Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-15


friends" It was long speech for the big lad-and
he rected it something child his task Then as
Julian glanced at me with surprise mlIerng ing tnat nat OUT
caught sight Of last nights letter, which had clean
forgotten. -.
letter to your sister, when gone-or," I added,
in less assured tone, IF aught should hap to me
Now comes that scene of my life which, to look
back on is like the confusion Of dream than
aught that could ever have happened
| was conducted by Julian into a long room on the
ground floor. Some dozen people were grouped a
the end of it. conversing in low tones AS entered,
silence fell. All eyes were upon ma
/ saw Julian meant for me to advance; and ] ad-
vanced All saw wore the sprig OF the rowan-berry
at their breasts.
Tbs devil that had spoken for before spoke up
now
ye But 1t is given me to understand that time
Is short it would be best that ye should speak FIRST
and tell your plans for have come hither. take
1t, to do your will
There no reply.
"Pray, gentlemen" I began again-snd the srue
Chevaler could scarce have delivered himself with
finer mixture of urbanity and command
As upon my entrance quick silence fell upon them,
and into this silence came voice Rachsrs voice Like
The far lament of the pipe in the hills It stole IN pure
sweetness to my yet before heard its message
knew it spoke my doom. -
"Treacheryw It said And again: "IreacheryP
I'VE are betrayed, bestrayedi"
The cry came waing towards us from the passage:
Now she stood the threshold her delicate hand
on the sleeve of young man who went beside her IN
silence.
second her eyes fixed upon me as sat and then
Yon as' ass s betSsVed and Il & NV fault That man
1T was brought him into your rnidst-he is spy"
| Here is Prince !"
fhe controlled all first we must secure his safety.
That has secret. he must die"
"Pray gentlemen said the Prince very quietly put
up your swords. do not wish to have blood split
"Mr Drummond." he added, then addressing Julian,
will you give the favor of your attention tor
few moments apart?
Only Rachel clenching and unclenching her little
hands, took yet step nearer to me, and dropped her
sweet voiced hatred into my ear:
escape deathp
Il see my brothers blood upon your handsw
would like to have uttered the words. Kill me
then you" but was stricken dumb by the rapid and
constant succession of events when gentleman en-
tered causing much surprise and confusion among
"MurrayP exclaimed the Chevalier, in tones of
lief
The newcomer. mddle-aged man of extraordi-
nary maserful appearance. cast. flaming look from
face to face to end upon the Princes,
Aye, Chevaier," he said in a low rapid voice,
you've done me finely this time with your secret
voyage Aye, and done well for the cause tool
splitting the words in his rage you'd be having
Association, would ye? That of your elders is
too slow and cautious, and you'd lure your Prince
into the heart of danger in spite of us9-Deathl
You'd be setting up the throne again, such you!
And tbs to the whipping block I'd sind ye"
With gesture Of sudden warming his countenance
BY the Rood, am too late. The n1ischef's done r
The echo Of a cry unnaturally cut into dumbness
was in In the garden the shuttle of foot
steps and the repeated clicks of swords and relocs
could be heard and before the lapse of many minutes
the cry of command from without caused death
like stiffness in the and the entrance of four
uniformed men, and of soldiers in the passage
behind them.
redeem me sprang into my mind I saw, now, as in
flash, how out Of my very baseness, could play the
hero; pass for my Liege in earnest and take his
81
Surely gentlemen is not God with us Draw my
friends and let your Prince lead your
So saying, drew with flourish and hurled my
self upon the foremost officer
Before my point could reach him, felt as if rock
had been cast against my breast dashng me, as it
were, down some sudden yawnng precipce. And
fell heard the crash Of world exploding. into
the reverberating echoes of which rang the words
His blood is on his own head"
II was many weeks later that / myself had the
last words of that circumstantial enigma. Then
learned how. chaing in weary reaction month after
OF Roquefeuiles expedition against England-the
young Prince had allowed himself to be tempted BY
the enthusiastic pledges of band of hohsaded High
land youths, and had come to lend his personal
sanction to new loyalst movement.
But, be it as It may, had it not been for nle-whom
you may WE'LL in TRUTH style the Young Pretender of
that day-there would have been Preston Pans,
Hoiyrood and no Culloden.
All attention was turned to the question Of
the Chevaliers immediate safety, and not creature
(save one) thought of seeing whether breath re-
manned in him who had proved himself the best
loyallSt OF them ALL
But she. Rachel-true heart, whether in hate in
love-hew like bird to my side
have dim visions of the days that followed In
spite of the pain and fever they are sweet.
Her tender face comes between and the void her
exquisite hand alone holds back; and fate gives
the precious to hear tha sweet grooming voice
that once demanded my death bid me again and
again to live
Then there falls an evening when Rachel confesses
that she would have pierced my heart only the blade
resisted her, II would have plunged It in your
hearth she croons
Then I tell her she had already reached my heart
more surely; and watch the trembling of her grave
wistful lip and am deeply happy.
In her mystic way she will have it that II was writ
ten in heaven that her house should save the Prince
at this moment of deadly peril Therefore was Il
destined for Alistar TO mistake for his messenger
Therefore. above all was | held in silence when
ought to have spoken.
II would III become me, would II not. 10 quarrel
with so pious and comforting conclusionf