The herald., 1894-11-02
THE WITCH OF YELL.

Zetlander of some 40 odd years, with a
fresh color and thick coil of raven
black hair half hidden by her headgear.
a bright blue handkerchief spotted with
white. l gave her good morning and
asked her if she would give me glass
of water and hammock of oatcake, as /
had been walking for some hours and
was both hungry and thirsty.
''And welcome" she said, with the
pretty Shetland courtesy, "if you be
from Ireland, mistress" Z"
81 am Irish, /" said, ''but wouldn't
you give an oatcake to an English wom-
an, my friend? Mop" as she shook her
head resolutely. "And how is that?'
"No food of my baking will pass
Scots or Southron lips, " she said harsh
ly. "Sit ye down." pointing to her own
stool "Ye're fair tired out, mistress. -
/ laughed family as / accepted the
seat. 81 have been trying to walk away.
from myself, 1 said, land though I've
tramped through whole forenoon I
haven't done it yet
"Ah!' she said, smiling little-onlv
with her lips, for her eyes kept their
steady sadness. cts far way YOU
have to go, mistress, and you must walk
by night stead O. day. You're mar
ried," glancing down at my ungloved
hands. ''Have ye ever borne child?''
looked down at my black dress and
nodded silently. The woman drew in
her breath sharply as if she were hurt
at heart. "Aye," she said, $50 have I,
and lost it too. Poor 1ass!" And to my
intense astonishmont she stopped and
kissed me once and again. Glow old
was hep she went on gravely, taking
no heed at the wonder in my face.
'Mine was man grown, but yours
must ha' been but BARN. Ye have the
look of q BARN yourself. +"
Have T." 1 said, with dreary
laugh. "An old bairn, I'm afraid. My
boy was years Old"
"Aye, and your mans alive? Do I
know your man, and what for does he
let you come here to dree your weird
alone?"
my man knows it's the kindest thing
he could do" said. "And I think per-
haps you know him." added, little
proudly. 'sNearly every one in the is
lands knows Hector MacKenneth.'
SAY, do they, He's mani" the witch
said emphatically. as she came out of
the cottage with a plate of bannocks
and big cup Of milk. "And there's
never a soul in the islands but he has
done q kind turn or spoken kind Srord
to-even to me "
''Why even to you?'" asked. "My
husband has great respect for you. He
told me you were the wisest woman in
the islands. Lief "
''Did he, now? And his brothers.
wife!" the witch said musingly.
started. "Whose wife? Not Ronald
MacKenneth 's-Ronald that died in
England?'
'That Same Ronald" she said quiet
ly. He died in the south, know, and
some Southron brought the news to
MacKenneth himself. But he lies buried
away in the south, heard say. Do ye
know where, Mistress MacKenneth?"
"No; wish I could tell you, poor
SOUL, said pitifully. 81 wish could
help you.'
"My bonny Ronald" she said, look
ing out to the blue, tumbling waves of
the sound, her eyes grave and sad and
her voice very low "It's little ye
thought Of me, but on the day we were
handfasted and the day ye lay a-dy-
ing Then she bent down little and
looked sharply into my face.
"Did ever any one in the islands say
RI, ~~af fbot ,0+
wife? Did ever MacKenneth himself?"
''Neyer MaoKenneth, said honest
ly.
"Others have, though" She looked
sharply at mo again, then caught my
hand in hers and dragged me up from
my seat. ''Come WI me, you wife OF
the MacKenneth, and I'll show you
what handfasJing means to woman. f"
drew my cloak round me with my
free hand, and we went slowly together
over the scattered rocks and sand and
down little grassy slope, till we stood
in front of an upright stone with
round hole in its center
There" said the witch, still hold
ing my hand fast III hers, "there's
where we were married-my man and I.
See ye here, Eleanor MacKenneth, do
you love your man, or liked ye your
first lad best?"
l cried in my heart to the dead and
gone Oscar to forgive me, and then
looked the woman fairly in the eyes and
answered her, IT love MacKenneth
best"
'Where were ye married? In kirk, of
course?"
SIN kirk, yes. We were married in
London church" said; "the Church
of St. Stephen
''Kirk Stephen, aye? Well, this is
Kirk Odin, where thousands have been
made man and wife in their day. Go
you nearer to the stone, wife Of Mac
Kenneth, and you shall be married
there too, if you're no. afraid"
''Do look afraid?" l said, with a
smile, and she smiled back at me.
''Put your hand-closed so-through
the hole in the stone. +" I obeyed with
some difficulty, for the hole was un.
evenly cut, and its edges were jagged
"Now," said the witch, ''open your
hand and hold It go, and now say after
me''--
hesitated moment and then re-
peated after her. 'sIn the name of the
One Eyed, the name of Odin, 1 hold
thee and have thee through this life.
and that life. and all lives to follow.
call thee and keep thee, my hand for