The Washington times., 1913-01-07
CHAPTER III.
Concerning Love, Chimneys and Cat

1 IL ~
NU her tears when she saw Don
V John and me come back
through the woods. To her
mind, / suppose, my Spaniard had
| escaped unscathed, but Don Johns eyes
burned like two fierce sunsets. He did
not look at Mistress Mary until she
barred his path with hand outstretch-
ed in welcome.
Il am so glad" she said, trying to
hide that she was crying. He bent over
| the hand and kissed it. Like my mother,
she blushed in a startled way.
Mistress MARY said he, sioa m
face. your rather hanged me ten
| times, but'-and he looked right into
her bonny eyes-''it was worth it still
to be alive and breathing the same air
with yourself.
that. Anyhow, as Don John seemed to
| be in no hurry, left the two of them
there. talking among the trees on that
fine autumn morning. /, of course.
indeed it delighted me that 1 was to
| have more of Don Johns company this
side of the grave.
Hours later; my Spaniard came back
| to the farm. His poor sword was dan
cling at his side as he came along, his
eyes were bright, and his favorite tune
was upon his lips. 1t was clear to US
| all at the farm that he was quite
happy.
That was the beginning of Don John 8
the meat of my story. Many a morning
and evening after that, as l carried my
milk pals to the castle. ! would meet
Mistress Mary and Don John walking
together; And it was not difficult to
folks of the clachan saw fine how the
wind blew, and for some reason-prob-
ably fear, or perhaps it was sympathy
none of them had the heart to tell the
laird. That was good thing: for,
blackomoor. and having heard from
Daft Leezie that Mistress Mary was
promised to Ronald Macdonald, chief
tain of the Kyles. fancied there would
That Daft Leezie, I may tell you.
lived in a little cottage in the woods,
back Of the castle. She was queer
body. maybe fifty years old, but she
as long as / could remember. When shs
was younger, they said, she nursed
Black Jamie's. BARNS; but by and by
she became decrepit. and had strange
notions. Some said she had the second
lay hands on her, although it was suss
pected that she was In league with the
black devil.
OF ali this / am no Judge: much less
was I then. But one incident at the
time impressed itself on my memory.
Don Johns principal hardness round
the farmhouse was In wedding the gar
den, which had been allowed to fall
into ruin. In spite Of the dockans and
dandelions that covered the plot, it
was all abloom with roses and other
flowers. Don John took much pride in
the wedding and trimming and the cut
ting the walks.
He would take the cart and horse and
drive down to the shore for gravel to
spread on the paths, and It was after
one of those trips that Daft Leezie
learned of the love-making. He was
long away, and when he came back the
horse was moving sleepiiy up the road,
with the. reins hanging loose. and there
was Don John and Mistress Mary sit
ting together on the front of the cart.
He was talking to her very earnestly.
and every now and then the horse
would come to a standstill and take
mouthful of grass from the ditch-side.
Then Mistress Mary would protest, and
Don John would whip up the horse.
The animal would keep going for
while; but 1t was amusing to watch 1t
eying the dockans and finally coming
to a standstill, while the driver made
love to the lady.
OF course, / had seen them together
often. but I never thought much about
cns matter until then. They looked
bonny and likely couple, as the saying
is When Don John backed up his cart
of gravel to the garden-gate. he helped
Mistress Mary down as II she was the
queen getting out of her golden coach,
and showed her the way among the
roses.
1t was not my affair, of course and
/ had other things to do; but when I
was passing, a while later, / saw Mis-
tress Mary fixing rose in his doublet.
and his face was just a wee bit from
her brown hair, for. you See, he was
holding her bonnet.
They must still have been in the gar
den when / went in TO have my dinner.
for the door suddenly opened and in
came Daft Leezie with her eyes shut
and her skinny hands out in front Of
her.
Mistress Maclean, Mistress Mac
lean"' she jabbered. excitedly. What's
yon in the garden with Mistress Nary"