though the Painted Lady had screamed in terror at the proposal, being afraid of doctors, Grizel would have ventured ere now, had it not been for her mistaken conviction that he was a hard man, who would only flout her.  It had once come to her ears that he had said a woman like her mamma could demoralize a whole town, with other harsh remarks, doubtless exaggerated in the repetition, and so he was the last man she dared think of going to for help, when he should have been the first.  Nevertheless she had come now, and a soft word from him, such as he gave most readily to all who were in distress, would have drawn her pitiful tale from her, but he was in a grumpy mood, and had heard none of the rumors about her mother’s being ill, which indeed were only common among the Monypenny children, and his first words checked her confidences.  “What are you hanging about my open window for?” he cried sharply.

“Did you think I wanted to steal anything?” replied the indignant child.

“I won’t say but what I had some such thait.”

She turned to leave him, but he hooked her with his staff.  “As you’re here,” he said, “will you go an errand for me?”

“No,” she told him promptly; “I don’t like you.”

“There’s no love lost between us,” he replied, “for I think you’re the dourest lassie I ever clapped eyes on, but there’s no other litlin handy, so you must do as you are bid, and take this bottle to Ballingall’s.”

“Is it a medicine bottle?” she asked, with sudden interest.

“Yes, it’s medicine.  Do you know Ballingall’s house in the West town end?”

“Ballingall who has the little school?”

“The same, but I doubt he’ll keep school no longer.”

“Is he dying?”

“I’m afraid there’s no doubt of it.  Will you go?”

“I should love to go,” she cried.

“Love!” he echoed, looking at her with displeasure.  “You can’t love to go, so talk no more nonsense, but go, and I’ll give you a bawbee.”

“I don’t want a bawbee,” she said.  “Do you think they will let me go in to see Ballingall?”

The doctor frowned.  “What makes you want to see a dying man?” he demanded.

“I should just love to see him!” she exclaimed, and she added determinedly, “I won’t give up the bottle until they let me in.”

He thought her an unpleasant, morbid girl, but “that is no affair of mine,” he said shrugging his shoulders, and he gave her the bottle to deliver.  Before taking it to Ballingall’s, however, she committed a little crime.  She bought an empty bottle at the ’Sosh, and poured into it some of the contents of the medicine bottle, which she then filled up with water.  She dared try no other way now of getting medicine for her mother, and was too ignorant to know that there are different drugs for different ailments.

Grizel not only contrived to get in to see Ballingan but stayed by his side for several hours, and when she came out it was night-time.  On her way home she saw a light moving in the Den, where she had expected to play no more, and she could not prevent her legs from running joyously toward it.  So when Corp, rising out of the darkness, deftly cut her throat, she was not so angry as she should have been.