Three days ago Ballingall had a ghost of a chance of pulling through, I thought, and I told the lassie that if he did, the credit would be mainly hers.

You'll scarcely believe it, but, upon my word, she looked disappointed rather than pleased, and she said to me, quite reproachfully, 'You told me he was sure to die!' What do you make of that ?" "It sounds unnatural." "It does, and so does what followed.

Do you know what straiking is ?" "Arraying the corpse for the coffin, laying it out, in short, is it not ?" "Ay, ay.

Well, it appears that Grizel had prigged with the women to let her be present at Ballingall's straiking, and they had refused." "I should think so," exclaimed McQueen, with a shudder.
"But that's not all.

She came to me in her difficulty, and said that if I didna promise her this privilege she would nurse Ballingall no more." "Ugh! That shows at least that pity for him had not influenced her." "No, she cared not a doit for him.