The Portland daily press., 1893-05-31

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Young Scott of Harden was taken pris-
oner and brought to Elibank town,
where he was confined in a room in Sir
Gideon's own castle until lawful meas
ures could be taken topunish him. Hav-
ing deposited his prisoner In safety. the
knight of Elibank betook himself to the
presence of his lady to report his deeds
of martial prowess in resouing flock of
sheep from the clutches of the borderers.
Magnificent in anew headdress, deco
rated with purple tEistles 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 it was never. intended to supply.
Still she knew Scott of Harden, and she
could not help feeling sorry that SO fine
a young man should have been mixed
up with such an affair.
'sWhat are We gaen to do WI him, Eli
bank?" she asked.
"Do WI him?" asked the laird, with
an expression more nearly resembling
scorn 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, where he belongs, and I
wish his whole train had but one neck,
SO that could stretch them all at once. :"
'Hoot, ma, EHbank-that is no SO wise
as ye are betimes. Scott of Harden is q
winsome young laird. Would ye hang
such as he when ye ha' three Ill faured
dochters In tho house?"
The laird looked at his wife with a
half angry, half foolish look.
'tYou were ever quicker to think of
anything than I, Grizel," he said, sof-
tening down at the 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 he had called the young Scott,
for son-in-law; 'syou are right, Grizel,
my bonny woman; he shall take Mickle
Mouthed Meg for his wife or strap for
it. Meg is not so well favored as her
mother, but she is far too good for Scott
Of Harden"
And the laird Of Elibank actually
went to his prisoner and offered him life
and liberty and the hand of his daughter
Scott of Harden had too often heard
the three Elibank damsels made the sub
ject of mirth 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 to him, and he quiet
ly rejected Sir Gideon's proposal in as
few words as possible.
The laird Of Eibank was powerful in
his position of, fayorite at court, the pris-
oner had his life at his option, and he
obstinately refused to profit by it. So
on day when all nature seemed to re-
joice in the glory of its Creator, when
sky and sea and earth were all arrayed
in beauty and it, seemed happiness
enough toexist, the young and hand
some laird was led out to die. An ugly,
creeping sensation came over him as he
in imagination felt the rope.about his
neck, but he was 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 the public
square, where the hateful gibbet was
erected, the procession had to pass the
castle Of Elibank, as Sir Gordon loved to
designate the old hall in which his an
cestors had lived two centuries ago. 1t
had tower and parapet, it is true, and
the knight loved to keep a horde of retain
ers, but his mansion hardly attained to
the dignity of castellated grandeur, and
its general designation was simply Eli
bank hall. Past Elibank Hall therefore
the dismal troop wendell it's slow march,
The prisoner involuntarily cast his eyes
upward when close upon it, and in a
moment the tide of feeling in his whole
being rushed lifeward.
At a window of Elibank Hall, in the
upper portion Of the house, sat 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
lOMtsT WlIiOOWSYs HllO balconies OF Il the
house being crowded with people assem-
bled to see the winsome laird Of Har-
den. dragged to execution. Far above
these thronging witnesses the prisoners
eye was raised, and his glance took in a
form and face that bat for aaingle fault
would have been considered perfect.
Gentleness and goodness sat enthroned
in the face, and the throat, neck and
shoulders were such as a 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,
l. AT such moment this expression of
sympathy was more 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 il entirely abandoned to
her feelings, the lady at the window sud-
denly arose, leaned from the narrow sill
| and stretched out her arms az if entreat-