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frequent changessheets 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 of poison and
such； and indeed； it is no wonder； for the food they put inside of
them。〃
〃O； no； 〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃it is the same with all people； but
especially so with sick people。〃
Kirsty looked as doubtful as was consistent with her respect for
the minister's wife； and Mrs。 Murray went on。
〃So you will just get the sheets ready to change； and； Kirsty； a
clean night…shirt。〃
〃Night…shirt！ and indeed； he has not such a thing to his name。〃
Kirsty's tone betrayed her thankfulness that her brother was free
from the effeminacy of a night…shirt； but noting the dismay and
confusion on Mrs。 Murray's face； she suggested； hesitatingly； 〃He
might have one of my own； but I am thinking it will be small for
him across the back。〃
〃I am afraid so； Kirsty；〃 said the minister's wife； struggling hard
with a smile。 〃We will just use one of his own white shirts。〃 But
this scandalized Kirsty as an unnecessary and wasteful luxury。
〃Indeed； there is plenty of them in the chist； but he will be
keeping them for the communion season； and the funerals； and such。
He will not be wearing them in his bed； for no one will be seeing
him there at all。〃
〃But he will feel so much better；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； and her smile
was so sweet and winning that Kirsty's opposition collapsed； and
without more words both sheets and shirt were produced。
As Kirsty laid them out she observed with a sigh： 〃Aye； aye； she
was the clever womanthe wife； I mean。 She was good with the
needle； and indeed； at anything she tried to do。〃
〃I did not know her；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； softly； 〃but every one
tells me she was a good housekeeper and a good woman。〃
〃She was that；〃 said Kirsty； emphatically； 〃and she was the light
of his eyes； and it was a bad day for Hugh when she went away。〃
〃Now； Kirsty；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； after a pause； 〃before we put on
these clean things； we will just give him a sponge bath。〃
Kirsty gasped。
〃Mercy sakes！ He will not be needing that in the winter； and he
will be getting a cold from it。 In the summer…time he will be
going to the river himself。 And how will you be giving him a bath
whatever？〃
Mrs。 Murray carefully explained the process； again fortifying her
position by referring to the practices of the Montreal hospital；
till； as a result of her persuasions and instructions； in an hour
after Macdonald had awakened from his sleep he was lying in his
Sabbath white shirt and between fresh sheets； and feeling cleaner
and more comfortable than he had for many a day。 The fever was
much reduced； and he fell again into a deep sleep。
The two women watched beside him； for neither would leave the other
to watch alone。 And Ranald； who could not be persuaded to go up to
his loft； lay on the bunk in the kitchen and dozed。 After an hour
had passed； Mrs。 Murray inquired as to the nourishment Kirsty had
given her brother。
〃Indeed； he will not be taking anything whatever；〃 said Kirsty； in
a vexed tone。 〃And it is no matter what I will be giving him。〃
〃And what does he like； Kirsty？〃
〃Indeed； he will be taking anything when he is not seek； and he is
that fond of buckwheat pancakes and pork gravy with maple syrup
over them； but would he look at it！ And I made him new porridge
to…night； but he would not touch them。〃
〃Did you try him with gruel； Kirsty？〃
〃Mercy me； and is it Macdonald Dubh and gruel？ He would be
flinging the 'feushionless' stuff out of the window。〃
〃But I am sure it would be good for him if he could be persuaded to
try it。 I should like to try him。〃
〃Indeed； and you may try。 It will be easy enough； for the porridge
are still in the pot。〃
Kirsty took the pot from the bench； with the remains of the
porridge that had been made for supper still in it； set it on the
fire； and pouring some water in it； began to stir it vigorously。
It was thick and slimy； and altogether a most repulsive…looking
mixture； and Mrs。 Murray no longer wondered at Macdonald Dubh's
distaste for gruel。
〃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。〃