The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1895-12-26

There ives a wee LIGHT ffae a half
mune, an the grave ives fresh happit.
We werena lang o. haein the coffin cot,
but, Jamie, he said, a did nae mair, a
turned ma back when he began on the
screws
"' The student gied a screich. an
Jamie, as sure's deith,' here Robert
grippit ma arm like a vice. the gem
keeper was sittin up in his graveclothes
an lookin ats wi his eyes wide open.
Lords sake, man, said tae Rob-
ert, what CARED him flee the country
then like thief an div We ken what
cam over him? 1t he'd been swoon,
am jidgin.
jamie says Robert, he's lyin
there yet, but didna touch him, an it
was juist FRIGHT ON the students part
= the spade was lyin tae his
hand. 80
"'Div ye mean to say hei' @*-
'Ay, Jamie, he did, an helpit tae
bury the body again. an little time was
lost he's deid, that student,
moo, far from here, an, Jamie. cudna
keep it LANCER. Ave heard a
step in ma hoose ilka NIGHT for q month,
an ken ma times 10 far off. SO
but Jess is back moo, Jamie said,
rising, "an all juist be travelin. Gin
yell excuse mo all gang GOT by the
front door an tax the near road tbro'
the garden. ~
For once in my life l had sufficient of
Jamie, and yet curious loneliness
came over me as his stumbling figure
disappeared among the bushes, covered
with snow, and l turned to re-enter the
house. 1t was comfort, however. to
know that some one was beneath the
same roof, and i was tempted to go to
the kitchen and make some excuse for d
talk with jess. But she would be certain
to bring lamp-she was moving about
as if getting it ready-and turned into
my study and sat down by the fire. At
this point it is necessary to be tiresome
and to describe the plan Of The Cottage
1t stood ON a height above the Tochty,
in a solitary place, with pine woods be-
hind and on two sides, and marvellous
view of the setting sun from the front
windows. On one side of the front door
was the room used as a study, and on
the other the dining room, where once
entertained potentates, but / can't go
into that just nov. A little lobby ter
minated in door which shut off q back
wing containing the kitchen, and be-
yond it scullery as we'll as dreary
compartment intended for servants
bedroom. The stair started at the study
door, and ON the upper floor were four
bedrooms. The largest over the study
was kept for guests. My housekeeper
used one of the small ones above the
dining room, and my own room and
dressing room were above the kitchen
and scullery. The house had lain empty
for some years before / came in search
Of quietness to Drumtochty, and who
the former tenants were was a mystery.
"Man an wife," Jamie once explain
ed, 'sae far as we kent, but what he did
or what for they cam here nabody cud
tell Bell Baxter s mother gaid in the
mornin and did their wark for them and
left in the forenoon. His wife died sud-
den, and he took her ava to England
and never cam back. A m thinkin they
didna gree over we'll F"
Jamie's weird story, true or untrue,
coming on the back of the conversation
at the lodge had affected my nerves, and
/ was conscious of a distinct wish that
Jess would come with rural gossip and
the lamp. What was she about nowf
She knew l was in darkness and there