The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-21

the commission" as Mr.. Gilbert Glossin
managed all affairs for the weak Laird
now. This Glossin had been taken up
by Bertram when he was a penniless
youth. and helped to an education. He
had always found a home at Ellangowan
and friend and patron in its owner.
Crafty and warily he now planned to
become the owner himself.
The departure of the gypsies from
Derncleugh had been an event for the
countryside. Seven families of them had
moved out, but not until their huts had
been unroofed over their heads by the
sheriff's men. Ellangowan had met the
procession in a sunken road as he was
returning home from the neighboring
town. and scarcely had 1t passed when,
upon hillock beside the road, had ap-
peared Meg Merilies. towering against
the sky until she seemed of supernatural
height and bearing in her hand a freshly
cut sapling. ride your way, Laird of
Ellangowan; ride your way, Godfrey Ber-
tram" she shrieked in a frenzy. This
day have ye Quenched the fires on seven
hearths see II your own fire burns the
brighter. This day have We riven the
thatch off seven homes; see II your own
roof tree of Ellangowan stands the firmer
for 1t. Ye have stabbed your horses in
the homes of Derncleugh: see that the
hare does not crouch on the hearthstone
of Ellangowan. There were thirty hearts
that would have wanted bread ere you
should have wanted delicacies. and spent
their life blood ere you should scratch
your f1uger. You have sent them to sleep
with the moorcock and the toad Our
BARNS are hanging to our weary backs;
see that your own Draw cradle is the
better for It, break the wand of peace
between us, Ellangowan. Ride your
way" She broke the sapling she held
and f1inging down the pieces strobe away
leaving the Laird to return, much dis
turbed, to his home.
But 30 far the dispossessed gypsies had
given Bertram no trouble. and Frank
Kennedy, the excise man, was vigilant in
looking after the smugglers. SO ELAN
gowan. while at times regretting that he
was deprived of the many untaxed lux
uries with which his former friends, the
fair traders" used to supply him, and
rather missing the affectionate homage
of the gypsies, had no forebodings of any
disagreeable results arising from his new
character of a strict enforcer of the law.
When Kennedy rode up to the place on
little Harrys birthday his news was that
the kings ship was chasing Hatteraicks
smugglers Iugger and would probably
destroy II off the Point Of Worrock
whittier he proposed TO rido and see the
fun. He did ride there. and, as it was
on the estate and not far from the place.
took Harry up on his saddle before him.
to the great delight OF the boy. But
Frank Kennedy never rode back from the
Point OF Worrock. His horse came rum
ming back riderless. They found the body
of the excise man on the beach crushed
beneath a great rock which had fallen or
heir OF Ellangowan Bertram had disap-
peared as II the earth or the sea had
swallowed him up.
There were marks of a struggle at the
Top of the cliff from which Kennedy had
evidently been thrown. the smugglers'
lugger was burning off the point and the
government vessel standing out to sea.
Only one dead body was washed ashore
when tho lugger blew up, and all search
failed to discover the rest Of Halter