The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-11-24
"Ronald, Ronald! are you in earnest

Don't speak in that way, you frighten
me. You used to laugh when you told
ghost story. l do not fear the
spirits"
"You are n brave girl, Mary. / wish
You had only seen and heard them as
have, then you could judge of what they
say, and warn your friends, when my
lips are sealed"
At that moment deep JOY began TO
play about Ronald's heart, for 1t flashed
upon him that Mary might be made
the instrument for defeating the design
of his countrymen; so he continued
"NIary, this is like the nights on
which they are seen, and it is now near
their time of appearing. Can you dare
to come with mc'"
"Yes, Roland; take me with you;
want to know all that you know, that
may help you to bear all your ankle
ties, even though they should only be
fancies."
The gathering of the HighlanderS was
to be in lonely part of the glen, where
ruption. 1t was n high pIaUrdfiH oI
rock by the side of a roaring cataract,
screened by surrounding overhanging
bushes. most of which are now taken
away to form sheep-fences, and the
sound of the water would prevent their
voices being heard beyond few yards
distance. From ono side of this plat
form the rock rises like wall, and
about twenty feet up the face there
is n small cave called the "SmugglerS
Hole" This is reached by narrow
winking ledge from a higher part 6i
the glen. The entrance to the cave Is
concealed by heather that grows hang
ing down over it; and person within
could hear and see all that passed below
without danger of being discovered. In
the Smugglers' Hole, then, Roland
would conceal Mary, that she might
learn. without his uttcring word, now
the Highlanders regarded her people,
and impart the secret that they might
rrepare to defend themselves.
silently and quickly they walked up
tie Glen, for Roland was fearful that
eyes might be upon them, and, winding
along the ledge, soon reached the cave:
Here they paused n moment ana looked
around: two figures, visible between
them and the sky were advancing over
thc shoulder of the hill. In a little
these had disappeared in the black hol-
low of the trees, and three Others had
come in sight. Roland dared wait no
longer.
MARY" he said, these are some of
the evil spirits spoke of.
"But these are living men"
eyes, Mary; they are still in the body,
h.,
| Haste-follow me" and, shedding aside
the heather, he bent and crcpt into the
| recess. He struck light, which show
ed the cave. Near the narrow entrance
ledge abutted from one side, winch
served very well for seat; and. sitting
down. with Mary by his side, Ronald
extinguishcd his light.
MARY" he said, II know you are a
brave girl: could you venture to wait
here while go out for littlcI when
return YOU shall know the thing that
troubles me. Can you trust me =
Yes" said Mary; only don't be
long" ",
II will come as soon as l can. You
are ouite safe here, only remain quiet
and. should anything happen, know
that | am near, within sound of youl
voice. Only this ] ask, remain within
be still.p And, with pressure ot hei
hand, he was gone.
| Ronald, as soon as he emerged iron
A. snvo, seized branch that hung
close to the cliff, swung himself dowr
to the level below, and cautiously hur
ricd along by the path by which The
Others were to come. keeping well opel
both ewes and ears. In Il little he hcart
the sound of coming step; he stopped
crept aside, and concealed 'imsclf under
n tree among ferns and bra .ihles. In {
| few seconds two men ap bcarCd: they
were his fierce uncle and another lead
er in the plot. the iirstto beat the place
of meeting; they passed him, talking Il
low and earnest tones. As soon as they
were ont of sight Ronald came into tn,
path again, and followed them, slowly
that Others might overtakc and be with
him mt the rendezvous. He was soor
ioinei by several, who hurried on whcI
they saw him. .,
In short time all were assembled
They were brave but savage looking
group, we'll bcfitting the rugged, lonely
| SPOT in which they were met.
After some talking with one another
Laspic stood up to speak. lie was
man ofFowcrful frame, rugged aspect
and furious manner.
1--WE are Highlanders;" he said The
bright blood of onr dauntless father,
flows in our veins; shall we lei
it mix with the base current
of soft-hearted, cOwardly race
That is what it shall come 10, if the
Lowlanders remain here. The best oI
the lands that were our fathers are are
given To the low-born strangers, who
have no right to be here. They con
tenn our language, and laugh at on
ways. Shall we endure it!-shall we
tamely submit to have it lordcd over MS
by them No, we shall not; the spirits
OF our fa theirs would rise from thclT
very graves, TO point ut us with scorn
The stranger will not give up our land
and depart. If we use open force. the
military will resist us. But we shdii
have our revenge. This is our plan
Tomorrow n party will go to Hazle,
wood Hill, to make 'woOdies,' with
which We will fasten their doors, "a
prevent escape. while we fire thclT
houses. Tomorrow night we meet here
to name those who are to fire each house
On the third night, at the midnight
hour, the fire shall be applied; and then
let them burn-burnw
A slight scream from above caused
several of the men to start; and look nj
each other. Ronald, who noticed it,
though inwardly fearing, asked them,
with dcrisive laugh, if they were
afraid of the hooting of an owl. Laspie,
however, who had worked himself into
an ecstasy of fury, noticed nothing. He
went on, with fierce gesticulations, to
imbue his hearers with his own spirit.
After several rounds of appeals to their
courage, their regard for ancestry, Their
pedigree, their contempt for, and hatred
of, base-born interlopers, he wound
Nup his Grafton with maledictions
on the Lowlanders. He then dismissed
the company, with caution to be still
and dark-"Lest," he said, ''some pry-
ing sassenach be awake; for they have
both eyes and ears, allow that"
Soon the men were vending in twos
and threes, along the dark hollows TO
their homes. Ronald fingered till the