The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-11

Butler thought of buying an estate near by, but the price was 2,5o0 pounds Then Jeanie brought out her savings. For many years past her sister had sent her regular remit tances of money which Jeanie had taken without objection. knowing that Efie had far more than she could spend. She had folded the bank notes away in the Bible and when she counted them now they amounted to more than 1000 pounds.
 she told her husband that she could not explain to him how she had ob- taIned the money, and he, perfect Tn their mutual trust, asked no ques- tions. He started at once for Edin- burgh to get together David Deane's cash in order to conclude the pur- chase.
 While he was away she found an old paper that had been left at the manse by Archibald with other belongings which had been thrown aside. 1t was the broadsi1e narratlng the story or Meg Murdockson's execution. Jeanie read 1t with an inetrest that made all the old past live again. Then she cried out with relief, for in her con- i fession Meg Murdockson told the story of Effie and confessed that the child had not been killed, but had been Biv- en to a strolllng player.
 Jeanie and Butler had never believed that Effie had killed her child But there was a darkness over the sub- ject that was dreadful to think of. Now at last the veil was lifted Jeanie folded the paper and sent 1t to her sister.
 A few days afterward Jeanie was
 walking by the seashore when a gig approached from the mainland. A tall, beautiful woman, distinguished in manner and elegant in attire, was helped out by two footmen and s maid. The Duke of Argyle's repre-. sentative. who escorted the party, in- formed Jeanie that she was a friend of the Argyles. who had come to the island for her health. He tried in vain to remember the lady's name, but Jeanie did not need his memory to help her. She knew who 1t was, and scarcely had the two entered the prI- wacy of the manse before they were embracing each other with tears and laughter
 When their first transports subsided Jeanie had leisure to give way to anfazement at the difference between the helpless and despairing girl whom she had seen stretched on a cot in cell, and this we'll bred, beautiful and naughty woman before her.
 Fife told her that Sir George had determined to look for their child when he saw the confession, and that he was then in Edinburgh, having de- cided, in his wilful way, to risk recog- hilton in his quest. which had given him an object in life something that had been sadly lacking to them both.
 Sir George Staunton fared better on hls quest than he could have expected From the clergyman who obtained Meg Murdockson's confession he dis covered the name of the player to
 whom the woman had given the child. He traced the player to Edinburgh, l and there, by means of hired search- | CTS, he learned that this person had sold the lad few years before to a
 notorious Highland outlaw known as
 Black Duncan, who was in the busI- ness of selling youths to the American plantations, then nourlshing trade. The lad. known as "The Whistler" among his wild companions. had made such an impression on the savage heart of Black Duncan that he had kept him in the band.
 The agents who wrote this to Sir George added that Black Duncan was then supposed to be hiding in q glen near Roseneath. It fell out quite nat urally that Staunton should seek But. Ter. who happened to be still in Ed inburgh, and propose that they travel together to the island. Butler had learned of Lady Staunton's arrival there and took it as a matter of course that her husband should wish to sec her.
 On the way Staunton asked many questions about Black Duncan. and Butler told him all that he knew of the outlaw and his band Like many other Highland outlaws of that time, they were tolerated by the people of the surrounding territory. The minis- ter knew little more than that Duncan rarely had more than two or three men under him, and that one of the more