Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-20

admirable and wonderful but full OF ter
ror at all times to the heart of sensibility.
do not say. however that the moors were
terrible to any of those who crossed them
on this cold and dark night. save Tor the
darkness and the rain, and the fear that
at any moment they might all go head
first into quag The boy. to begin with,
was quite insensible to any impression
which can be produced by natural objects
rocks. precipices. wild stretches of land,
dark woods-all were alike to him As
for Dan. ! suppose he never thought of
anything at all Mathew was toe full OF
the gloomy forebodings which always
precede the punishment of wickedness, to
regard the things around him. and Nan,
as lnsensible as the boy. was wishing only
that the journey was over, because she
was horribly cold and getting tired.
The boy led them by that wonderful In
stinct up the slope of the hill TO high
level. where the wind was keener and the
rain colder He kept as nearly as possible
to the same level leading them round the
middle heights upon the slopes of the
great Fells and above the dales The di-
rect distance is not more than eight miles,
but by reason of the winding of the way
suppose they must have doubled that
distance It was o'clock when they left
Amman behind them. and 1t was already
0 before they came down the hill on the
north side of Windgate
Master. said the boy at last, pointing
at something invisible. ''yonder's Yetholm.
and you are in Scotland"
Mathew started and sat upright in the
saddle throwing back his cloak He was
in Scotland. Why. then, his work was
done lie laughed and laid his hand upon
his prisoners arm.
My wifel" he cried. Bear witness,
Dan. my wife. say
'Ay. ay. master. Give ye joy. miss.
Master. another dram to drink the leddys
health"
Mathew gave him his bottle. Dan took
deep draught. and then. wiping the
mouth OF the vessel handed it to the lady.
Take drop, he said. It'll warm
your blood after that long ride"
Then followed so prolonged draught
Of the brandy that Dan. too, as Mathew
had done five hours ago looked to see the
girl. nnaccustomed to strong drink. fall
from her saddle But she did not. And
honest Dan marveled remembering. be-
sides. the vigor of her heels and the un
expected reality of that clout A wife so
gifted with manly strength of heel and
hand. who could also drink so fair. seemed
to this simple fellow thing to be envied,
indeed
As regards the run, let me say at once.
so as to have done with 1t at once, that it
was quite successful, and proved a profit
able venture to all concerned. though
Mathew for his part. never showed any
Joy when the work of the night was
spoken of It was bold thing to venture
acroos the moors on SO dark night; no
one In Office looked for such venture in
the little village of Yetholm; and the
stuff. taken in the farmers carts to Kelso,
was all sold of at once. therefore Mathew
might have been proud of his exploit
But he was not. and when the old woman,
accompanied by the boy. came home two
days later and brought the news OF what
had happened the success Of the venture
derfuI tale they had to tell
They rode into Yetholm a good while
before daybreak, and the people of the
inn-lttle more than village ale house
were still in their beds 1t was now rain.
ing again. with a cold wind. while they
waited for the house to be reused and the
fire TO be laid Nan began now, indeed,
Z k<1,, oh kn koI 81 IL.
Journey of the night, to feel the keen
morning air and the fatigue Of the long
ride. Her limbs were numbed, and when,
at last. the door was opened and the fire
lit, Dan had to lift her off the pony ami
carry her In. They placed her in a chair
before the fire. where she sat huddled up
In her cardinal and hood, refusing to take
them off.
When all was safely bestowed. Mathew
thought him c ais bride. and came into
the parlor, Tow bright with cheerful fire
and candle He threw off hat and cloak
with Sigh of relief.
Come" he said, "let us be friends,
Drusilla. since we are married. Yes,
child. married. You would have me no
other way. Let us have no more skulk.
Ing
She answered nothing.
We'll. 1t matters not" Here the land
lord and his wife. with Dan and servant
wench. came In together. Something to
eat. Mathew ordered Anything that
you have. My wife is tired with her ride
over the moors.-
"Over the moors9" This was the land
lady "You haven't surely brought a
Teddy over the moors on sic a night as
this?'
Indeed. but have" he replied.
Come. madam. He seized her by the
arm and dragged her off the chair-oh,
the gentle wooerl-so that she stood be
fore him Bear witness, all Of you," he
said. taking her gloved hand This is
my wife. my lawful wife, by Scottish law"
Now whether such is the Scottish law
| know not at all. but in Northumberland
1t was always believed that. across the
Border such form of words. before wit
nesses. constituted the whole of mar
riage required by law although, by way
of adding some grace of ceremony, the
pair sometimes jumped over broom
stick. or wrote their names In book, or
gave blacksmith guinea
My lawful wife. Mathew repeated
The bride who had been standing with
bent shoulders and bowed head. straight
ened herself and stood upright Then the
witnesses observed very curious and re-
markable thing The face of the bride
groom. which should surely on such an
occasion show lively sense of happiness.
expressed first astonishment, then uneasi-
ness. and finally terror
The cause of these successive emotions
was simple. When Matthew had repeated
his form Of words he would have dropped
his brides hand. but she now held his.
6rst with gentle pressure, next with de-
termination. and finally with a viselike
tenacity which amazed and filed him with
strange fears
Presently. still holding his hand. she
spoke.
ii acknowledge Mathew Humble as my
true and lawful husband"
The voice was hoarse and rough
Mathew with his left hand tore off the
hood. Before him stood. her mouth open
ing gradually to make room for the hoarse
laugh which followed. no other than Sailor
Nan herself. in her short petticoats and
her cloth jacket. with wooden wrapper
tied about her head
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