The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-16

rived on the scene, In a a-pitiable state OF
emotion and excitemeng and would fain
have assisted. But his father saw at once
he was too much agitated to be OF any real
service.
'No, my lad, he said, laying his brown,
bony hand on his sons broad shoulder; !;
''the way you can help Nora most is to
make the best use you can of your young
legs, and run down by the loch-side to
Balla, and tell DR.. Alexander to go on at
once to Rossmore, so that we shall find
him there when we reach the little pier.
You had best 90 at once, Malcolm" ;" and
the young man, after one more distracted
glance at Nora's white face, obeyed his
father, and started off at headlong speed
down the hill. -
Then poor Nora was carefully lifted on
the cushion, Biddulph holding fast the
milling little hand.
"You stay close to me-" she whispered,
lifting her dark eyes a moment to his face.
He grew little paler, and his lips
moved, but neither Jock Nor his wife, who
also were bending over Nora, heard any
word. But he took his place by her side,
and no one disputed it. He and Jock
Fraser carried the end of the cushion on
which Nora's head rested, and Alick Fra
ser the other end. 1t was a somewhat
perilous descent; but Alick, strong and
sturdy, and good cragsman, never placed
his foot down without testing the ground.
They reached the boats, therefore, with
out further accident, and poor Nora, still
on her cushion, was lifted in and almost
as they started on their homeward jour
ney the mist, as Biddulph had prophesied,
came creeping down the mountain-side,
and began stealing over the darkening
water OF the l0ch, producing an indescrib-
able chilhness and change OF atmosphere,
and a little shiver passed through NOras
frame.
"You are cold" said.Biddulph; and he
asked for thef carriage-rug, and wrapped
it carefully round her, and doubled
cushion, on which he lifted her head.
Mrs. Conway-Hope was looking after
her own comforts, and Mrs. Jock Fraser
after her Minnie, who had disappeared
somewhere in the mist, with Lord Glen
dOyne by her side. Jock and Aick were
helping to push off the boats, but Biddulph
never left Nora. He sat on one of the
cross seats, where he could support her
and hold her In her place; and he held
her hand all the way as they were rowed
down the loch, until the little palm grew
warm under the fur rug, and NOra's heart
was beating fast.
'sIs the pain any less now ?" he asked
with unconscious tenderness in his voice,
bending over her little more closely.
"Yes, it is not so baG."
Il shall never forgive myself for taking
you up there"
"But it was I who wanted to GO; and
and l owe you my"
She could not complete the sentence.
Tears rushed into her ewes, and a choking
sob rose in her throat She owed him this
best gift, then-her life, and Nora knew
it would have been less sweet from any
other.
He did not speak; he clasped her hand
tighter and turned away his head, and
Jock Fraser, whose honest brown eyes
happened at this moment to be rested on
Biddulph, wondered what had caused the
great look Of pain that passed over the
mans face.
1t was almost dark when they reached
the little pier at Rossmore, but through
the mist they could discern that there
were figures waiting for them. The doc
tor was there-a tall, gaunt Scotchman-
and Malcolm Fraser, pale and still half
breathless, as he had run the whole way
to Balla at utmostspeed. He was waiting
to pull in the boats now-or rather the
boat where poor Nora lay, for he saw, or
at least needed no other.
He helped to lift Nora on the pier, and
took his Uncle Alexis place in carrying.
her up the hill to the house at RossmOre.
1t was a melancholy Homecoming. She
had gone forth so gay and full of joyous
expectation and excitement. and was now
returning pale, exhausted, almost in
fainting condition; and as soon as they
reached the hall at Rossmore, the doctor
stepped to the front.
Now, Mrs. Jock" he said, in his broad
Scotch accent, to Mrs. Fraser, whose
children he had attended since their first
appearance in the world, ''ye'll please,
ma'am, to turn every one out OF the room
but yerself and me. The young leedy
must not be worried, and ye're sensible
woman and l can trust ye."
"All right, doctor" answered Mrs. Jock,
and she stood by Nora's bedside when her
injuries were examined, and the stockings
cut from the small, slender white feet.
The doctor looked very grave when he
saw the condition OF the right foot.
"We1l not ha' ye dancing any reels this
winter, anyhow, Miss Stewart" he said;
.'eh, my poor lassie, you must ha' had
fearsome fall."
"Shall 1 ever be able to walk again, doc
torT asked Nora, in a low tone.
"Walk again? To be sure We will-ay,
and dance, too; butye'll ha' to bide a'wee; /;
we ha' broken bane or two TO deal
with"
Nora's right foot was, in truth, so terri
bly, injured that, after doing all he could,
DR.. Alexander drew Mrs. Jock aside.
"If ye don't mind, Mrs. Jock" he said,
"and as the young leedy can weel afford
it, should like further advice from Edin-
bro. Ye see, the right foot is sare dis
placed, and my hand is not what it used
to be, nor my sight either, for that mat
ter"
People said, indeed, that the poor doc
tor, during his long, weary rides across
brae and stream TO the Outlying hamlets
in the neighborhood, was too fond of stop
ping to refresh himself with the mount
ain dew" OF his native land, and that on
one occasion he found, to his extreme sur
prise, rosy babe nesting in the mothers
arms, when he was quite unconscious of
having assisted in placing it there on the
previous evening.
'What bairn is this?' he asked, when
the mother proudly showed the little head.
"Why, dOctorl" cried the woman in the
utmost astonishment.
SAY, ay, TO be sure" said the doctor,
who was shrewd, and began TO under
stand; 81 needn't ask whose bairn It's
the living image Of ye, and a BONNER BARN