The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-05-28

rises, shall expect to meet her at
Nicol Muschat's Cairn, beneath Saint
Anthony's chapel"
After attempting in vain to induce
jeanne to explain the message, he re-
turned to visit Effie again, in the Toll
booth, only to be compelled, on his ar
rival there, to tell the whole story
lest he be convicted Of guilt in the
Porteous affair. And then he was sent
home, under bail not to leave Libber-
ton, nor to communicate with any
member of the family Of Effie Deans.
But Ii his experiences were to him
incomprehensible they were by no
means so to the authorities, BY piec-
ing together his testimony with those
of others, they rightly determined that
the stranger in the I-ing's park, the
leader Of the Porteous mob, and the
| father of Effie's child were one and
the same person; namely, Geordie
Robertson, comrade of Wilson the
smuggler, and but lately escaped from
the very prison in which Effie Deans
was now confined. Accordingly, they
planned to capture him that night at
Muschat's Cairn. But before they
could reach that place, Robertson had
time to beg Jeanne to save her sister
at the trial by testifying that Effie had
disclosed to her her condition. Then
he escaped.
Merely that slight falsehood would
have removed the case of Effie Deans
from under the letter of the cruel
Scotch statute. But Jeanne, steadfast-
ly, devoutly truthful, was utterly UNI
able to placate her conscience In bear
ing false witness. Nor could the dis
appointment Of Effie herself, whom she
was at last permitted to visit in the
strong-room Of the prison, alter her
resolution. "He wanted that I sud
be mansworn," she said. 81 told him
that daurna swear to an untruth."
At the trial, when jeanne was
brought in to testify, Fife, in human
| weakness cried, 20 jeanne, Jeanie,
save mel" But when the solemn oath,
-"the truth to tell, and no truth to
conceal, as far as she knew or was
asked" was administered "in the name
Of God, and as the witness should an
swer to God at the great day Of judy
ment," jeanne, educated in deep rever-
ence for the name of the deity, was
elevated above all considerations save
those which she could, with clear
conscience, call Him to witness. And
when the advocate came at length to
the point of asking her, ''what your
sister said allied her when you in
quired?" jeanne could only answer,
nothing" When the sentence was
pronounced by the doomsman, Efie's
own eyes were the only dry ones In
the court. "God forgive ye, my lords"
she said, "and dinna be angry wi me
for wishin' tive a. need forgiveness"
The next morning found jeanne
Deans travelling alone and afoot on
the long road to London Ito see the
Queens face that gives grace" and
beg for her sisters pardon. Her tar
tan screen served all the purposes Of
riding habit, and Of an umbrella; a
small bundle contained such changes
of linen as were absolutely necessary.
She had q few guineas, and a letter
from Reuben Butler to- the Duke Of
Argyle, whose grandfather had been
under obligations Of the deepest to
the famous Bible Butler, grandfather
Of the poor assistant-schOOlma now
sick at Libberton.
She passed luckily, on the whole,
through SO weary and dangerous a
journey, and at length, through the
intercession of the duke, secured the
pardon which she sought.
Before she reached Scotland again,
Effie had eloped with Ler lover, who
was in reality George Staunton, son
Of an English nobleman. The sisters,
who had last met when Fife was sit
ting on the bench of the condemned,
did not meet again for many years,
though Lady Staunton wrote some
times to Jeanie-now Mrs. Butler,
wife Of Mr.. Reuben Butler, pastor Of
Knocktarlitie.
Finally, by chance, Sir George
learned that Meg Murdockson, who had
attended Effie in her illness, had not
murdered the child. as they had al
ways supposed. He traced the boy to
certain troop of vagabonds of which
Black Donald was the chief. In an
ARRAY with Black Donald's men, Sir
George was shot by young lad called
''the Whistler" who proved to be the
lost son. The lad disappeared, and
escaped to. America. Lady Staunton,
overcome by the tragedy, after vain
efforts to drown her grief in society,
retired to- a convent in France. AL
though she took no VOWS, she remained
there until her death. But her in
fluence at court accomplished much
for the children of her sister Jeanne,
who lived happily on in the good par
ish with which the bounty of the
Duke Of Argyle had provided her hus-
band.
The Heart of Midlothian is notable
for having rather fewer important
characters, smaller variety of Incl
dents, and less description of scenery
than most of SCOTS novels. One of
~ to- a.