spectator, the ghost had disappeared, he could scarcely tell
how, and in a moment more all was dark--awfully dark. But of those
terrific sparkles which the candle had emitted in going out, one had
fallen on Jock's hand, which happened to be lying out of the
bedclothes, and there it continued to sputter and to burn most
distressingly blue, till the pain, which, in this case, amounted to
torment, and the absence of the ghost, restored his speech; or, at
least, restored him the use of his tongue. He roared out most lustily
for comfort in his distress, and for assistance against his spiritual
enemies, in case they should reappear; and the noise which he thus
made soon alarmed Nelly, who, with her under-petticoat hastily thrown
on, and wanting the whole of her upper garments, came into the
apartment, holding a half-trimmed lamp in her hand, rubbing her eyes,
and alternately speaking to herself and him.

"Sic a noise I never heard i' my life; and yet I dinna like to gae
near him afore I get my claes on; but that's awfu--Jock, man, what's
the matter wi' ye? Na, no ae word will he speak, but roar and cry as
if somebody were stickin him. Jock, man, it's me--it's your auld
acquaintance, Nelly, but tell me, Jock, hae ye gane clean out o' yer
judgment?"

"O Nelly, Nelly!" said Jock, "is't you--is't you?--gie's a haud o' yer
hand, woman--oh, gie's a haud o' yer hand, for I canna speak."

"Atweel no," said Nelly; "if ye had on yer claes, and were butt at the
kitchen fire, I micht maybe gie ye my hand, if it were to do ye guid;
but, as lang as ye lie there, and roar and squall that gate, ye needna
look for a hand o' mine."

"Aweel, Nelly, I canna help it," said the other. "I'll never be at the
kitchen fire again, I fear; and if ye dinna gie me your hand, ye'll
maybe repent it when it's owre late; for I canna stand this lang, and
I'll no be lang to the fore. My hand's burnin as if it were in a
smiddy fire; but that's naething. Oh, if I could only touch somebody,
to let me ken it's flesh and blood that I'm speakin till."

On hearing that he was really in pain, Nelly could no longer stand
back. "Dear me," said she, "what can be the matter wi' ye?" and, as
she spoke, she took his hand in hers to examine it with the lamp.
"It's burned, I declare!" she continued, in a tone of sympathy, which
appeared somewhat to comfort him; "how did that happen? But I maun rin
for some _sour 'ream_ to rub it wi'."

"No, no, Nelly," said Jock, grasp