Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-10-23
LEGEND or A LAKE

rounded by lofty mountains and miles
from any habitation lies small loch,
or tarn, around which tradition has
cast a legend.
Years and years ago, when the tur
bulent state Of Scotland rendered life
and property insecure, large amount
of treasure was supposed to have been
thrown into the loch, there to escape
detection and to await the return Of
peaceful times to enable it to be re-
covered. 1t had been thrown into it's
hiding place in the night by those who
possessed it, and the secret had beena
sOlemnly sworn to on the naked blade
of a dirk, an old form Of highland oath,
held to be binding and sacred
BY different routes in the lone hours
Of night the holders Of the secret as
sembled on the shores Of this highland
tarn and vainly tried to reach the bot
tom. The loch yielded nothing save
now the almost certain fact that it was
unfathomable.
Years rolled away, and no further
attempts were made, since, dispirited,
they agreed to abandon the hopeless
toll of trying to fathom Lochan Kin
Dhoan, as they then styled it.. Suisse
quently however, to their last failure
an incident occurred that in that age
of superstition cast around the loch
the weird belief that it was haunted.
In baronial keep lived chief in
all the rude pomp of feudal pride. His
1o1 ho1 id Nd Ice 1o,
ter, who, now grown up to woman
hood, presided over the household. Her
fathers temper was naughty and i'm
perious, and he ruled every one around
him with stern sway. AS was the GUS
tom in those days, he had long been ct
love laughs at highland pride as we'll
as at locksmiths. His neighbor had
son, who became enamored Of the
maiden. But how was the fatal gulf
Of feudal strife to be bridged? Time
went on. Stolen interviews when by
accident they met or when her father
was absent were all that the young
hearts could CLEAN from the stern hate
Of both the parents till, unable to bear
the long, weary weeks that occasional
ly prevented their meetings, the young
chieftain determined to beard the lion
in his den and demand the hand of his
daughter. Accompanied by an escort,
he arrived before the drawbridge and
demanded an interview with the chief.
The interview over, the young CHEZ
tain, with a heavy heart, recrossed
that drawbridge and dotted his bonnet
to fair form on the battlements.
It was some time before they again
met. The chief had used harsh words
and harsh measures to his daughter,
but ''love will find out the way" and
at the next meeting of the lovers they
had arranged to elope. The strong
power Of woman's love nerved her for
the deed. The heartless home she was
about to leave seemed to palliate the
act. The temporary absence of the old
chief afforded opportunity.
On a dark November evening about
two hours after sunset horse bearing
the young chieftain and his intended
bride was vending it's way with diff
Guilty along the rugged mountain path
amid the darkness when the sound of
horses hoofs was heard To turn was
to encounter foes behind as we'll as in
front, if foes they were, as doubtless
the fight of the lady had been discov-
cred at the castle. Besides the nature
of the ground and darkness rendered
flight hopeless. To move little to the
side and quietly await the chance Of
being passed in the darkness was all
that now remained to the youthful
lovers. The night had hitherto been
dark, but still. The wind was now
sweeping over the bleak moor and hur-
rying the black clouds across the sky
with increasing violence. The young
chief felt the fair hand that held his
girdle tighten as the sound of the
horses hoofs was heard, but no
scream, no signs Of fear. All had rs
yet gone well, when CLEAN of moon
light lit up the scene and revealed a
party Of horsemen scarce thirty yards
distant. There was no time for de-
liberation. The young chieftain dashed
his spurs to his horse, and with a
bound the noble animal was crossing
the now moonlit moor at full speed,
holly pursued by the chief and his par
ty. Capture, but don't fire!' was the
brief command.
At first the lovers outstripped their
pursuers, but the double burden began
to tell on the young chieftains horse,
and the distance between lessened.
The chief was gaining on them at
every stride. and the pale moon still
shone on the scene Suddenly, as if
the earth had opened at their feet,
over the precipice that overhangs the
Lochan Kin Dhoan leaped the horse
and his riders An exclamation Of hor-
ror, wild yell of agony came from the
chief as he beheld this fatal leap. A
dull, heavy splash in the deep, dark
water beneath was all that responded.
From that hour it was Stunned rs
fatal spot.
The story of the treasure had been
handed down from father to son, and
a party of stout hearts again resolved
to brave the dangers that surrounded