The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-25
CHAPTER I.
roNTJNUED-

they were at school, and not enjoy
themselves at all. If was flower,
I would rather be bluebell and grow
out on the mountain-side just where 1
pleased. But we have a fine garden
at Levens-hope, and the house IS old
enough to have stories aboutits rooms
and queer dreams in all its chairs.
There is even a ghost in the long
corridor-not one of the modern scien-
tifc ghosts, full OF psychological sug-
gestions-but plain, simple, straight
forward ghost"
"Have you ever seen it?"
"Very often in the twilight. There
is nothing that fears me in the harm
less, melancholy wrath"
"Some unhappy lady of former days,
I suppose?"
"Ah, no! A brave young laird of
Levens-hope who followed Prince
Charlie. Do you see yonder narrow
road winding across the mountain
breast southwark? The Highland
host took it, and young Walter
Brathous was with them. He was
only twenty years old then, and he
never came home again-in the flesh.
His picture is in the corridor, gay,
handsome-looking boy, with the un-
lucky white rose of Stuart over his
heart. All the Janfaries, too, have
been men of the sword. My own
father died at the head of his company
in the onset of battle"
There did not seem to 0e ely an
swer proper to this st2:.elnent, and
Mowbray did not atto-lpt platitude;
vet he made Katherine feel that he
was interested and sympathetic. In
deed, his whole nature was in q con-
dition of happy turmoil, and he could
not command the words he wished.
It was as if door of his soul, hither-
to closed, had been suddenly opened
BY Katherine's hands, and he was
confused and amazed and under a
kind of enchantment. The green bills
on which he walked with her were not
earthly hills; the air he breathed
with her had in it some diviner eIe-
ment. Her low voice, her sweet, rip
pling laugh, the sway of her garments
against him, the miraculous light in
her eyes, threw him into delight
some trance, in which he saw visions
of Love, like unto Katherine; and oil
his soul and oil his senses were sub
jugated by the sudden splendor of the
revelation.
And Katherine knew that this lu-
minQus, stin serenity had nothing
whatever to do with insensibility. She
understood intuitively that it was the
natural expression of feeling that had
not yet learned how to speak. She
herself was conscious of some emotion
new and strange. She talked about
score of idle things, because her in
stinct told her silence would be in
discreet. She was little fearful, and
she knew not of what she was afraid.
Her lips voiced pleasantly all the pro-
prieties that guard everyday life; but
below her lips her heart was asking
with o persistent iteration questions
which as yet she answered only with
q peremptory "Hush!"
The minister and Jessy walked
few yards behind them. They were
talking of the entertainment to be
given to the stranger.
"He is welcome day or two at the
manse," said Doctor Telfair, but with
out much cordiaiity. "You know,
Jessy, there are always my sermons to
write, and the thought of visitor is
the thought of the burns and Of the
fish in them; and you'll allow, my
dear, that there is not much spiritual
ity between trout and sermons"
"His father was your friend"
"Until a woman parted US. That
was long ago, and I hope I have
Christianity enough not to visit on
the lad the ill-will I once had toward
his father. Ask him to stay week or
two weeks, if you like his company.
"You seemed to enjoy talking with
him, father"
"Not much. He has no political
sense, and he is an Episcopal in re-
ligion, and fishing he has no right
kind of respect for. His company is
neither here nor there for menfolk,
and for young girls he might be dan
gerous."
"Why should he be dangerous?"
"He has a way with him, and I
could see that he was fairly bewild-
cred with Katherine's beauty. I'm
thinking the laird may ask him to stay
. few days, for Brathous knew his
father we'll enough. They were in the
same classes, and the young English
squire was well-kent figure. Brat
hous was proud in those bygone days
to have bow or q word from him.
The young man favors his father,
though he is not handsome.
katherine appears to be pleased
with him.
katherine should keep mind of
her manifest destiny. She would be
a foolish girl to bring complications
into it. I see Brathous is coming to
meet us; so I will just step forward
with Mowbray and introduce him"
He did so, and, with the young man
at his side, walked briskly toward the
advancing laird, while Katherine
waited until Jessy joined her. They
both watched the meeting with inter
est, for both knew the uncertain dis
position of the laird of Levens-hope.
Fortunately Brathous was in very
good humor. He had just received an
American reaper and some iine Jersey
cattle, and he was ready to welcome
any one who was ready to admire
them. But, apart from this favorable
ondition he WAS nleased with his Yis-