The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-04-21

standing out white and distinct against
the dark hedge. MacLeish stopp+S
"There, by that stone, on that nigh
stood Fergus MacLeish. saw him a
clearly rs see you now. He held on,
his hand and said Welcome we are
waiting you, Caolchairn.' His face was
clear in the moonlight. 1t was the face
of dead man."
"I don't believe a word of IL, said
energetically, to assure myself / was not
frightened.
"Do rs you please" said MacLeish,
coldly.
at was evident" I reasoned, taking
counsel with myself, "that poor Mac
Leish's brain had become diseased liv-
ing all his life in a bogie-ridden High
land stronghold, in an atmosphere OF
Gaelic superstition. He would be bet
ter without Alistor lowering about him
and ministering to his fancies, and l
must do my best to drag him in society.
He certainly hates thesighto of his fellow
creatures as much as any man L know"
Accordingly, next day, instead of our
usual secluded seat on the shingle, by
deserted Martello tower, 1 suggested
that we should take our books to the
parade, study in public being a Cnq-
haven fashion.
where's the parade? I've never
seen it yet, "heremarked. marched him
eastward forthwith. 1t was half past 12'
on bright autumn morning, the sun
was shining, the sea dancing. bevies of
pretty children frolickingo on the shingle,
and three of the prettiest girls in Cinq-
l. koly ielr hot i,
The very prettiest bowed to me, and
looked as if we might come and talk to
her if we liked but all that MacLeish
said was :" 1t was bad place for work.
ing, and that he wanted to go to the
town and buy some red ink"
"This way" I said. "You don't
mean to say you've not been near the
Lady's avenue?"
We turned through gate into the
cool shade of some pollard elms that
made bowery walk across some low
| lying meadows TO the town. "Some
dead-and- gone county lady-b'ess her
considerable soul-planted this grove and
bequeathed it to the town. It's the
prettiest thing in Cinqehaven.
"The town doesn't seem TO appreciate
| it." said MacLeish. cit has been let
go to the bad. These trees want thin
ming and some young ones planting in
| those gaps"
"Ths Mayor and corporation are
awakening to sense of their duties,
see, L said, presently. "They are act
ually1 breaking up the ground and get
ting fresh earth in. 1 suppose it's
twenty years since it was done-and it
will be twenty more before it's done
again"
MacLeish did not answer. He seized
my arm suddenly ard pointed with ont
stretched finger to the last elm of the
! avenue.
"There !" he gasped; "there he is
again"
saw nothing but two wheelbarrows.
plank, and two spades sticking upright
in the newly-broken earth.
"Hold up" said. Don't faint
here, for heavens sake - and / shook
cantly, and L hurried him on. Presently
he passed his hands across his eyes aad
drew deep breath.
"My grave-or his I" he muttered.
He said no more till we reached the
barracks, when he turned to me quite
calmly and collectedly: "Laugh as you
wilt can do no harm. L have seen
him again. The third time will be the
last" And he closed the door gently
upon me.
/ hadn't a chance of making many
friends among the Cinqhaven residents,
sociablc and agreeable as they were, and
was pleasantly surprised to meet some
| Welsh friends established in one of the
parade houses for the season. They
were a gay, hospitable set, with half a
dozen pretty daughters, and as many
sons, all holiday making "a hard as they
could. Something was always going on
at the Pryse- Davieses, and and many
of my friends were made cordially well
come ut any time. L conveyed numer-
GUS invitations to MacLeish-all politely
but firmly declined. A picnic to East
cliffe bay-a boating party up the river
to Lynas castle-an afternoon dance !;
finally seat on the drag to Northwold
races.
On our return from our walk mp the
avenue, found yet another of Miss
Winnie Pryse-Davies' pretty little notes
| lying on my table, and second add
dressed to Capt. A. MacLeish.
GA dance after the races Bless the
girls, what constitutions they have Is
it worth while bothering MaeLeish to
go, wonder? What can make them so
crazy to cultivate his acquaintance ?"
L gave no encouragement to Miss
Winnie's hopes of his acceptance when l
met her on the parade that evening.
"Such shame p she said. 1--WE
want you all to come in uniform. 1t
will make the room look so much better.
Yours is lovely, l know-but Highland
! dress T.
"Well, there are some 93d men here.
Shall bring them ?"
"Oh, as many as you can, by all
means, but had set my heart on your
Highland chief. Here three more Miss
Pryse-Davieses hurried up excitedly and
delightedly. "He's coming, Winnie.
Here's his note |"
L could hardly believe my eyes.
"Why not?" said MacLeish to me
that night. i've been very ungracious
to your kind friends. Let me off the
races, and I'll be as civil as you please
all the evening. Next Friday, is it |?
| Well. hope they won't make q late af-