RAB AND HIS FRIENDS 



ous ; forever cocking his ear and dropping it 

 as fast. 



Ailie stepped up on a seat, and laid herself 

 on the table, as her friend the surgeon told her ; 

 arranged herself, gave a rapid look at James, 

 shut her eyes, rested herself on me, and took 

 my hand. The operation was at once begun ; 

 it was necessarily slow ; and chloroform one 

 of God's best gifts to his suffering children 

 was then unknown. The surgeon did his work. 

 The pale face showed its pain, but was still and 

 silent. Rab's soul was working within him ; 

 he saw that something strange was going on 

 blood flowing from his mistress, and she suffer- 

 ing ; his ragged ear was up, and importunate ; 

 he growled and gave now and then a sharp, im- 

 patient yelp ; he would have liked to have done 

 something to that man. But James had him 

 firm, and gave him a glower from time to time, 

 and an intimation of a possible kick ; all the 

 better for James, it kept his eye and his mind 

 off Ailie. 



It is over : she is dressed, steps gently and 



