Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-01-03

sbouId come, with pointing fingers and
crneI sneers following her wherever she
vent. And if he should Never comel
Her heart stood still with sudden fear,
"Youu come to me, Alan, dearie,
deariel" she half sobbed under her
breath. So intense was the pleading
in her voice that it seemed as though
he must hear and answer, were he at the
other side of the world lnvoluntarily
she put out her arms. seeing nothing,
hearing nothing, in the anguish of that
sudden doubt. Suddenly she ran against
something, unseen through her binding
tears, and a harsh voice exclaimed:
"What mean ye. girl. rinnin' against
peaceable folk in such manner3 Haze ye
no e. en- your head3 Gae hame to your
guide aunt, girl. and tell her DR. Maken-
zie says she's neglectin' her duty I'm
hearin' strange an wicked tales O. ye.
Margurth.
It was dusk when she reached the little
cottage. How long she had wandered in
her crushing grief she did not know The
door stood open. and as she crossed the
threshold her foot touched a PROSTATE
figure. 1t moaned as she bent over it.
and Margurth cried in sudden horror.
Aunt, auntl'
By great exertion she succeeded in get
ting her on the bed. and then she threw
her little shawl over her head and started
for the village. The way had never been
so long before, yet she had never gone so
fast. At last she stood before the house
Of the English doctor, who had recently
come there. and hurriedly rang the bell
She could not go to DR.. Mackenzie. who
had dosed her aunt with harmless pills
for years. The doctor was at home, and
looked sharply at her as she made known
her errand.
"You are cold and tired. my girl" he
said, "come in and rest.
INA. ma. canna," she cried. breath
lessly, Haste, guide mon, oh. make
haste-she's like to deel" It seemed to
her almost as though she was in some
way to blame for her aunt's seizure
The doctor shook his head when he saw
the patient. She might live month, he
said. and she might live only till morn.
ing. He gave Margurth some medicine
for her and then went away, promising to
look in again the next day.
One week, two weeks passed and then
the stern soul was forever at rest. 1t
was not until after the funeral that Mar
gurth had time to think of herself and
her own future. The events of that af-
ternoon had so faded before the tragedy
that followed, that it was not until now
that she remembered how near fair night
had come. Her mind was in an agony of
hope and fear, belief and foreboding. Her
days were full of waking terrors, her
nights, of fearsome dreams. The min
lister called to advise With her as to her
future, and was willing enough to receive
her into his own family, her aunt having
left her all the little wealth accumulated
by years of toll, but Margurth seemed
scarcely to hear him, and only said.
''Wait wee, sir, an let me speir wi my
sell afore say 'ay' or ma. >"
81 am fearful, Margurth, that what the
evil tongues say has some foundation O.
truth. will return to you when you
are acquent wi your own mind, said the
good man, half angrily, as he took his
leave. II shall send my sister to be wi
you till you hae decidit."
Twas fair day fast sinking into night.
All day long knots of girls had gathered
among the gay booths or under the trees
at the edge of the grounds, discussing
some project which seemed to cause mirth
for all, and to which one fair haired girl
cried ''shame!'-a cry which was drowned
in laughter. As the dusk deepened they
stealthily left the place and in the early
dark gathered around little cottage in
the outskirts of the village At first there
was laughing and rapping at the doors,
and cries of "Margurthl one or
two stopped and threw handfuls of mud
at the shining windows; and finally one,
more bold than the rest, pushed open the
door and led them in to wreak their chas-
tisement on the unhappy girl within.
But Margurth was not there.
It was beautiful night-soft and dark,
lit only by the stars, that winked merrily
at the dark river flowing heavily by.
Two forms were outlined against the star
lit sky, sitting hand in hand on the bal
cony above; third crouched stealthily
below. The man was speaking and there
was no mistaking the love that quivered
through his earnest tones. The listener
below shivered with mortal cold.
''There is one incident in my life, Ethel.
that have been ashamed to tell you"
His companion turned her soft eyes on
him in wondering surprise "But now
that our wedding day is so near" he con.
tinued. II feel that l must tell you and
so be able to bring to you clear con-
science. More than year ago / was in
Scotland, as you know, and while there
little Scotch lassie fell in love with me.
I'll admit was fattered, too, and-well,
to tell the truth, suppose made love to
her, and finally went through the Scotch
custom Of breaking sixpence with her
couldn't bear to see the tears in her blue
vi 1xy I Ir3%
the romance of it. l kept my half; here
it is
He laid the little broken bit of silver in
the palm outstretched to receive it, kiss.
ing the little fingers as he did so.
''But you love me best, AlanY' she mur.
INJURED
''Ay, love, better than life ITSELF" he
said. and the crouching figure moaned as
if in pain, then rose and stole noiselessly
away.
Then | forgive you, you bad boyl" she
said, tenderly. And no doubt your
Scotch lassie forgot all about you before
the year was out, and has peacefully mar
ried some shepherd or something-they
are most all shepherds in Scotland, aren't
they?''
Il hope she has, said Alan doubtfully.
some way ne could not quite forget the
look in her eyes that last morning as she
bade him good-by.
''Hark, what was thatr'
But the river tells no tales, even though
it gives up its dead.-Kate A. Bradley in
Detroit Free Press.
In Mr.. Gladstone's Study.
Mr.. Gladstone's study at Hawarden
castle holds $1,000 volumes, which are
ranged on shelves jutting out into the
room. There is not book that Mr.. Glad
stone cannot Law his hand upon the mo-