The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-28
CHAPTER II.
VISIONS OF THE NIGHT.

Upon the highest floor of Blair Castle
there was a long and spacious apart
Castle, where John Graham had been
married to Jean Cochrnne. and which
to-day Is the drawing room. To this
high place ClaYerhousc climbed from
The room where he had examined the
two Englishmen and here he passed
the last hours of daylight on the day
before the battle OF killiecrnnkic. Seat
ing himself at one of the windows.
he looked out towards the west.
through whose golden gates the sun had
begun to enter; Beneath lay a wide
the Garry; beyond the river the ground
began to rise. and In the distance were
the hills covered with heather, with
lakes of emerald amid the purple.
the soul Of man is powerfully affected
by the physical world In which we
live. and in which. indeed. the things
veil and through them the things
which are not seen stream in upon the
soul One Is sunrise. when there is
first grayness in the east, and then
the clouds begin to redden. and after
wards joyful brightness horalds the
appearing OF the sun he drives in
rout the reluctant rehrguard of the
is when all the high lands are bathed
in soft. fresh. hopeful sunshine. but
the gcns are still lying in the cold
and dank shadow. so that one may
brightness, where he has been in the
eye OF the sun. to a land of gloom.
which the sun has not yet reached.
Sunrise auickens the power that has
been sleeping. and calls man in high
hope to the labor of the day. for IL
there be darkness lingering in the glen.
there Is light on the lofty tablc-lands.
and soon 1t will be shining everywhere.
when the sun has reached his meridian
and ii puts heart into man to come
over the hill and down through the
hollows when the sun Is rising. Tor
the traveller is sure OF the inevitable
victory of the light.
let more iinperious and irresistible
Is the impression OF sunset as Dundee
saw the closing pageant of the day on
the last evening OF his life. When first
he looked the green plain was hooded
with gentle light which turned into
gold the brown, shaggy Highland cat
tie scattered among the grass. and
made the river as 1t flashed out and
in among the trees a chain OF silver.
and took the hardness from the Jagged
rocks that emerged from the sides of
the hills. AS the sun entered In be-
tween high banks OF cloud. the light
began to fade from the plain and IT
touched the river no more. but above
the clouds We're glowing and reddenlng
like a celestial army clad in scarlet
and escorting home to his palace VIC
changes into violet AMI delicate, in
describable shades OF green and blue
like the color of Nile water. Then
transient. from the city into which the
sun has gone, and the day Is over, AS
the monarch of the day withdraws,
the qneen of the. Si&si takes posses
sion, and Claverllouse, leaning his chin
upon his hand and gazing from the
sadness of his eyes across the valley,
saw the silver light, clear. beautiful.
awful. food the mountains and the
level ground below, till the outstanding
hills above, and the cattle which had
lain down to rest In the meadow, were
and distinct outlines. The day, with Its
morning promise with its noontide
heat. with its evening glory, was
closed completed and irrevocable.s Tho
come, and in the cold and .merciless
light thereof every mans work was re-
vealcd and judged. The weird Influence
of the hour was upon the Imagination
of an impressionnble man. and before
him he cav the history Of his life.
1t seemed only a year or so, since he
hills. and yesterday since he made his
first adventure in arms, with the army
of France. Again he IS sitting by the
campfire in the Low Country, and
Hugh NIacKay. with whom he is to set
tie his warfare tomorrow. He Is again
pledglng his loyalty to King James at
Whitehall. whom lie has done his best to
serve, and who has been but q sorry
master to him. His thoughts turn once
moro to the pleasaunce of Paisley Cas-
tie. he hears again the jingling of the
horses. bits as he pledges his troth to
his bride. Across the moss Ii gs
where the horses plunge in the ooze
and the mist encircles the troopers, he
is hunting his Covenantlng prey, and
catches the fearless face of some peas
ant zealot as he falls pierced with but
lets. Jean weaves her arms round his
neck. for once In her life a tender and
IN ba CIV
withdraw from the fight and live quiet
~ with her at home. and then. more
like herself. she RACES in the moment
of his mad jealousy and her unnuench-
able anger. Tomorrow he would sub
NIT to the final arbitrament of arms
the cause for which he had lived, and
for which the presentment was upon
him that he would die, and the quarrel
begun between him and MacKay fifteen
years ago, between the sides they rep
resent centuries ago. would be settled
II the years had been given back to
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