The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-01-04
HIS SHADOWER.
~ aARAH J. ATwATER.

copyright. 1908, by American Press Asso-
ciation.I
In the town Of Selkirk during the
Feign Of Henry ~. Of Scotland a shoe
maker sat working at hts bench From
the rear Of his shop came ehild's
cry. The man paused in bis work and
listened. The child was hushed BIZ its
mother. and the shoemaker went on
with hts work. Presently a woman
entered the shop she was young and
handsome.
i pray you. Alec she said. give
up this mad freak. We are not strong
enough 20 successfully invade Eng
land. net the king head an army over
the border If he likes and take the
consequences which will be sure de-
feat But do you stay at home II You
60 you may lose your life: IL you re-
turn our people viii revile you for
bringing misfortune upon them"
Il think you are wrong, Margaret"
replied her husband. "Our people are
turning ovt in great force alone
am to bring hundred men to the
army Of invasion"
And wreck q hundred famillesF
Scotland wiz be the gamer"
Scotland win be the sufferer. be
seeeh you desist"
i have gone too Ear to retreat, Mar
garet. would be upbraided for a
turncoak"
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 its father she said:
IF you are killed, Alec, IN this
war who wiH keep me and your child
from misery"
The appeal brought tears to the
mans eyes. Gladly would be have
abandoned his inteptien, but pride held
him from doing SO. He would not
desert bis king and his country IN their
hour Of need
your desire to be thought brave,
Alec" cried bis wife, made desperate
by his firmness, "will not supply the
child whom you are bound to support
with bread or clothing Honor for
sooth! Here Is where honor hes for
-xou- dishonoE IN deserving your wife
and babyp
The couple parted IN anger, Hume 70
join the force marching to battle
Ia the Fight that epsued Alexander
Hume was IN the thick Of the pattie,
performing prodigies cf valor. The
men be bad induced to join ia the en-
terprise and whom he commanded, In
cited By his example, stood by him
nobIy. One man ia leathern douhlet
and with small white feather In his
helmet. who had come on to the field
Just as the battle begnn. 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 70 plunge his
spear between the clasps 81 bis aEnor
when the man with the white feather
struck down the enemy,
sYour Manner 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-
tecting him from the many pefils that
beset him and on many an occasion
foreataIIng an enemy who was about
to crush him. AT last the scattered
army gave way and fled IN eNory di-
rection before the victorious English
men Hume, with the others, escaped
from the field and for time lay cone
ceaIed to avoid capture His dEst
thought after emerging from his hid
Ing place was the soldier who had
lowered near him. Of every one he
met he inquired If be knew Of the
fate Of the man with the white feather
had he escaped or was his dead body
wing on che field OF battle? All he
could learn was that the shadower had
disappeared
Hume's next thought was for bis
wife and child. lie hurried toward tbs
cottage his mind filled with her proph-
ecies as 10 the misfortunes the invad-
ers would bring upon Scotland BY their
rash course and her pleadings for him
to take no part in 1t, reserving his life
for her and their child. He would az
knowledge her superior Judgment and
he would ask her forgiveness. He
lonaea to fold her and their child Ia 9
single embrace.
He hoped as be approached his cot
tape to find her looking for him She
would be at the door Or he would lind
her Oh the street, coming 70 meet nina
He did not meet her, and she was not