Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28

Jean Cochrane. and they were well mated
in their high temper of nature. but their
marriage had been tempestuous, and he
was haunted with vague misgivings. What
light was given him he had followed but
there was little to show for his life His
King had failed him, his comrades had dis
trusted him. his nation hated him. His
wife-had she forgiven him. and was she
true-hearted to him still? Behind high
words Of loyalty and hope his heart had
been sinking. and now 1t seemed to him in
the light OF eternal judgment. wherein
there is justice but no charity, that his
forty years had failed and were leaving be-
hind them no lasting good to his house or
to his land. The moonlight shining full
upon Claverhouse shows many a line now
on the smoothness of his fair girl face and
row. who all his days had been an actor
In tragedy. He had written to the chiefs
that all the world was with him. but in his
heart he knew that it was against him, and
perhaps also God.
Once and again Grimond had come into
the gallery to summon his master to rest,
but seeing him absorbed in one Of his rev.
cries had quietly withdrawn. Full of anx-
fety. for he knows what the morrow will
mean, that faithful servitor at last came
near and rustled to catch his masters ear
Jock said Claverhouse. startling and
rising to his feet, rs that you, man, COM
ing to coax me to my bed as We did lang
syne, when We received me first from my
nurses hands? It's getting late, and l am
needing rest for tomorrow's work, If j
can get It. We have come to Armageddon
as the preachers would say, and mony
things for mony days hang on the issue
All q man can do. Jock. is to walk in the
road that was set before him from a lad
Ole, and to complete the task laid to his
hand What will happen afterward doesna
concern him, so be 1t he is faithful Where
Is my room? And. bark We, Jock, waken
me early and be not far from me through
the night. for 1 can trust you altogether
And there be not mony true.
Worn out with a long day in the saddle,
ana the planning of the evening" together
with many anxieties and the inward tumult
OF his mind. Claverhouse fell asleep He
was resting so quietly that Grimond, who
had gone to the door to listen. was salts
ned, and lay down to catch an hour or two
of sleep for himself for he could waken at
any hour he pleased, and knew that soon
after daybreak he must be stirring. While
he was nearby heavy with sleep, his mas
one judges, was in the awful presence of
the unseen. He awoke suddenly. as If he
had been called. and knew that some one
was In the room. but also in the same in
slant that 1t was not Grimond or any visitor
of flesh and blood Twice had the wrath
OF the Grahams appeared to him. and al
ways before a day Of danger, but this time
1t was no sad. beautiful woman's face car
his line. but the figure of man that doomed
from the shadow. The moon had gone be-
hind cloud, and the room was SO dark
that he could only see that some one was
there, but could not tell who 1t was or by
what name he would be called. Then the
moon struggled out from behind her cover
ing and sent a shaft Of light into the gloomy
chamber with its dark draping and heavy
carved furniture. With the coming Of the
light Claverhouse. who was not unaccus-
toned to ghostly sights. for they were his
heritage. raised himself in bed and, knowing
no fear: looked steadily. What he saw
thrown into relief against the, shadows was
the figure Of a hillman of the west. and one
that In an instant he knew. The COvenanter
was dressed IN rough homespun holden
gray, stained heavily with the black of the
peat holes in which he had been hiding.
and torn here and there where the rocks
had caught him as he was crawling for
shelter. OF middle age, with hair hanging
over his ears and beard uncared for. his
face bore all the signs Of hunger and suf-
fering. as of one who had wanted right food
and warmth and every comfort of life for
months ON end. In his eyes glowed the
fire of an intense and honest. but fierce and
narrow. piety. and with that expression was
mingled another, not OF anger nor Of sor-
row, but Of reproach, Of judgment and of
somber triumph. His hands were strapped
in front of him with a stirrup leather and
his head was bare. AS the moon shone more
clearly ClaverhOuse saw other stains than
those Of peat upon his chest, and while he
looked the red blood seemed to rise from
wounds that pierced his heart and lungs 1t
flowed ont again In q trfckl1ng stream ana
dripped upon the wilderness of his hands.
More awful still, there was a wound in his
forehead and part of his head was shat
tered.
The scene had never been absent long
from Claverhouse's memory, and now he
reacted it again. How this man had been
caught after q long pursuit upon the moor,
how he had stood bold and unrepentant be-
fore the man that had power Of life and
death over him, how he refused to take the
oath Of loyalty to the king. how he had
been shot dead before his cottage and how
his wife had been spectator Of her nus
bands death.
ssV. h.,,a No. eoeoot ma Yohu C-h. -