The Portland daily press., 1867-06-15
Selected story.
" The B8st Man Wins Her."

Y ", y,
quhdder, lies Loeb Voel, upon the shores of
which Rob Roy lived and died; and where in
the quiet, lonely krkyard rests "Clan Alpins
omen and her aid There are McGregors still
in the clachan of Balquhidder, McGreSors
who speak with glistening eye and heightened
color of the chief, and amongst whom no tales
are so popular those which treat OF the
wild days when the clan with the name
nameless by day" was at once the terror ana
protection of the country.
Some ten years ago descendant OF Rob
Roy, Helen M'Gregor, was the beauty OF Bal
quhidder. Helen was iair, 6lne-eyed, golden
haired lassie with whom life had been one long
laueIl. and to whom the world seemed to bear
neither frowns nor clouds. Her father, Tam
MGregor, was farmer, and well-to-do for his
station: his sons helped him the hills, and
Helen was a tidy hand in the house, quite able
to take many cares from her mothers Shout
ders. tt 30 -
Tam's cottage had served the wants of many
a generation of MGregors here a little and
there little being added, as the owners farni-
ly increased or his fortunes prospered. Roses
and honey-suckle hourished in the narrow bOr-
der, and, clustering around the window met
gay and thriving geraniums, votive offerings
from the gardener at Glenbuckie, vino was
one of Helen's admirers. Helen being fancy
ifee herself, was wont to make Joke apout
love; and not caring for either talrs OF gamer
lngs, escaped much of the gossip whlch at
taehes to other girls.
One man came oitener than the rest so often
that it was whispered about that Helen and
Duncan were counting, nor did Duncan at
tempt to deny what ne wished n MS inmost
heart was true. He had loved Helen long, and
had only waited for a farm to enter the lists
openly Now he had farm and decent house
to take wife to, he thought the right time
had come; and soon, seeing he had the good
will of both father and mother, he was content
TO wait patiently until some happy day when
Helen's heart would waken up and his love
meet its reward And if Duncan was patient,
it was because, never having doubted his sue
hA nxv lan oAAa Snrf Affr .(nn&s
beating down his passion, or anticipating from
a distance the time when Helen would spin by
his own hearth, and pay him back tenfold for
what she made him suffer now
The honest folk in Balquhidder called Helen
lucky lasse, and watched the counting with
general interest not unmixed with envy, for
Duncan was one of the handsomest and stead
lest OF young men; more than tk2t, and what
perhaps went even further among the girls,
Duncan was the champion wrestler, runner
and hammer thrOwer, and twice had he carried
Oft prizes from the Braemar Gathering. Dun
cans counting had made no further impression
upon Helen, when the Gathering of 1856 drew
on. All the world went to Braemar that year,
and Duncan, much to his own surprise and
the Indignation of the Balquhidder people,
was beaten both in wrestling ana throwing by
new conner, young man who, by his supe-
rior style of dress and manner Of speech, was
evidently from different part of the country
if not indeed OF different rank in life from
that of the irate young Highlander; and when
lie was by no means comforted by seeing Hell
ems cheeks redden before the glarices of the
victor, who, cap in hand, introduced himself TO
Tam MGregor AS Mel Lesley, the son OF his old
friend. There is never lack Of hospitality
among the Celts, and Tam made his young
friend welcome to the best his house afforded
SO long as he liked to stay. u
Mel was fair haired, blue eyed man, tall
and light hmbed, but with the muscles and
sinews of prize fighter. Pr;
Mel was no idler, either in work or play or
love. Everything he set his hand to he did in
manner, we are told, will succeed. So no
wonder that, falling in love, as he did at once,
he reused what poor Duncan had watched and
waited for in vain; and, waking up the Sleep
ing heart, brought the love Light into the sweet
hazel eyes, that sOftened and droopped now MS
they had never done before any mans gaze
There was no question of love speech between
the two, and yet before the summer came,
Helen had found out what q different place
love would make the world. q ..9 ia
w How bonnie you're growing Nelly" said
Tam one day, as Helen came running up the
grass, her hair escaping from the sky blue
snood, the gay cotton short gown coming halt
way down the Striped linsey petticoat which
was Just short enough to show her neatly clad
feet and shapely ankles, coquettishly arrayed
p in bright stockings, with deliberately embroid-
cred clocks. What's come to the lasse, wife?
She's breaking the hearts O. half the lads in the
place. There's Duncan, puir lad, fent a smile
he gle now, but gangs as dour--"
"Wheesht, taither!" cried Helen, shutting
his mouth with rosy little palm. Here's
Duncan comm" ] lFa-.-
As she spoke Duncan stall1ed up to the door
1t was easy to, see that something had gone
against the grain; the expression on his face,
the tone Of his voice, his very gait were chang
ed; his clothes were thrown on with a care
lessness unlike former days, and his eyes, rest
less and bloodshot, turned uneasily to Helen,
as he made some commonplace remark to her
father concerning the weather. .-a'.
Helen's color deepened. Something in the
"a 70 a Erlifa to harh rt a,,d
lay there ranking, making the hot blood spring
TO her face, and the hand that had been ON her
fathers mouth clench iercely as if t ) beat back
some burst Of ansering Indignation. But the
flush faded the next moment, and a shudder
shook her from head to foot, for Neil came in
from the hill, and as he turned the corner OF
the hedge, and Dunoan's eyes fell upon him,
Helen saw the thick black brows drawn pas
sionately together, the big veins start ike knot
ted cords, and the strong teeth set in the meth
er lip. She saw this, and even then her heart
sank with an underlined fear; but it was not
until some days afterwards, when the braes
were ringing with the mysterious disappear
ance of Neii Lesley, that the 1ull significance
OF that look was revealed to her. "
Many and various were The reports circulat.
ed, 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 unwittingly
strengthened; and 1t was firmly 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 part
in all that was said so much so that those
busy people who are always, in all ranks, look
ing after their neighbors affairs. began to hold
him up as an example of unselfish generosity
There was one, however to whom his silence
had different Specification, and that was
Helen, who, from the day the alarm was given,
saw, as plainly as II writtelt in black and white,
the hatred unto death stamped in Duncan's |
face. She alone, watching as none other could, |
heard the impatient manner of speech and saw |
the strange look that had come into the mans |
face; and horrible suspicion and dread filed |
her mind, harder to bear than all the cruel |
things raised against Nel's character. There |
was one small ray of comfort ett-a colley dog |
she had given Mel had disappeared 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 a con- |
Iinual sting to his con science 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 and condole with her.
The fifth day had come; it was a busy time
too, for they were gathering the focks off the
hills previous to the shooting season. and it
came about that Helen fell in with flock
in lonely pass on the road to Ben Ledi, and
eager to escape the shepherds, she scrambled
Wins ' N1 -" nef'en among the
Down the pass came the sheep, filling the
ar with their voices, stopping now and then
10 snatch mqpthful of heather. Presently,
glanclng sTay to the hillside, Helen caught
slgnI 81 dog bounding down over scaur and
bush; but not until it was nearer and, divert
ed by the sounds in the glen, had turned aside
and taken its stand upon road along the foot
of which the sheep were passing, did she rec
ognize her old colley, the very Moss she had
given Mel. Helen's heart leapt 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 rousing perfect storm of bleat-
ing.
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 whining at her side, licking her
hands and face. As soon as she could
see anything ,clearly through the tears
Inat Were binding her, she saw
that blue ribbon was tied round
Moss neck, nearly hidden amongst the thick
wool. Helen recognized the ribbon il had
once been hers; and she knew no hand bnt
Niel's could have tied it there and-hnt snd.
denly she ceased thinking. She had ,,nfast
ened the string, and found little bit of White
calico, and read on it, written in blood. the
word" Help! RieUers Cray"
Helen cannot tell to this day how she got
home; but in a little more than half an hour
the clachan was deserted, and men and wo-
men were all on their way to the Riever's
Crag, barren rock among the mountains,