Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-21

been both by his master and by his friends
till he was alone and forsaken, was bound
to put his whole trust in his wife. Had
she not made the last sacrifices for him
and through dark days stood bravely by
his side? Their private life had not al
ways run smoothly, for If in one way they
were well mated, because both were of the
eagle breed, in another way they were i'll
suited. because they We're so like. John
Graham and Jean Cochrane both came of
proud houses which loved to rule, and were
iron and determined wills. they shared the
dubious gift of a lofty temper and fiery
affections. They were set upon their own
ways. and SO they had clashed many time
in plan and deed hot words had passed
between them, and they had been days
without speech. But below the tumult OF
contending wills. and behind the flash Of
fiery hearts, they were bound together by
the passion Of their first love, which had
grown and deepened, and by that respect
which strong and honorable people have
for one another. They could rage, but
each knew that the other could not lie; they
could be most unreasonable. but each knew
that the other could never descend to dis
honor so their quarrels had always one
ending, and seemed. after they were over.
to draw them closer together and to feed
their love. One could not think of them
as timd and gentle creatures, billing and
cooling their affection; rather imagined
the lion and his lioness. whose very love
was fierce and perilous. No power from
without could separate these two nor make
them quail. Alone and united Dundee and
his wife could stand undismayed and self
sufficient, with all Scotland against them.
Nothing could ever break their bond eX-
cept dishonor. But If one should charge
the other with that foulest crime, then
the end had come, beside which death
would be welcome. Where life is comedy
one writes with gayety not untouched by
contempt; where life Is tragedy one
writes with tears not unredeemed by pride.
But one shrtnks when the tragedy deep
ems into black night and Is terrified when
strong passions falling an evil day. work
their hot Wills. with no restraining or ia
vorable fate. There are people whose life
Is primrose path along which they dance
and prattle, whose emotions are a pose,
whose thoughts are an echo, whose trials
are a graceful luxury: there are others
whose way lies through dark raviffes and
beside raging torrents, over whose head
the black clouds are ever lowering. and
whom any moment the lightning may
strike. This was their destiny. Upon their
marriage day one saw the way that these
two would have to go, and 1t was inevitable
that they should drink theiE-cup to the
dregr.
The blame of what happened must be
laid at Graham's door, and. in his last
hours he took 1T altogether to himself,
but since it has to be written about, and
he showed so badly. let us make from
the first the best excuse We can for him.
and try to appreciate his state of mind
1t was brave event and taking scene
above Dundee, and he left to raise the
North Country with a flush of hope. 1t
soon passed away and settled down into
drsary determination, as he made his toll
some Journey with a handful. OF followers
by Aboyne and Huntly, till he landed In
Inverness. The Gerdons had sent. him
reinforcement, and certain of. the. chiefs
had promised their support but-the' only
aid the Highlanders had given was of
dubious value. and very disappoint ting As
sue. The MacDonalds had FASTENED to
Inverness by way of meeting Dundee and
then had seized the opportunity to plumber
their old enemies, the Mackfntoshes, and
to extract a comfortable ransom out or
Inverness. This was not his idea of war.
and Dundee scolded Keppoch, who COM
manded the MacDonalds, most vigorously.
Keppoch Immediately returned homeward
to his Businesses with the accumulated
SPOIL partly because, his fine, sensitive
Highland nature was hurt by D4ndees
plain speech, and partly Abeca use whatever
happened 1t was wise to secure what they
had got 1t is no reflection on Dnndees
manhood that he was cast down during
those days at Inverness. for a ten times
more buoyant man w0uld have lost heart.
His life was a romantic drama. and 1t
seemed as If the Fates had constructed 1T
for the stage, for now, after the lapse of
years MacKay. his old rival in Holland.
reappears, and they resume the duel, which
this time is to be unto death. While Dun
dee was struggling in Edinburgh to save
the throne for James. MacKay was on his
way with regiments of the Scots Brigade
to make sure of Scotland for, William A
feW days after Dundee left Edinburgh Mac
Kay arrived, and now, as Dundee RODE
northward in hot haste Mackay was on
his track Both were! eager for meeting,
but the bitterness of it for Dundee was
that he dared not run the risk. With all
his appeals and all his riding, he had
only q handful of mounted men, and the