The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-20
From "Once a Week. y
THE BEST MAN WINS HER.
[ CONCLUDED.

! circulated, until by the expiration of
four days they all settled down into
one strong judgment against Niel-a
Judgment which Helen's outburst of
grief and pale stricken face hnwit-
| tingly strengthened; and it was firm
ly believed that Mel, having won her
love, had grown tired of her, and, to
rid himself of her and his debt of
gratitude to her father at once, had
made a moonlight fitting. Duncan
openly took little part in all that was
said, so much so, that those busy
people who are always, in all ranks,
looking after their neighbors' affairs,
began to hold him up as an example
of unselfsh generosity. There
was one, however, to whom
his silence had different
Specification, and that was Helen,
who, from the day the alarm was
given, had remembered that after.
noon when she saw, as, plainly as if
written in black and white, the ha-
tired unto death stamped in Duncan's
other could, heard the impatient
manner ofspeech and saw the strange
look that had come upon the mans
face; and a horrible suspicion and
dread filled her mind, harder to bear
than all the cruel things raised
against NiePs character. There was
one small ray of comfort left-a col
ley dog she had given Mel had disap-
peared the same day he was missed.
He must be alive if Moss was with
him; and if he had run away, as the
people said, he would scarcely take
such continual sting to his conscience
as the faithful dog must be. So, in
spite of the deadly fears that would at
times overwhelm her, Helen held fast
by hope, hiding her anxiety as best
she could by getting away amongst the
hills, and wandering about where she
would meet no one to pity her or con-
dole with her. ssss+ ~ - sa
The fifth day had come; it was
busy time, too, for they were gather
ing the focks off the hills pre-
vIous to the shooting season, and so
it came about that Helen fell in with
a flock IN a lonely pass on the road to
Ben Ledl, and, eager to escape the
shepherds, she scrambled up the
banks and hid herself among the
whins. -.
Down the pass came the sheep, fill
ing the air with their voices, stopping
now and then to snatch mouthful of
heather. Presently. glancing away to
the hillside, Helen caught sight of
dog, bounding down over scaur and
bush; but not until it was nearer, and
diverted by the sounds In the glen,
had turned aside and taken its stand
upon rock, along the foot of which
the sheep were passing. did she re-
cognize her old colley, the very
Moss she had given Neil. Hell
ems heart leaped to her mouth as
she leant forward to watch the dog,
who, falling into his old trade, stood
yelping and bowling over the flock
waking every echo in the pass, and
Helen tried to whistle, but her lips
were shaking and dry. Then she
called him by name The dog came
rushing up to her and was soon whin.
ing by her side, licking her hands and |
face. As soon as she could see any. |
thing clearly through the tears that |
were binding her, she saw thata blue
ribbon was tied round Moss's neck,
nearly hidden amongst the thick |
wool. Helen recognized the ribbon;
1t had once been hers; and she knew
no hand but Vets could have tied it |
thnrc. and. But suddenly she ceased |
thu She had unfastened the |
1t :, and found little bit of white |
calico, and read on it, written in
blood. the words, Help Riever's
Crag."
Helen cannot tell to this day how
she got home; but in little more than
half an hour the clachan was desert
ed, and men and women were all on
their way to Reiver's Crag, a barren
rock among the mountains, from
which it was said a Cumberland |
reiver had been flung in the old
days. The miles OF moss and muir
land were soon crossed, and by even
ing Neil Lesley was rescued from a
living death, and safe, but not sound |
at Tam MGregor's. Sound, poor lad |
they whispered, he never would be
again.
He had slipped over the Crag, and |
in going down had caught at whin-
bush, which checked the impetus of |
his descent, and instead of his going |
to the bottom of the cleft, he had |
fallen ON ledge. Here Moss had |
followed, but it was the fourth day |
before he could get the faithful dog to |
leave him. and bear home tidings that |
might save him."
Such was the account Mel gave,
and such was the story that met Dun
can as he came home from Callander,
whittier he had gone early in the day.
Time passed on, and the shooting
season brought many visitor to
Tam's cottage, for NieIs story
was the romance of the year. He
was still unable to walk, but his
health was all right, and the doctors