The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-22
PRIZE NOVELTIES, No. IA.

took the silver piece between her teeth
and bit upon it sedately.
81 say that your silver is better than
your wit (which God mendD, Sir
james, - she said, and looked at me as
she said It., in way that was not be-
coming to reply TO. so that instead,
| looked with modesty upon the ground.
Then with that and no more we
mounted and rode away, both OF us being
well horsed, Sir James riding upon
hakney of gray, and i on roam, which
Drumlanrg had given me from Whig's
farmhouse lone OF the Welshes of Scaur as
/ learned afterward, when they came
upon me TO make me restore 1t.
II was by a solitary pass that broke
a way through the hill, where the waters
run up into the heart OF the blind
"Hopes," 4" that Sir James and i were
riding slowly, talking peaceably, ana
taking solid pleasure in our conversation
For Sir James had ever a leaning to the
things of the Kirk, and, IL his star had
risen i'm the right season, he had made
none so in n minister. So we discoursed
of fore-knowledge, of the right OF the
civil magistrate and OF the Urim ana
Thummim, which are all veXed and dim
cult questions SO that it was great pleas,
ure to me to dispute with one so learned
and discreet as Sir James, though he was,
to my thinking, ever a little over Nhig-
gish in his beliefs and, as ] knew, had
no great opinion OF those ministers who
had taken the Test.
We went thus daintily and costly along,
pacing upon our ambling palfreys, when
All Of q ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There went
off shot behind us, and Sir James
horse set its head down and spread its
| heels in the air.
| looked over my shoulder and saw a
tall young man, riding upon heavy cart
| horse as IL il had been fresh from piow
I "a A. sW - ENs.ll
| bended in his hand, pursuing after us
with dark and fearsome countenance.
| At this had very great fear, for i had
| heard the stories of the ill-folk that COM
| panied about the roots of the hills, and
waited the passage OF those that were
| honest.
looked to see Sir james face about and
draw weapon of war upon the assaiant.
| But he was already setting spurs TO his
horse and dashing headlong down the
| ravine, making speed. and not steel, keep
his head So being by my cloth no man
of war, and with no weapon but riding
whip, / put my horse 10 his stride and
drew ahead of the young man upon the
| heaYy4EeFk- horse
But the clappering of the broad hoofs
pounding behind me sounded SO perilous
| and made me so ill at ease that when we
passed a little runnel OF water, with fern
| and braken thereabout, i thought 1t filter
/ tnaI cast l1NHtll lIODl lily noIst
and take refuge under the green covert.
This did with ease, for the beast i rode
was h little roam OF Galloway; and being
long OF the limb, let myself of without
peril and lay safely, darned among the
underground. For the safest course and
the most peaceful was ever the sweetest
to me.
peeped out and saw the young mar
I. look about him TO see III he could spy me-
and right glad was that he could not
But i observed him pursue Sir James VIII
more deadly fury, and spur his horse tC
its speed. Nevertheless Sir James, on his
light roam, had easily the heels OF him.
And at this ] saw the young man stoI
his beast, and with his elbow for a rest TAX,
a deliberate aim at the back of my com
panion. AT the noise of the pistol closed
my eyes. For so tender was my hear
that l dared not look out lest 1 shoulc
see the good man, my companion, dead
upon the heather. But presently l hearc
the young man return, cursing anC
swearing and saying, "rhe devil driv,
him! Curse on the false aim, the deceitfu
bullets, the evil fate"
whereat judged that his cruel inten
had not sped well. So by misadventure
raised my head and looked about me
And 10! there standing upon the heathe
within dozen yards OF me was the rob
ber with his reeking pistol yet in hi
hand.
"Hol no! What have we here?p cried
he, coming up to me with his pistol upoi
his arm.
"a poor son OF the church, tol'
him, "that had not the worth of a groa
about him, and nought OF value save hi
poor prayers, which, IL be were spared
would be put up for the man that pro
longed his life. "
"Poor prayers indeed, I" said the youni
man of the dark and fierce countenance
"craven prayers are ever poor prayers