The Washington times., 1913-01-20


4, chance to vent my rage. if even on {
| that asks his brother to dinner and putt
| a knife in his belly? Is il true mar
| who stands by and sees it done? An
| swer me, Roderick Dow?.
They killed Black JAMIE said Rod
erick.
"Ye took the head of the Macdonald"
| I retorted.
They murdered Alan Urquhart," wa.
| the sullen grumble.
"A lie, He was murdered in his owr
boat, by Black Archibald. I was there
Roderick Dow turned pale face upor
/ me. His eyes were wide open, as wal
his mouth"
And ask young Jamie who killed
Auld Leezie?' i said, speaking for the
first time of things that. spelled silence
| in Kilellan. "Roderick Dow,if the mer
| Ia your clachan had bowels they would
spike their masters head on pole as
the Macdonalds did his fathers. Ask
them-man by man-was 1t In theft
AS there is a God in heayen, Roderick.
are we made in his likeness to nurse
a hate from the womb of mother that
lgreets TO the grave where the BARNS
hundred years OF toil-the sweat of my
fathers father and his sons son, and
all ended in a night.
I'VE have but left the dead OF the
Macdonalds and heard the, greettn' O.
the women, and ye will gang over to
and hear the women greetin'.: And ye
will smell the burnt timber on my moth
er's grave. Aye, and ye VIII comfort
your own wife. Rodertck, that's Sreetin'
that Raderick's dead-you. Roderfck-
dead,-hanging on that rowan-tree In
the glen. Can We see the difference, ye
fool?'
i was startled at my own vehemence,
but more at its effect upon Roderick
Dow. The man seemed to be stricken
with the Thought that 1t was by a mere
chance that he was alive. The thought
OF his wife and BARNS weeping, while he
dangled on the Macdonald's rowan-tree.
hit him between the eyes.
argument. "Ye are not a fighting man. -
Mo- / said. IF We say another
word like that 1 will crack ye over my
knee"
He made no reply. but wiped his dry
eyes, wrIng his hands and waved his
arms like a daft man.
"Ye are right, Rorie. Yc are right
, he half sobbed. Come on And he
gripped me bv the arm. We'll go back
He Gae p9sS at my yan arm binna ST1
be a fool. There's not a man1n lay
hands on ye when I tell them-tell them
what ye said"
"Ye must go alone, Roderick," / said
bitterly. I'll come back to kilellan
when We have taken the rubbish of my
fathers grave and made the roses to
grow on my mothers. And, mark ye.
RodericlS Dow, when young jamie Is
Gead-and I'm not saying | will kill
him-Rorie Maclean will be laird of XII
elan, and I'll hang every man thai
hasna an acre and a cow to bis name
with which paradoxical peace prom
ise-uttered in a white rage, with my
+st within an inch OF Roderick's face
turned back up the glen to the Macdon-
aids village. ] was quite done with
early feelings once my rare outburst had
passed. so that when I came to the CUP
Of the hill and began my descent to the
clachan was on that dangerous verge
where a desperate man wants to lie
down and laugh. When / suddenly came
upon Ronald of the Kyles standing be-
hind furze bush with his arm around
Mariposa's waist, ! sat down behind a
| rock with a smile and prepared to enjoy
! comedy.
we will marry me-" said the Mac
donald.
OF anger.
we must" said the chIeftain. push.
ing his face close to hers.
There was long silence. I could not
see Mariposa's face. only her back and
the great, hairy. red hand. spread like
talons in the hollow OF her splendid
form. Then came a long. shrill peal OF
| laughter. and Marlposa said:
well: an 1 must, I must: so no
more of It"
The other talon encircIed her. and he
bent to kiss her. She sprang out OF his
embrace IKE an eel
NO" she said. with the same laugh
MARRY first