The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-03-24

iho ar 5tOpptu on Aldil lips. 'Dd-
vidp said he.
"But it's time these manners ceased"
continued, "and l mean you shall
henceforth speak civilly of my king and
my good friends, the Campbells."
81 am Stewart" began Alan.
"Oh!' says i, 81 ken We bear kings
name. But you are to remember, since
have been in the highlands, 1 have
seen good many of those that bear it;
and the best 1 can say of them is this,
that they would be none the worse for
washing"
"Do you know that you insult me?"
said Alan very low.
II am sorry for that" said /, 'for I
am not done; and if you distaste the
sermon, 1 doubt the pirliecue IA second
sermon] will please you as little. You
had been chased in the field by the
grown men of my party; it seems poor
kind of pleasure to OUTAGE boy. Both
the Campbells and the Wings have
beaten you; you have run before them
like hare. 1t behooves You to speak,
Of them as of your betters."
Alan stood quite still, the tails of his
greatcoat Tapping behind him in the
wind.
"This is a pity" he said at last.
"There are things said that cannot be
passed over"
II never asked you to-" said 1. 81
am as ready as you are yourself"
Ready" said he.
"Ready," l repeated. 81 am nae
blower and boaster like some that I
could name. Come onv' And drawing
my sword l fell on guard as Alan him
self had taught me.
"Davidw he cried. "Are we daft? 1
cannae draw upon ye, David. It's fair
murder"
"That was your lookout when You in
suited me-" said l.
cts the TRUTH" cried Alan, and he
stood for a moment, wringing his mouth
in his hand like man in sore perplex-
ity. cts the bare truth" he said and
drew his sword. But before l could
touch his blade with mine, he had
thrown. it from him and fallen to the
ground. mae, nae,' he kept saying,
mae, nae, cannae, cannae."
AT this the last of my anger oozed all
out of me, and 1 found myself only sick
and sorry and blank and wondering at
myself. would have given the world
to take back what had said, but a
word once spoken, who can recapture
it? thought L must have swooned
where l stood.
This it was that gave me thought.
No apology could blot out what had
said. 1t was needless to think of one.
None could cover the offense, but where
an apology was vain a mere cry for help
might bring Alan back to my side. l
put my pride away from me. "Alan,
said, eff you cannae helpme I must just
die here"
He started up sitting and looked at me.
"It's true" said l. 'I'm by with il.
Oh, let me get into the bield of house;
I'll can die there easier" had no need
to pretend. Whether / chose or not,
spoke il q weeping voice that would
have melted heart of stone.
"Can We walk?" asked Alan.
"Nae,' said 1, "not without help. This
last hour my legs have been fainting
under me. I've stitch in my side like
q redhot iron. cannae breathe right.
If die yell can forgive me, Alan? In
my heart l liked ye fine, even when l
was the angriest."
"Wheesht, wheeshtr' cried Alan.
"Dinnae say that! David, man, We KEN
He shut his mouth upon q sob. "Let me
get my arm about ye," he continued;
''that's the way! Now lean upon me
hard. GUIDE kens where there's housed
We're in Balwhidder too. There should
be no want of houses, no, nor friends
houses here. Do you gang easier so,
Davie?"
"Aye," said I, 81 can be doing this
way" and / pressed his arm with my
hand.
Again he came near sobbing. "Da-
vie," said he, "Im no a right man at
all. have neither sense nor kindness.
1 couldnae remember We were just
BARN. couldnae see We were dying on
your feet. Davie, yell have to try and
forgive me-"
"Oh, man, slet's say no more about it!'
said 1. "We're neither one Of us to
mend the other-that's the truth! We
must Just bear and forbear, man Alanl
Oh, but my stitch is sore! Is there nae
house%
"Ill find house to we, David" he
said stoutlv. "We'll follow down the
burn, where there's bound to be houses.
My poor man, will We nae be better on
my back?"
"Oh, Alan" says 1, land me a good
twelve inches taller?'
"Ye're nae such thing" cried Alan
with start. "There may be trifing
matter of an inch or two; I'm nae saying
I'm just exactly what we would call a
tall man whatever, and dare say" he
added, his voice failing off in laugha-
BILE manner, snow when come to think
of it, I dare say yen be just about right.
Aye, it'll be foot or near hand, or may
be even mair!"
1t was sweet and laughable to hear
Alan eat his words up in the fear of
some fresh quarrel.
"Alan," cried 1, "what makes ye so
good to me? What makes We care for
such thankless fellow"
WDeed and don't know" said Alan.