Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27


her carriage and her dignity in what he
judged critical hour Of her life. It was
not their way to rush into one anothers
arms though there burned in them the hot
test and hercest passion Of love. In pres
ence of others they never gave themselves
away, but carried themselves with a stately
grace I'VE heard you were on your way,
my lord" she simply said, but did not
| expect so quick a meeting. Have We come
| from the north or from Perth A messen.
ger went to Lord Perths house with news
| he missed YOU" She gave him her hand,
| over which he bent, and which he seemed
| to kiss. but did not. I'VE left Perth two
days ago. he replied. with a cold. clear
| ing emotion, land we have this day paid
our visit to Dundee-to get chill welcome
and find Dudhope empty. 1t was pity
| that we missed the messenger, Lady Dun
dee, who doubtless sought for US diligently,
| for II we had known where you were when
we left Glamis this morning 1t had been
| turn aside and visit Glenogtvie." They
were still standing in the hall, and Jean had
begun to realize that Dundee was changed,
and that behind this cold courtesy some fire
was burning When they were alone she
| would in other circumstances. have cast
| herself In the proud surrender of strong
woman's love into his arms, and he would
| have kissed her hair, her forehead, her eyes,
her cheeks, her chin, and, last, her mouth
| but at the sight OF his eyes she stood apart
and strengthening herself, Jean said: What
ails you? Ye seem as If We had suffered
| some cruel blow. Has aught gone wrong
with you? Ye have come back in hot
haste"
| with me, and maybe worse with you. I have
| come quicker than intended, and have had
| a somewhat cold reception at Dundee, but l
grant you that was not your blame, you
had doubtless prepared warmer Living
stone was the laggard.
You are angry, John, and I now under
| stand the cause. 1t was not my blame, for
| what could do 1 did, and maybe
more than becometh your wife, to win him
over He almost consented, and l declare
| to you that Livingston is with u.s. could
have sworn two days ago the regiment
would have joined us and been waiting for
you. But that determined whig. Capt. Bal
four, discovered the plot, and l had mes
sage yesterday afternoon that IT was hope
less. So for fear of arrest l hurried 10
Glenogilvie and tried to intercept your COM
ing Blame not me, for l could do no more
and what mean you by calling me ever by
my title and not by my name after our
parting for so long and dangerous timer
you are right Jean Cochrane, and Will
do you this justice, we could not do more
| than meet him in the orchard and in the
dark of the night. Yes, ye were both seen,
and word was brought me to the north by
faithful messenger-I judge the only true
heart left. That fine doing and fine
| pleading, when he confessed that you had
won his heart, but his honor was hindering
craven on my heart like fire, and are burn
ing it to the core. You, my wife. and whom
l made my Lady Dundee. as II you had
been lowborn country lass
You are unjust, my lord, shamefully and
cruelty unjust 1t was rot pleasant thing
for me to do and l hated myself in the
stopping to do it, but there was no other
way for it. since he dared not come In
the daylight, and I dared not go to him.
Now l wish to God l had never troubled
myself and never lifted my little finger to
accomplish this thing for the cause since
spies have been going and coming between
Dudhope and the north. What l did, | did
for you and King James, and if l had sue
ceeded We would have praise me and SAID
that woman's wiles had won regiment
of horse. But because l have failed ye fling
my poor effort In my face, and make Inc
angry with myself that | ever tried to
serve you-you who stand here reproaching
me for my condescension.'
We'll acted, my lady, and a very cum
ming tale. So 1t was to serve me ye crept
out at night disguised and it to win
his heart for King James that We spoke SO
tenderly? l never expected the day would
come when John Ora ham of Claverhouse
would call down blessings-aye, the rich |
est benediction of heaven-upon a Covenan-
ter, but pray God to bless Capt. BaIfour
with all things that he desires in this world
and in that which Is to come. Because, !
though he knew not what he was doing, and
might have served his own cause better by |
letting things run their course he saved, |
at least in the eyes of the world, my honor |
and averted the public shame of treach- |
erous wanton.'
AS the words fell slowly and quietly from
his lips like drops of vitriol Jeans face !
reflected the rapid succession of emotions
in her heart. She was startled as one not
grasping the meaning of his words; she was
Mortified a Their shameful charge emerged; |
she was stricken TO the heart as the man
She had loved from out of all the world |
called her by the West of all names a
woman can hear. Then, being no gentle and
fi 70, y1rhn nnI11 hn had hy-A
q savage and unexpected blow and find her !
relief in flood of tears, but proud and |
determined woman with the blood of two |
ancient houses in her veins. after the brief !
est pause she struck back at Dundee, carry |
ing herself at her fun height, throwing back !
her head with an attitude of scorn, her face |
pale because intense feeling had called the |
blood back to the heart and her eyes blaZ-
ing with fury, as when the forked lightning
bursts from the cloud and skaters house
or strikes living person dead. And 1t was |
like her that she spoke almost as quietly |
as Graham, neither shrinking nor trem-
bling.
This, then is the cause Of your strange
carriage, Lord Dundee, which noted on |
your coming, and tried to explain In a SIM |
pie and honorable way, for l had no key |
to your mind and have not known you for |
what you are till this night. So that was |
the base thing you have been imagining in |
your heart you rode through the north |
country, and that was the spur that drove |
YOU home with such haste-to guard your |
honor as a husband, and to put to shame |
an adulterous wife? Pardon me if 1 was !
slow in catching your meaaing-the charge |
has taken ME somewhat by surprise. And !
already, before her face. Dundee began to |
weaken and to shrink for the first time in |
his life.
And you aye the man whom l. Jean |
Cochrane have loved alone of all men in |
the world, and for whose love l forsook |
my mother and my house, and became a |
stranger in the land! You are the hus- |
band whom | trusted utterly, for whom L |
was willing to make the last sacrifice of |
life, of whom l boosted in my heart. in
whom 1 placed all my joy! l knew you |
We're a biSot for your cause; l knew you
were cruel in the doing of your work; I |
knew you had mercless ambition; knew
you had an unmanageable pride; l have
not lain in your arms nor lived by your
side, I have not heard you speak nor seen
you act without understanding how OBJ
stinate is the temper of your mind, and
how fiery is your heart. For those faults
l did not love you less, and Of them l did
not complain, for they were my own also.
That you were incapable Of trusting, that
you could suspect your wife OF dishonor,
that you would be moved by the report OF