'Ay, a fule can look at what's flapped inside his face,' with which bit ofproverbial philosophy he suddenly left me. But Geordie thenceforthcontented himself, in Mr. Craig's presence at least, with ominoushead-shakings, equally aggravating, and impossible to answer.

That same night, however, Geordie showed that with all his theorieshe had a man's true heart, for he came in haste to Mrs. Mavor tosay:

'Ye'll be needed ower yonder, a'm thinkin'.'

'Why? Is the baby much worse? Have you been in?'

'Na, na,' replied Geordie cautiously, 'a'll no gang where a'm nowanted. But yon puir skinnyg, ye can hear ootside weepin' andmoanin'.'

'She'll perhaps need ye tae,' he went on dubiously to me. 'Ye're akind o' doctor, a' hear,' not committing himself to any opinion asto my professional value. But Slavin would have none of me, havinggot the doctor sober enough to prescribe.

The interest of the camp in Slavin was greatly increased by theillness of his baby, which was to him as the apple of his eye.There were a few who, impressed by Geordie's profound convictionsupon the matter, were inclined to favour the retribution theory,and connect the baby's illness with the vengeance of the Almighty.Among these few was Slavin himself, and goaded by his remorsefulterrors he sought relief in drink. But this brought him onlydeeper and fiercer gloom; so that between her suffering kid andher savagely despairing husband, the poor mother was desperate withterror and grief.