The herald., 1897-10-17

the soldiers flred. Nevertheless my
heart was full Of wild fear. had seen
murder done. The wholesome green
earth was spotted black with crime.
Red notes danced in the sunshine. The
sun himself in the wide blue heavens
seemed turned to blood.
Then all suddenly I thought Of my
mother and my heart stood still. 1t
would soon be the hour at which it was
little craggy linn where my father was
in hiding. So with new access Of ter
ror I turned toward our house Of Ar
darroch, and ran to warn her Of what
had seen upon the Bennan top.
felt as I sped along that life could
never be the same to me again. From
a needless boy had grown into a man
in one unutterable hour. 1 had, of
course, heard much of killings, and
even as a child the relation of the
cruelties the Highland Host had i'm
pressed me so that the red CLINT Of a
soldiers coat would send me into the
deepest thickets of Ardarroch wood.
But 1t was the musket shot poured into
the back Of the poor helpless lad on the
Bennan that made lifelong Covenant
er Of Quintin Mac Clellan.
THE LITTLE LADY OF EARLs-
TOUN.
But 1t was not the will of God that
should warn my mother that day. For
even as I ran, threading my way
among the scattered boulders and whin
bushes Of the lower slopes, I came up
on that which surprised me almost as
greatly as the shooting itself.
Right in my path little girl was sit
ting on a green mound like a deserted
ant hillock. She had long yellow hair
and red cloak was about her, with a
hood to it which came over her head
and partly shaded her brow. A wooden
pail had been placed carefully on the
heather at her feet. Now what with
the perturbation in my spirits and my
head being full of country tales Of bo-
giles and elves, at the first glance took
the maid for one of these, and would
have avoided and given her a wide
berth az something much less than
canny.
But she wiped her eyes with her lit
tie white hand and as I looked more
closely I saw that she had been cry
ing. For her face was rubbed red and
her cheeks all narrowed and begrutten
with tears.
So that I feared no more, but went
nearer. She seemed about seven or
eight. and very well grown for her age.
why do you cry, little maid?" said
to her, standing before her in the green
path.
For q while she did not answer, but
continued to sob. I went near to COM
fort her. But she brushed her hand i'm
patiently out at me.
do not touch me, ragged boy" she
said. lit is not for herd laddies to touch
little ladies'"
And she spoke the words with such
nightly offended dignity that on an
other occasion would have laughed.
Then she commanded herself and
dried her eyes on her red cloak.
Garry the can and come with me te
find my father" she ordered. pointing
imperiously with her finger, as If hat
been no better than a blackamoor slave
in the plantations.
lifted the wooden pail. It contained
as I think, cakes Of oatmeal with
cheese and rutter wrapped in greer
leaves. But The little girl would not
let me SO much as look within.
"These are for my father" she said.
"My father is the greatest man in the
whole world!"
But who may your father be. little
one?" asked her, standing stock still
on the green highway with the can in
my hand. She was daintily arranging
the cloak about her like a fond lady.
She paused, and looked very grave and
not little indignant
THAT is not for you to know" she
said, with dignity; follow me with the
pail"
So saying she stalked away with dig
nified carriage in the direction of the
hill top. A wild fear seized me. One
of the two men had seen fleeing might
be the little girls father. Perhaps he