RAB AND HIS FRIENDS 



miles off ; yoked Jess, and driven her aston- 

 ished into town. He had an armful of blankets, 

 and was streaming with perspiration. He 

 nodded to me, spread out on the floor two pairs 

 of clean old blankets having at their corners 

 " A. G., 1794," in large letters in red worsted. 

 These were the initials of Alison Graeme, and 

 James may have looked in at her from without 

 himself unseen but not unthought of 

 when he was " wat, wat, and weary," and after 

 having walked many a mile over the hills, may 

 have seen her sitting, while " a* the lave were 

 sleepin'," and by the firelight working her 

 name on the blankets, for her ain James's bed. 

 He motioned Rab down, and taking his wife 

 in his arms, laid her in the blankets, and happed 

 her carefully and firmly up, leaving the face 

 uncovered ; and then lifting her, he nodded 

 again sharply to me, and, with a resolved but 

 utterly miserable face, strode along the passage, 

 and down stairs, followed by Rab. I followed 

 with a light ; but he didn't need it. I went 

 out, holding stupidly the candle in my hand 



40 



