Both Dugald and Archie made excellent patients, and Flora and Aileen the best of nurses. But the nurse over even these was old Jenny. She was hospital superintendent, and saw to all the arrangements, even making the poultices and spreading the salves and plasters with her own hands.
'My mither's a marrvel at herrbs!' said Moncrieff over and over again, when he saw the old lady busy at work.
There was one patient, and only one, whom old Jenny did not nurse. This was Duncan himself. For him Townley did all his skill could suggest, and was seldom two consecutive hours away from the room where he lay.
In spite of all this it was evident that the ex-poacher was sinking fast.
Then came a day when Moncrieff, Archie, and myself were called into the dying man's apartment, and heard him make the fullest confession of all his villainy, and beg for our forgiveness with the tears roiling down his wan, worn face.
Yes, we forgave him willingly.
May Heaven forgive him too!
At the time of his confession he was strong enough to read over and sign the document that Townley placed before him. He told Townley too the addresses of the 281 men who had assisted him in the old vault at the ruined kirk in Coila.
And Duncan had seemed brighter and calmer for several days after this. But he told us he had no desire to live now.
Then, one morning the change came, and so he sank and died.