The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-23
Select Story.
UP ON THE MOOR.


comfortable and pleasant little party had
assembled around the loaded breakfast-ta-
BILE at Coombe House; for Squire Carew
fairly brimmed over with hospitality and
bonhommie, and his handsome, cherry wife
came no whit behind in the same delight
full virtues. Then there was Madge Carew,
frank and fearless girl Of twenty, whose
soft black eyes, raven hair, and creamy
complexion told that the Squire was not
far wrong in boasting of her as "pure Dew
onshire, born and bred" Just now she is
busily ministering to the ceature comfort
of her brother Tom and his guest, Aleck
Fairburn, a young Highland laird; whose
acquaintance Tom had lately made in town,
and in his fathers own hospitable fashion
had brought home for weeks shooting
on the moor.
For some days after the arrival of the
young men rain had fallen in downright
and persevering fashion, which made the
Highlander feel at home in his new quar-
tiers at once; but to-day the sun shone
cheerily out, and all preparations been made
for long days sport.
sBut you must beware of the Dartmoor
fogs, Mr.. Fairburn,' said Miss Madge,
presently. "You know they come down
with extraordinary suddenness; and it's no
joke to be lost up on the moor in fog, L
assure you."---.g
The young laird turned to her with a
smile.
"You forget, Miss Carew, that fog is no
stranger in the Highlands either, and that
we have our moors as well as you. must
have profted very little by the deerstalk-
ing at home if a mist makes me suddenly
forget the points of the compass"
@But all the points of the compass to-
gether won't save you from tumbling into
peat-hole full ofink-black water, or pitch
ing, head first, down an old quarry, when
the fog is so thick you can't see yard be-
fore you" persisted Madge.
II think you may make yourself easy on
my account, though, of course, | am hon
ored by your solicitude. A sportsman
must be prepared for certain amount of
risk, but l have never yet failed to make
my head keep my feet from such dangers
as you so wildly conjure up, Miss Carew."
There was just enough pride in the young
mans gay tone to check the reply which
rose to Madge's lips, but not to prevent a
quiet whisper to her pet brother as she
stood at the hall-door to watch the start.
"Don't let Mr.. Fairburn wander off
alone, Tom, if you can help it. You know
our foos better than he does"
And good-natured long -limbed Tom nod
ded ready as he followed the Squire and
his guest down the broad old steps.
The three had done capital morning S
work, and covered many a mile of broken,
undulating moorland, before they sat down
to their one o'clock lunch. So, perhaps, it
was no great wonder that when the good
things Madge's own fair hands had care
fully packed for them had been discussed
with such appetite as four hours steady
tramping could give, both Tom and the
Squire should threw themselves luxuriously
back on the short, warm turf, and, from
gazing in silence at the feecy clouds sail
ing overhead, sink into one of those brief,
delicious slumbers in which alone we taste
the full enjoyment of sleep, while their two
followers were busy disposing of the re-
mains of the feast
But Aleck Fairburn was one of those
uncomfortably reckless mortals for whom
even such an indulgence holds out no temp
tation; so that though for little while he
kept watch over his doing companions
with a laudable attempt at patience, it
needed only the sight of large bird sail
ing slowly down the wind at some little
distance to make the young laird spring to
his feet and seize his gun.
'There goes heron must have that
fellow to stuff and pair with the one got
last year. I'll be back in half an hour
Mitchelmore."
The head-keeper looked up from his
lunch with an aggrieved expression on his
shrewd, weather-beaten old face.
"Now, look'ee here, Jan Pearce, he re-
marked, severely, to his subordinate, as he
watched the young fellow depart at long
swinging pace: "when us started, this
blessed mornin, young Squire, he saith to
me, 'Mitche more, saith he, sdaunt'ee GO
fur to lose sight o that there young gem
leman, cause hem stranger to these ere
parts. But just put it to 'ee, Jan, be
it raysonable to ak man O my years to
go off gusegandring in the midst o his
vittles? l haint goin' to do. it, jar
Pearce. So there r
"Ees fay, Master Mitche'more," )" assent
ed the under-keeper, warmly. aus wants
our bit O. vittles arl SO well as the quality
us DOTH And so both Squire and young
Squire knowth, and takes their little rest
like Christens. But they furriners be pull
wheesht sort o bodies-maze as a sheep
the half o'em Lit un go, master; hen
big enough to take care o hizzer: and hav'
bit more pasty in pace, do'ee now p
$50 the 'sfurriner" was left to pursue hi
prey in solitude. On, and still on, fappet
that heron before him; now alighting, til
he was almost tempted to risk a long shot
then slowly rising and sailing away out oi
sight. Nearly, but never quite. The birt
might have been an evil spirit Turing tn
pursuer to destruction, SO pertinaciousl.