Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-02-11
HIS SHADOWER.
By SARAH ]. ATwATER.


the rear Of bis shop came a child's |
cry. The man paused in his work and
listened. The child was hushed by its
mother. and the shoemaker went on |
with his work. Presently q woman
entered the shop. She was young and |
handsome
Il pray you. Alec" she said, "give |
up this mad freak. We are not strong
enough to successfully invade Eng
land. Let the king lead an army over |
the border II he likes and take the |
consequences which win be sure de- |
feat. But do you stay at home IL you |
go you may lose your life; II you re-
turn our people win reVile you for
bringing misfortune upon them"
Il think you are wrong, Margaret"
replied her husband @Our people are
turning out In great force. / alone
am to bring a hundred men to the
army Of invasion"
''And wreck a hundred familIesg'
Scotland will be the gamer"
Scotland will be the sufferer. be-
seech you deslst"
Il have gone too far to retreat, Mar
garet. | would be upbraided for a
turncoat"
Margaret Hume returned to the
dwelling portion of the cottage. but IN
moment returned with their baby
girl, five months old. Holding the child
up to It's father, she said:
"If you are killed, Alec, In this
war who will keep me and your child
from misery?"
The appeal brought tears to the
mans eyes. Gladly would he have
, abandoned his intention, but pride held
, him from doing so. He would not
desert his king and his country in their
hour of need.
"Your desire to be thought brave,
Alec" cried his wife, made desperate
: by his firmness, Twill not supply the
) child whom you are bound to support
with bread or clothing. Honor, for
soOth. Here is where honor lies for
, you-dishonor In deserving your wife
and babyr'
The couple parted In anger, Hume to
join the force marching 70 battle.
In the fight that ensLed Alexander
Hume was in the thick Of the battle,
) performing prodigies Of valor. The
men he had induced to join in the en-
terprise and whom he commanded, In
cited by bis example, stood by him
uobIy. One man in leathern dOublet
and with small white feather In his
) helmet, who had come on to the field
C Just as the battle began, took position
. beside him and fought with equal cour-
. age as himself. An English soldier
| succeeded in getting very close to
: Hume and was about to plunge his
spear between the clasps Of his armor
! when the man with the white feather
a struck down the enemy.
n your nameY' cried Hume.
Never mind my name" replied the
man who had saved his life.
Wherever Hume went that day the
man with the white feather went, pro-
e tecting him from the many perils that
J. beset him and on many an occasion
o forestalling an enemy who was about
Is to crush him. At last the scattered
: army gave way and fed In every di-
reetion before the victorious English
men. Hume, with the others, escaped
/ from the field and for a time lay con-
y cealed to avoid capture. His first
l. thought after emerging from his hid
!. ing place was the soldier who Lad
q lowered near him. OF every one he
met he inquired IL he knew of the
fate of the man with the white feather
Had he escaped or was his dead body
/ lying on the field of battle? All he
n could learn was that the shadower had
Is disappeared.
II Hume's next thought was for his
wife and child He hurried toward his
cottage his mind filled with her proph.
ecies as to the misfortunes the invad
u ers would bring upon Scotland by theli
Il rash course and her pleadings for him
a. to take no part in 1t, reserying his life
" for her and their child. He would &C
is knowledge her superior judgment, and
- he would ask her forgiveness. HG
longed to fold her and their child in q
- single embrace.
he He hoped as he approached his cot
tage to finG her looking for him She
ry would be az the door or he would FIND
90 her on the street. coming to meet him
No. He did not meet her, and she was no
: at the door of the cottage when he ar
rived. There was an omin0us silence
lo With a dread he could not account 70
In he lifted the latch and walked In
s. There was no one in his work room
IFS and no sound came from the rear. En-
m tering there he looked about him
I'm There was little light and be could dis
tinguish no one in the room.
Presently his eyes became used t
ny the darkness, and be distinguished
re man sitting in a chair. Going to him
u he saw on his head an iron helmet an
III in the helmet a white feather. Re
aw moving the helmet. he recognized th
= pale face OF his wife. Their child wa
=, clasped tightly in her arms. She wa
dead
The coat Of arms Of the town 0
eeIkirk show a woman seated on
tomb on which is placed the Scottls