The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-07

smoke 10 her word beyond the common
greetings and salutations.
=, ,ras a clear night In early June.
had been over at Ardarroch seeing my
r,other and now having passed high up
the BLACK Water OF Dee, l. was making
my way across the rugged feils and dark
heathery Businesses to the manse OF Bal
maghe, .a
a. ~ car / sprang foot into the
atr TO- u,bo on honorable business, would
d,s.harea a musket in that wild place
ran. ere / had time to think above me
an ,na ,,dsre a figure stood black against
the skv-a girls shape II was, sln' taii'
cree, she carried something in one
mana which trailed on the heather ana
a musket was over her shoulder niu@-
gle down. ...A
MAD not yet recovered my breath
when voice came 10 me.
An. Hob Mac Clellan the III deii
tax your courting-jaunts this nicht' For
had We hidden az hame would nave got
ten both the red foxes that have been
kllllng our weakly lambs AS IL is' s@t
but this"
And she held up a great dog fox by
the brush before throwing the pouy n
TO convenient moss-hole.
1t was Alexander-Jonita the lass whom
our college-bred Quintin had once called
the Diana OF Balmaghie.
Are you going home, Jonita?' cried !,
for the direction in which she was going
led directly from the house OF Drum
glass.
No" she answered, carelessly, Il am
bidng all night in the upper buchts. The
| foxes have been very troublesome lately
and 1 am thinning them with the gun.
1 have most OF the lambs penned p
there"
But. lassie," cried. I'VE surely do
not sleep out on the hills like this"
And what for no?' she answered.
! sharply. What sweeter bed than a truss
OF heather? What safer than with two
rough tykes of dogs and a good gun a
one elbow, with the airs blowing over
and the sheep lying about the folds?'
'Jonita." said ], does your sister never
come hither with you?"
"Who-our Jean?" she cried, astonish-
ed. faith, no! Jean takes better with
the inside OF a box-bed and the warmth
OF the peat on the hearth. And indeed
the lass is not over strong. But as for
me. / love the ohunnering Of the wild
fowl in their nests and the bleat Of the
sheep. These are honey and sweetness 20
me-"
As l stood there on the rough stones
| Of the sheep-fold and looked at the slight
ngure sitting frankly and easily beside
| me, thinking as | knew no more OF the
things Of love than IL l had been a neigh
Dor lad OF the hills, kind OF jealous
anger came over me.
'Jonita,' said I, had ye never lad2'
Bah" she replied. lads are like the
pebbles i'm the brook. run smooth with
many experiences, counting here and nat
tering there. What care I whether or no
this one or that comes chapping at my
| door, Besides. are there not the hills and
the winds and the clear stars over all
better than a thousand sweethearts?"
But" | urged. the day will come.
Jonlta. when you may be glad Of the
friends voice, the kindly eye, the help
| ing hand. the arm beneath the head
Il did not say that | desired 10 have
| no friends she said, as II seemed IN
the darkness a little shyly.
win you let me be your f1end?'
II do not know" said Alexander.
| Jonita. Il Will tell you in the morning
| 10 is over dark tonight TO see your eyes
can YOU not believer" said /. Have
YOU ever heard that I thus offered friend
ship 10 any other maid in all the par
! ishg'
You might have offered Il 70 twenty
and they taken II every one. for aughi
/ care But Alexander-Jonita Gemmell
takes no mans friendship till she has
| tried him ms a fighter tries a sword"
'rhen try me. Jonita,t' I cried, eager
~.
Il WILL" said She promptly. rise
this instant from the place where We sit.
look not upon me- touch me not, say
neither good cen nor yet good-day but
take he straight road 70 the manse -
| Balmaghie."
| The words were scarce ont OF her
mouth when. with n leap so quick that
the colies had not even time 10 rise I
was over the dyke and stridlng ovet
moss and whlnst0ne crag toward the
house by the water-side whore my broth
ers light had long been burning over
| his books.