Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27
be reigning IN their glory over Scotland
and il would be we'll with every one that

be reigning IN their glory over Scotland
and it would be well with every one that
had their password. If he were out of the
way. would there not be a strong tempta-
ton for her to make terms with her family
and buy security by loyalty to their side?
No doubt she was a strong woman, but,
after all, she was only woman, and was
she able to stand alone and live forsaken
at Glenogilvie, with friends neither among
Cavaliers nor Covenanters? Could he blame
her If she separated herself from a ruined
cause and a discredted husband. for would
she not be only doing what soldiers and
courtiers had done, what everybody except
himself was doing? Why should she,
young woman with life before her, tie her
self up with hopeless cause and one who
might be called committeeman of
James army, but who had nothing to show
for 1t but a handful of reckless troopers
and a few hundred Highland thieves. a
man whom all sensible people would be re-
garding as a mad adventurer? Would 1t
not be stroke of wisdom-the wings were
a cunning crew, and he recalled that Lord
Dundonald was an adroit schemer-to buy
the future for herself and her child by
selling him and returning to her old allie
glance? There was enough reality in this
ghost to give it, as IT were. a bodily shape,
and Graham, who had been flinging him
self about. struck out with his fist as II at
flesh and blood.
"D--n you, begone, begone"'
For a while he lay quietly and made as
though he would have slept. Then the
ghosts began to gather around his bed
again as If the CoVenanters he had muir
dered had come from the other world and
were having their day of vengeance. 1t
must have been Jean who met Livingstone
in the orchard and 1t must have been an
designation. There was no woman In Dud-
hope had her height and carriage. and the
vision of her proud face that he had loved
well brought scalding tears to his eyes.
For what purpose had she met Livingstone.
IL not to arrange some base surrender,
if not to give Information about him so
hat ok ,icrht frI I'm, CO.. V
Was IT worse than that, II worse could be
when all was black as hell? Livingstone
had known her for years; II had been evil
dent that he admired her; he was an at
traCtve man of his kind. Nothing was
more likely in that day, when unlawful love
not shame, but boast. than that he
had been making his suit to Lady Dundee.
Her husband was away. likely never to re-
turn she was a young and handsome
woman. and Livingstone had time upon his
hands at Dundee. month ago he had
sworn that the virtue of his wife I'M
assailable as that of the Blessed Virgin:
he would have sworn 1t two days ago as he
rode through I<iliecrankfe: but now with
the brooding darkness round him and its
awful shapes peopling the room, he was not
sure of anything that was good and true.
Had he not lived at court, had he not
known the great ladies. had not they tried
to seduce him, and flung themselves at his
head? Was not Jean woman like the
rest. and why should his wife be faithful
when every other woman of rank was an
adulteress? This, then. was the end of it
ALL and he had suffered the last stroke Of
treachery, and the last stain CT dshonor.
How he had been befooled and bewitched:
what an actress she had been, with man
ner that would have deceived the wisest,
What stupid, laundering fool he had
been There are times, the black straits of
life, when man must either pray or curse.
If he be saint he will pray, but Dundee
was not a saint, so he rose from his bed,
and sweeping away the evil shapes from
before him with his right arm, and then
with his left. as one makes his road through
Understanding corn that closes in behind
him, he ragged from side to side of the
room in which the day was family break
ing, while unaccustomed oaths poured from
his mouth. One thing only remained for
him. and at the thought peace began to
come He had planned weeks ago to visit
Dundee again and give the chance to Liv-
ingstone's dragons to join him, for he had
reason to believe that they were not unal-
terably loyal. He was on his way to Dun
dee now, and tomorrow he would be there,
but he cared little what the dragons would
do: he had other folk to deal with. If he
found he had been betrayed at home, and
by her who had lain on his breast and by
man whom he had counted his friend,
they should know the vengeance of the
Ora hams. Both of them-both OF them to