Only Elsie Gray, of all the original group, still sat near Geordie, where she could watch every movement, though she could not be seen by him.  She kept gazing at him with unutterable anguish in her eyes, and only she detected the sharp spasms that occasionally crossed his face, and felt his frame quiver with pain which he tried to conceal.

“Miss Campbell,” she whispered to Grace who was seated near her, “he’s very sore hurt, I’m sure of it.  Oh, will the doctor no come soon!” and when Grace looked into Geordie’s face she began to share Elsie’s fears.

Presently Jean came bounding back in delight with her recovered treasure to lay it in Geordie’s hands.  He looked at the gaily-bound book with his most pleased smile, and then glancing at Jean proudly, he said, “Eh, Jean, but ye’ll be learnin’ to be a grand scholar.  I’m right glad ye have got to the school.”

Then the eager little girl must needs have the book in her own hands again, to search among the leaves for the illustrations which were interspersed, so that Geordie might be introduced to all the beauties of this wonderful volume.  Geordie kept looking at her as she turned the leaves with a somewhat pitiful gaze, and presently he said in a low tone, “Jean, come a little nearer.  I want to speak to ye, Jeanie.  Do ye ken I’m maybe goin’ til the grand school the good Maister keeps waitin’ for us in the heavenly land?  And I’ll be learnin’ a deal o’ things there that we canna learn down here,” he added, with a smile; and then he paused.

Jean looked up from her boot with bewildered eyes as she listened to Geordie’s words; a grave expression came into her face, but the shadow was only caused by her not understanding what he meant, for she knew that Geordie occasionally went beyond her depth.

“I’ll no ever herd Gowrie’s cows again, Jean, or wait at the fences for Elsie and you.  I’m dyin’ Jeanie,” he added in a hoarse whisper, as he gazed sorrowfully at the little girl.

There was no mistaking the meaning of these words, and little Jean, dropping her precious book, burst into loud sobbing, as she flung herself on Geordie.

Grace had been watching the boy with a sinking heart, and a great fear began to take possession of her that what he said might be true, as a terrible spasm of agony crossed his face, and a groan of pain escaped him.  She looked anxiously to see if there was any sign of the doctor coming, and taking little Jean aside, she told her that if she loved Geordie she must be brave and quiet, even though he was so very ill, as he seemed to think.  Then she tried to speak some soothing words of comfort, but little Jean wailed out with a fresh burst of sorrow: 

“Oh, Miss Cam’ell, why didn’t God keep him from Blackie, if he loves him as ye say?  Ye mind how ye read to us in the Bible about him saving the herd-laddie out o’ the jaws o’ the bear; oh, but, I think, he might have taken care of our Geordie;” and poor little Jean would not be comforted.