The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-23
PRIZE NOVELTIES, No. "a.


CHAP. 1.-THE MAN ON THE MUIR.
Indeed, il is no shame 10 a man To have
fear in his nature. IL is, i well believe
born i'm a mans blood; and he hath no
more 10 do with IL than with who was his
father. Yet mark the great crying that
shere has been in all ages about brave
men and valiant men and men that
have never known fear Yet what credit
Is there in such like? They cannot heip
IL more than / could help having an eye
that had a cast in IL (if such like had)
or red hair. or a nose turned up at the
end like that of wild Eirionach. YET
such men come [ } honor, and their sons
inherit il. For this also is the folly OF
the times.
We rode out OF Edinburgh, passing the
gates without question, for Sir james
was man in good order with the govern
ment We had bitter winters day Tor
our journeying, and we had trouble
enough to keep warm; yet with Wrapping
of foreign furs and flask oil french
brandy we managed 10 shut out the cold.
Also our hearts were somewhat cheereu,
and our converse grew more heartsome.
Thus making merry 10 the extent even
of singing a catch or two winch Slr
James had learned in the old wars, ana
which / heard for the first time, though
not wholly with approval, yet with toll
erance. we came to a place called Cock
between hills that have no living thing
upon them. No heartsome reek OF hab-
tied house was to be seen. The place was
in the midst of great wilderness, ana
II needed the Growing of the black cock
and the nicher of the grouse to make the
silence endurable. But even these were
wanting that bitter day of gray skies and
gripping frost
Just as we had gotten fairly to the
midst of the moor there rose up before US
q man, or, rather, as 1t might be, we
came suddenly upon him. He was stand
ing stock still, as IL he had been medita-
ting, looking away toward the hills OF
Lammermuir. But at the first sound OIL
our horses feet overlapping the Drae, he
turned and showed US the pallid counte-
nance of a young lad, bitten blue with
the winter winds, and with his black
clothes hanging about him as though his
limbs had been so many barren tree
branches. / knew him at glance. III
was James Renwick, of Minnyhive, whose
mother was some kin to mine, being also
Nn the estate of Drumlanrig, where the
Douglas is the father OF US all.
II so happened, by mischance, that Sir
James was putting back his flask oil
strong waters into the bresat of his coat
at the moment when Mr.. Renwick turned
him about. i wished that Ii had not been
%; but, nevertheless, i gave him greet
ing, for he had been child when ] was a
young lHQ, anu our lOlk Wtlt, 40 4 h"fe
said, some manner OF kin.
Then i asked him how he did and that
IN pleasant way. But he stood lowering
at me with eyes so sunken and such lost
countenance that / wished we had come
some other way.
ssFear not, James," said, "for this Is
Sir James Standsfield, of New Milns, a
good man; and one that though mag,
1strate, is no ill-wisher to the folk OF the
hill---n
sAh, John Bell, said young Renwick,
at last, needing my kindly speech nc
more than the tune of a bird whistling,
ssis that indeed you? Your friends IoI
whom you left US have clad and com
forted you well! There are no fine foreign
coats on the muirs, and the hags distil
not the brew of French brandy Doubt
less We have made fine exchange and
the wide throat that took the Test at q
gulp will soon swallow fat benefice.
But there are other spirits abroad that
you will yet have to reckon with.
"James,n l said, peaceably, mot thus
was your father wont 10 speak to me,
when drave home the kye in the even
from the braes at the town-end OF Minny
hive
ssNo,v said he, "that may be; but
since then the kye have been in many 9
mans horn beside my fathers, honest
man!n
And knew that he meant to cast vi
TO me that / had joined the prosecuting
party. For the ordinary cry among th'
hill folk, by which they passed on th'
word of warming one TO the other wheI
the horse soldiers were out, was "Th
kye's in the eornl'
ssYe prate of honest men, said ST
James, speaking TO Mr. Renwick for tn
frst time; "but take notice that Their