I pray the Lord my soul to take."

He was sleeping quietly when the wind drove the snow against the window
with a sudden "swish;" and he instantly awoke, so to say, in his sleep.
Some one needed him.

"Are ye frae Glen Urtach?" and an unheard voice seemed to have answered
him.

"Worse is she, an' suffering awfu'; that's no lichtsome; ye did richt
tae come.

"The front door's drifted up; gang roond tae the back, an' ye 'ill get
intae the kitchen; a'll be ready in a meenut.

"Gie's a hand wi' the lantern when a'm saidling Jess, an' ye needna come
on till daylicht; a' ken the road."

[Illustration]

Then he was away in his sleep on some errand of mercy, and struggling
through the storm. "It's a coorse nicht, Jess, an' heavy traivellin';
can ye see afore ye, lass? for a'm clean confused wi' the snaw; bide a
wee till a' find the diveesion o' the roads; it's aboot here back or
forrit.

"Steady, lass, steady, dinna plunge; i'ts a drift we're in, but ye're no
sinkin'; ... up noo; ... there ye are on the road again.

"Eh, it's deep the nicht, an' hard on us baith, but there's a puir