“Will you go down, then, as soon as you’ve seen?”
“She wants to know why Scoodrach canna stay, when a strange Southron stops always in ta place.”
“I am a visitor here, and was asked to stay,” said Max rather stiffly; but his words were not heard, for the young gillie had dropped into the room, and ran barelegged and barefoot over the carpet to the bedside, to bend down and gaze intently in Kenneth’s face.
Just then a low cough was heard on the stair, and Scoodrach darted to the window, crept out, and disappeared, just as the door-handle faintly rattled.
Max went quickly to the window, but could only see something shadowy creeping downward, and he would have stopped gazing down at the climber, whose progress had a strange fascination for him, if the doctor’s voice had not taken his attention.
“Perhaps you had better shut the window. Lovely night. Has he been sleeping quietly?”
“Yes.”
“That’s right. Going on capitally; but do you know what time it is?”
“Yes, nearly twelve. I was waiting for him to wake up and say good-night before I went.”
“Then you’ll have to wait till to-morrow morning, my dear sir, for he is in a deep, satisfying sleep, and I don’t suppose he’ll wake again. Good-night.”