The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-01-14

the background, behind Rory's seat, bu
the corner was so dark that the speaker
could not be discerned.
"lan will tell you-he knows, said Rory
impatiently over his shoulder. "Didnl
you hear him just now?" 1t was no time
this for repetition.
But apparently the questioner did not
care to apply to the quarter indicated, ioi
no further query came from the dark cor
ner. The conversation about the supposed
foreign origin of the chiefs was resumed
and as the principal informants stock OF
knowledge on this topic was already ex-
hausted, and his hearers were anxious for
more, he was fain to satisfy them by telling
the whole matter over again-with yaria-
tions-from the beginning The listener
in the darkness must have been satisfied,
for no further movement or sound came
from that direction so long as the sitting
lasted. 1t was only as some of the men
rose at length to depart, lighting their
pipes afresh at the fire as they did so, and
while Ian got up to his feet as if to go also,
irresolutely wavered, and finally sat down
again, that something moved once more in
the nook behind Rory's seat, something
that glanced in the freight CLEAN.
But Ian MaeKay-for that was the
young giants name-remaining still, the
the figure in the darkness was motionless
once more. Again, before the visitors had
focked to the door, there was CLEAN on
massy braids of yellow hair, and glimpse
of a rounded arm. The rest was in shadow.
Rory, as host, went outside with the
others. Ian sat silent by the fire, the light
playing upon him as he rested his head be-
tween his hands, Not a good face, Gts
expression of very doubtful cast,) the
freight seemed to blanch, not to tighten it,
and to bring out its weak points-the faulty
eyelashes and eyebrows of the fair complex
ion, and the fabby cheeks. The frame of
the youth was gigantic, but the head,
though proportionate, was ill-shapen, and
the face defective--the forehead receded
the chin fell back. His eyes were dull and
heavy; they showed greenish in the blaze
as he turned them to the dark corner at
length and said, rather doubtfully:
"Mairir
No answer-not the silence of shyness;
it was too prolonged for that.
care you going to the shop tonight
Mairi?" queried he again. "Ifyou are I'll
tell you secret on the way that you will
want to know"
Still silence-the speaker was not a fa-
vorite of the maiden evidently.
"Well, if you won't speak I'll just tell
you now" said Ian, rather put out by her
lack of curiosity. "Your friend Angus
and l are going away tomorrow. He
wouldn't think it worth while to let you
know, suppose. We are off to the light
honse, out west, to help build store there
for the keepers And we won't be back
for fortnight at any rate-there now,
that's news for youl'' And the speaker,
as if he had relieved his conscience of a
burden, rose, shook himself, and glanced
sideways where the maiden sat silent
"Mairi!" he said again, impatiently this
time and made as though he would ap-
proach her.
Then she started to her feet as if either
to avoid or to warn him. As she rose the
freight that moment fell full upon her,
clad in her rustic dress, upon her supple
yet rounded figure above the average
height. II lighted up her wealth of wavy
golden hair, coiled in shapely mass be-
hind, and with its abundance trailing on
her neck and shoulders. 1t touched the
broad white forehead, the clear-cut aqui.
line features, with the dewy violet eyes and
the melting, tremulous mouth Mari bhan!
Then the fire CLEAN faded, and she stood in
shadow.
"Stand off Ian, don't come a step near
er" she cried, and her eyes, even in the
shadow, flashed bright. The Caliban
thought better of 1t, and stood still.
aYou had better go, she continued In a
lower voice. "Father will be here in a
minute and will order you.off, if / but
speak, "You dogl" she added in a low,
sudden whisper of scorn, "to speak of the
Clam DhomhnmU as you do-as if they
were not betters of your base gypsy tribel'
The force of Mairi's passionate words
bel;ed her own supposition as to the un=
broken Celtic descent of her clan. Tho
Morse blood, and none other, was hot in
her veins, and its characteristic yehemence
cowed the craven before her. He was not
of courage at all equal to his size. "Might
have knife about her, thought this de-
spised suitor It was the only nccompani-
ment Of physical strength Of which he had
any idea. So he shuffled, rather clumsily
to the door, being ashamed to reseat him.
self. and not relishing the allusion to his
connection, on one side of the house, with
gypsy family. Industrious and intelli-
gent as these wanderers often are, for them
and their belongings your Highlander has
the deepest scorn. tits instant contamina-
ton to associate with them.
She went to the door shortly afterward
to make sure that he had gone, as if in
deed he were some stray and thieyish cur.
Then, having closed the door, she returned
and sat down by the dancing peat blaze.
Was that tear which fell bright and glis-
tening on her shapely hand, with its strong
nodded nervous fingers, Drowned, but not
coarsaned with toil2 Surely IL was. Could