Middletown transcript., 1920-08-21
CHAPTER Vi-continued.

"What think We of that, Martha?"
said he.
"You've sold the two black tups
after all?"
mo, but it's q months pay for
board and lodging from Jocks friend
and as much to come every four
weeks"
But my mother shook her head when
she heard it. "TwO pounds week
8 overmuch,' said she. "And it is
lot when the poor gentleman is in
distress that we should put such q
price on his bit of food"
"Why, woman, he's turned your
1ead wi his foreign trick Of speech"
cried my father.
"Aye, and it would be good thing
If Scottish men had little more Of
hat kindly way" she said, and that
was the first time in all my life that
lad ever heard her answer him back.
Our visitor came. down soon, and
asked me to come out with him.
When we were in the sunshine he held
out little cross made Of red stones,
one Of the bonniest things that ever
had set eyes upon.
H. "These are rubies." said he, "and I
got it at Tudela, in Spain. pray that
you will take this as memory of your
exceeding kindness to me yesterday.
It will fashion into a pin for your
:ravat."
l could but thank him for the pres
.nt, which was Of more value than
anything I had ever owned in my life
Il am off to the upper muir to
count the lambs" said l. Maybe you
would care to come up with me and
see something Of the country?''
He hesitated for moment, and
then he shook his head.
Il have some letters" he said
(which ! ought to write as soon as
possible. I think that l will stay at
quiet this morning and get them writ
ten"
All forenoon I was wandering over
the links, and when I got back he
looked as though he had been born
and bred in the steading. He sat in the
dig wooden-armed single chair. with
the black cat on his knee. His arms
were out. and he held skein Of
worsted from hand to hand, which my
mother was busily rolling into ball.
Cousin Edie was sitting near, and
could see by her eyes that she had
been crying.
"Hullo! Edie," said L; whats the
trouble?"
"Ah! mademoiselle, like all good and
true women. has a soft heart" said
he; Il didn't thought it would have
moved her, or I should have been 81
lent. I have been talking Of the suf-
fering Of some troops Of which I knew
something, when they were crossing
the Guadarama mountains in the win
ter Of 1908. All, yes, it was very bad,
for they were fine men and fine horses.
It is strange to see men blown by
the wind over the precipices. but the
ground was so slippy, and there was
nothing to which they could hold. So
companies all linked arms. and they
did better in that fashion; but one ar
tilleryman's hand came off as l Eeld
it, for he had had the frost bite fer
lhree days"
stood staring. with my mouth open.
"And the old grenadiers, too, who
were not so active as they used to be,
they could not keep up; and vet If
they fingered the peasants would
catch them and cruelty them to the
barn doors with their feet up and a
fire under their heads, which was a
pity for these fine old soldiers. 50
when they could go no farther it was
interesting to see what they would do.
For they would sit down and say their
prayers, sitting on an old saddle, or
their knapsacks, maybe, and then take
off their boot and stocking, and lean
their chin on the barrel of their mus
ket. Then they would put their toe
on the trigger, and pouf! it was all
over, and there was no more march
ing for those fine old grenadiers. Oh!
it was very rough work up there on
the Guad6rama mountains"
"And what army was this?'' asked
"Oh! ] have served in 50 many ar-
mics that ! mix them up sometimes
Yes, I have seen much Of war. But
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