Part 6 (2/2)
It was a solitary experience for horse and rider, and Jess bolted without delay. But the sound followed and surrounded them, and as they pa.s.sed the corner of the kirkyard, a figure waved his college cap over the wall and gave a cheer on his own account.
”G.o.d bless you, doctor, and well done.”
”If it isna the minister,” cried Drumsheugh, ”in his goon an' bans, tae think o' that; but a' respeck him for it.”
Then Drumtochty became self-conscious, and went home in confusion of face and unbroken silence, except Jamie Soutar, who faced his neighbors at the parting of the ways without shame.
”A' wud dae it a' ower again if a' hed the chance; he got naethin' but his due.” It was two miles before Jess composed her mind, and the doctor and she could discuss it quietly together.
”A' can hardly believe ma ears, Jess, an' the Sabbath tae; their verra jidgment hes gane frae the fouk o' Drumtochty.
”They've heard about Saunders, a'm thinkin', wumman, and they're pleased we brocht him roond; he's fairly on the mend, ye ken, noo.
”A' never expeckit the like o' this, though, and it wes juist a wee thingie mair than a' cud hae stude.
”Ye hev yir share in't tae, la.s.s; we've hed mony a hard nicht and day thegither, an' yon wes oor reward. No mony men in this warld 'ill ever get a better, for it cam frae the hert o' honest fouk.”
THE DOCTOR'S LAST JOURNEY.
IV
THE DOCTOR'S LAST JOURNEY
Drumtochty had a vivid recollection of the winter when Dr. MacLure was laid up for two months with a broken leg, and the Glen was dependent on the dubious ministrations of the Kildrummie doctor. Mrs. Macfayden also pretended to recall a ”whup” of some kind or other he had in the fifties, but this was considered to be rather a pyrotechnic display of Elspeth's superior memory than a serious statement of fact. MacLure could not have ridden through the snow of forty winters without suffering, yet no one ever heard him complain, and he never pled illness to any messenger by night or day.
”It took me,” said Jamie Soutar to Milton afterwards, ”the f.e.c.k o' ten meenuts tae howk him 'an' Jess oot ae snawy nicht when Drums turned bad sudden, and if he didna try to excuse himself for no hearing me at aince wi' some story aboot juist comin' in frae Glen Urtach, and no bein' in his bed for the laist twa nichts.
”He wes that carefu' o' himsel an' lazy that if it hedna been for the siller, a've often thocht, Milton, he wud never hae dune a handstroke o'
wark in the Glen.
”What scunnered me wes the wy the bairns were ta'en in wi' him. Man, a've seen him tak a wee laddie on his knee that his ain mither cudna quiet, an' lilt 'Sing a song o' saxpence' till the bit mannie would be lauchin' like a gude are, an' pooin' the doctor's beard.
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”As for the weemen, he fair cuist a glamour ower them; they're daein'
naethin' noo but speak aboot this body and the ither he cured, an' hoo he aye hed a couthy word for sick fouk. Weemen hae nae discernment, Milton; tae hear them speak ye wud think MacLure hed been a releegious man like yersel, although, as ye said, he wes little mair than a Gallio.
”Bell Baxter was haverin' awa in the shop tae sic an extent aboot the wy MacLure brocht roond Saunders when he hed the fever that a' gied oot at the door, a' wes that disgusted, an' a'm telt when Tammas Mitch.e.l.l heard the news in the smiddy he wes juist on the greeting.
”The smith said that he wes thinkin' o' Annie's tribble, but ony wy a'
ca' it rael bairnly. It's no like Drumtochty; ye're setting an example, Milton, wi' yir composure. But a' mind ye took the doctor's meesure as sune as ye cam intae the pairish.”
It is the penalty of a cynic that he must have some relief for his secret grief, and Milton began to weary of life in Jamie's hands during those days.
Drumtochty was not observant in the matter of health, but they had grown sensitive about Dr. MacLure, and remarked in the kirkyard all summer that he was failing.
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