Year: 1870

air Of prince, red, after apologisine
Tor bis intrusion, her they stood in
need OF any such assistance as one who


knew the country well could afford them,
and was ready to give.


The person who now stood before the


party, and who made this friendly inquiry,
was young gentlemen-at least one whose
appearance and manner bespoke him to be
such. lie was dressed in the full High
land costume of person of consideration
Of the period to which our tale refers but
was fully mere amply and carefully armed
than was even then usual amongst his
countrymen. In his belt be wore, besides
the dirk, the common apPendage, a couple
Of pistols, and, by bis side, broadsword
Of the most formidable dimensions. The
hsure of this person, who appeared to be
about hve-and-twenty years Of age, was
slnguarly handsome his counteance mild
and pleasing in its expression, yet strongly
indicative Of bold and determined spirit
advantages which were finely set off by
the picturesque dress in which he was ar
rayed, and which he wore with much dig
nifty and grace, and by his erect and mar
tial bearing His whole figure, in short,
was remarkably striking and prepossessing.


II fear, said the stranger, addressing the
party, and smiling as he spoke, " that you
have miscalculated the height Of our hills
and the breadth Of our muirs, that you are
so late abroad


g 1t is even so, sir" said one of the
gentlemen )" we have been idling our
time, and are now reaplng the fruits Z. our
thoughtlessness. We neither know well
where We are, nor which way we ought to
90. | suppose we must just make the most
Of the situation we are in for the night, al
though these rocks are but very Indifferent
covering


Why, | must say | would not feel
much for your case, gentlemen, " said the
stranger, though you had to sleep on the
heather for a night have done it thou
sand times but such quarters would i'll
suit these fair ladies', fear"


Yet they must be content to put up
with il for this night at any rate" said one
,f the gentlemen '' for we can make no
better Of IT,"


!. Perhaps we may make better Of it, "
said the stranger. " Something must be
done TO get these ladies' under shelter. Let
me sec" And be unused for moment,
then added" If thought you would not
be overly nice as to the elegance of your
quarters, and if you would accompany me
for 4 distance Of couple Of miles or 50,
think | could promise you, at least, the
shelter Of a roof, ana such entertainment
as our Highland huts afford "


The friendly offer Of the stranger being
gladly accepted by the party, who, one
and all, declared they would be exceedingly
thankful for any sort Of quarters, the whole I.
set forward under the conduct Of their
guide. Whether directed by choice or by
chance, the latter, at starting, took Ellen's
pony by the bride, and was subsequently
most assiduous in guiding the animal by
the easiest and safest tracks. Nor did be
once quit bis hold for moment during
the whole Of their march. This circum-
stance naturally placed Ellen and the stran
ger frequently by themselves; siEce, as
leaders, they generally kept several yards /
in advance Of their party-a circumstance /
which was not lost on the latter, who aimed /
at and succeeded in making, perhaps !
somewhat more than favorable impression
On bis fair companion, by his polished |
manners and lively and intelligent conver-
satiOn.


We will not say that the effect of these
qualifications was not heightened by the
personal elegance and manly beauty Of
their possessor; neither will we say that
the romantic and susceptible girl was not
prcdisposed, by the same cause, to dis 1
cover in all be said, fully more perhaps,
than would have been apparent to a more |
Indifferent listener. Be this as it may, it |
is certain that on this night, and on this
particular occasion, Ellen Martin felt, and
felt for the first time to her, new, strange, |
and delightful emotions Of incipient love.
What avails it to say that prudence should |
have forbidden this? The object Of FL |
lens sudden regard was a stranger, total
stranger. His name even was not knOwn,
nor his rank in society, otherwise than by
conjecture which, though favorable, was,
Of course, vague AMI uncertain The cir
cumstances, too, in which be had been met
with, we're s1ch as to preclude all posi-
bility of connecting any one elucidatory
fact with his history. But when, in a
young and inexperienced mind, did love
submit to be controlled? and when did the
young heart exhibit the faculty Of resisting
. ,,aA ~
case Of Ellen Martin, who was, at this mo-
ment placed precisely in those circumstances
most eminently calculated for exciting, in
susceptible bosoms, the one great and en-
crossing passion of the female heart.


After about an hours travelling, the
party, with their guide, arrived at soil
tary house situated in little glen or strath
overhung with precipitous rocks, and
through which wound a narrow and irregu-
lar road hat led in one direction over the
bills that stretched far to the west, and in
the other to tie lower grounds, from which
the ncighboring mountains rose. The
house itself, although very old one, was
Of the better order Of houses in the High
/ lands at that period 1t was two stories in
height, rooted with grey slate, and exbib-
tied at wide intervals small dingy windows
filed with the thick, wavy, and obscure
glass Of the time. Altogether it bad the
appearance Of being the residence Of per-
son Of the rank Of small proprietor or
tacksman. As the party approached the
house, all was quiet within and around it.
Not light was seen, or a movement heard.
The hour was late, and the inmates had
been long to rest. When within short
distance Of the house, the conductor Of the
panty, addressing the latter, said


"You will be 50 good as wait here, my
friends, for few minutes, until prepare
Mr.. Chisholm for your reception. He is
Il