The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-25

very plain against the sky; l remarked
great one soar on the wind to high alti-
tude and then plump among the whins.
ana / thought to myself at sight Of it,
There goes Dayie."
Ny way lay over Monter's hill and
through an end of a clachan on the brae-
side among fields There wasa whirr of
looms In II went from house to house;
bees hummed in the gardens; the neigh
oors that saw at the doorsieps talked in
strange tongue; and found out later
that this was PIcardy, village where the
french weavers wrought for the linen
company. Here got fresh direction for
fiirlg, my destination; and a little be-
yond. on the wayside, came bv gibbet
and two men hanged in chains. They were
dipped in tar. as the manner is; the wind
span them, the chains .clattered, and the
birds hung about the Uncanny jumping
JACKS and cried. The sight coming on me
suddenly, like an illustration of my fears.
could scarce be done with examining it
and drinking in discomfort. And as l
thus turned and turned about the gbbet.
what should | strike on. but weird old
wife, that sat behind a leg of it, and nod
ded, and talked aloud to herself with becks
and courtesies.
Who are these two, mother ?" asked.
and pointed to the corpses.
"A blessing on your precious FACET she
cried. "Twa loes o mine; just twa o my
old joes. my hinny dear"
What did they suffer ior?" / asked.
"Oh. just for the guild cause" said she.
AFTER | spaced to them the way that it
would end. iva shiilin' Scots; no pickle
mair and there are twa bonny callants
hingin' fort! They took it frae a wean
beianged to Brouchton."
"Ay!" said to myself, and not to the
daft thinner. "and did they come to such
a figure for so poor business? This is TO
lose all. indeed.
''Gie's your loot, hinny," says she, land
let me spae you weird to ye."
mo, mother" said l. II see far enough
the way am. It's an unco thing to see,
to see too far in front"
Il read it in your bree," she said.
There's bonnie Iassie that has BRIGHT
cen, and there's a wee man in Draw coat.
and big man in pouthered wig, and
there's the shadow Of the Muddy, Joe,
that lies braid across your path. Gie's
your looI, hinny, and let Aud Merren
spae il TO We bonny."
The two chance shots that seemed to
point at Alan and the daughter of James
More struck me hard, and ] fled from the
eldritch creature. casting her baubee,
which she continued to sit and play with
under the moving shadows os the hanged.
Ny way down the causeway of Leith
Walk would have been more pleasant to
me but for this encounter. The old ram
part ran among fields, the like of them l
had never seen for artfulness of agricui-
ture; was pleased, besides, to be SO far
in the still countryside; but the shackles
OF the gibbet clattered in my head, and
the mops and mows of the old witch and
the thought of the dead men hag-rode my
spirits. To hang on gallows, that
seemed a hard case; and whether a man
came to hang there for two shillings,
Scots, or (as Mr.. Stewart had it,, from the
sense of duty, once he was tarred and
shackled and hung up, the difference
seemed small. There might David Bal
four hang, and other lads pass on their
errands and think light of him; and old
daft limmers sit at leg foot and spae their
fortunes; and the clean gently maids go by
and look to the other side and hold nose.
l saw them plain, and they had gray eyes,
and their screens upon their heads were
of the DrUmmond colors.
/ was thus in the poorest of spirits,
though still pretty resolved. when came
in view of the Pirig. pleasant gabled
brave young woods. The laird's horse
was standing saddled ut the door as came
up, but himself was in the study, where
he received me in the midst of learned
works and musical instruments, for he
was not only deep philosopher, but
MUCH Ol IL HiuSiCldU. HTeeteu me at
first pretty we'll, and when he had read
Rankeilar's letter, placed himself oblig-
ingly at my disposal.
'And what is it, cousin David" says
he-"since it appears that we are cousins
what is this that | can do for you? A
word to Prestongrange? Doubtless that
is easily given. But what should he the
word 2"
.'Mr. Bafour," said /, "if were to tell
you my whole story the way it fell out,
before mel that you would be very little
made up with it..
II am sorry to hear this of you, kins-
man, "'says he.
Il must not take that at your hands,
Mr.. Baifour," said /. Il have nothing to
my charge to make me sorry. or you for
me, but just the common infirmities of
mankind. The guilt of Adams first sin,
the want of original righteousness and the
corruption of my whole nature. SO muchjI
must answer for, and hope | have been
taught where to look for help" | said for
| Judged from the look of the man he
would think the better of me If knew my
questions. But in the way Of worldly
honor have no great stumble to rcproach
myself with. and my difficulties have be-
fallen me very much against my will and
(by all that L can see) without my fault
My trouble is TO have become dipped in a
political complication, which it is judged
you would be blythe to avoid a knowledge
of"
why, very well. Mr.. David" he re-
piled. II am pleased to see you are all
that Rankeiliar represented. And for
what Won sav of pOiitirat combinations