The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-26

very spirit of mischief. and, walking
or1skly In the room, had soon involved me
In kind Of quarrel over nothing and tat
the least) with nothing intended on my
side. was like Christian in the slough;
the more tried to Chamber out upon the
side the deeper became involved. until at
last heard her declare with great deal
OF passion that she would take that answer
at the hands of none, and l must down
upon my knees for pardon.
The causeiessness of all this fun stirred
by own bile. II have said nothing you
can properly object to-" said l, land as for
my knees, that - an attitude I keep for
Cod
And as goddess am to be served!"
she cried. shaking her brown locks at me
and with bright color. Every man that
comes within watt of my petticoats shall
use me sol"
II will 70 so far as ask your pardon for
not why" replied. ''But for these play.
acting postures you can go to others"
20. Davie," she said. Not if l was to
beg your"
I6ethought me 1 was fighting with .
woman, which il the same as to say q
child. and that upon . point entirely
formal
II think it a vainly thing" said. mot
worthy in you to ask or me to render. Yet
/ will not refuse you, neither" said /;
land the stain, if there be any, rests with
yourself" And at that I kneeled fairly
down.
"There!' she cried. There is the
proper station, there is where have been
maneuvering to bring you" And then,
suddenly, "Kep,"< said she. flung me a
folded billet and ran from the apartment
laughing.
The billet had neither place nor date.
Dear Mr.. David" it began, II get guild
news continually by my cousin, Miss
Grant, and it is a pleisand hearing. l am
folk, but necessitated to be quite private,
though am hoping that at long last that
we may meet again. All your friendships
have been told me by my loving cousin,
who loves ~ both. She bids me to send
you this writing and oversees the same. /
will be asking you to do all her commands.
and rest your affectionate friend, Catriona
Observation-Disclosures p. S.-WIl you
not see my cousin, Allardyce?"
think it not the least brave of my cam
paigns Gas the soldiers say) that should
have done as / was here hidden, and gone
forth right to the house by Dean. But the
old lady was now entirely changed and
supple as glove. BY what means Miss
Grant had brought this round I could
not to appear openly in the affair. for her
papa was compromised in 1t pretty deep.
1t was he indeed, who had persuaded
Catriona to leave or rather, not to return
to her cousins. placing her instead with q
family of Gregaras, decent people, quite 1T
the advocates disposition. and in whom
she might have the more confidence be-
cause they were of her own class and
family. These kept her private till all was
ripe, heated and helped her to attempt her
fathers rescue, and after she was dis
charged from prison received her again
into the same secrecy. Thus Preston
grange obtained and used his instruments;
nor did there leak out the smallest word
of his acquaintance with the daughter OF
James More. There was some Whisper
ing. of course. upon the escape of that
discredited person; but the government
replied by show of rigor, one of the cell
porters was flogged, the lieutenant of the
guard (my poor friend Duncansby), was
broken of his rank, and as for Catriona. all
men were well enough pleased that her
fault should be passed by in silence.
could never induce Miss Grant to carry
back an answer. '.No," she would say
when persisted. IT am going to keep the
big feet out of the platter" This was the
more hard to bear as was aware she saw
my little friend many times in the week
and carried her my news whenever (as she
said) l ''had behaved myself" At last
she treated me to what she called an in
diligence. and thought rather more of q
banter. She was certainly strong, almost
a violent friend. TO all she liked; chief
among whom was . certain frail old
gentlewoman, very blind. and very witty,
strait close, with a nest of linnets in .
cage, and thronged all day with Wis
itors. Miss Grant was very fond to carry me
there and put me to entertain her friend
with the narrative Of my misfortunes; and
Miss Tibbie Ramsay (that was her name)
- A~14
deal that was worth knowledge of old
folks and past affairs of Scotland.
should say that from her chamber VIM
dow. and not three feet away, such is the
straitness of that close, it was possible to
look into barred loophole lighting the
stairway of the opposite house.
Here. upon some pretext. Miss Grant
mind l thought that lady inattentive
and like one preoccupied. l vas besides
very uncomfortable. for the window, con-
trary to custom, was left open, and the
day was cold. All at once the voice of
Miss Grant sounded in my ears a. from a
distance.
"Here, ShawsW she cried, "keek ont of
the window and see what have broughten
YOU"
l think it was the prettiest sight that
ever ! beheld; the well of the close was all
IL clear shadow where man could see dis
tinctly, the walls very black and dingy:
and there from the barred ioophole saw
two faces smiling across at me-Miss
Grants and CatriOna's.
"There!" says Miss Grant. II wanted
her to see you in your Draws like the lass
of limekins. wanted her to see what I
could make Of you whom l buckled to the
Job in earnest"
1t came in my mind she had been moro
than common particular that day upon
her dress. and I think that some of the
same care had been bestowed upon
lady Miss Grant was certainly wonderful
taken up with buds.
"Catriona" was all I could get out.
As for her she said nothing in the world.
but only waved her hand and smiled to
me, and was suddenly carried away again
from before the loophoie.
That vision was no sooner lost than l
ran to the house door, where / found l
was locked in; thence back to Miss RAM
say, crying for the key. but might as we'll
have cried upon the castle rock. She had
passed her word, she said, and must be q
good lad. 1t was impossible to burst the
door, even if it had been mannery; it was
impossible l should leap from the window.
being seven stories above ground. All
could do was to crane over the close and
watch for their temperance from the
stair. 1t was little to see, being no more
than the tops of their two heads. each on
q ridiculous bobbin Of hoop skirts, like 10
pair of pincushions. Nor did Catriona
so much as look up for farewell; being
prevented las heard afterward) by Miss
Grant, who told her folk were never seen
to less advantage than from above down
ward.
On the way home. as soon as was set
free, upbraided Miss Grant with her
cruelty.