The news & observer., 1898-01-16

drew Macintyre, against whom my goOd
friend Fielding had particularly warned
me. 1t might have been fancy, but II
seemed to ME that his greenish gray
eye sparkled with a kind of malignant
triumph at the sight Of me. ] think a
spider might SO regard the fly that ven
tured innocently among the meshes 90
his web.
Yet he readily made way for me to en-
ter and went at my request to tell Kate
that l wished to speak with her. He
was gone some time, and | was sure
that he was informing Macintyre of my
presence, before carrying the message
to Kate. 1t would have surprised me
little had / been refused speech with
her. but presently | could hear her fresh,
girlish voice, high and sweet and clear,
singing THE White Cockade:
I'll sell nv rock. I'll sell my reel,
NV rippIing- kane and spinning wheel,
To buy myself a tartan plaid,
A broadsword, durk, and white cockade.
o he's a ranting, rowing blade!
o he's a brisk and bonnie lad!
Betide what may, my heart is glad
To see my lad wi his white cockade.
She sang it defantly as she came down
the wide staircase. flush on her brave
Young face. her eyes shining with kind
OF passionate enthusiasm, the sweetest
maid, it seemed to me, in all broad
England, and. to my mind at. that mo-
ment the foolishest. She seemed like a
reckless child playing with fire, and 1
could have snatched away the white
cockade she wore at her breast and
crushed it beneath my heel.
Yet. as she came nearer, / was con-
vinced that she was but playing a part,
for more than once | noticed her glance
apprehensively about her, and I felt her
hand tremble as ] clasped it in mine.
Yet even at that moment, in a position,
as | believed, of imminent peril, my
heart leaped with joy to perceive that
all trace of the coldness that had been
for some time between us had passed
away, and that she was unfeignedly re-
joiced to see me.
This is d pleasure / did not antici-
pate" she said, in a formal voice, and
with a slight side glance at Fraser, who
stood again leering beside the door.
'Will you come this way, if you please"
She led the way upstairs, and | fol-
lowe her into a sitting room brilliantly
lighted with wax candles as though for
the reception of a distinguished guest.
/ closed the door behind me and was
about to speak to her, when she laid her
finger on her lips, and, taking one of
the candles, hooked beneath the table
and behind the couch and even opened
the door of an empty cupboard and
glanced hurriedly inside. She was very
pale, and the candle trembled in her
hand as she returned it to its place.
Then she suddenly sank into chair,
covered her face with her hands and
broke into stifed sobs.
''Why. Kate" said /, "this is not like
you. What is the matterY
Indeed, II scarce know, Frank" she
faltered, raising her pale face and smil-
ing family through her tears. 1T is
very silly and childish of me, but II
am frightened. Andrew and his mother
are out, and all the servants have been
sent away, and l have been alone in the
house for hours, with no one to speak to
but that odious wretch, Donald Frazer
-and-and | got nervous and began to
think ] could hear strange noises, whis-
perings at the door and footsteps on
the stairs, until l was quite sure there
were strange men in the house. l
JnOugHC one HiSHt7 ne III TIE CuppodIu
there, watching us, and listening to all
we said. L think it must have been
fancy II not, what can it all meanW
Il fear there is no doubt Of what it
means. -Iate,' said /, 'and the time has
come to speak plainly. | have learned
that tonight the young pretender,
Charles Stuart, is coming here. ] see
you have tricked yourself out in all
your nnery, with the white cockade on
your breast to meet him.. o, nate, you
foolish child, can't you see that this
vile man, this glib, plausible, double
faced spy and traitor, Andrew Macin-
tyre, is using your pretty face and in
nocent enthusiasm to lure the unfortu-
nate rouue prince into a trapW
In spite of her white face and startled
eyes. she did not exhibit the anger and