changed blankets for sheets-I have been reluctantly compelled to restrict my range of vision to the interior of my room, with my head on my pillow. The d

-pitched and his articulation not distinct; but Betty's rejoinder was, 'Imphm! I juist expected something o' the kind. Dod, doctor, was it no' a stupid ploy-sic thocht

of this I am glad, as I am sure I should be sorely exe

s making search for me; and as I was too fatigued to walk upstairs, I sat down in Nathan's easy-chair in the kitchen and fell asleep. I have

t to Dr Grierson, I know he would frankly and at once confirm it. That I have received a set-back is evident, and when I call to mind my exertions in the plantation I need not be surprised. Still, everything considered, if I had that afternoon to live over again I should do just exactly as I did then. I am truly sorry if what Betty calls my 'thochtless stravaigin'' has undone the doctor's work, sorry if Betty's loving care has been l

y a Cockney wife of whom Betty and Nathan had no previous knowledge-with a view to settling down among the scenes of his boyhood, which had haunted his dreams in far-away lands. But the quiet village life had no charms for Mrs Joseph, and after a month of protesting in which rural life was damned, and pleading in which London's charms were extravagantly extolled, she went away south on a holiday, from which she never returned. Thanks to his army training, which had perfected him in the art of looking after number one, Joe took to housekeeping on his own as a duck takes to water, and settled

ck again with her knitting after the meal was over; but, finding her duties didn't perm

re to say than formerly, and his long-drawn sighs instead of words are less frequent; b

way from the table-'there noo, Nathan, gang away up like a man. Juist walk strecht into the room as if the hoose w

d wispy, and his blue eyes too vacant and far-away. But, as I have admitted, there is a 'composure' about him which is satis

, so I persuaded him to sit down in the basket chair at

louds, he said, 'Imphm! the wind's changin', Maister Weelum, to the nor'-east. That means a bla' doon your lum, I'm thinkin', an' it's a maist by-ordinar' dirty, cho

. 'I haven't been up to the

e; but-eh-ye're lookin'

ghed uneasily; 'but, you know,

e fireplace, swirled up the wall, and spread along the ceiling. 'I telt ye the wind was shiftin' its airt, an' that ye wad ha'e a bla' doon. If there's onything in this world I hate, it's back smoke. Man, it see

rushie's acquaintance, I replied

, there's a lot o' folk slippin' away the noo; changeable weather gethers the

of Nathan's conversation was affecting me in spite of myself. 'Yes, Nathan,' I said, expecting

his long legs very deliberately and stroked his beard as he looked round my little room. 'Man, Maister Weelum, dootless ye think

hat, N

table-like sleepin' in the sooth room an' sittin' your odd time in the dinin'-room? Betty or me never put a foot i

replying to this unexpected

f your own bat,

what, Mais

is arrangement yourself, or i

doon the stairs; but she doesna like to say that to ye for fear ye micht think that ye were a bother to

ly; 'and do you know, Nathan, the

ar frae bein' strong-at least, as strong as ye should be. Ye're nocht the better o' t

that; but, with care and a few days' re

, nae back smoke, an' then, man, ye'll be nearer Betty should ye need her service. I've aye considered this a wee, poky place onyway; an' as for the stair up

Nathan?

a coffin

ood man, who wants to t

s in the back-end, Maister Weelum-ay, juist like leaves nippit wi' the frost. An', speakin' o' leaves, I was workin' amang leaf-mould the day; an', dod, sir, it's a queer thin

taking to themselves grotesque fantastic shapes; and Nathan-gaunt, wispy-bearded, spectral Nathan-puffed, and sighed, and spat in the semi-darkness. From the kitchen downstairs came to me at times sounds of a convers