The Washington times., 1913-01-15

| ''Mariposai Mariposar
Then would come sleep, with her head
| on my shoulder; but when I awoke 1t
| was always to see her in the arms of
young Jamie and both of them jeering
at me. But l followed them until I
found cash alone. Him i slew and her
! allowed to sleep on until her waking
eyes widened at the terror of me. And
| / slowly strangied her with my hands
and shrieEed with laughter as / did SO.
Once again the long night and the
Oh, those fcrty days in the wilder
| ness, But here and there was an oasis.
Once ] was In the best room of the
farmhouse and young Jamie was facing
much older and her face was wan with
fatigue and grief. Around her sweet
neck was a golden chain bearing gold
| en- locket, which lay in the hollow of
her breast. She was standing erect and
| speaking quietly, but rapidly. to young
| Jamie.
Were man like Rorie. as he was"
she was saying, 'and ye came to
woman of my house with your lying
words, / wadna honor ye by asking ye
strong enow, would tear the eyes from
your held and cut your tongue out wi
your own sword. You and your kind!
she sneered- who shot my iatner
sake? Who LET my mother lie, friend
less and dying, that / might live? Your
father my-sweet-cousin! Who struck
down Rorie that sought to save MUIR
derer from his drunken son-the muir
derer of auld LeeZie from his drunken
sire? Aye, We grow white. Ye would
go by the door. Ye ken ye struck down
the auld feckIess body that held your
sire to her breasts And ye come mere
pent's mouth. Love ye?' And Mari
poss burst out in a long, loud laugh.
81 love Rorie-Rorie that We toid me
was a clod-a grasshopper! III wed
IN wed We. IL We wilI-wed ye and
strangie your bairns-wed ye ana brano
ye in your sleep.'
Sleep. Sleep. No more
the dark and the desert and vain wan
when / awoke a broad belt of winter
sunshine lay across the quilt of the
bed which was set in the wall OF the
best room. could hear the sputtering
or the floor. Some one Was singing
Highland air. and knew by the whim- |
sical turn of II that Mariposa was near. |
i lay still for a while, thinking over
all that had undergone. had home, |
and Gods sunshine was on the land |
And II Mariposa was stfll In love with |
young Jamie II were better so than that |
she should be the treacherous wench OF
my dreams.
By and by / wondered how came TO !
be abed at that hour. Then ] remem- |
bered and traced events up TO the death |
of old Leezie and the fight in the castle |
hall But ] was not sure that the last
two were real. They were as the horri-
believed they might be real. for / had
stiffness upon my right side. ! tried to
move my right arm, but IL would not
obey.
/ could turn my head, however. and
there was Mariposa, bending over a bit
of sewing. In a little while she stopped
and by and by she had to
bend her head to see the stitches, al
though the sunshine was bright.
"Msriposs" ! said. but my voice was
as the whispering in the desert.
She looked UP quickly and laid down
her work. She crept to my side and
"Rorie?" s-s-s-s-h: Sleep. lad-dear
lad"
what had come over her.
Has young Jamie been here?"
Aye" she whispered, looking fright
ened.
But just smiled and smiled, for
perhaps it had not been a dream after
all.
Where did you get that locket?" 1
TO say
They found told LeeZie gave II to |
me. Sleep. lad"
No. / will not sleep-yet.''
So she sat by my side and put her
land on my brow. By and by she said
i've been thinking, Iad-and there's
but one love. l do love. ye, Rorie-
the way ye meant-only-so much
more than ye meant. Now, will ye
sleep?"
The wound was on the right side, a
sword-thrust that must have done
damage. My only doctor
was Msriposa, who dosed me- and
patched me up with herbs and brews.
the skill Of which she had learned from
Daft Leezie.
Poor old Daft Leezie. They found her
dead in the cottage. 1t Is not ten
anted to this day. for the people are
afraid OF that particular chimney.
her death was due to the ft
INTO which ] saw her fall. or to the
cause Of her unconsciousness when !
tound her. only God and young Jamie
knew.
But she was dead and Mariposa be-
anne permanently one of our little
Ny mother grew to love
ner as her own child. and her decIin-
Dg days were gladdened by the sight
" our happiness. As soon as the fever
lad abated and my mind became clear