Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14

danger he would come to Paisley Castle
for his love. find a bride in my Lady
Cochrane's daughter. Ye have given me
fair warning and have used very plain
speech, but L was wondering with myself
all the time-and then as her mother
waited and questioned her by a look
whether INSTALLING man black with
the shameful lies of his enemies is not
the surest way to turn the heart of
woman toward him. But doubtless we
ken best. Without further speech Jean
left her mothers room, who felt that
she would have succeeded better if her
daughter had been less like herself.
Jean gave. truth to tell. little heed to
the stories of Claverhouse's savagery
partly because rough deeds were being
done on both sides, and they were not
so much Mortified in the West country of
that time at the shooting of a man as We
are in our delicate days; partly, also be-
cause she had been fed on those horrors
for years, and had learned to regard CLAW
erhouse and the other royalst officers
men capable of any atrocity. Gradually
the dramatic stories had grown stale and
lost their bite, and when she noticed that
with every new telling it was necessary to
strengthen the horrors, Jean had begun to
regard them as works of political fiction.
But this was another story about Claver
houses engagement to Helen Graham. Jean
would not admit to herself, even In her
own room or in her own heart. that she
was In love with Graham, and she was
ready to say to herself that no marriage
could be more preposterous than between
a Cochrane and Graham. 1t did not real
ly matter to her whether he had been
gagged or was going to be engaged to one
Graham or twenty Grahams. She had
never seen him till few days ago. and
very likely, having done all he wanted. he
would never come to Paisley Castle again.
Their lives had touched just for space.
and then would run forever afterward
apart. They had passed some plea SAINT
hours together. and she would ever re-
member his face; perhaps he might some
h..rS c.
would end without i'll being done to her
him. Still, she knew her mother
was not prescriptions and any stick was
good enough wherewith to beat Claver-
house. she would like to know, if only to
crafty a woman's curiosity, whether CLAY
erhouse was really going to marry this
kinswoman of his, and. in passing, whether
he was the mercenary adventurer of her
mothers description.
This was the reason of a friendly duel
between that vivacious woman kirsty
Howieson. Jean Cochrane's maid and hum
BILE friend. and that hard-headed and far
seeing man of Angus, Jock Grimond. CLAW
erhouse's servant and only too loyal clans
man.
Its no true every time Like master
like man and Kirty made a bold open
ing. the way Of her class-'for L
never saw woman WI BONNER face
than Clavcrhonse. and. my certes, mony
lass would give ten years o her life. aye,
and mair, for his brown curls and his
sair hearts for him amang the fair court
ladies'"
''Ye may weel say that, Kirsty" answered
Jock: eff Providence had been pleased to
give ye a coontinance half as winsome nae
doot ye would have been married afore this
my lass. AS for him, the women Just rim
after Claverhouse in iooks 1t doesna mat
ter whether II be Holland or whether It be
London. whether 1t be duchesSes at White
hall or merchants daughters at Dundee. he
could have married a hundred times over
\ L.
Lords sake! the opportunities he has had
and the risks he has run. it's been a merci-
full thing he had me by his side to be, If
may say it. guide and protector
"If the ALMIGHTY hasna done muckle for
you face. Jock. He's given you a grand con-
ceit o. yourself. and that must be a rael
comfort. l wish I'd share o. it, So you
have preserved your master safe till this
day, and he's still gazing ABBOTT heart-free
and hard-free."
Ma. Kirsty and Grimond looked shrewd-
ly at her-'Ill no say that Claverhouse
isna bound to marry some day or ither,
and. of course. in his posseetion 1t behove
him to find lady of his ain rank and his
ain creed. Moo. what I'm tellin' We is
strictly between oorsers, and ye're no to
mention it even to your ain mistress.
Claverhouse is contracted in marriage to
Miss Helen Graham, the daughter OF Sir
James Graham. his own uncle. and the
heiress to the Earl of Monteith. Ye see,
Miss Helen is his kinswoman and she
brings him an earldom in her lap Besides
that she's vera takin In her appearance
and manner, and l medina say just hates
Covenanter she would a brock
(badger). It's a maist suitable match
every way We look at 1t, and II has my en-
tire appreciation But no word ABBOTT this.
mind ye Kirsty-though l was just think
In this afternoon of recommendin Clayer-
house to let this contract be known. Les
an honorable man. is the iaird. ana, py
ordinary, weel-livin; but there's nae doot
he is awful. temptit by women. and
wouldna like to see their hearts broken"
"A word In season 20 my Lady Jean. If
I'm no sair mistaken''-and jock chuckled
to himself when Kirsty had gone--"and a
warning to the laird MIGHT no be amss.
1t would be nne business for a Graham
O. Clayerhouse to marry a Covenantin'