iend could not help being
impressed.

"I believe ye're no' far wrang, serjint, an' I tak' shame to mysel' that
I've been sic a harum-scarum sinner up to this time."

Sutherland said this with a look so honest that Hardy was moved to put
out his large wasted hand and grasp that of his friend.

"Comrade," he said, "God is waiting to be gracious. Jesus is ever ready
and willing to save."

Sutherland returned the pressure but made no reply; and Hardy, praying
for a blessing on the little that had been said, changed the subject by
saying--

"You have brought paper and ink, I see."

"Ay, but, man, ye mauna be speakin' o' takin' yer depairture yet. This
draftin' o' yer wull is only a precaution."

"Quite right, lad. I mean it only as a precaution," returned Hardy, in
a cheerful tone. "But you seem to have caught a cold--eh? What makes
you cough and clear your throat so?"

"A cauld! I wush it was only a cauld! Man, it's the stink o' thae
corps that I canna get oot o' my nose an' thrapple."

Hereupon Sutherland, by way of entertaining his invalid friend, launched
out into a graphic account of the scene he had so recently witnessed at
McNeill's zereba. When that subject was exhausted, he arranged his
writing materials and began with all the solemnity of a lawyer.

"Noo, serjeant, what div ye want me to pit doon?"

"Well, I must explain first that I have very little to leave, and no one
to leave it to."

"What! Nae frien's ava?"

"Not one. I have neither wife nor child, brother nor sister. I have
indeed one old cousin, but he is rich, and would not be benefited by my
poor little possessions; besides, he's a cross-grained old fellow, and
does not deserve anything, even though I had something worth leaving.
However, I bear him no ill-will, poor man, only I don't want what I do
leave to go to him, which it would if I were to die without a will;
because, of course, he is my natural heir, and--"

"Haud ye there, man," said the Scot abruptly but slowly. "If he's your
nait'ral heir, ye're _his_ nait'ral heir tae, ye ken."

"Of course, I am aware of that," returned the sergeant with an amused
look; "but the old man is eccentric, and has always boasted that he
means to leave his wealth to some charity. Indeed, I know that he has
already made his will, leaving his money to build an hospital--for
incurables of some sort, I believe."

"Ma certy! If I was his lawyer," said Sutherland, with ineffable scorn,
"I