Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02
CHAPTER XXI

In the little room. which at night was the
bed room of M. and Nine. Montbeliard and
In the daytime the general place of meeting
of the family. including the visitors, four
friends were assembled, talking over ways
and means In the window seat, naturally
a little apart, sat Maurice Raith and
Flower o-the-Corn. The lovers spoke low,
with clasped hands, leaning one toward the
other like shocks of corn in a harvest field.
sharp knock came to the door. Flower
'o-the-Corn sat up suddenly with immense
dignity. A blush vivid as a damask rose
flooded her cheeks. The distance between
herself and Maurice increased as percepti-
bly, and mysteriously as that which grows
between the shore and a voyager gazing
| over the parting vessels stern.
Upon Billy MarshalTs entrance Maurice
stood up with quickly darkening brow.
What do you want here?" he said, with
all the brusqueness of lover whose tete-
a-tete has been interrupted.
The gypsy saluted with his own slow self
respect, the true Galloway dourness, which
passes not away with the centuries, and
which strangers find so aggravating
Master Maurice" he said, Il haze bode
WI ye as lang as Bet and me can bide I
maun be back to the Rhonehouse braes by
the day of Keltonhill and Bet maun gang
WI me- If We Wilma let US gang, we wull
JUST haze to TAX the road wantin' your
honors valued permission"
le bAly, SdlO Mdurlco~ Sternly that Is
not the way to speak to your superior Of
fcery'
list no?" inquired Billy, as one who
asked for information. "Weel, that's a
peety. too; for It's cen the way I spak to
my cornell In the aud sax-an'-twentieth.
An what's guild eneuch for him will nae to
90 It's dooms best serve for your
The sudden fervor of Billy's tones inter-
the fireside. ~
WSerefore do you speak of leaving this
maven -of rest and peace?" demanded the
chaplain of Ardmillan's regiment Eye may
ask. said Billy. land by the Lord Use no
be slow In tellin' we. Ye are learned man
they tell me. Did we never hear tell O. KEEL
world?" 'i'o
II take It," said Mr.. Wildwood. ut is
your desire to depart out of this place in
| order to be present at certain festivities in
your own native country of Galloway"
Dfnna caa Keltonhill fair festeeyity
man. as II 1t war just kind O. Englishy
k1rsmass of SAINTS day like what We mich
| see among thae benicnted haythen Man.
| there mair nor ten thoosend men, forbye
weemen and BARNS, no to speak O. COM
| mon Eerish fowk, there and mair horses
| than wad reach to Johnny Greats stand
Ing head to tail-and to caa Keltonhill a
| festeevity! Then the drink, man. We Gamma
gang the first sax mile In ony direction
| over drunk fowk at every third step. And
to caa that festeevity!"
Patrick Wildwood rose to his feet and
lifted his right hand high in the air with
| a solemn aspect.
| Il am with you" he said: ct had thought
| that l was called to remain and speak unto
the people But see few in this place who
\ are not prepared to die--whiles, If this be
true which this poor ignorant man hath
| spoken, there remain depths of wickedness
yet to be plumbed In mine own land.
have call Yes. will take my pilgrim
staff in hand and over pass. I will COM
pany with you and preach the gospel at
| Keltonhill!''
Billy had gained powerful ally. For
| Frances would not once have thought of
| opposing her father when the "call'' came
| upon him. Yet it was with something of
| sadness that she looked forward to the
| breaking up of the sweet and peaceful time.
| 1t was arranged that they should set out
| upon the following Monday. The route by
| Switzerland was chosen. both because Pat
rick Wildwood and his daughter knew it
better. having already travelled it on their
| way thither, but because complete 'un-
| foreground railway existed for sending per-
sons and things in and out of the Cev-
| ennes.
| On the Sabbath Patrick Wildwood
preached what was understood to be his
farewell sermon to the people of st. veran