Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-15

friends" It was long speech for the big lad-and
he rected it something as child his task Then as
Tuan glanced at me with SURPRISE muttering that
time was short l turned to follow him. and my eye
caught sight of last nights letter, which had clean
4 pray you" said l. on the impulse, ito give this
letter to your sister when am goneIor, added
in less assured tone, eff aught should hap to me-
Now comes that scene of my life which to look LOOK
back on is more like the confusion Of dream than
aught that could ever have happened
| was conducted by Julian into long room on the
ground floor Some dozen people were grouped at
the end of it, conversng in low tones AS entered
silence fell All eyes were upon me- ne. - a.
vanced. All I wore the sprg OF the rowan-berry
at their breasts.
Gentlemen" said /, "1 am glad to be here among
ye. But it is given me to understand that our time tune
and tell me your plans, for have come hither, take
II, to do your will
There was reply.
"Pray gentlemen" I began again-and the true
Chevalier 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 voice. Raches voice. Like
the far lament of the pipe in the hills stole IN pure
sweetness to ear; yet before heard its message
knew it spoke my doom.
"Treachery" It said And again: "Treachery"
I'VE are betrayed, bestrayedP
The cry wailing towards us from the passage:
Now she stood on the threshold, her delicate hand
the sleeve of young man who went beside her in
silence
second her eyes fixed upon me, as / sat and then
y--in her sweet singsong-she spoke again:
"You are all betrayed, and it is my fault That man
lit was l brought him into your mdst-he is spy
"Here is our PrnceE
Clamor ,sprang up again; deep 'murmurs; ;. Again
THAT man has our secret he must die
! spray gentlemen, said the Prince very quietly, put
up your swords. do not wish to have blood split
ID my presence.
"Mr Drummond" he added, then addressing Julian,
will you give the favor of your attention for a
few moments apartP
Only Rachel clenching and unclenching her little
hands, took yet step nearer to me- and dropped her
sweet voiced hatred into my ear:
"You must die, oh, you must del Don't think you
can escape deathT
, Il see my brothers blood upon your handsw
would like to have uttered the words kil me
then you" but l stricken dumb by the rapid and
constant succession of events when gentleman en-
tered causing much surprise and confusion among
the conspirators-
'Murrayp exclaimed the Chevaer, in tones of
lief
The newcomer, middle-aged man of exraordi-
nary masterful appearance, cast flaming look from
face to face to end upon the Princes
AYE Chevaer," he said in a low rapid voice,
"you've done finely this time with your secret
voyage Aye and done well for the ool-
Wretched boobiesp he turned back upon the boys,
splitting the words in his rage you'd be having your
too slow and cautious, and you'd lure your Prince
into the heart of danger in spite of us s2-Death
You'd be setting up the throne again, such as you!
And It's to the whipping block I'd sind yep
With gesture of sudden warming, his countenance
changing indescribaby, he lifted thin voice; -,
"By the Rood, i am too late The mischief's doneF
The echo of cry unnaturally cut into dumbness
in our ears In the. garden the shuttle OF foot
steps and the repeated clicks of swords and relocks
could be heard and before the lapse of many minutes
the cry of a command from without caused death
like stiffness in the room and the entrance OF four
uniformed men, and of soldiers in the passage
behind them.
Twas then that the divine suggestion that to
redeem sprang into my mind. 1 saw, now. as in
FASH how out of my very baseness, l could play the
hero; pass for my Iiege in earnest and take his
danger to myself. Rising called out commandngly:
Surely, gentlemen, is not God with usF Draw, my
friends and let your Prince lead you'll"
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, dashing me, as it
We're down some sudden yawning precipice. And as
fell heard the crash as of world exploding, into
the reverberating echoes of which rang the words:
His blood is on his own head.
1t many weeks later that | myself had the
last words of that circumstantial enigma Then |
learned how, chafng in weary reaction month after
month, at Graveines-in consequence of the failure
young Prince had allowed himself TO be tempted by
the enthusiastic pledges of band of hot-headed High
land youths and had to lend his personal
sanction TO new loyalist movement
But, be it as it may, had it not been for me-whom
you may well, in TRUTH style the Young Pretender OF
that day-there would have been no Preston Pans, no
Holyrood and Culoden.
All attention was turned to the question OF
(save one) thought of seeing whether breath re-
mained in him who had proved himself the best
loyalist of them all.
But she, Rachel-true heart whether in hate or in
love-hew like bird to my side.
have dim visions of the days that followed. In
spite of the pain and fever they sweet
Her tender face comes between and the void her
exquisite hand alone holds back and fate gives me
the precious revenge to hear the sweet grooming voice
that once demanded my death now 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. IT would have plunged 1t in your
hearth she
Then l tell her she had already reached my heart
surely; and watch the trembling of her grave,
wistful lip and am deeply happy.
In her mystic way she will have that was writ
ten in heaven that her house should the Prince
at this moment of deadly peril Therefore was it
Therefore, above all l held in silence when I
ought to have spoken.
It would i'll become me, would it not, to quarrel
with so pious and comforting conclusion?