Evening star., 1902-02-22
CHAPTER I.

Grim. gray. dour. fell the early December
twilight upon the seaboard parish Of Cover,
the outward and visible sign. stranger
might well suppose. of a similar grim humor
among its inhabitants. But up on the side
OF Bennangour Anton Macmillan. the nero,
drew his checked plaid more closely about
him and hummed a cheerful psalm.
..Now Israel
Nav saw and that truly,
If that the Lcr,i
Had cause maintained;
IL that the Lord .
Had right sustaincd-'
At this point Anton stopped abruptly, and
shading his eyes as if the summer sun had
been shining in them made an impromptu
night glass OF his palms and exclaimed,
..davertr'
Now, when a west-country herd. born in
the purple of the kirk of the covenants.
valiant In defense of headship and joyously
confident of total depravity and the eternity
of punishment stops on his hillside and says
''davert." 1t may be taken for granted that
he sees more than eve fallen laval In a
hollow a slap in the dyke through which
his flock hath streamed away to the prom
ised land of another mans pastures.
But again the same minced oath" broke
from Anton's lips 50 vigorously that Tyke
and Tod, his ministrant collies skunk aside
in fear, casting anxously back in their
canine consciences for what of transgres-
sion undiscovered or duty undone might be
about to bring their masters hazel "ciickie
whirling about their ears,
But it was to a spot far down the slope
of Bennangour that the keen gray eyes of
their lord were directed. Beyond the vii
Iage. beyond the kirk and manse. Anton
Macmillan saw the dark and solemn towers
of Castle Cover, and strung across then.
like fairy necklace, certain bright points
tah tnId of ltUh tod rDa aOlh fhSt q
cheer
That might wen be- for It was Christmas
night. but Anton Macmillan had never
heard Of the festival save as one or the
wlims of that scarlet woman WIN. on her
seven hills, continued to observe times and
seasons and 50 deiude the unwary and un-
coyenanted-
There maun be great doings loon by"
muttered the herd as he resumed his long
swinging heather stride. the dogs covering
al his heel in uncert ainty to his mood.
"Forty year hae I herdad Bennangour. clear
day and mirk NIGHT. but never hae seen
the great hoose of Castle Cover shining as
If auld Gregory Glendonwyn had ilcrded the
stars o heaven into his windows, as ryke
and Tod there MIGHT herd wheen silly
sheep into a hucht.
And indeed it was something far out OF
the common which had set the great gaunt
house of Castle Cover alight from turret
10 porter lodge. brought out Gregory
Glendonwyn's laced coat with the gold stiff
on the collar and sleeve. the same in which
he had bowed the knee to the king in Edn-
burgh at that neyer-to- be forgotten royal
visit and sent every gray domestic and e-
derly stable boy 10 door and window in a
tremulous agony of anticipation.
The two sons of the house were coming
home. the elder, Rupert Glendonwyn, from
the ends of the earth, the younger. John.
only from the college of Edinburgh. But,
as was natural. it was for Rupert. the heir.
that the preparation was made. Jock. poor
lad $50 the servants ayerred). might have
come and gone score of times and found
more slaughter of fatted calves in Cas-
tie Cover than a slice or two of cold meat
from the buffers pantry, and no more illu
miuation than was involved in lighting his
solitary bedroom candle at the table
in the back hall. But Rupert-ah. for his
firSt-born this old Gregory must order up
the best bottle of port, busted and cobweb-
bed from the cellar. The boy would be
cold. He would be tired. 1t was pity
that he had refused the family carriage
and begged that horse might be sent
him at the Cross Keys in Drumfern, six
teen long Scots miles away.
The laird of Cover sat in his great chair
of black oak watching the old butler Grer-
son, come and go From his chimney cor
ner he cast an occasional glance of ap-
proval at the clean-cut sparkle of the glass
and silver the white cloth.
1t is well-betitting, he mused that l
should rejoice to welcome by son-Agnetas
tirst-born-after years of absence. Grier-
son. why on earth do you trot in and out
like a new-made elder at his first sacra-
ment. is everything not ready for Mr. Ru-
pert?
Duncan Grierson. the ancient butler Of
Castle Cover lifted his hand to his brow
in semimilitary salute He and Gregory
Glendonwyn had served in the Border Fen
cibes together.
Ma. Castle Cover he said with slow
emphasis, this is no time when we are
likely 10 forge aught that can max the
return o the young master less memora-
BILE. There Is never servant that shelters
under the roof o the Glendonwyn's but
will do his duty this NIGHT. Aye. even
thrawn auld Sarah Dumpiin doom at the
village-her that was the laddie's foster
mither and reared him frae a week aud-
mas brought up a muckel pot OF the crab
a laGdie,
Gregory Glendonwyn nodded we'll
pleased
Yes yes" he said .'all is indeed In readi-
ness. and I'm sure that you will not find
Rupert ungrateful He was ever generous
and high,sprited from his youth up. and
cannot believe that these qualities should
have forsaken him during the years he
has spent abroad"
Ma. na.' muttered the old butler bus
Ting himself at the sideboard. '.Maister Ru-
pert will be Master Rupert to the end O.
the chapter. and We will a lie down and
max oursels door scrapers and hall mats
Tor him to dicht his feet on"
Very properly so.'' said Gregory Glen
donwyn. who had caught the spirit but not
the exact letter Of the old mans speech
THE grandson of a peer Of Ireland the heir
to an ancient name and TO the estates which
any son inherits from me will never 1 trust,
lack due respect In his native country
d
loyal spirit abroad. which seeks to over
turn both church and state in common de-
struction. Have you noticed any symptoms
OF such in the servants hall, GrierSon?
Speak openly. sir
curious light shone for single instant
In the old mans eyes but they were bent
upon the floor and SO far as words were
concerned he answered meekly enough:
Well, Laird Gregory, 1 dinna ken I
ttinna mind o ocht that could be ca'ed a
hangin matter, as it were. But noo when
Ta
Faithful refused fatty to sup his parritch
the ither mornin. declarn and threepin'
doom my throat that he was Untitled to ham
an eggs. And there's Mary Geddes the
Euise-herd. an 1t please your honor-faith
tnat iassie Wilma look at red herrin' for
her supper. but maun hae her pea brose
and bannocks like a Teddy oh, as ye say
laird, it's fair awesome that thae common
atty comm to In this generation VII
their whms and whigmaleer'es But 1 doubt
IA these are the times spoken Of In the
prophet Daniel. the seventh and aucht
chapters. gu.d Master Aiblins pointed
oot in his lecture and addiction last Sab