Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-12-23

hoauuS poic'
!, mo, no, Alister Lewis" said one oi
the young men, ''the poor lass couldna
hef drifted out to the sea. even if the boat
wass aHoat. For the tide would hef driv.
en- her on the Skeirmore rocks. and there
was nothing there when we passed."
He did not ask them to 60 further and
indeed they had hard work 20 pul; back
against the wind, though the tide was on
the turn. When they got back to Dar-
roch again the people had dispersed along
the shores, seeking for some trace of the
suuken boat, but nothing belonging to il
except the oar had been recovered Then
they all went back to the farm, aud sat
dowr in silence, until Mrs. Macdonald
suddenly threw up her hands again. aud
called aloud, my good lass my good
lass !" ~hereupou all the people joined in
her grief, the women rocking themselves
TO and frc, and saying with many sobs
that there was no lass in all the islands
so good lass as Ailasa Macdonald And
this was noticed--that while the men. old
men and youps men, asked questions Of
Duncan Lewis about what had happened,
he answered them with his eyes on the
ground, and never once lifted them TO any
ones face and of all the people there,
Aiister Lewis was the only one who would
not ask any questions, but sometimes he
stared 10 silence at his brother and at his
downcaSt face.
What satisfaction could DC gained from
any questions or answers? They had
wakened the lad out of his bed who had
last pulled across the small boat, and had
examined him about the cork in the bot
tom Of the frai craft. He admitted that
during the day, finding the boat had been
leaking, he and two others had pulled her
up on the beach, and taken out the cork
as the handest method of bailiug her
hut that the cork was properly put in again
was proved by his having subsequently
pulled The boat over to Killeena and back.
Gay, ay," said Duncan Lewis eagerly,
when he heard this, ''the cork was loose
av, the cork was maybe loose, and | may
hef kicked it ont with my feet"
Aud it is liar you are, Duncan Lew.
is" said the tall young lad, fercely. For
| hammered the cork in with n stone; and
how could you hef kicked the cork when
1t was atwecn the spars? ?"
At this Duncan Lewis flew into great
rage, and would have laid hands on the
boy but that the people held him back.
There were one or two who looked at each
other when, in the height Of his passion.
he said he would not be accused for moth.
ing.
All the following day they searched the
shores, and then they found the second
oar, washed up by the tide on the Skeir-
more rocks, where it had got hidden among
the sea.weed. They went round to tho
other islands, and sent messages to the
fishing stations and harbors; all to no pur.
pose. They found OUT. indeed, that .
small schooner from Vatcrsay, in Barra,
laden with herrings and bound for StettiD,
must have passed round the outside of
these islands just about dnybrcak on that
fatal morning; and on the mere chance of
this vessel having seen or heard any thing
of castaway, they gave due notice to the
ports at which she might call. In course
of time the message came back. The
White Helen had passed outside the
islands in question about seven in the
morning, but had seen nothing.
Day after day passed in hope. but not
in expectation, for there seemed to be no
doubt about the fate that had overtaken
Aiasa or the very night cf her wedding.
Alster Lewis was changed man. Ia
these few days he had grown haggard and
silent. He would speak to no one. He
only walked around the shores, or pulled
out in boat by himself, as if he still ex.
pected to hear his name called aud when
if by chance he came into the house, he
saw Duncan he Immediately went out
again. The two brothers had not exchanged
word.
One day Alister sought out his brother
Nicol, and said to him,
II am going away from Darroch, Mic
oi."
"And Kott's will be done, and ferry
good thing too,r Nicol sail, looking at the
young man. ''If you will stay in Dar-
roch, Alister Lewis, it is mad man you
will be. The poor lass-ay, ay-what is
the use Of Watching for her any more 2
and you are thinking you hef heard her
speak tit is like to mex you mad--yes,
it iss good thing you will 60 away and
look after your school,"
4 II am not going to look after any
| schaol. y said the young man, with bic