The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-17
l CONsTRrcr A RAFr


| IT was growing dusk when Mary Cor
don ard / came to the edge Of the lake
! AS Anna had fOretold we found neither
| the Lady Of Earstoun, nor yet the boat
| in which Mary and she had come from
! the head Of the loch. We saw. however,
the rut which the PROV of the boat had
/ made In taking the pebbles, and the large
stone TO which II had been fastened was
there. The shingle, also. was displaced.
and all about were deeply marked foot
prints, like those made by men who bear
a heavy burden.
Then when ! had sat down on a boulder
by the waters edge, 1 drew the little
maid on my knee. and told her that 1
must take her home to find her mother.
And also that because the Earlstoun was
long way off she must let me carry her
sometimes when she grew weary.
us that what Anna would wish?" she
asked for from the first she had called
my sister nothing else.
/ told her that IT was, and Immediately
she put her hand in mine-yet not will
lngly nor trustingly as she had done
TO Anna, but rather with an air Of pro-
test and like one who does a necessary
duty.
At the point OF the loch, at which
We had arrived. the trees crept down
the hillside quite to the edge Of the
water Then there comes the narrow
pass between the steepest crags of the
Bennan and the waters edge We had
been moving cautiously through the trees,
and were indeed just about to emerge
from the brushwoOd. when a rotten stick
cracked beneath my foot. Instantly a
soldiers challenge rang sharply out in
front OF US:
Halt Who goes there?"
Though little better than BARNS. Mary
Gordon and l covered with the instinc-
tive craft born OF years Of persecution
and coneealment Again the man cried,
"Show yourselves-Or / fire."
But as Mary and l lay still as death
behind the tree, he did not think it neces-
sary 10 enter the wood. where. indeed.
for all he knew, a score of armed and
desperate Wings might be in hiding.
Then we could hear his neighbors hail
him from the next post and ask what the
matter was.
81 heard a noise IN the wood" he re-
turned, grufily enough.
"A wandering pig or a goat from the
hilli' cried his comrade higher up cheer
lily. But the man I'm front Of us was
sullen and did not reply
The hail of the second soldier had come
distinctly from the rocks of the Bennan,
therefore their commander had establish
ed a Gordon or sentries in order 10 pre-
vent the escape OF some noted fugitive.
What chance was there for a couple Of
children TO pass the guarded line? / could
well enough have rushed across the line
when the sentry was at the extreme
point OF his beat and risked bullet
as l plunged into the next belt Of
woodland. but. numbered with the care
OF maiden Of tender years this was |
impossible.
The night had drawn down into n |
cool, pleasant darkness. Softly Mary Cor |
don and / withdrew, taking care that |
no niore rotten sticks should snap be-
meath our feet. Presently at the southern
verge Of the struggling copse Of hazel
md therefore close 10 the edge of the
AXE. we came upon a couple of sheep
folds. one OF these belonged TO our own
arm Of Ardarroch. and the other TO our
Kindly noighbor, John Fullerton Of the
3ennan.
II am tired-take me home. You prom
sed TO take me homer' The little maids
dice was fun OF pitifulness and tears
IS she found herself going further and
urther from the house OF Earlstoun.
eve cannot pass that way-the sol
Her men would shoot u.s." / answered
Ter with truth.
.Then take me 10 my Auntie Jean"
ne persisted. catching at my hand pet
ishly "and my mother will come for me
n the morning"
but where does your Auntie Jean
ve?"
How can I tell--it is such long way"
he answered. 1T is house in the middle
I a lochr'
This could only mean ia the old tower
{ Lochinysr. But that was longer ]