The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-02-26
ENHE Duries of Ballantrae were q
strong family in Scotland from

the days of David l. Their ups
year 1915 when the foundations of this
tragedy were laid.
There was my lord, studious, tact
full and retired from the world There
was the master DANES in baptism)
with his fathers love Of study; but
what was tact in the father changed to
black discrimination in him. Though
ever in broilS, invariably he left his
partners in mischief to pay the piper.
The second son, Mr.. Henry, was
neither able nor bad; an out-of-doors,
solid sort, who had had an active hand
from boy in the management OF the
estate. In the house also was Miss
Alison Graeme, an orphan, comedy and
self-willed, heiress to fortune and,
because of my lords necessities,
pledged in marriage to the master.
Then came the uprising for Prince
Charlie. Against the wishes of the
other three the master elected to ride
with the prince; which left Mr.. Henry
to take King Georges side, this being
a common policy of great houses in
that day. SO the master rode to the
North. Then came the word of Cullo-
den and the masters death. After a
decent time Mr.. Henry, to preserve the
estate, married Miss Alison, although
he no more than any other doubted
her love for the masters memory.
But the master was not dead. He
had escaped to sea, his escape being
not to his credit. At sea he was cap
tured by pirate ship. By the most
ingenious deviltry he secured the
treasure of the pirate ship as she was
about to fall into the hands of kings
cruiser, and escaped with it to the
swamps ON the American shore. One
man he took to guide him out of the
swamp, and dirked him to death after
they were safely clear of it. Thence
he continued his march to French
Canada, although forced on the way to
hide his treasure in the wilderness.
This we learned from Colonel Burke,
an Irish soldier of fortune, who came
in the night to plead money for the
support of the master, who was then
in France.
There was a letter from the master
which threw Mr.. Henry in passion.
"He calls me a niggardly dog" he
cried. But if l ruin the estate l shall
stuff him, the blood-sucker And all
this l fOresaw when he elected himself
and not me to go with Prince Charlie"
The gap made in our accounts by
the masters demands became sore
embarrassment. AS steward of the es-
tate | must needs ride to Edinburgh
and there raise new loans. on hard
terms to keep old ones atiOat; and this,
held for seven years Mr.. Henry shay
ing everything to the last farthing to
raise more money, and yet more
money; winning for himself thereby
no better title than miser with the
countryside as well as at home; for
never word of this business did he
even tell to the old lord or Mrs. Henry,
1t being the devilish malice of the mas
ter 10 require this secrecy and thu
loyal nature of his brother to comply.
The odimn attaching to Mr.. Henry
nnd the + oWlcdge, which came to me,
that the master all this time had ais"
pension from the Scotch fund III
Paris, became too great burden -?
m. took ii on myself to tell Nj
L. nry t,uW her husband had alre&GN
seEt I 600 to the master. Thereafter 40
further moneys were sent abroad, and
the telling did much to check a widen
ing restraint between Mr.. HGnry and
my lady, u great JOY to me.
This action resulted in the masters
return TO us, great curse to the
household; for in all matters of con-
tention, though Mr.. Henry might be
right, the master had the trick of set
ting him in the wrong. He still de-
manded money. and, TO satisfy him,
the entail was broken and great
piece of land sold; and all the while
he ceased not to lay siege to the heart
of Mrs. Henry, carrying it on so deftly
that | scarce knew if she was aware
of it herself, she whom | doubt not
still loved him.
This brings me to the night when
he laid the most unbearable of insults
on Mr.. Henry. Il never knew wom-
an" said the master, who did not
prefer me, nor-I think-who did not
continue to prefer me to you" At
which Mr.. Henry coldly struck him on
the mouth.
"a bloW" cried the master. II will
not take blow from God Almighty! l
must have blood for this!'
They fought beyond the shrubbery,
l bringing the candles for them. From