The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1908-09-10

and his acres, he is nothfEg~Wn
heartless tyrant, and so, live or die.
II VIII be something to lay him and
MS proud family under tribute in this
way to the son of fisherman
So, bracing my energies with these
thoughts, L raced to the edge OF the
narrow spur and sprang straight out
for the ledge. 1 fell short. but only
a few inches, and my dirk, which I
mad held ready for the purpose. was
buried up to the hilt IN the bank. It
held fast, and in this way l stuck to
the face OF the crag like a fly on a
pane Of glass. Then, with a supreme
effort, L swung myself up on 70 the
ledge, and a seconi later l had th<A
boy in my arms.
What followed is quicN
planned By means of ropeS
! lowered man from the top Ov
crag. OF course, he couldn't sVN
In under the ledge, but he caught
rope and L hauled him I'm. Then tfN
man and the boy wero hoisted up i'm
safety and the rope was lowered again
for me. 1t was almost dark, and the
rain was falling in torrents. On my
way up, as I was Tending myself away
from the crag, from some inconceiv-
able cause the rope broke, and from
that moment. until a short time ago,
when, by degrees, I recovered my un-
derstanding, must have been asleep
or In some very peculiar mental CON-
dition. At any rate, the interval
been blank in my life, and you can
now easily understand my intense
anxiety to return to Scotland"
DR.. Hoyt had been listening to this
interesting narrative with profound
attention, and at its conclusion he
shook hands with McGregor, assured
him of his sympathy and assistance.
and then added:
AS for this model of yours, IL -
certainly the most wonderful and in.
teresting exhibition of the kind have
ever looked upon. In fact, do not
think any sane person would be cana
BILE of such a marvellous demonstra-
ton of patience and technical skill.
Many of our patients daily furnish us
with curious examples of unlocked
for and mysterious mental capacity.
but your handiwOrk and your--steFy-
surpass anything of the kind in the
history of this institution. l assure
you we shall take great care of it.
But now, McGregor, have some
thing to add to your story that /
know you will listen to with the
greatest interest. 1t is a newspaper
clipping which I received from New
York. 1t is taken from the Inverness
Courier" Then DR.. Hoyt read aloud
the following paragraph:
THE McGREGOR INCIDENT.
"The death of Robert SaItoun, the
Master of Ethie, has added another
interesting chapter to the McGregor
incident
Highland readers of this news
paper do not need to be reminded OF
this famous story OF heroism and
mystery. That some one cut the rope
is an undisputable fact, but it is also
true that Robert Saltoun was tried
for the crime and acquitted by a juryT
of his countrymen. Perhaps no ind.-
vidual in the history of the Scottish
Highlands ever suffered so much from
public indignation and scorn as the
late Master of Ethie. For our part.
we cannot believe that Robert Saltoun
was half as bad a man as his enemieSA
have painted him. On the widowed
mother of the young man he bestowed
life pension. Ian McGregor recov-
cred from his physical injuries,~hut
his mental powers continuing dis
turbed and unbalanced, the Laird. at
considerable expense, sent him abroad
in the hope that change of scene
would be of benefit to him. The
young fellow died. or was reported
to have died, while abroad, and so
the affair was allowed to rest. But
now persistent rumors are heard that
there has been a death-bed confession
to the effect that young McGregor
was shamelessly deserted in a for
eign country. and that the report OF
his death was fabrication. Further
more, it is said that members OF the
Laird's family are now advertising
extensively in the United States in
their efforts to locate the young man.
Thus mystery is added to mystery.
and further developments are anxious
ly awaited"
About a year after the discharge OF
Ian McGregor from the hospital. DIR.
HOyt received from him a most in
teresting letter, with an enclosure as
follows:
MARRIED.
"On the 5th inst, at Raddery Hall
Invernesshire. Ian McGregor OF Rose
markie. to Margaret. only surviving
child and heiress to the late Rober
Ssltoun, Esq. Of Ethie and RoOlndale
!. + sns COUNT Eo:s; - from Geo.