Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-07-17
WHITE HEATHER.
PY WILLIAM BLACK,
AUTHOR or "JCptTa SHAkESPEARE," "A
PRiNcEss or rHuLE," MACLEOD
OF DARE." ETC.

wen, l should Judge that would be
easy enough" continued Mr.. Hodson,
again referring to his note book in that
methodical, slow-mannered way of his.
You would have to 90 to Edinburgh or
Glasgow, and attend some classes, should
imagine, for they want you to know
something of surveying and geology, and
chemistry and botany. Some of these YOU
could read up here, for you have plenty
of leisure, and the subjects are just at
your hand ! don't see any difficulty
about that. l suppose you have saved
something now, that you could maintain
yourself when you were at the classes ~
could manage for awhile" was the
modest answer.
- have myself several times thought of
buying an estate in the Highlands" Mr..
Hodson continued, if ! found that
have not forgotten altogether how to han
die gun; and if did so, would give
you the management right off. But it
would not do for you to risk such chance.
What you want is to qualify yourself so
that you can take your stand on your own
capacity, and demand the market value
for it."
Well, it was n flattering proposal and
this calm, shrewd-headed man seemed to
consider it easily practicable and as the
Kind of thing that young man in his
country would naturally make for and
achieve while the young lady on the sofa
"
knitting, and was regarding him with
eloquent eyes and talking aS if it were all
settled and attained and Ronald already
become an enterprising and prosperous
manager. whom they should come to see
when they visited Scotland, and who was
certainly to be their guest when he crossed
the Atlantic NO wonder his head was
turned: everything seemed so easy. Why,
both she u I'd her father appeared to
be surrounded, when at home, with men
mot MI do
fortunes. And then he would not be torn
away altogether from the hills He might
still have glimpse of the dun deer from
time to time; there would still be the
= dewy mornings by, lake and strath and
mountain tarn, with the stumbling on
bit of white heather, and the
picking it and wearing it for luck.
And if he had to bid farewell
to Clebrig and Ben Loyal. and Ben Hope
and Bonnie Strath- Naver-well there were
other districts far more beautiful than
that, as well he knew, where he would
still hear the curlew whistle. and the
grouse cock crow in the evening, and the
great stays below his challenge through
the mists of the dawn. And as for visit
to Chicago, and "A view of great cities and
harbors and the wide activities of the
world-surely all this was a wonderful
dream. If only it might come true
m sure beg your pardon, said he
rising, for letting We talk all this time
about my small affairs. think you ii have
aquieter day tomorrow the wind has
backed to the east, and that is very
good wind for this loch. And I've brought
the mnnoWs that | took to mend the
kelts are awful beasts for destroying the
minnowS.n
He put the metal box on the mantel-
piece. They would have had him stay
longer, and Miss Carry, indeed called re
proaches down on her head that she had not
asked him to smoke nor offered him any
kind of hospitality but he begged to be
excused. And 50 he went out and got
home through the cold dark night-to his
snug little room and peat fire, and his pipe
and papers and meditations.
A wonderful dream. truly, and all to be
achieved by the reading up of few sub
lecis, of some of which he already knew
more than smatterng. And why should
e not try 1t seemed the way of the
Y~World at least, the way of the world of
which he had been learning so much from
! these strangers-to strive, and push for
ward, and secure, II possible. means and
independence. Why should he remain at
inver- Mudal The old careless happiness
had fled from it. Meenie had passed him
twice now. each time merely giving him
formal greeting, and yet, somehow, as he
imagined, with timid trouble in her eyes,
as if she was sorry to do that. Her superin-
tendenCe of Maggie'S lessons was more re-
strlcted now, and never by any chance did
| she come near the cottage when he was
within or about The old frendlness was
gone the old happy conn anionship, how
ever restricted and respectful on his side
the old frank appeal for aid and counsel
when any of her own small schemes had
to be undertaken. And was she in trouble
on his account? And had the majesty
of Glengask and Orosay been invoked
Well that possibility need harrow no
human soul. If his acquaintanceshp-
or cOmpanlonship, in a measure-with
Meene was considered undesirable, there
was an easy way out OF the difficulty Ac-
quainlanceship or cOmpanionship, which
ever it might be, it would end-it had
| ended.