The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-11

mill as well as a master. Think upon
tat, now.
Then the procession started. First
Cuddy: then the ponies, two by two, who
followed the boy as the sheep follow their
shepherd; lastly. Mathew, upon his pony;
Kan upon hers; and on the other side of
her Dan Gedge. still wondering at the un-
expected strength displayed in those
kicks and that clout
In addition to the advantages already
spoken of possessed by Warkworth for
the convenience of a run, should be men
toned the happy circumstance that it lies
close to the wild lands, the waste moors
and hills which occupy so large a part Of
Northumberland. These moors are crossed
by bride paths, it is true, but they are
mere tracks, not to be distinguished from
sheep runs, except by the people who use
them, and these are few indeed. If you
lose the track, even in broad daylight,
you run the risk of deep quagmires, besides
that of wandering about with nothing to
guide the inexperienced eye, and perhaps
perishing miserably among the wild and
awful hills. AS for the boy Cuddy, he
possessed gift which is sometimes
granted even to blind men, of always
knowing where he was and of keeping in
the right path. 1t is with some an in
stinct. He was invaluable on these win
ter runs, because, however dark the night,
whether the moors we're covered with
thick fog or impenetrable blackness, or
even if they were tire. feet deep in snow,
he never failed to find his way direct to
the point whittier they desired to go. In
general, however, the widest road, though
the shortest, was avoided, and the ponies
were driven through the country which
lies north, or northeast, of the Cheviots
But on this occasion, so great was Matthew's
desire to insure the safety of run in
which his ponies carried something more
precious even than lace or rum, that he
resolved upon trying the more difficult
way across Chill moor, south of Cheviot.
Even on summer day the way across
this moor is difficult to find. On winters
night it would seem impossible. Yet
Cuddy declared that he could find it blind
fold. They were to cross the Border by
way of Windgate fell and to carry their
stuff to the little village of Yetholm, on
the Scottish side.
1t was past midnight, and they had been
in the saddle for five hours and more,
when they reached the place, close to the
village of Amman, where they were to
leave the guidance of the winding burn
and trust themselves to the knowledge of
the boy upon the painless moors Here,
under the shelter of Kinney, Mathew
called halt. Dan produced lantern
and finder box, and presently got
light. Then he found some provisions in
one of the packs, and they ate and drank
"You are SO far from your friends now"
said Mathew to his prisoner, that you can
talk and scream and do exactly what you
please, except run away Now you guess
what | am going to do. Once over the
Scottish border you will be my wife by
Scottish law, if l call you wife So that
now. you know, You had better make up
your mind and be cheerful
She made no reply.
well, then, have you got nothing to
say?"
She had nothing.
''Sulk. then. he said roughly. Fall a
sulking till you are tired. You may think,
if you please, what your young devil of
sweetheart will say when he finds the nest
empty Alive and prospecting, is he?"
He proceeded to express his earnest
hope that the boy would shortly be be-
yond the reach of hope. This done, he
Informed Nan that the worst part of her
journey had yet to be accomplished, and
that she had better take some meat and
drink, unless she wished to fall off her
saddle with fatigue, in which case Dan
would have to carry her. She accepted
without speaking. and, under cover of her
hood, made an excellent supper. being, in
fact, already pretty well exhausted with
fatigue and hunger. When she had fin
ished, Mathew offered her a bottle which
contained brandy. He was amazed to
find when she returned it to him that she
had taken at one draught about half
pint of the spirit so that he looked to see
her reel and fall off the pony That she
did not do SO he attributed to the effect
OF the cold night air and the long ride,
being unsuspicious how strong and sea-
soned head was hidden beneath that
hood.
Supper finished, Mathew examined the
boy concerning the road. He would tell
nothing at all about it. yet he said he
knew where to find it and how to follow
it, and, in short, undertook to guide the
party without danger by as short a way
as could be found across the moor He
was certain that he could do this, but he
would not explain how he knew the way
nor in what direction it wound among the
hills. In fact, how was the boy to de-
scribe road who knew not north from
south. or east from west, nor had any but
the most simple English at his command
in which to speak of valley or hill, ascent
or descent?
The moor over which they crossed that
dark night in as perfect safety as if a
broad highway had been laid down for
them. and was lit with oil lanterns like
some of the streets of London is the
widest. | suppose in all England
The boy as before led the way walk
ing without hesitation though the night
was so dark What he saw to indicate
the road nc one could tell Nan. for her
own part. could see nothing at all before
her fol the pitchy darkness of the night
and the continual pattering of the rain
Here is the very head of the Cheviots
the middle of the moors and fells. across
which so many parties of plunderers. cat
tie filters and smugglers have made their
way There is not valley among these
wild hills which has not witnessed many
gallant fight There is not a hillside
which has not run with streams of blood
There is not mountain among them all