The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-02-08

| Katherine, casting aDouI lor sone-
thing to pass the evening which would
not permit Wintoun too much oppor-
tunity for conversation, bethought
her of new book of border music;
and she proposed that they should
learn some of the songs together.
Wintoun was delighted. He knew
that he could sing, and to mingle his
voice with Katherine's voice was o
rare pleasure. So they looked
through the book, and Wintoun
struck boldly out with:
''March! March! Eterick and Teviotdale"
He played the stirring notes with
spirit and decision. Their voices
blended. charmingly. And the room
seemed suddenly full of mounting
troopers and the stir and hustle. of
ealloping horses. There was no. weak
note under Wintoun's fingers: The
men of Eskdale and of Twistdale went
flying past to bugle tones, and they
were just calling musically one to the
other:
AL Iuo pluo poAno'S/ /dre oFel lue ooIuoh'
when Mrs. BrsShous entered the room,
with worried face and lifted hand.
"Katherfne! Jamie!" she cried.
"You must stop playing tonight!
Ths-iaird is very nervous. He says
itexcites him, and he has some fever
already. He thinks both of you are
very unkind, and he insists on the
piano being closed at once"
Of course, he was obeyed, and, Kath-
crime then suggested game of chess.
But chill had fallen upon her sunny
mood. She was distract and discour-
aged, and she moved her pieces with
out consideration. Wintoun had no
wish to checkmate her. He played as
badly as she did. At last Katherine
stood hastily up. She laid her bands
over the board. looked steadily at her
antagonist, and said in voice whose
tone was authoritative and decisive:
"Jamie, we are both playing a false
game. Let US withdraw before either
of us has to say, L have lost!"
She then swept the pieces into their
boxes, closed the lid and put them
away. The action had a kind of pro-
phetic Usefulness, a prescience un-
foreseen and unplanned, endued with
SOMEWHAT of omnipotence. Its effect
upon Wintoun was almost that of a
sign from heaven. He did not doubt
it, or analyze its meaning, or ask
"Why?" it affected him 80. He only
felt that in moment all had changed
for him. A sudden despair invaded
his heart. He knew that he had lost
Katherine. He might reason himself
back to hope, but at the end all her
Aattering tales would vanish, he was
sure. A pitiless truth had been
flashed upon his consciousness that
hour, and he could not dispute it.
Katherine was annoyed at herself.
Why had she said those words? Why
had she suddenly stopped their play?
She felt in tie silence that followed a
strange regret that she had spoken,
and that he had understood. For
once her ever-ready thought failed
her. She could not find a sentence
no, nor a word to say. She stirred
the fro and moved the small table
aside, and then almost unwillingly
looked at Wintoun. And her eyes
opened on him like Book of Reyela-
ton.
Signing deeply, he arrested his dis
mayed soul, and tried to find some
commonplace remark which would
dispel that uncanny sense Of fateful
foreknowledge. He went to a large
window and drew aside the curtains.
The whole land was wrapped in wind.
ing-sheets of mist, with a ghost of
moonshine in them; and for the first
time in his life he was aware of that
occult world which every one carries
about with him.
Katherine" he said sadly, ri will
go home now. I have got an ailing
heart tonight"
II am sorry, Jamie. But an ailing
heart is better than bad one, and
Brathous has spoiled our evening""
As she uttered the words Mrs. Brat
hous entered the room.
"Jamie, your uncle wants you," she
said. "I hope you will not contradict
him about anything tonight. he is
so nervous and hard to manage"
Wintoun only bowed in reply. He
was by no means in conciliatory
temper, and the sight of the unreason-
able. imaginary invalid was an irritat-
ing one. His head, large and oblong,
had the hoariness of yellow mixed
with gray. His sheep eyes were
watery and furtive. His tongue-al-
ways too big for his mouth-was the
organ of q voice hollow, querulous,
and yet authoritative. He was sitting
up in bed, with large tartan plaid
over his shoulders.
"You see what a man gets who
serves the public" he cried. "Little
honor and no sympathy You and
Katherine were singing away as if the
laird of Levens-hope was in the very
height of perfect health"
"Have you sent for me in order to
quarrel, uncle?'
Quarrel! Quarrel! Who speaks
of quarreling? Think shame of your
self, James Wintoun! I sent for you
because I want you and Katherine
Janfarie to tie yourselves together as
soon as may be. I am tired out with
so much love-making in my house.
have finished my own share of that
silly business, and it is not pleasant
to have song. singing and reel-danc-