The herald., 1893-06-25

Magnificent in new hoaddress, deco
tatcd with purple thistles and enormous
white lilies, Lady Murray heard her hus-
bands boast Of his warlike deeds and
congratulated him warmly upon pre-
serving his mutton from the mouths
which IL was never intended to supply.
Still she knew Scott Of Harden, and she
could not help feeling sorry that 90 fine
O young man should have been mixed
up with such an affair
"What are ye gaen to do wi him, Ell
banlzg' she asked.
"Do wi him." asked the laird, with
an expression more nearly resembling
Bcorn than she had ever seen him wear.
"Do wi him? What he deserves took
him red hand, in the very act Of vio-
lence and plumber. / will bring him to
the gallows, wherc he belongs, and l
wish his whole train had but one neck,
so that | could stretch them oil at once"
"Hoot, ma, Elibnnl-that is no 30 wise
ns ye are betifncs. Scott Of Harden is a
winsome young laird. Would ye hang
such rs he when ye ha' three i'll faured
dochters in the house,"
The laird looked at his wife with
half angry, half foolish look.
"You were ever quicker 10 think of
anything than /, Grizel," he said sof-
toning down at Che new aspect of things
that presented itself through her words.
'You are right" he continued after a
pause in which he seemed to be weigh
ing the question OF having a border
thief, as ho had called tho young Scott,
for son-in-law; "you are right, Grizel,
my bonny woman; he shall take Micltle
Mouthed Meg for his wife or strap for
It. Meg is not 60 well favored as her
mother, but she ia far too good for Scott
Of Harden"
And the laird of ElibanlS actually
went TO hia prisoner and offered him lifo
and liberty and the hand Of his daughter.
Scott Of Harden had too often heard
the three Elibank demsels made the sub
ject Of mifth among the young lairds Of
his acquaintance to relish the thought
OF marrying one of them and being
thereby subject TO such ridicule as he
knew must attach 80 him, and he quiet
ly rejected Sir Gidcon's proposal in as
few words as possible.
The laird Of Elibans was powerful in
his position of favorite at court the pris-
onor had his life at bis option, and he
obstinately refused to profit by it. So
on day when all nature seemed to re-
joico In the glory Of its Creator, when
sky and sen and earth were all arrayed
in beauty and it seemed happiness
enough to exist, the young and hand
solNe laird was led out to die. An ugly,
creeping sensation came over him as he
in Imagination felt the rope about his
neck, but ho whs brave and had that
strong determination that is born OF OBJ
stinacy and he kept on his way. with a
highlander well armed keeping fast hold
of him on each side.
Young Harden had no such thought
Just before they reached tho pablic
square, where the hateful gibbet was
erected, the procession had to pass the
castle of Elibank, as Sir Gordon loved to
designate tho old hall in which his an
cestors had lived two centuries ago. It
had q tower and parapnt, it IL true, and
tho knight loved toleep u horde ofrctain-
ers, bnt his mansion hardly attained to
the dignity of castcllated grandeur, and
ite general designation wns simply eli
bank hill. Past ElibanlJ Tall therefore
The dismal troop wenaed its slow march,
Tho prisoner lnveluntarily cast his eyes
upward when close upon 1t, and in q
inolnont the tide of feeling in his whole
being rushed lfeward.
At window of Elibanl Hall, in the
uppor portion Of the house, sat u lady,
whose repeated applications OF her hand
kerchief to her eyes betrayed that she
was weeping. She seemed TO have gone
up thither to escape observation, the
lower windows and balconies of the
house being crowded with people assem-
bled to see the winsome laird OF Har-
den dragged to execution. Far above
theeo thronging witnesses the prisoners
eye was raised, and his glance took in u
form and face that but for a single fault
would have been considered perfect.
Gentleness and goodness sat enthroned
in the face, and the threat, neck and
shoulders were such us % sculptor might
delight in copying Only the mouth was
too wide, but the lips were full, rich and
rose red and the mouth was redeemed
from ugliness by the beautiful express
sion of mute sorrow that fingered
around it.
At such u moment this expression of
sympathy was moro and dearer to him
who was about to lay down his life than
the most perfect beauty that the world
ever saw. A moment more and their
eyes met. As if entirely abandoned to
her feelings, the lady at the window sud-
denly arose, leaned from the narrow sill
and stretched out her arms as if enmcat-
ing him TO come back to life and to her
lmpeilcd by sentiment unknown be-
fore, the prisoner threw up his white
emaciated hands toward her, as if an
swering her signal.
Before the procession had half gone by
Margaret Murray was in her fathers
library, whittier he had gone to remain
alone until the sad scene should be over.
Already he had buried every particle of
enmity against the poor youth. Already
no would have given worlds TO hold him
back to life To weigh this young mans
ezistence-his bright, free. glad life
against that Of few sheep! He felt that
he was guilty of murder, and when poor
Meg came in with streaming eyes and
knelt at his feet begging him to go to
him once moro for her sake he could not
refuse to heed her.
Sir Gideon was largo and unwieldy,