； and beautiful； that
have so often comforted the weary and wandering children of men；
〃The Lord is my Shepherd；〃 and so on to the end。 Then from psalm
to psalm she passed； selecting such parts as suited her purpose；
until Macdonald turned to her again and said； admiringly：
〃It is yourself that has the bonnie Gaelic。〃
〃I am afraid；〃 she said； with a smile； 〃it is not really good； but
it is the best a south country woman can do。〃
〃Indeed； it is very pretty；〃 he said； earnestly。
Then the minister's wife said； timidly； 〃I cannot pray in the
Gaelic。〃
〃Oh； the English will be very good；〃 said Macdonald； and she knelt
down and in simple words poured out her heart in prayer。 Before
sh