The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-19

1ney WatcleQ the waves ana the SKY, ana
Biddulph talked almost as he used to talk
before the bitter blow had fallen on his
life, which seemed TO change it all to Bit
terness. He had that vague poetic in
stinct in his nature which finds vent some
times in picturesque words and phrases,
though not in rhymes. And the hour
and scene-the dark clouds and the moon
lit riffs, the changing silver tracks upon
the sea, stirred these dreamy fancies, and
made him for the time, at least, forget the
gloomy shadows that stalked SO often by
his side.
At last, with blush, sigh, Nora re-
membered how late it was, and bade Bid
dulph goodnight, going below too much
excited to sleep. II this should be true
if he were free after all, and she might be
his wife She could think of nothing
else, and the next morning she met Bid
dulph with new sweet shyness, which
he knew very we'll how TO interpret.
And it made him happy; sometimes too
happy. He began, in truth, to persuade
! himself that he had been deceived by ''a
base, wretched woman" and he was
eager to reach England, so that he should
have an opportunity OF irving to force her
to speak the truth. He thought this one
day, and the next awoke in the morning
full OF chill, sad doubts. 1t was like
fever, this uncertainty, with fits of hot
! and cold, and lasted during the remainder
OF the voyage; Biddulph's changing
moods naturally influencing Nora.
They had settled that when they
reached Liverpool they were to part, Nora
returning to Scotland with Jock Fraser
and his wife, and Biddulph proceeding to
town, to see his lawyer and find out
the present address OF the woman who
! had called herself his wife.
And when the hour came, and they
stood together on the landing-stage, both
pale and grave, they spoke few words of
farewell. They clasped each others
hands, and they understood each others
hearts.
eve, at least, shall always be friends"
faltered Nora, her dark eyes dim with un-
hidden tears, and ne emphatically an
swered, Eyes"
Then Jock Fraser warmly grasped Bid
dulph's hand, also in silence; but the
poor mother never raised her crape-hid-
den face. She was carrying home her
dead, and all other things were as nothing
TO her. IL was the saddest journey-the
sorTOwing father and mother bearing back
the encohined form of their only son;
and a hearse awaited them at the High
land station, as we'll as the carriage which
was to to take them to the loch-side, be-
fore they crossed to Airdlinn.
For che shall go home again." Mrs.
Fraser had said; and thus Malcom Fraser's
body was borne back to the old roof-tree
under which he had been born. 1t was a
gloomy wet evening when they reached
the water, and the shadows of the great
hills fell dark and lowering on Its breast.
And the weather-beaten faces OF the boat
men who awaited them were wet with
tears rs they carried ''the young laird"-
as Malcom had always been called-on
their shoulders to the boat, In which 80
many of the days of his boyhood and
young manhood had been spent.
One of these vas Tam natEnnzie, and
the poor lad fairly broke down, remem-
bering the devoted love which his brave
boy-brother Bob had given to the ''young
master"
cts weel he did ma live to see this
day." said Tam, rubbing his eyes with his
brown knuckles to try to hide his fast
falling tears. "Ay, they're both game now
and his bit pictur' is lying ON Rob's
breast STILL"
So across the darkening loch the young
heir of Airdlinn. the pride and darling or
his mothers heart, was taken home dead,
after his long suierings and sorrow. The
kindly, homely face of the doctor was
watching for them at the other side, ready
to grasp Jock Frasers hand in truest
sympathy, and to do what he could for
her whose dry eyes shed no tears, and
whose white lips spoke no words.
Not even when Minnie Fraser flung her
self weeping into her mothers arms did
Mrs. Fraser break that silent agony OF
grief, which was past all human expires
sion. She had grown gray and old her
mourning for her son had eaten into her
length OF days as moths into garment.
They buried him the next dayin the
kirk-yard at Balla, among his kinsiolk;
for long generations OF Frasers sleep there
beneath the green mossy turf. His father
followed him to the grave, and the doctor:
but the stern man at Insmore stayed at
| home. Alick Fraser, in truth, was very
wroth that Jock had yielded to 'Jeanie's
follY," about bringing back Malcolm
body, and did not 60 10 Airdlinn until
after Malcolm was laid in his grave.
"Useless waste OF money; Just making
| people talk again" many a time Alick
had reflected angrily, since Jock had tee-
graphed to him from Liverpool that they
had arrived there. But after the funeral
was over he went TO see his brother, and
felt a sort OF shock when he saw how gray
Jock had grown, and how old-looking.
"And you saw that fellow Biddulph ?'
he presently asked abruptly.
"Hes," answered Jock; "he came nome
with us, you know. / shall never forget
what he did for our poor boy"
"He came home with your repeated
Ailck, sharply. "Then, are Miss Nora
and he sweethearting again, in spite OF
his being a married man p Ald Alick
laughed disagreeably.
"There was no question of anything
of the sort, should say; we were all in
too much trouble"
"Where is he now, then Z"
Gle left us at Liverpool. and went up
to town. He's fine fellow, Alick, say
what you like; he got his own leg badly
broken, trying to save our dear lad )" and
| Jocks brown eyes grew dim, and he
turned away his head.
"He may be one thing or the other;
know nothing about him, nor wish to but
he's a married man, and Nora Stewart had
best keep out of his way ii she minds her
good name, in my opinion"
Jock Fraser made no reply TO this, nor
did he speak TO his brother of the long
walks together on the deck of thesteamer,
or of the intimate friendship which, no
doubt, existed between Biddulph and
Nora Stewart. IL was Jocks private be-
| lief that Nora would never marry any one
else; but he conhded this opinion to no
one.
at is no business of mine," he had de-
cided; and, like wise man, he held his
tongue, knowing well also what made