The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-12-07
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
- Ole - RESPONSIVENESS
Race for a Chiefs Daughter
OF LOCH RUSKIE.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,

From the tOpmOst walls ol hushie ,
escutcheoned battlements' malh
looks forth upon the waters all around
and then beyond to the steep SIDES
of Ben Gullipen and Ben Dearg, lhal
shut out from her gaze the farther
country-the hills and glens that gave
her birth.
For she is a daughter of the wiz
Macfarlanes that dwell up around
loch Reodite and raid the lands OF TAR
Moneith. Her father is the chief OF
the clan, and has led great onslaught
on the more civilized Angilhed trlpe
of Mentieth, and wrought great dam
age and captured much spoil. AS
result Menteith was reused, and
great revenge was sought-a revenge
that was dearly paid for, for the zoe
melted away among the hills, and
their chief was never seen save on
those occasions when he dashed down
with a few followers and slaughtered
any men who dared to straggle, then
up again to the hills, where pursuit
was all but hopeless.
But Menteith, though he could not
harm his active foe, by treachery and
brides, carried off the pride OF Loch
Reodite-Matilda, the sixteen-year-olu
daughter of the chief, and a charming
winning maid that every Mac1arlahe
loved And to Loeb Ruskie he brought
her. and put her in the castle there'
on the small island, safe from rescue
and now the knights are meeting down
below, discussing what her fate snail
be. She. poor girl, snatched from her
friends, feels we'll that she can expect
no mercy from those her father mas
so often harried; but at least her
life has taught her not to be afraid,
and not to fear to die. But this walt
ing on, this suspense, is terrible.
At last she hears a step upon the
stair; her door is opened, and Men
teith himself strides in.
I'VE have decided your future. my
girl he says. Young Fan Stewart
said that he would like to wed you,
but we thought that would be too
high a fate for a Macfarlane. All the
same, we did not wish to disappOlnt
the lad so we arranged that tomorrow
he and l are to race on the course
yonder for you, his black horse Arrow
against my brown mare Bess II
win you are mine, and l hand you
over to my men; but if young Fan
wins, he may wed you if he wish. That
is all; goodnight" And the earl went
off to join in the revelry in the dining
hall below.
Matilda was stunned for a minute.
To treat the Macfarlane's daughter as
a prize for which to race was a scan
dial and a crime. To hand her over
TO the winner to be welded by him,
or to be given by him as a p!aything
to his followers, was shameful beyond
description. She who had lived as
free as air and breathed the freedom
of the mountains was to be made a
slave for shame.
Poor child, she spent miserable
night praying for strength to plunge
her small dagger in her breast. but
always checking each stroke before
it was half through, and waiting, again
waiting for something-waiting for
anything that might save her.
At last the sun begins to rise by
Stirling Castle, and sends his bright
rays down the valley of the Forth,
and even up to the small window on
tn eturret on Loeb Ruskie. Often had
Matilda watched the sun rise from her
native hills, and often wondered at his
splendor, but never did he seem SO
glorious as he did this morning, on the
day she felt would be her last. But
she has not long to wait, for the con-
test is to be decided early
All the warriors crowd out around
the race-course that lies on the south
shore, take up their places. and make
great wagers among themselves. For
these two horses are easily the fastest
in all the country round, and all look
forward to see this test of speed Then
she is called. rowed across. and placed
within the circle of the course. on a
high platform beside the knights. She
can see everything from here, each
move in the race. whiIa all Gan saa