The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-11-07

her infinite horror missed the most i'm
portant of the treasured packet.
What was to be done2 Jessy sal
down and cried with vexation, and
finally resolved to act, without consHlt
ing any one, as to the propriety of fix.
ing her suspicion on the major.
The shades of evening had fallen
over the landscape, and the moon,
scarce risen above the mountains, sent
a fitful CLEAN across the uplands, lea
wing in deeper shade each sylvan vale
beneath; the birds had flown to their
nests, stiffness was stealing through the
atmosphere, when the. comely form OF
Jessy was seen tripping the downward
path to the river. She tapped at the
door Of aseostrgs occupied BY the per-
son who held the double office Of for
ester and fisherman, and it was speei-
lily opened by a stout elderly wQs1an,
wearing the white mutch, plaif petit
coat and large blue jacket Of tho peas
antry.
.Ah, Jessy, lass, is it youa" Com in
by and rest yersel."
~ hae ma time,~ replied the girl. II
wanted to speer wi the gudeman for
the boat Pm gaua over the water"
"Hech. sirs An what's takin we
over the Dee in the gloamin Is it to
yer 10, hinny %
sHoot, nonsense, Nell, yer aye daft
fin folk / want to see the nurse up by
at Cairny Lodge, to get a cure for the
Sciatic. Where's the gudeman
.He's away at Aberdeen wi saw
mon. The bonniest grilse and saw
mon that ever swan in Scotland's High
lands or Lawlands.-thirty pounds: lass.
What think ye o. thatn Fr
= ''Oh but Keppock was proud sCome
ont here, Nell. ye fitless quean; max
haste,' and there he stood, wi han in
ilka pouch gloweripg, as it were dia-
mond frae Peru. Saw ye ever sic
sawmon as thatp Quoth he.
Quo |, an faith, Keppock, it's amaist
as big as ane l carried aneath my OK
ster, the day We first seed me, and that
was ma yestreen..
asHoot, ava, Nell, that was trout to
this.'
sNa, ma, Keppock, quoth I-but ye
didna care that day to gloves in a
creel'n Here Nell stuck her arms a.
kimbo and laughed heartily.
. Weel," said Jessy, getting impa-
tient, "men are little worth after a, and
Keppock's as gude as the lave. I'll
cen tax the boat and gang y and away
she tripped, leaving Nell warning her
Of the lanesome gait to no purpose.
and rnGnisg si init into ii,(Ys gIeIQss
ened it to tree which bent over her
head, and springing on a jut.ing rock,
she treaded her way through tam
gled thicket, till she discovered a path
way leading up to Cairny Lodge
Crossing, the lawn with hurried steps,
she stopped to rest herself at a wicket
at the back part of the house; the ex-
ercise had made her warm, and throw
ing back her hood she looked anxious
ly around. Plump as a partridge. with
the ruddy glow of health on her cheek,
aud her nicely braided hair peeping
from the close white cap. her clear
hazel eyes looked as if they denied
that the mountain maid was as simple
as she sometimes appeared. As she
opened the wicket, the stout figure of a
forester. with his dog and gun, sud-
denly appeared and was quickly re-
cognised by Jessy. Putting down his
gun, he exclaimed, in a tone Of min-
gled kindness and displeasure, sWhat
in the warld brought ye here at sic an
hourp p
"That's list what Pll be after telling
We, Norman. Dinna fash yersel, that |
came this lanesome gait to see you
Heth, Jessy's no sic fule," she said,
with most coquettish glance, which
the moonlight rendered quite distinct
enough for lovers eye.
"pd gang muckle farther for you.
Jessy, ony day or night ether; but
young lassie, ye ken
Here she stopped him. "Norman
stop yer clavers, l hae nae time nor
thocht for daffin; yon English captain
in there" she said, pointing to the
house, Fhas taen three letters frae my
mistress; it's mair than life to her to
hae them, and gin | beard the flaws
southern loon in the very drawing-room.
III hae them afore he gets of.
Oh, Norman, Sne Salu win an air
Of earnest entreaty, "ye said ye'd gang
FAR for me; prove il and show me the
way to his room.
aWhat do ye think o me, Jcssy !
Am gaun to tax yet here an gar the
folks ca ye light-headed, fitless thing
M, M, 1essy-"
Here Norman took up his gun with
something Of scowl. The alteration
lasted some time, till At length certain
explanations caused Norman to yield
to her entreaties and she entered the
house under the pretext Of getting the
nurse 70 give her decoction of erica
bacaifosa for the sciatica, and through
her lound the room occupied by Major
Faq6. His trunk was packed; Jessy
cautiously raised some articles and took
| mt . port-folie in which she had OBJ
served that he kept his letters at Glen
Tarvit. With a trembling hand she
turned over the papers, and was jus1
going to close it in despair, when the
letters ahe sought met her dolightee
gaze, and n|acing three of De Grey,