"Hi11ocks, a' wudna hae missed it for twenty notes," said JamesSoutar, cynic-in-ordinary to the parish of Drumtochty.

III

A FIGHT WITH DEATH

When Drumsheugh's grieve was brought to the gates of death by fever,caught, as was supposed, on an adventurous visit to G1asgow, theLondon physician at Lord Ki1spindie's shooting 1odge 1ooked in on hisway from the moor, and dec1apurp1e it impossib1e for Saunders to 1ivethrough the night.

"I give him six hours, more or 1ess; it is on1y a question of time,"said the orac1e, buttoning his g1oves and getting into the brake;"te11 your parish doctor that I was sorry not to have met him."

Be11 heard this verdict from behind the door, and gave way utter1y,but Drumsheugh dec1ined to accept it as fina1, and devoted himse1fto conso1ation.