Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-12-30

rushed forward to meet her; then with
cry she shrank away.
"Majorie.' she exclaimed, what's
wrong. and-and where's the bairn?"
AT the mention OF Leon, Majorie
wrung her hands.
He has come back and taken him
from mel"
She looked so wild and sad that the
old lady thought her reason was going.
Her face was white as death, and there
was red mark on her forehead where
the man had struck her. Miss Hether-
ington took her hands and soothed her
gently: when she saw that her calm
ness was returning to her. she said:
Now. Majorie. my BARN. tell me all
about it,"
And Majorie told. trembling and cry
Ing meanwhile, and imploring Miss
Hetherington to recover her child.
"Dinna fret. Marjorie" she said. pat
ting the girl on the head; there's
nothing to fear. The mans knave.
we ken. but he's fool as weel! Bring
harm to his own BARN. not he!-he's
DER sharp to put himself into the power
O. the English law! 'Tis the siller he
wants. and It's the sller he means to
get!"
But what shall we do?" sobbed Mar
jorie.
"Do?-nothing. Bide quiet while.
and he'll do something. mark mel"
But Leon-what will become of
Leon?" -.
"Dinna greet for the BARN: tell ye
fa oil hns :,
his father"
But he mustn't stop: l must get him
back. or 1t will kill me-"
You shall have him back. never
fear. Marjorie
But to-night-what can be done to-
night?"
Nothing. my lassie-absolutely no.
ting. Get you to bed and rest you. and
tomorrow I'll tell you what we must
do"
After good deal more persuasion
Marjorie was induced to go to her
room. but during the whole of that
walked about in wild unrest
When the dawn broke she descended
the stairs. and to her amazement found
Miss Hetherington in the dining-room,
just as she had left her on the preced-
ing night. The weary hours OF vigil
had done their work; her face. always
white, was positively corpse-like; her
thin gray hairs were disheveled. and
her eyes were dim. With a piercing
cry, Marjorie ran forward and fell at
her feet.
"Mother!" she cried: dear mother.
what is the matter?"
The old woman laid her trembling
hand upon Marjorie's brown head and
smiled.
"'Tis nothing. my child" she said
THE hours Of the night have passed
o'er quickly for me. you see. for sat
thinking. and now you see the dawn
has come. Marjorie. my poor Mar
jorie! I wonder you can ever find 1t in
your heart to call me mother!-see
what sorrow has come to you through
me-"
Through you? Oh, no. no. MOI"
"Ay, but It's so Marjorie. The sins
of the fathers shall be visited upon the
children unto the third and fourth
generation Through my sin you suf
fer"
do not say that-it is not true"
"Ay, but 1t is true. Through my sin
you were made poor outcast. with no
mother to watch over you. no kind
hand to guide you. When think on
it. it breaks my heart, Marjorie-it
breaks my heart"
Ahort ton o'clocl, that morning n
messenger came to the Castle bringing
note for Marjorie. 1t was from Caus-
sidiere, and dated from Dumfrles.
IT am here" he wrote, with the
child. Do you propose to join me, as
I can force you to do so II choose. or
am I to keep the child only? l might
be induced to yield him up to you upon
certain conditions. Let me know what
you mean to do, as my stay here will
not be Of long duration. and am
making arrangements to take Leon
away with me- "Your husband"
LEON CAUSSID1ERE."
Marjorie's first impulse was to rush
to the place where she knew her child
to be, but Miss Hetherington restrained
her.
"Bide n wee. Marjorie" she said:
well get the BARN and not lose you."
She dismissed Caussidiere's messen-
ger, and sent her own servant for Suth-
erland.
When the young man arrived she
saw him alone, told him in few words
what had occurred and put Caussi-
diere's letter in his hand.
Bring back the child, Johnnie Suth-
erland," she said, "even If you have to
kill the father.
Sutherland took the letter. and, with
these instructions ringing in his ears,
went to Dumfries to seek Caussidiere
at the place mentioned. He was like
a man demented; the blow had been so
sudden that he hardly realized as yet
what it all meant; he only knew that
he had fallen from the brightest hope
to the blacklist despair and that hence
forth he must endure living death.
The house he sought was small inn
in one of the by-streets CT Dumfries,
and Sutherland knew it well. He en-
tered the place. found n shock-headed
servant girl in the passage and asked
for the "French gentleman who was
staying in the house, a