Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-07-26

good man. started at once. He was in
time 10 see the dying man and 10 prom
Use to befriend his only son--a boy of
about fourteen. Fergus MacLeish died
with his hand clasped in my fathers. II
was their first and last meeting.n
"Well! No harm came of it'll sup
pose"
"My father never saw his home again.
He was killed in the great railway ao-
cident on the Great Northern"
"What became Of the boyP' / asked
presently.
"Young Fergusp He was an utter
good-for-nothing, My mother gave the
chaplain carteblanch, and he did his
utmost to reclaim him. IL was no use.
He was in and out of prison half a dozen
times and at last we shipped him of 10 the
Colonies-but I'm almost sure met him
last year at the Derby"
How did you know himg'
"By his likeness to myself. Its curl
ously strong. Also by another mark
cut on one eyelid that gives him a
most sinister look. The chaplain men,
toned it to me-"
''Did anything happenPn l could
Ros resist asking. MacLeish' face grew
dark.
Don't ask me-enough to ruin my
life, and making it little worth having
from henceforward. Hullo it's seven
o'clock. Do you dine at mess to-nightp'
and he left me to dress.
Still got no nearer to any explana-
nation of the occurrence on the first
night of our meeting. He always
avoided the Westwood road | noticed,
and another peculiar fact which struck
me was the way in which his servant
Alistor-his foster brother he told me-
kept us constantly in sight. twas as if
he expected me to do his master mis-
chief. Wherever we went Alistor's red
head and foxy eyes appeared at UNI
expected moments. One day MacLeish
came into my room in great distress.
An accident had happened in the town
"a scaffold had fallen, and Alistor, who
was passing at the moment, had been
knocked down and injured-some iron
| work had struck his head and it was
feared had destroyed the sight of one
eye.
"He must go up town as soon as he
can travel. Everything that the best
man there can do for him shall be done
I'll trust him to no one here. My poor
Alistorr' and he was hurried into the
train, and l saw no more of him.
We walked back together down the
memorable Westwood road.
"Can YOU guess what h. means?'
asked MacLeish, after long silence.
mot in the least" replied.
do you remember the night we
cameP''
"Perfectly," l answered. We turned
a corner as spoke, and the, broad white
road to Cinqhaven sloped down the hill
at our feet-with the milestone standing
out white and distinct against the dark
hedge. MacLeish stopped.
"There by that stone, on that night,
stood Fergus MacLeish. | saw him as
clearly as see you now. He held out
his hand, and said: Welcome! we are
waiting for you, Caolchairn.' His face
was clear in the moonlight. 1t was the
| face of dead man."
Il don't believe Il word of it, | said
theoretically, to assure myself was not
frightened.
"Do as you please" said MacLeish
coldly.
at was evident" l reasoned, taking
counsel with myself, that poor Mac
Leish's brain had become diseased living
all his life in bogie-ridden Highland
stronghold, in an atmosphere of Gaelic
superstition. He would be better
without Alistor lowering about him and
ministering to his fancies, and must do
my best to drag him into society. He
certainly hates the sight of his fellow
creatures as much as any man 1 Know"
Accordingly, next day, instead of our
usual secluded seat on the shingle, by a
deserted Martello tower, suggested that
we should take our books to the parade,
studying in public being a Cinqhaven
fashion.
where's tho paradep I've never
seen 1t yet" he remarked. | marched
him eastwards forthwith 1t was half
past twelve on a bright autumn morning,
| the sun was shining, the sea dancing,
bevies of pretty children rolicking on the
single, and three of the prettiest girls in
Cinqhaven taking n brisk turn after bath
ing. The prettiest bowed to me, and
looked az if we might come and talk to
her If we liked; but all that MacLeish
said was: at was bad place for work
ing and that he wanted to go to the town
and buy some red ink"
This way" | said. Z" You don t
mean to say you've not been down the
Lady's Avenue?'
We turned through gate into the cool
shade of some pollard elms that made a
bowery walk across some low lying
meadows to the town. "Some dead
and-gone country lady-bless her con-
siderate soul-planted this grove and
bequeathed it to the town. it's the pref
test thing in Cinqhaven."
''The town doesn't seem to appreciate
it," said MacLeish. 1T has been let go
to the bad. These trees want thinning
and some young ones planted in those
gaps"
"The Mayor and corporation are
awaking to sense Of their duties, |
see," / said presently. "They are ac-
tually breaking up the ground and get
ting fresh earthin. l suppose it's twenty
years since it was last done-and it will
be twenty more before it's done again.
MacLeish did not answer; he seized
my arm suddenly and pointed with out
stretched finger to the last elm of the
avenue.
"Therer' he gasped, che is there
again"
saw nothing but two wheelbarrows,
plank and two spades sticking upright
in the newly broken earth.
"Hold upr' said. Don't faint here,
for Heavens saker' and | shook him
roughly. He looked at me vacantly,
and hurried him on. Presently he
passed his hand across his eyes and drew
deep breath.
"My grave-or hisn' he muttured.
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. have seen
him again. The third time will be the
last" And he closed his door gently
upon me.
hadn't chance of making many
friends Of the Cinqhaven residents, socia-