The Grit-advocate., 1903-05-29

BRAN! my BRAN! my DrOtneI!
There is one comfort for me,-if l
knew that he still lived; if one hope
tkou could give me-"
What hope there is, will go and
see, and. if there is good news, l will
be glad for thee"
Not half an hour was Bran away;
and yet, to the miserable girl, how
grief and fear heightened out the mo-
ments! When Bran came back. it
was with word of hope on his lips.
Il have SEEN he said. who dost
thou think ?-the Jew Cohen. He Of
all men, he has sat by Capt. Hyde's
side all night; and he has dressed the
wound the English surgeon declared
beyond mortal skill And he said to
me, Three times, in the Persian des-
ert, l have cured wounds still worse,
and the Holy One hath given me the
power of healing: and, if He wills, the
young man shall recover That is
what he said. Katherine"
Forever will love the Jew. Though
he fail | will love him. So kind he is,
even to those who have not spoken
At this moment the family returned
from the morning service. and Bran
rather detiantly drew his sister to his
side. Joris was not with them. He
had stopped at the Kings Arms" to
ask if Capt. Hyde was still alive; for,
in spite Of everything, the young mans
heroic cheerfulness in the agony OF
a oh hoI
ed Joris. No one spoke to Katherine;
even her mother was annoyed and hui
inflated at the social ordeal through
which they had just passed, and she
thought it only reasonable that the er-
ring girl should be made to share the
trial.
AS the time went on poor Katherine
Van Heemskirk shivered and sickened
iii the presence of averted eyes and up
lifted shoulders and in that chill at
mosphere Of disapproval which sep
arated her from the sympathy and
confidence of her old friends and ac-
quaintances.
1T is thy punishment" said her
mother, bear it bravely and patiently
In little while, it will be forgot" But
weeks went on, and the wounded men
slowly fought death away from their
pillows, and Katherine did not recover
the place in social estimation which
she had lost through the ungovernable
tempers of her lovers
But nothing i'll lasts forever; and in
three months Neil Semple was in his
office again, wan and worn with fever
and suffering, and wearing his sword
arm in a sling, but still decidedly
world-like and life-like. 1t was evil
dent that public opinion was in large
measure with him, and though in the
Middle Kirk the affair was sure to be
the subject of a reproof, and OF sus-
pension of its highest privileges, yet
it was not difficult t< feel the SYM
pathy often given to deeds publicly
censured, but privately admired. Joris
remarked this spirit with a little as
tonishment and dissent He could not
find in his heart any excuse for either
Neil or Hyde; and. when the elder en-
larged with scme acerbity upon the
requirements of honor among men,
Jcris offended him by replying:
We'll, then, elder, little l think of
that honor which runs not with the
laws of God and country"
Let me tell you, Joris, the voice of
the people is the voice of God in
measure; and you may see with your
ain cen that it mair that acquits Neil
O wrong-doing. Man, Joris. would
you punish q fair sword-fight wi the
hangman?"
"A better way there is. In the
pillory l would stand these men of
honor, who of their own feelings think
more than of the law of God. very
quick end that punishment would put
to custom wicked and absurd"
"Weel, Joris. We'll hae no quarrel
anent the question. Here comes Neil,
and we'll let the question ia to the
ground. There are wiser men than
either you or l on bath sides"
Joris nodded gravely, and turned
to welcome the young man. More
than ever he liked him; for, apart
from moral and prudential reasons, it
was easy for the father to forgive an
lOfe Ills hdtueTlle.
Also, he was now more anxious for
marriage between Neil and his daugh-
ter. 1t was indeed the best thing to
fully restore her to the social esteem
OF her own people: for by making her
his wife. Neil would most emphatically
eXonerate her from all blame in the
quarrel. Just this far, and no farther,
Nni1
aided his suit,-ne had now the full
approval of Joris, backed by the
weight of this social justification.
But, in spite of these advantages.
he was really much farther away from
Katherine. She had heard from Bran
the story of the challenge and the
| fight; heard how patiently Hyde had
parried Neil's attack rather than re-
turn it, until Neil had so passionately