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lug。'
'Haud yer impidence； an' yer tongue thegither；' said Robert。 'Min'
'at my grannie's been the best frien' ye ever had。'
''Cep' my ain mither；' returned Shargar； with a sleepy doggedness in
his tone。
During their conference； Ericson had been slumbering。 Robert had
visited him from time to time； but he had not awaked。 As soon as
Shargar was disposed of； he took his candle and sat down by him。 He
grew more uneasy。 Robert guessed that the candle was the cause； and
put it out。 Ericson was quieter。 So Robert sat in the dark。
But the rain had now ceased。 Some upper wind had swept the clouds
from the sky； and the whole world of stars was radiant over the
earth and its griefs。
'O God； where art thou？' he said in his heart； and went to his own
room to look out。
There was no curtain； and the blind had not been drawn down；
therefore the earth looked in at the storm…window。 The sea neither
glimmered nor shone。 It lay across the horizon like a low level
cloud； out of which came a moaning。 Was this moaning all of the
earth； or was there trouble in the starry places too？ thought
Robert； as if already he had begun to suspect the truth from
afarthat save in the secret place of the Most High； and in the
heart that is hid with the Son of Man in the bosom of the Father；
there is troublea sacred unresteverywherethe moaning of a tide
setting homewards； even towards the bosom of that Father。
CHAPTER VIII。
A HUMAN PROVIDENCE。
Robert kept himself thoroughly awake the whole night； and it was
well that he had not to attend classes in the morning。 As the gray
of the world's reviving consciousness melted in at the window； the
things around and within him looked and felt ghastly。 Nothing is
liker the gray dawn than the soul of one who has been watching by a
sick bed all the long hours of the dark； except； indeed； it be the
first glimmerings of truth on the mind lost in the dark of a godless
life。
Ericson had waked often； and Robert had administered his medicine
carefully。 But he had been mostly between sleeping and waking； and
had murmured strange words； whose passing shadows rather than
glimmers roused the imagination of the youth as with messages from
regions unknown。
As the light came he found his senses going； and went to his own
room again to get a book that he might keep himself awake by reading
at the window。 To his surprise Shargar was gone； and for a moment
he doubted whether he had not been dreaming all that had passed
between them the night before。 His plaid was folded up and laid
upon a chair； as if it had been there all night； and his Ainsworth
was on the table。 But beside it was the money Shargar had drawn
from his pockets。
About nine o'clock Dr。 Anderson arrived； found Ericson not so much
worse as he had expected； comforted Robert； and told him he must go
to bed。
'But I cannot leave Mr。 Ericson；' said Robert。
'Let your friendwhat's his odd name？watch him during the day。'
'Shargar； you mean； sir。 But that's his nickname。 His rale name
they say his mither says； is George Moraywi' an o an' no a
u…r。Do you see； sir？' concluded Robert significantly。
'No； I don't；' answered the doctor。
'They say he's a son o' the auld Markis's； that's it。 His mither's
a randy wife 'at gangs aboot the countrya gipsy they say。 There's
nae doobt aboot her。 An' by a' accoonts the father's likly eneuch。'
'And how on earth did you come to have such a questionable
companion？'
'Shargar's as fine a crater as ever God made；' said Robert warmly。
'Ye'll alloo 'at God made him； doctor； though his father an' mither
thochtna muckle aboot him or God either whan they got him atween
them？ An' Shargar couldna help it。 It micht ha' been you or me for
that maitter； doctor。'
'I beg your pardon； Robert；' said Dr。 Anderson quietly； although
delighted with the fervour of his young kinsman： 'I only wanted to
know how he came to be your companion。'
'I beg your pardon； doctorbut I thoucht ye was some scunnert at
it； an' I canna bide Shargar to be luikit doon upo'。 Luik here；' he
continued； going to his box； and bringing out Shargar's little heap
of coppers； in which two sixpences obscurely shone； 'he brocht a'
that hame last nicht； an' syne sleepit upo' the rug i' my room
there。 We'll want a' 'at he can mak an' me too afore we get Mr。
Ericson up again。'
'But ye haena tellt me yet；' said the doctor； so pleased with the
lad that he relapsed into the dialect of his youth； 'hoo ye cam to
forgather wi' 'im。'
'I tellt ye a' aboot it； doctor。 It was a' my grannie's doin'； God
bless herfor weel he may； an' muckle she needs 't。'
'Oh！ yes； I remember now all your grandmother's part in the story；'
returned the doctor。 'But I still want to know how he came here。'
'She was gaein' to mak a taylor o' 'm： an' he jist ran awa'； an' cam
to me。'
'It was too bad of him thatafter all she had done for him。'
'Ow； 'deed no； doctor。 Even whan ye boucht a man an' paid for him；
accordin' to the Jewish law； ye cudna mak a slave o' 'im for
a'thegither； ohn him seekin' 't himsel'。Eh！ gin she could only get
my father hame！' sighed Robert； after a pause。
'What should she want him home for？' asked Dr。 Anderson； still
making conversation。
'I didna mean hame to Rothieden。 I believe she cud bide never
seein' 'im again； gin only he wasna i' the ill place。 She has awfu'
notions aboot burnin' ill sowls for ever an' ever。 But it's no
hersel'。 It's the wyte o' the ministers。 Doctor； I do believe she
wad gang an' be brunt hersel' wi' a great thanksgivin'； gin it wad
lat ony puir crater oot o' 'tno to say my father。 An' I sair
misdoobt gin mony o' them 'at pat it in her heid wad do as muckle。
I'm some feared they're like Paul afore he was convertit： he wadna
lift a stane himsel'； but he likit weel to stan' oot by an' luik
on。'
A deep sigh； almost a groan； from the bed； reminded them that they
were talking too much and too loud for a sick…room。 It was followed
by the words； muttered； but articulate；
'What's the good when you don't know whether there's a God at all？'
''Deed； that's verra true； Mr。 Ericson；' returned Robert。 'I wish ye
wad fin' oot an' tell me。 I wad be blithe to hear what ye had to
say anent itgin it was ay； ye ken。'
Ericson went on murmuring； but inarticulately now。
'This won't do at all； Robert； my boy；' said Dr。 Anderson。 'You must
not talk about such things with him； or indeed about anything。 You
must keep him as quiet as ever you can。'
'I thocht he was comin' till himsel'；' returned Robert。 'But I will
tak care； I assure ye； doctor。 Only I'm feared I may fa' asleep the
nicht； for I was dooms sleepy this mornin'。'
'I will send Johnston as soon as I get home； and you must go to bed
when he comes。'
''Deed； doctor； that winna do at a'。 It wad be ower mony strange
faces