The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-06-24
s.The Best Man Wins Her. "
...n-eHAPrERu.

strong Judgment against Niel,-a Juag
ment which Helen's outburst OF grlel
and pale stricken face unwlttlngly
strengthened; and it was firmly believed
that Mel, having won her love. haG
grown tired of her, and, to rid himself
of her and his debt of gratitude to hei
father at once, had made moonighi
fitting. Duncan openly took little part
in all that was said, so much so, thai
those busy people who are always, IN al
ranks, looking after their neighbors
affairs, began to hold him up as an ex'
ample of unselish 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 !,
written 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 upon the mans face ; ana a
horrible suspicion and dread filled her
mind, harder to bear than all the cruel
things raised against Niel's character
There was one small ray of comfort ielt,
a colley dog she had given Mel had
disappeared the same day he was miss
ed. He must be alive if Moss was with
him; and if he had run away, as the
people said, he would scarcely take snch
a 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 or condole with her.
The fifth day had come; it was o busy
time, too, for they were gathering the
focks eff the hills previous to the shoot
ing season, and SO it came about that
Helen fell in with q flock in a lonely
pass Oh the road to Ben Ledi, and, ca
ger to escape the shepherds, she scram-
bied up the banks and hid herself among
the whins.
Down the pass came the sheep, filling
the air with their voices, stopping now
and then to snatch mouthful ofheath-
er. Presently, glancing away to the
Helen caught sight of dog
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 rock
along the foot of which the sheep were
passing, did she recognize her old col
lev, the very Moss she had given Mel.
Helen's heart leapt to her mouth as she
leant forward to watch the dog, who,
failing into his old trade, stosd yelp-
ing and howling over the flock, waking
every echo in the pass, and rousing a
perfect storm of bleating.
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
the tears that were binding
her, she saw that u blue ribbon was
tied round Moss neck, nearly hidden
the thick wool. Helen recog-
nized the ribbon; it had once been hers;
and she knew no hand but NiePs could
have tied it there, and But suddenly
she ceased thinking. She had unfas-
tened the string, and found little bit
of white calico, and read Oh it, written
in blood, the words, "Help! Reira's
Crdg." .t.
Helen cannot tell to this day how she
got home; but in little more than half
nm hour the clachan was deserted, aud
men and women we're all on their way
to the Reiver's Crag, n barren rock
among the mountains, from which it
was said Cumberland rciver had been
flung in the old days. The miles of
moss and muirland were soon crossed,
and by evening Mel Lesley was res
cued from a living death, and safe, but
not sound, at Tam MGregor's. Sound,
poor lad they whispered, he never
would be again. g
He had slipped over the Crag, and
in going down had caught at a whin-
bush, which checked the impetus of his
descent, and instead of going to the bot
tom of the cleft, he had fallen on a
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 Duncan as
he came home from Calander, whittier
ne had gone early in the day.
Time passed on, and the shooting sea-
,on brought many visitor to Tam's
cottage, for NeiPs story was the romance
If the year. He was still unable to
walk, but his health was all right, and
The doctors said he might get strong in
lime. Mel never complained, nor could
no, with such nurse as Helen futter-
ing round him, propping him up with
fragrant pillows stuffed with fresh
gathered heather and bracken, gathered
TOO, by the little hands that were so
strong and ready with their labor of
Iove. 1t was only when pain kept him
restless at night that he thought of be-
ng cripple for life crushed him, and
brought out all the training given by a
good mother, and the stanch, religious
feeling inherent in almost every Scot
.ish heart, the spirit that gave the world
what Alexander Peden called "the
praying foil, who carried their religion
triunphantly through those terrible
lays when bloody scaffold was thought
, good shelter. ..
1t was nearly a month siuce the day
Mel had been carried home from the
rag. Night had just come, still, warm.
md almost like twilight. Tam was
his pipe preparatory to his
Early bed-time, the. women folk were
and Mel, lying upon couch
he laird's sister had sent him, was read
ng "Rob Roy" aloud, much to Tam's
who interrupted many times
With denunciations against the text.
suddenly the open doorway darkened,
md Duncan stood in the entry.
"WelcOme, lad," cried Tam. "Ye're
ist in time to hear the havers they bulk
ok pit in prent about the MGregors.
Read that again, Mel, that whar he
ays-"
But Duncan interrupted him.
IL dinna cross the door to hear lees
-ead. / cam to speak about a lee, to
lell ye"-and his voice grew louder and
loarser as he spoke-''to tell We that
me you liked weel is leer. We're a.
rien's here" he said, in a different
'oice, looking round.
"Ay, ay, man. Sit DOOM" said Tam,
aking his pipe out of his mouth, and
,urning to have better look at Dun
an. "Why, what ails ye mani
"Mickle ails me, Tam M'Gregor, and /
.am on grousome errand. Ihae CONE to
ak AVA ye're faith in man for ever
nair, and to shame hypocrite VII the
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