The herald., 1897-10-24

black against the broad and shining
silver streak as ii the time had been
midday instead of midnight.
Then l remembered the branch
which 1 had brought with me from the
wood. l thrust the butt of it through
the bars OF the raft and so disposed
/ the leaves that from the shore they
made at once a perfect shelter and a
secure hiding place for Mary, who sat
there in state upon the raft, proud of
going such an adventurous voyage
and perhaps also not little elated to
be up so late.
Being already stripped to the shirt
and small clothes, took off the former
also, and dropped silently into the
water behind the raft 1 found the
water warm, for the hot sun of June
had beat upon it all the long day. A
chill wind blew upon the leaves of the
branch, which acted as sail, and sent
us so quickly northward, that ] had to
swim sideways in order to keep in the
right line of our voyaging.
Mary sat like a statue under the
green bough, and smiled at the dane
ing ripples. She looked very beautiful
to see, aye, and winsome, too, with my
shirt collar turned up about her ears
and the empty sleeves hanging down
on either side.
But had small time to observe such
like. For soon we were crossing the
bright water in front of one of the
sentries. He had paced down to the
waters edge and now stood looking out
toward us, leaning upon his musket.
But after all it was only that he was
a contemplative man and that the OBJ
ject on the water was as good as any
! thing else to fix his eyes upon. At any
rate, all he did see was a floating
branch being driven northward with
the wind.
| Presently, to my immense relief, he
shouldered his piece and tramped away
up toward the woods.
l drew a long breath, and swimming
on my back, 1 pushed the raft across
the lake with my head.
! Yet it seemed an age before we took
ground, and I could carry the brave
little maid ashore. She dropped al
most instantly asleep on my shoulder
After this there came long and
weary tramp with many rests and the
infinite WEAKNESS of carrying the Sleep
ing maid. She grew heavier and
! heavier every moment as 1 stumbled
over the rough moor so that my back
was well nigh broken before came to
the verge of the little lake with the
tower of Lochinvar in the midst of it.
Here in the dawning light laid her
down under a bush of g-myrtle, and
swimming to the castle hand over
hand, 1 clamored at the door.
nj
a sharp chilling fear in my stomach
that l had brought the maid to a house
uninhabited, but at last a window shot
| up and a voice hailed me.
"Who knocks so early at the door of
Lochnvar?" So 1 told very briefly for
what cause I had come.
The window shut down again, and
in few minutes I heard a foot within
coming slowly along a stone passage
Bolts withdrew and the door was
opened, creaking and squealing upon
unaccustomed hinges.
A pleasant faced old lady, wrapped
about in a travelling cloak of blue
frieze, stood there. She had a white
nightcap ON her head, frilled and gof-
fered much more elaborately than my
mothers at Ardarroch.
Eye have brought Sandy Gordon's
daughter to me. Her father and her
mother are taken, we tell me. God
help them!" she exclaimed.
! told her that 1 knew not as to her
fathers taking with any certainty, for
he might have been slain, for ought /
knew. The woman undid the bolt,
which swung by chain at the north
ern side of the castle, secure within a
| little breakwater Of hewn stone. We