Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-11-28


hand upon the latch.
Long enough she waited, with the
sound of the talking and laughing and
singing seeming afar of and meaning
less noise, for her heart was with Dou-
gal cut on the moors on that night
when she knew that evil things have
power. The fear that was upon her was
as keen as pain, SO that when she heard
his foot drawing nigh to the door and
knew he was come at last she almost
swooned away with JOY.
"But at the sight of his face when he
came in she caught her hand to her
heart with terror, for he was walking
like man asleep, and the eyes Of him
seemed to be looking through every
thing into some place far away--into
Tir-nan-Og perhaps. A dead silence fell
upon all that were in the place as ne
walked slowly into the middle of the
barn. He was carrying a set of pipes
that no one there had ever seen the like
Of. They would have served the piper of
the prince his own self. God bless him 1
"He put the ohanter to bis lips and
began to play the most wonderful and
terrible piece of music that ever has
been heard in Scotland, or perhaps in
the whole earth besides. All the time
he was playing those who were listen
ing could see what the music was tell
ing about, and that was a great clan
battle that must have happened hum
dreds Of years ago-in Fionn MaoCum-
halls time--up there on top of Ben
Mhor.
First it was just the moor, lying
very hot in the sun, with the bees hum.
ming along the heath bells. and the
young things of the moor fowl talking
TO themselves among the heather stalks.
Very sleepy and quiet it was, and the
moor was making the little noises il
does make on the very hot days, and
yet east wind was creeping over the
heath from the sea, very gentle and
lonely and tired, making a white shin
ing all over the moor, with gray blue
clear sky above.
"Then, from very far off down the
wind there came the notes Of clan
march. 1t came nearer and nearer. It
was an old, old march, forgotten, along
with the clan that had owned It, for
generations past, and the clan came
marching over the brow and took the
battle order upon the moor, and stood
waiting, while from the opposite side
another clan came up and took the bat
tie array over against them. The duinhe-
wassel and the men were waiting for
the word Of onset, stamping in the
heather and shutting the wind with the
battle madness coming upon them.
"Then there came a dead pause for
one long moment, while the hearts Of
all stood still. 1t is at a time like that,
you will have been observing, that very
small things seem as great as the whole
world, and man will be Watching a
bee upon a flower, or perhaps counting
the squares Of his breacan, while his
soul is gathering herself together for tAe
call that is coming upon her even then
and instantly.
"Then there was one awesome scream
from the pipes, the yell Of the fighting
men cleft the clouds, and with the rust
Of driven stays the two lines swung TO-
gether. Their meeting was the meeting
of a wind maddened tide and flooded
river. The targets roared together. The
short, sharp shrieks Of combat went NJ
amid the deadly crashing Of the clay.
mores and axes upon tho helmets and
shields. The heavy, dull groans Of death
were heard and tho thick, dark blood
ran into the black, hot ground among
the stalks of the heather, and over the
heads of the fighters the wild people Of
the glen were shrieking in black cloud,
their red eyes glared from among itf
blaclzness, and the pipes were scream.
} ing like eagles down Il storm wind,
changing and ringing, crying and call.
ing.
} "And then the pibroch suddenly ceas.
ed-just ceased and no more, leaving
} the world seeming strange without il.
For a moment there was dead 81
! lence in the barn. Then a BARN burst
} out crying in terror, and the spell wal
: broken. All made the holy sign upor
them, and the women draw together il
fear, while the men were crowdinf
, round Dougal questioning him. II
small purpose was their questioning, FOL
} there he stood answering nothing, with
the strange look still in his eyes, like {
, man bewitched.
! 'But Helen Cameron rose up very
white and came to him and took the
+ Daoine SHE pipes from his shoulder
3 and, crossing the room, flung them int
r the great fire. 1t was dead, still night
, as have said. Yet, as she did so, I
t great blast Of wind came that shook tn,
! stone walls of the house. The fire flash
! ed high, blazing and roaring for an in
stant Then it died down, and the pipe
: of magic were gone. The blast passeS
, on over the moor, full Of shrieks an,
D laughter. and Dougal came back to him
8 self, with Helen Cameron weeping upoi
his neck.
! "But it was long ere he would tel
r how be oamo by the pibroch that woi
( him his bride, for Duncan Cameron
0 stood to his word, and they were mar
: ried as soon as Dougal had made hi
shrift for his dealings with the Daoin
? SHE. He had the desire of his heart
and ever throve thereafter. but neve
o could he play the pipes again any NOR