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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17453-8.txt b/17453-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b18f019 --- /dev/null +++ b/17453-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5329 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Up in Ardmuirland, by Michael Barrett + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Up in Ardmuirland + + +Author: Michael Barrett + + + +Release Date: January 4, 2006 [eBook #17453] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UP IN ARDMUIRLAND*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +UP IN ARDMUIRLAND + +by + +REV. MICHAEL BARRETT, O.S.B. + + + + + + + +New York Cincinnati Chicago +Benziger Brothers +Publishers of Benziger's Magazine +1912 +Copyright, 1912, by Benziger Brothers + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. PERSONAL + II. MEMORIES + III. ARCHIE + IV. GOLDEN DREAMS + V. "DOMINIE DICK" + VI. BILDY + VII. SMUGGLERS + VIII. PHENOMENA + IX. SPRING'S RETURN + X. A RUSTIC PASTOR + XI. A SPRIG OF SHAMROCK + XII. PENNY + + + + +UP IN ARDMUIRLAND + + +I + +PERSONAL + + + Forest and meadow and hill, and the steel-blue rim of the ocean + Lying silent and sad, in the afternoon shadows and sunshine. + (_Longfellow--"Miles Standish"_) + + +Val and I, being twins, have always been looked upon as inseparables. +True, we have been often forced apart during life's course; yet, +somehow, we have always managed to drift back again into the old +companionship which Nature seems to have intended in bringing us into +the world together. + +Boyhood and youth, as long as school life lasted, slipped by with never +a parting. The crux came when we were old enough to choose our +respective paths in life. It appeared that Val, although he had never +before breathed a word to me--whatever he may have done to Dad--had +thoroughly determined to be a priest if he could. I had never felt the +ghost of a vocation in that direction, so here came the parting of the +ways. Val went to college, and I was left inconsolable. + +But I was not allowed to nurse my griefs; plans had been made in my +regard also, it appeared. + +"Ted," said Dad quite abruptly one day, "you'll have to go to Bonn. +That'll be the best place for you, since Oxford is out of the question. +You've got to take my place some day, and you mustn't grow up an +absolute dunce. Atfield" (an old school-chum of his) "is well pleased +with the place for his boy, Bill, so you may get ready to travel back +with him next week, when the vacation finishes." + +In those days (how long ago I almost blush to record) Catholics were +not allowed access to our own universities as they now are, and we +Flemings were Catholics to the core, and of old staunch Jacobites, as +befitted our Scottish race and name. + +So Bill Atfield took me under his wing, and to Bonn I went the very +next week. There I remained until the end of my course, returning home +for vacations, as a rule, but ending up with a week or two, in company +with Dad, in Paris, whither Val had gone for his philosophy. But such +rare meetings became rarer still when Val went off to Rome, and I had +to take up a profession; and our separation was apparently destined to +last indefinitely when Val had been ordained, and I went out to India +after a civil service appointment. + +And yet so kindly at times is Fate that, quite beyond my most ardent +hopes, I have been thrown together with Val, in daily companionship, as +long as life permits. + +For, as it fell out, I was invalided home at quite an early stage of my +public career, and, contrary to all family traditions, disgraced my kin +by contracting lung disease--at least, so the doctors have declared, +though I have experienced very little inconvenience thereby, except +that of being condemned to act the invalid for the rest of my life. +For years I was forced by arbitrary decrees to winter in clement +climes, as the only means of surviving till the spring; but now that I +am fifty I have emancipated myself from such slavery, and insist on +spending winter as well as summer in "bonnie Scotland." So far I have +found no difference in health and strength. Thus it came about that a +long visit to Val lengthened out indefinitely, and is not likely to +terminate until one or other of us is removed hence. + +The _ego_ appears rather prominently in these introductory paragraphs, +it is true, but it was almost unavoidable; for my presence had to be +accounted for in Ardmuirland before I could give reminiscences of this +delightful spot. Now, however, I am free to speak of other folks; and +first of dear old Val. + +It was a long and arduous apprenticeship (if it is not irreverent so to +style it) which Val had to pass in order to fit himself for priestly +work; he was curate for I know not how many years in a large and +extremely poor mission in one of our big towns. He worked well and +thoroughly, as any one who knows Val will be ready to affirm; but his +health would not stand the hard work and close confinement of a town, +and he was forced against his will to relinquish his post. His +attraction had always been toward a studious life, so it came about +that he was sent up here, where he has time to study to his heart's +content, since his flock will never be anything but small. Moreover, +his share of poor old Dad's worldly substance enables him to live, for +the emoluments here would scarcely support a canary-bird. + +Yet it must not be supposed that Val is rolling in riches. In the +first place, poor Dad had to sell a good deal of property to make good +his losses from unfortunate investments, and he had not overmuch to +leave us. His worldly wisdom, too, taught him to be sparing with Val. + +"He would spend his half in a month, Ted," said the old Pater shrewdly, +when he came to settle his worldly affairs. "I shall therefore leave +the bulk of everything to you, and trust to you to provide liberally +for the dear boy." + +Dad's remark is the best possible clue to Val's character. Had he +nothing else to give, Val would strip the very coat off his own back, +when it was a question of relieving distress. So it is a part of my +duty to see that he is clothed and fed as he ought to be, and a +difficult job it is at times. + +I suppose I ought to give some idea of Val's appearance, if this is to +be a proper literary turn-out. When we both were younger, it was +commonly said by aunts, uncles, and such like, that one was the image +of the other. That would be scarcely a fair description now. I am +thin; Val is inclined to become chubby. I have a beard and he is +necessarily shaven; he needs glasses always, and I only for reading. +With these preliminary observations I may say that Val is about five +feet six in his shoes, of dark complexion, and with hair inclining to +gray. He is quiet in manner, yet withal a charming companion when +called upon to talk. The people worship him; that is the best +testimonial of a country priest, and all that I need say about his +interior man. + +If I did not know for certain that Longfellow never set eyes on +Ardmuirland, I should maintain that the lines at the head of this +chapter were meant for a description of it. For "the steel-blue rim of +the ocean" is but three miles distant from this heather-clad, +wind-swept height, which rises some seven hundred feet above it. +Moreover, as one gazes down, the eye meets many a miniature forest of +pine and birch, clothing portions of the lower hills, or nestling in +the crevices of the numerous watercourses which divide them. Strewn +irregularly over the landscape are white-walled, low-roofed farms and +crofters' dwellings--each in the embrace of sheltering barn and byre, +whose roofs of vivid scarlet often shine out in the sun from a setting +of green meadow or garden. + +Our own habitation is simple enough, yet amply suffices for our needs. +It is just a stone cottage of two stories, and is connected by a small +cloister-like passage, Gothic in character, with the stone chapel which +is the scene of Val's priestly ministrations. This, too, is modest +enough. The windows are triple lancets, filled with opaque glass, the +altar of stone and marble, but simple in decoration, the tabernacle of +brass, and the eastern window--larger than the others--is embellished +with stained glass. It is in memory of our dear Dad, and besides his +patron, St. Andrew, it has the figures of St. Valentine and St. Edmund +on either side of the Apostle. + +Within the house is a dining-room, a better furnished room for the +reception of important visitors, and a small den known as the "priest's +room," in which Val interviews members of his flock. Upstairs are +Val's study and my sitting-room, with our respective bed-chambers and a +spare one for a casual visitor. Kitchen offices and servants' quarters +are in a tiny special block. + +Both chapel and house have been built by Val. I can recall his +pleading letters to Dad for help to raise a more worthy temple. The +Pater, with his characteristic caution, made it a condition of his help +that a new house should form part of the plan. If the old chapel was +as unworthy of its purpose as Val's descriptions painted it, the +dwelling must have been indeed poverty-stricken. From what I have +gleaned from the natives, both buildings must have surpassed in +meanness our wildest conceptions of them. But more upon that subject +later. + +Any account of the chapel-house at Ardmuirland would be incomplete +without some reference to a personage who holds an important position +in the household, second only to that of the master of the house. This +is Penelope Spence, known to the world outside as "Mistress Spence," +and to Val and myself as "Penny." She was our nurse long ago, and is +now the ruler of the domestic affairs of the chapel-house. A little, +round, white-haired, rosy-faced dumpling of a woman is Penny; an +Englishwoman, too, from the Midlands, where the letter H is reserved by +many persons of her social standing for the sake of special emphasis +only. I find by calculation that she first saw the light at least +seventy years ago, but she is reticent upon that subject. All the +precise information I have ever extracted from her on the point is that +she is not so young as she once was--which is self-evident! But young +or old, she is brisk and active, both in mind and body, still. Such a +devoted old soul, too! She would go to the stake cheerfully for either +of us, but for Val she entertains an almost superstitious reverence, +which would be amusing were it not touching. When speaking of him to +the natives, she invariably styles him "the Priest." I imagine she +looks for a higher place above, in recognition of her early services to +him. + +Penny was already a young married woman when she came into the service +of our family. Her history, as I have learned it from her own lips, +will be worth narrating, if I can find room for it in these pages. + +Elsie is Penny's "lady in waiting"; she is too youthful as yet to have +made history. She hails from a neighboring farm, and is a really +satisfactory handmaid--ready, cheerful, and diligent; she entertains a +thoroughly genuine respect for her superior officer, "Mistress Spence," +in spite of the latter's somewhat severe notions as to the training of +young servants. In appearance Elsie is much like any other Scottish +lassie of her age--not strikingly beautiful, nor yet ugly; just +pleasant to look upon. Her most conspicuous trait is a smile which +appears to be chronic. One cannot help wondering what she looks like +on occasions when a smile is out of place--at her prayers, or at a +funeral, for instance. I am quite prepared to maintain that she does +not lose it during sleep; for though I have noticed it growing deeper +and broader when she has reason to feel more than usual satisfaction +(e.g., when Penny unthinkingly utters a word of praise), it never +entirely disappears during the daytime. + +There is another personage who deserves special mention; for not only +is he an important item in our establishment, but a very special crony +of mine. This is Willy Paterson (known locally, by-the-bye, as "the +Priest's Wully"), our gardener, groom, coachman (when required), and +general handy man. Willy is a wiry, wrinkled, white-haired little +man--little now, because stooping a bit under the weight of well-nigh +eighty years--who is greatly respected by his neighbors far and near +because he has "been sooth." For he was long ago in the ranks of the +police of one of our biggest cities, and his former profession, not to +speak of his knowledge of the world gained thereby, entitles him to +esteem. It has raised him to the rank of a species of oracle on any +subject upon which he is pleased to discourse; the result is a not +unpleasing, because altogether unintentional, dogmatism which seasons +Willy's opinions of men and things. + +Our garden is the pride of Willy's heart. It begins in front of the +house, where flowers of varied hue succeed one another as season +follows season, and roses--red, white, and yellow--seem almost +perennial, since they bud forth in late May and scarcely disappear till +December. But that is due to our wonderful climate as much as to +Willy's attention. As the garden disappears round the corner of the +house, its nature changes; vegetables in surprising and intricate +variety there flourish chiefly. At the stable-yard it ceases; beyond +that a dense pine wood holds its own to the very top of a hill, which +rises above our domain and protects us from eastern blasts. The wood +is not the least of the attractions which Ardmuirland has for me; +beyond the more prosaic quality of its health-giving power, it +possesses, as every bit of forest land does for those who can read its +message aright, a charm unspeakable. + +And now I seem to hear some crusty reader exclaim quite impatiently, +having skimmed through my literary attempt thus far: + +"No doubt the fellow thinks all this interesting enough! But why +expect me to wade through pages of twaddle about Scottish peasants and +their doings--for it is evident that is what it will turn out?" + +"Read it or not, just as you feel inclined, honored sir," I answer with +all the courtesy I can command. "I respect your opinions, as your +fellow-creature, and have no desire to thrust my wares upon unwilling +hands. But opinions differ, luckily, or this world would be an +undesirable habitation for any one, so there may be some who do not +disdain my humble efforts to entertain--and perhaps even amuse. To +such I dedicate my pages." + +Yet, between ourselves (dear, appreciative reader), it is but just that +I should offer some apology for thus rushing into print. I trust to +you to keep the matter a strict secret from my doctor (McKillagen, +M.D., M.R.C.S.), but winter weather at Ardmuirland is not altogether of +a balmy nature. Consequently it is necessary that these precious lungs +of mine should not be exposed too rashly to + + "the cauld, cauld blast, on yonder lea." + + +This leads to much enclosure within doors during a good share of the +worst of our months--say from February to May, off and on; this again +leads to a dearth of interesting occupation. + +It is Val who is really to be blamed for this literary attempt. When, +in an unlucky moment, I was one day expatiating on the material +afforded to a book-maker (I do not use the word in a sporting sense, of +course) by the varied characters and histories of our people, and the +more than ordinary interest attaching to some, he beamed at me across +the dinner-table, a twinkle of humor disclosing itself from behind his +glasses, and said: + +"Why not write about them yourself, Ted? You complain of having +nothing to do in bad weather." + +The idea took root; it was nourished by reflection. Here is the fruit; +pluck it or not, gentle reader, as your inclination bids. + + + + +II + +MEMORIES + + + "Remembrance wakes with all her busy train, + Swells at my breast, and turns the past to pain." + (_Goldsmith--"Deserted Village"_) + + +I have heard a complaint made of some reverend preachers (untruthfully, +I well believe) that they could never begin a sermon without harking +back to the Creation. Now it is not my intention to travel quite so +far back into the past, but I must confess to a desire to dig somewhat +deeply into the history of Ardmuirland in days gone by before touching +upon more recent happenings. Such a desire led me to investigate the +recollections of some of our "oldest inhabitants." + +Willy Paterson, I well knew, was to be trusted for accurate memories of +a certain class of happenings; but for more minute details of events +the feminine mind is the more reliable. So I determined to start with +Willy's wife, Bell. Their dwelling is nearest to ours; it stands, +indeed, but a few yards down the road which leads past our gate. It is +a white-walled, thatched house of one story only--like most of the +habitations in Ardmuirland; it stands in a little garden whose neatness +and the prolific nature of its soil are standing proofs of Willy's +industry in hours of leisure. + +Owing to the prevalence in our neighborhood of some particular +patronymics--Macdonald, Mackintosh, Mackenzie, and the rest--many +individuals are distinguished by what is called in Ardmuirland a +"by-name." Some of these are furnished by the title of the residence +of the family in question, others by the calling or trade of father, +mother, or other relative; thus we have "Margot of the Mill," "Sandy +Craigdhu," as examples of the former, and "Nell Tailor," "Duncan the +Post," of the latter. Still more variety is obtained by the mention of +some personal trait of the individual, such as "Fair Archie," "Black +Janet," and the like. Willy Paterson's wife was commonly known by such +a by-name; every one spoke of her as "Bell o' the Burn," from the name +of her childhood's home. + +Bell is a spare, hard-featured body--not attractive at first sight, +though when one comes to know her, and the somewhat stern expression +relaxes, as the lines about the mouth soften, and the brown eyes grow +kindly, one begins to think that Bell must have been once quite +handsome. She is always scrupulously clean whenever I chance to visit +her, and is usually arrayed in a white "mutch" cap, spotless apron, and +small tartan shawl over her shoulders. Willy and she have reared up a +large family, all of them now settled in the world and most of them +married. They are most proud of their youngest, Margaret, who is a lay +sister in a town convent. Though her husband is reckoned a traveler, +Bell can lay no claim to the title; she probably never moved farther +than ten miles away from the family hearthstone until the day she left +her father's house by the Burn of Breakachy to marry Willy Paterson, +and certainly has never traveled much since that time. + +Most of the houses of Ardmuirland are constructed on exactly the same +plan. There are two principal rooms--"but" and "ben," as they are +commonly designated. (It is unnecessary here to dive into etymology; +but it may be noticed in passing that _but_ signifies "without" and +_ben_ "within.") To "gae ben" is to pass into the inner room, which at +one time opened out of the ordinary living apartment or kitchen, but is +now usually separated from it by a little entrance lobby. Besides +these two chief rooms, the initiated will be able to point out sundry +little hidden closets and cupboards, fitted up as sleeping apartments, +and reminding one of the contrivances on board ship. The two rooms +each contain a more demonstrative bed, as a rule: but in some cases the +bed is shut up with panelled doors like a cupboard. + +All that I learned from Bell about the Ardmuirland of bygone days was +gathered from her lips at intervals, and in the course of many repeated +visits; for it would have been fatal to my purpose had I allowed her to +imagine that I intended to make public use of her communications. +Though I have retained the substance, I have often altered the form; +for it would be useless to expect the reader to translate (if it were +even possible to do so without the help of a glossary) Bell's broad +Scots dialect. Yet the temptation has been too great to be resisted +from time to time to quote her exact words--so quaint her diction and, +to me at least, so attractive withal. + +A description of the original chapel of the district will serve as a +fitting introduction to these memoirs. According to Bell, it must have +been simple even to destitution. No smoothly hewn stones, no carved +windows, no decoration of any kind distinguished it from the houses of +the people. It was a small, low building of rough stone, unplastered, +even inside, and roofed by a heather thatch. There was a single door +in the side wall. The roof within was open to the rude, unvarnished +beams which upheld the thatch. The floor was of beaten clay, and there +were rough benches for the people to sit upon during the sermon, but no +contrivance for kneeling upon. + +"Some o' the fowk had boards to kneel on, ye ken," Bell explained, "but +the maist o' them prayed kneelin' on the flure." + +The altar was a plain, deal kitchen table, devoid of all ornament in +the shape of draperies except the necessary linen coverings. +Underneath it was a box, within which the vestments were stowed away; +for there was no semblance of sacristy, and the priest's house was some +yards distant. At the opposite end from the altar was a raised dais +for the accommodation of the singers, of whom Bell herself was one. +She could not recall what they were accustomed to sing as a rule. + +"I mind we wad sing the _Dies Irae_, whiles," was all the information +she could give on that point. One would think it scarcely possible +that so penitential a chant could form the usual musical accompaniment +to Sunday Mass! A teacher of music from a neighboring glen used to +come over from time to time to practise the singers. + +"I mind weel," said Bell, "he had a wand and a tunin' fork." Are these +not the recognized signs of ability, all the world over, to conduct a +band of singers? The practices were held in the priest's house; +sometimes the pastor would join in the singing, although Bell naïvely +remarked on that point: + +"He hadna much ear for music, ye ken." + +Of the priest of that day, "Mr." McGillivray, as the old style of +address ran, more will be said later. The figure next in prominence to +him in Bell's recollections was the old sacristan, Robbie Benzie. For +many years he acted as "clerk" at the altar, continuing to carry out +his duties when well advanced in years. During the week he carried on +his trade of weaver; on Sundays he was at his post betimes, carrying a +lantern with him, from which he took the light for the altar candles. +Bell describes him as a stalwart man with fine features and dark eyes. +Clad in his green tartan plaid, he always accompanied the priest round +the little chapel with the holy water for the Asperges, and with his +"lint-white locks" flowing onto his neck, he used to appear in Bell's +eyes "a deal mair imposin' lookin' ner the priest himsel'." His modest +and respectful bearing gained him the esteem of all. "I always think +of him," said Bell, "as one o' the saints of th' olden times, ye ken. +He was the model of a guid Catholic--pious, hard-workin', and aye happy +and contented." + +In those far-off days Ardmuirland was entirely Catholic. The Faith, in +consequence, was an integral part of the life of the district, and the +priest the recognized potentate, whom every one was at all times ready +to serve--working on his croft, plowing, harvesting, and such +like--with cheerful promptitude. Any such labor, when required, was +requested by the priest from the altar on Sunday. + +"I shall be glad to receive help this week on the glebe-land," he would +announce. "You will kindly arrange the division of labor among +yourselves." + +The same would happen when the time came for cutting and storing up +peats for the winter fuel. The day and hour would be named, and all +who could possibly help would be at the hill punctually to take their +respective shares in the labor. + +It was on one such occasion that the incident occurred which struck me +as the culminating point of Bell's recollections. I cannot give it as +dramatically as she did, and if I attempted to do so the pathos would +be marred by the broad Doric--unintelligible to southrons--in which her +narrative was told; but I will reproduce it as faithfully as possible +in my own words. + +It was the "peat-casting" for the priest; every one had worked with a +will--young and old. Dinner had been sent up to the moss at noon by +the various housewives of the district. It was a sumptuous repast, as +usual on so great an occasion; chickens, oatcake, scones, cheese, and +abundance of milk had been thoroughly enjoyed by the workers. The +children--bearers of the dainties from their respective mothers--though +bashful in responding to the fatherly greetings of the old priest, were +yet secretly proud of the honor of his special notice. Shyly they +stood about in groups, watching for a time the resumed labors of +fathers and brothers, until afternoon was wearing away, and it was time +to betake themselves home to make ready for the still more important +event of the day. Gaily they rushed down the hill, their joyous +laughter and merry shouts--relieved as they were from the restraint +which good manners had imposed in the priest's presence--awaking the +echoes of the glen. For many of them would be allowed to take part in +the evening's festivity, and all might share in the preparations for +it. This event was the public supper in the priest's barn, when women +were welcomed with their husbands and brothers, and even the bigger +children were admitted. For the evening repast, as for that of +noonday, each family contributed its share of provisions, which were +always ample in quantity as well as excellent in quality. + +Supper, on this particular occasion--as was usual--took some time, and +it was a serious business, when little conversation was encouraged. +But after supper the real fun began. None love dancing more than +Scots; so dancing must needs form the climax of every gathering for +social enjoyment. The bashful roughness which characterized the +commencement had worn off; lads and lasses were thoroughly enjoying the +somewhat rare opportunity of taking part in so large an assembly; +Archie Cattanach, the piper, was throwing his whole soul into the +skirls and flourishes of his choice tunes; all was gaiety and innocent +enjoyment. The good priest sat looking on pleased because his people +were happy; now and again he would move his position to another group +of the older guests, so that he might chat with all in turn; his flock, +though they held their Pastor in that reverence which none but a priest +can inspire, were under no false restraint in his presence, but joined +in laugh and jest with ease and simplicity. + +Loudly rang out Archie's pipes, merrily tripped the dancers, and joy +reigned supreme, when suddenly there came an unexpected check. The +outer door flew open, and a girlie of about ten, wild-eyed, +bare-headed, panting for breath, rushed into the midst of the +gathering. She was evidently laboring under the stress of some +unwonted excitement. There was no shyness now, in spite of the +priest's presence--in spite of the eager faces that sought hers in +anxious questioning. + +"Mither, Mither!" she screamed shrilly, as she caught sight of the +familiar face she sought, and rushed toward her mother's open arms. It +was little Peggy, Bell's younger sister. + +"Oh, Mither," she wailed through her sobs, "oor Jessie's nae to be +foond! She's nae at hame. I dinna ken wha she's gane!" + +With her mother's arms around her, the child was able to give a more +coherent account of the circumstances which had led to this abrupt +cessation of the dance; for Archie's melody had trailed off into an +unmusical drone and speedily ceased, and the dancers had spontaneously +crowded round the child and her mother. + +Peggy had been left in charge at home, for Bell was allowed to take +part in the "ball." Jessie, the youngest but one of the family, was a +little maid of four years. She had accompanied Peggy and her brothers, +with a crowd of other small folk, when the children went to the moss +with provisions for the workers. All had gone and returned in a body, +and no one noticed that Jessie was not with them. It was only when +Peggy began to assemble her own little charges, to conduct them to +their own house, that she missed the wee lassie. Peggy knew that her +father and mother, together with all her elders in the family, had +already started for the barn--some to help in the preparations, others +to chat with those who were assembling outside. It was growing dark, +for the children had delayed their homeward journey (as they often will +when a number are together) to play and sport. + +There was no one to advise or help the child. Sending on +three-year-old Elsie and the other little ones in charge of Johnnie, +she ran back, half distracted, toward the hill they had left earlier in +the afternoon. Shouting out for Jessie by name, she wandered hither +and thither--terrified, self-accusing, disconsolate. But it was all to +no purpose. Darkness fell, and fearful and contrite, Peggy had no +resource but to seek her mother. + +There was no more merriment that night. A search party was at once +organized by the younger men, who started with lanterns and some of +their collies to the peat-moss. All that night the anxious mother kept +weary vigil, while the men-folk searched the hill. Day broke, and no +trace had been found of the lost child. Weary and sad, the men +returned for some needful rest and others took their places. But +though they traversed the moors all day, and searched crevices and +water-courses with diligence, they met with no better success. +Sometimes a sound would break through the stillness which would stir +their hearts with renewed hope. The cry of a child! Weak and faint, +indeed, but telling of the continuance of life! But again and again, +after scaling heights or creeping down comes, they were doomed to +disappointment. It was but the bleat of a strayed lamb! That night a +larger party set out with lanterns and torches, and once more ranged +the hills shouting for the child; but once again morning dawned upon +disappointed hopes. + +Then every one who could be of any possible use was pressed into the +service. The people flocked out of their homes from all that district, +and hand in hand they started in a long line stretching across a wide +tract of country, and moving slowly on until every inch of ground in +their way had been thoroughly explored. + +It was after three nights and three days had passed that they came upon +the weak little body, lying stark and still under an overhanging rock, +and half buried in the heather. Moss was clutched in her clenched +hand, and shreds of moss were on her cold lips; the poor little bairn +had hungered for food, and had seized that which first came to hand to +satisfy her craving. She was quite dead. + +The bereaved mother mourned her darling with a grief that none but a +mother can know. But the child had been her father's special pet of +all his little flock. + +"His heart," said Bell, the rising tears witnessing to the sadness of +the memories called back by her story, "was well-nigh broke. He burst +into tears at the sight of her wee white face, and sobbed like a bairn +wi' the rest of us." + +And poor little Peggy! How touching the story! She never ceased to +reproach herself for what she considered her carelessness in losing +sight of Jessie on that fatal day. No single creature attached a +shadow of blame to her; on the contrary, it was the dearest wish of all +to try to console her and assure her of her innocence in that respect. +But it was of no avail. Her unceasing grief fretted away her strength, +and six months later she was borne to St. Mungo's ancient burying +ground to share Jessie's grave. + +"It's nigh on sixty years sin'," said Bell apologetically, as she wiped +her streaming eyes with her apron; "but the thocht o' that time brings +the tears up yet." + + + + +III + +ARCHIE + + + "Thus let me live, unseen, unknown, + Thus unlamented let me die; + Steal from the world, and not a stone + Tell where I lie." + (_Pope--"Ode to Solitude"_) + + +He was an unusually wretched semblance of a man. A tattered coat--some +one's cast-off overcoat--green, greasy, mud-stained, clung round his +shaking knees; trousers which might have been of any hue originally, +but were now "sad-colored," flapped about his thin legs and fringed his +ankles; shoes, slashed across the front for ease, revealed bare feet +beneath; an antique and dirty red woolen muffler swathed his neck +almost to the ears. Surmounting these woeful garments appeared a +yellow, wrinkled face surrounded by a straggling fringe of gray +whisker; gray locks strayed from an old red handkerchief tied round the +brows under a dilapidated wide-awake hat. To add to his woe-begone +aspect, the poor wretch was streaming with wet, for a Scottish mist had +been steadily falling all the morning. + +Leaning on his stick, the man slowly shuffled up the central path +toward the porch in which I was sitting, striving to get the nearest +possible approach to an open-air pipe. Touching his sorry headgear, he +looked at me with mild eyes of faded blue, and smiled benignly as he +asked: + +"Could I see himsel'?" + +I had not long come to that part of the country, and I was not +thoroughly conversant with the terminology of the people, but it +flashed upon me what he meant. + +"Did you wish to see the priest?" I rejoined. + +"Aye," replied the old vagrant--for so I deemed him. The smile seemed +stereotyped, for it never faded. His face, when one regarded it +attentively, had a quite attractive pleasantness. + +"I'm sorry to say he's out just now," I said. "But you may go round to +the back and get something to eat, if you wish." + +It struck me as strange that he did not ask for money, but thanked me +profusely and politely, as he touched his wretched hat once more and +shuffled off toward the kitchen quarters. + +He did not reappear for so long a time that I began to think it would +be prudent to investigate. Traveling gentry of such a class are not +always desirable visitors when the kitchen happens to be unoccupied for +the nonce. As I made my way in that direction through the little hall +I heard voices through the half-open door beyond. + +"It'll be all right, Archie," Penny was saying. "The priest shall have +the money as soon as he comes in, and if he can't say the Mass +to-morrow, I'll take care to send you word by Willy. Now, mind you get +a bit of fire lighted when you get back home. You must be wet through!" + +"Thank ye kindly, Mistress Spence," came the slow response in the +quavering voice of the old man. "It's yersel' that's aye kind and +thochtful!" + +I waited till I heard the door close upon the supposed "tramp" before +venturing to make the inquiries that rushed to my lips. And even then +I paused a while. When needing information from Penny, one has to be +circumspect; she has a way of shutting off the supply with ruthless +decision, yet with a seeming absence of deliberate purpose, whenever +she suspects a "pumping" operation. + +"I'm one that won't be drove," I've often heard her say. So we old +fellows are often obliged to have recourse to diplomacy in dealing with +our old nurse. + +Consequently I lounged casually, as it were, into Penny's domain with +the remark, "That poor old chap looked awfully wet, Penny." + +"Wet enough he was, Mr. Edmund," replied the unsuspecting Penny, "and I +have just been giving him a good hot cup of tea; for he never touches +wine or spirits." + +She was evidently betrayed by my apparent lack of inquisitiveness into +a relation of the details I was longing to hear. + +"To think," she continued, "of the creature walking down in such +weather, and he such a frail old mortal, too, just to make sure of Mass +to-morrow for his wife's anniversary. I can't help thinking, Mr. +Edmund, that some of us might take an example in many things from poor +old Archie McLean!" + +"Does he live far away?" I asked--just to encourage the flow of the +narrative. + +"A good three miles--and his rheumatism something hawful," exclaimed +Penny, now thoroughly started on her recital. I had but to lend an +ear, and my curiosity would be satisfied. + +Archie, it appeared, had been a soldier in his young days, but when he +came to settle in Ardmuirland his time of service had expired; that was +long ago, for he was now quite an elderly man. He took up his +residence in a deserted mill, by the Ardmuir Burn. As he proved to be +thoroughly quiet and inoffensive, the neighbors--true to their national +character, not speedily attracted by strangers--began in course of time +to make his acquaintance, and he eventually became a great favorite +with all. When younger, Penny had been told, he had been "a wonderful +good gardener," and for trifling payment, or in return for a meal, +would always "redd-up" the gardens of the district. Thus he acquired +the designation of "Airchie Gairdener," and by that was usually known. + +What his neighbors could not comprehend was how Archie spent these +small earnings, but more especially to what use he had put his army +pension, which every one knew he once received regularly. He had no +occasion to buy food, for kindly neighbors would always exchange for +meal or eggs the varied produce of his well-cultivated garden. His +clothes cost him nothing; for he had worn the same old garments for +years past, and though no self-respecting tramp would have accepted +them, he never seemed anxious to replace them. If any others were +given him, he would use them for a time, out of compliment to the +donor, but the ancient attire would always reappear after a short +interval. + +"As to where his money goes," summed up Penny, "I've a notion that his +Reverence knows more than any one else except Archie himself. Poor +Archie often asks for the priest, and I've heard his Reverence speaking +to him in quite an angry way--for him," she added quickly; "but there's +never any change in Archie's way of living. Some of the people here +think he's a perfect saint, and I'm not so sure that they're far wrong! +However, I think he ought to take ordinary care of his 'ealth; that +seems to me a duty even for saints!" + +I tried to glean more details from Val, but found him strangely +reticent. + +"Poor old fellow! A good soul, if ever there was one!" was the only +remark I could elicit. + +This air of mystery made me more than ever desirous of learning +something about Archie's antecedents. It was this curiosity which led +me, in the first instance, to visit his tumbledown dwelling. It was a +quaint establishment. A moderately large garden surrounded it on three +sides, roughly fenced in from the woodland, its fence interwoven with +gorse branches to keep out rabbits. The varied supplies of vegetables +were evidence of Archie's industry, in spite of his rheumatism. It was +by the produce of this garden that the old man obtained in return the +oatmeal and milk which formed his staple food; for he could no longer +work for others. + +The house itself was a picture! Its aged roof seemed to have bent +beneath the weight of years; for the ridge had sunk in the middle of +its mossy, grass-grown expanse, and threatened to fall upon its +occupant to the peril of his life. A small barrel served for a +chimney. One window possessed still two small panes of glass; the +other openings were filled in with bits of boarding, as was the whole +of the other window. + +There was something quite uncanny about the silence of the place. The +monotonous ripple of the burn below seemed to intensify it. I stood in +hesitation for a moment or two before venturing to knock at the door. +When at last I had done so, shuffling footsteps sounded within, and +Archie opened the door; the same bland smile which I had noticed when I +first saw him appeared on his wrinkled face, and the faded blue eyes +lighted up. + +"Come ben, sir; come ben!" he said hospitably. "Ye're kindly welcome, +tho' 'tis but a puir hoosachie for ane o' the gentry." + +It was indeed a sorry place to live in. The roof was so unsound that, +as I learned later from Bell, it was difficult to find a dry spot for +his wretched bed in wet weather. Added to this, as the same informant +assured me, the place was a happy hunting-ground for rats. + +"The rats is that bould, sir," she said, "that he's fairly to tak' a +stick to bed wi' him o' nichts, to keep the beasts off. It's a wonder +they rats hasna' yokit on him afore this!" + +But on this, my first visit, no rat put in an appearance. + +I gave no motive for looking in, nor did Archie seem to be surprised at +my call. He was evidently much pleased to see me; but I could not help +thinking at the time that his cordial welcome was due in great measure +to my relationship to Val. + +That first visit was short, but it was succeeded by others. It soon +became quite customary to wind up my daily walk with a chat with the +"hermit"--as I got into the way of calling him. For beyond the mystery +attaching to the man--or perhaps I ought to say intensifying it--was +the fact that he was a really attractive personality. He could talk +about the various countries he had seen with a degree of intelligence +unlooked for in one of his condition; moreover, he could season his +remarks with much spice of sound, earnest wisdom, which amused while it +edified me. It did not take long to discover that Archie "Gairdener" +was a man out of the common. + +That Archie was a good Christian was self-evident. No weather, however +tempestuous, could keep him from Sunday Mass, and I noticed with some +surprise that he received Holy Communion at least once and sometimes +more frequently every week, but always on a week-day, when our +congregation consisted chiefly of our household and Bell. + +"I suppose Archie 'Gairdener' finds it more convenient to come to the +Sacraments on a week-day," I remarked one day to Val, "because of the +late hour of Mass on Sunday." + +"Scarcely that," was his quiet answer. "I happen to know from other +sources that he still keeps up the old practice he found in use when he +first came here. In those days no one dreamed of breaking fast on a +Sunday until the priest himself did. Every one came to Mass fasting, +as Archie still does--though I believe he is the only one nowadays." + +During the two or three years that followed I saw a good deal of +Archie. We became such cronies, indeed, that Val was considerably +amused that I should take so much pleasure in the company of one with +whom I could have few ideas in common. But there was something that +attracted me to the old fellow from the first, which I can not define +in words. + +A severe winter made it almost impossible for the old man to get to +Sunday Mass at all; he would do his best, but it was evident, as I +could see more plainly in my visits, that he was growing very feeble. +I happened to be seedy myself at that time, and did not manage to get +out so frequently as before, owing to the trying weather. + +It came with no surprise when Val told me in early spring that Archie +was growing worse, and that the doctor gave little hope of his +regaining strength; in the circumstances, Val thought it well not to +delay the Last Sacraments any longer. I tried to accompany him when he +went to the old mill for that purpose, but I had to give it up. It was +about a week later that I was able to visit the old man. + +Winter seemed to have departed for good on that day in mid-April. A +bright sun was shining; deluded little birds were flitting about as +though summer had come; even on the hill the air was mild and balmy. + +The brooding silence seemed accentuated in the neighborhood of Archie's +hermitage. An unusual sign of life was to be seen at the mill-house +itself; smoke was rising from the extemporized chimney; for Bell, as I +knew, had installed herself as nurse and was doing her best to render +the last days of the old recluse more restful than they could have been +during his more active period. + +It was Bell who answered to my knock. With a gesture imploring silence +she led me in. I was startled at the sight which met my eyes. The old +man lay stretched on the bare earthen floor, his head pillowed upon a +large stone. His body was covered by blankets, but his arms were +crossed on his breast outside of them and embraced his crucifix. His +eyes were closed, but he was still breathing fitfully. Bell whispered, +in response to my amazed look of inquiry: + +"He wouldna' rest till Wully and I lifted him oot o' bed before Wully +went for the priest. He'd been keepin' yon big stane for years to +serve him at the last." + +Val appeared very soon. Archie showed no sign of recognition, even +when the well-known voice began the prayers he seemed to have been +waiting for before departing. + +Bell lighted the blessed candle, which was in readiness, and knelt with +Willy on one side of the quiet form, while I knelt on the other near to +the priest. + +"Go forth, Christian soul, out of this world, in the name of God the +Father Almighty, Who created thee: in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son +of the Living God, Who suffered for thee"--thus the quiet voice +continued until those prayerful words: "Pity his sighs, pity his tears, +trusting in nothing but thy mercy"--when the last long breath, like a +sigh of relief, passed from the dying man's lips as his soul departed. + +I could not shake off a sense of loss as keen as though some dearly +loved friend had been taken from me. Val and I walked home in unbroken +silence through the shadow of the wood, newly decked in tender green +buds, up to the rising ground beyond. My brother seemed as much +touched as I. + +It was not until our meal was over, and we sat on either side of the +still necessary fire, though we had dined without a lamp, and still +preferred the dusk for a quiet talk, that Val spoke of Archie. + +"Now that the poor old fellow is at rest," he said, "I will tell you, +by his express desire, something about his history. He wanted me to +promise to make it public, but that I resolutely refused to do, for +many reasons. 'Let Mr. Edmund know, at least,' he said. 'I do not +want him to have too good an opinion of me, or he will not pray as much +as I should wish for my poor soul.' So you have a right to know, Ted." + +And with that he unfolded the story of Archie McLean's early years. + +Archie had been a wild boy in his youth, with a strong propensity for +drink--hereditary, unfortunately--which he was not so well able to +satisfy on his father's croft, in Banffshire; so, to gain more liberty, +he ran off and enlisted. When scarcely more than twenty he took up +with a girl he met in one of the provincial towns in which he happened +to be stationed, and eventually married her. He had asked no +leave--indeed, at his age it would not have been granted; his wife, +therefore, was not "on the strength of the regiment"--in other words, +depended entirely upon his pay, and what little she might earn, for the +necessaries of life, and even for traveling expenses, in case of +removal elsewhere. The girl was a negligent Protestant, and he a +non-practising Catholic. They had been married before a Registrar, and +neither of them entered a church as long as the woman lived. The one +child born to them died a week later, unbaptized. + +Such a marriage could not possibly prove happy, but it was more +unfortunate in its results than could have been imagined. The man's +craving for drink grew with its indulgence. His wife, neglected by +him, followed his example and took to that sorry comforter; before long +she had acquired habits of drunkenness that disgusted even him. Soon +she had fallen so low that her life was a crying scandal for its +unrestrained vices. + +The man's companions took a savage pleasure in taunting him about his +wife's depravity, until the very mention of her name was hateful to +him. He acknowledged that he himself was bad enough, but her conduct +had reached the extreme of vileness. The result was what might have +been foreseen. Quarrels and recriminations were perpetual. The man +hated the woman because of her vicious life; he hated himself because, +as his conscience reminded him in lucid intervals, he was responsible +for her downfall. + +The regiment was on the eve of removing to other quarters, and much as +he would have liked to leave his wife behind to shift for herself, he +dare not face the consequences. Coming to her lodgings, therefore, to +arrange about her journey, he found the woman hopelessly incapable. +His mad rage against her was inflamed by the drink he had just taken; +in his anger he was strongly tempted to rid himself of the burden she +had become. Nothing could be easier! No one had seen him enter the +house, and there was every chance of his being able to steal away +unperceived, in the dusk of the evening. An uncontrollable loathing +for the woman urged him on; conscience was disregarded. He seized one +of the pillows of the bed. It was merely necessary to press it over +her face, hold it there till life was extinct, and creep away, a free +man! + +It must have been the ever-watching Angel Guardian of that wretched man +who touched his heart at that moment of danger, by a sudden grace. He +faltered; threw down the pillow, and swiftly ran from the room and from +the house--pursued by remorse. + +An hour later, when he ventured to return, he was met on the threshold +with the tidings that his wife had been found dead of heart failure. + +For many a year after that horrible day Archie McLean was tormented by +his reproachful conscience. He regarded himself as a murderer in +desire, though actually guiltless of his wife's blood. The terrible +shock was his salvation. From that day he never more touched strong +drink. The formerly inveterate drunkard, a great portion of whose time +was spent in the cells, rose by degrees to the position of the smartest +soldier in his company. When his long service had to come to an end, +he took a situation as gardener for a time; but a desire which had come +upon him when his army service had been completed became still more +urgent. He longed to be able to devote himself to a penitential life, +as a means of making such atonement as was in his power for his past +transgressions. Even while in the army his life had been one of +rigorous mortification, dating from the day when he once more began to +practise his religion; he shunned no duty, however distasteful, and +shrank from no danger. + +In response to the keen desire which dominated him, Archie threw up his +situation, and searching for some part of the country in which he would +not be known, yet where he should find life and surroundings not +entirely foreign to his experience, settled at length at Ardmuirland. +For about forty years his life was characterized by a rigorous +austerity. His pension was at once carried to the priest, as soon as +he received it, to be devoted to the offering of Masses for the soul of +his unhappy wife, and the relief of the poor--scarcely poorer than +himself. He never spent a penny upon his own needs; even the scanty +earnings of his labor, unless made in kind, went the same way as his +pension. The clothing, even, which charitable persons bestowed upon +him in pity soon passed into coin for the same end; no scolding of his +spiritual Father could prevail upon him to look better after his own +well-being. + +"I've been a great sinner, Father," he would say. "I owe a big debt to +the justice of the Almighty!" + +As he had lived, so he died, I had noticed that my brother had shown no +surprise, as I did, at the sight of the dying figure of the old man +stretched on the bare earth with a stone for his pillow; Val had become +familiar with the idea. + +"My Saviour died on a Cross for me, and shall I, a vile sinner, be +content to die in my bed?" Thus he would always answer the +remonstrances of the priest. + +Whenever I read the Gospel narrative of Lazarus--the wretchedly +clothed, ill-fed, diseased mendicant--who inspired loathing in the eyes +and nostrils of the delicately nurtured, sensual men who flocked past +his unlovely form to the banquets of the rich glutton at whose palace +gate he lay, my thoughts fly at once to my old friend, Archie the +penitent, and my prayers rise to Heaven on his behalf in the Church's +touching petition for the departed: + + "Cum Lazaro, quondam paupere, eternam habeas requiem!" + + "With Lazarus, once poor, now blest + May'st thou enjoy eternal rest!" + + + + +IV + +GOLDEN DREAMS + + + "All the world is turning golden, turning golden + In the spring." + (_Nora Hopper--"April."_) + + +On a day when May was growing old, everything up at Ardmuirland was +green and gold except the sky, and that was mostly blue and gold. +Gorse and broom were in full blossom, so that on all sides the outlook +was glorious! + +Looking through my field-glasses to discover the meaning of a column of +dense smoke, which seemed to be rising from a hill in the distance, I +found myself gazing at a forest in flames! Fire--a very wall of +fire--seemed to extend for miles along a dense tract of woodland! So +seemingly fierce the blaze that it lighted up with golden gleams the +tower of a distant church beyond the wood! Yet, as I looked steadily, +it became evident that the flames neither diminished nor increased; +presently I discovered that the column of smoke rose from a spot +entirely different--more to the foreground. In the end I had to +confess with reluctance that my eyes had been deceived; there was no +sensational forest fire at all! What I had seen was but the sunshine +on an expanse of yellow bloom on some rising ground beyond the belt of +woodland, and on the old church tower, while a rare cloud shaded the +nearer prospect. + +What a silly goat I called myself! Looking nearer home I saw the same +red-gold glow, which needed but the sunshine to wake it into flame. +The disused quarry, not half a mile away, where the sun was bright, +might have been an open gold mine--so brilliant the shining of its +wealth of broom bushes! The hedge of gorse which bordered the road on +both sides had no speck of green to mar its splendor. + + + "All the world is turning golden, turning golden. + Gold butterflies are light upon the wing; + Gold is shining through the eyelids that were holden + Till the spring." + + +The graceful verse haunted me all that day, repeating spontaneously, +again and again, its tuneful refrain. For up at Ardmuirland we have to +wait till May for settled springtide. + +Later on I strolled across to her cottage to have a chat with "Bell o' +the Burn." I found her busy at her washtub on the threshold of the +door, but none the less ready to enter into conversation, as I leaned +on the garden fence watching her tireless pink hands, as they worked up +the snowy soapsuds. + +"You've maybe haird the news, sir?" she began, a note of inquiry in her +tone. + +I had seen yesterday's _Scotsman_, but not in those pages did any of +our folk look for news. They read--those, at least, who possess that +accomplishment--the stories in the _People's Friend_ and the like, if +they were young; those who were older scanned the columns of the local +newspaper, published in the county town, and believed firmly in the +absolute truth of everything that was asserted there. But "news" meant +something more intimate--something which affected our own immediate +circle by its relation to the daily life and interests of those around +us. + +So, knowing this, I did not dream about any startling political crisis, +recent mining disaster, or railway collision; Bell knew nothing about +such events. Experience had taught me to allow her to enlighten me in +her own way. So I put a question to that end. + +"Have you heard some news?" I said. + +Bell's delight at being first in the field was evident. + +"Christian Logan's come intil a fortune!" she replied, with no little +delight. + +"That is good news, indeed!" I cried impulsively. For Christian was, +beyond doubt, one of the poorest of our neighbors, and the most +deserving. + +"But where did the fortune come from, Bell?" I asked. + +"Her mon," explained Bell, "had a cousin oot in Ameriky as fowks allays +said wes gey rich. But he niver so much as sent a word to Donal' for +years, till juist aboot a week afore the puir mon met wi' his accident, +ye ken. An' he says in the letter," continued the old woman, warming +up with the interest attaching to her subject, "as Donal' wes the only +kin left him, an' he'd find himsel' nane the worse o' that. Alexander +Gowan, they callit him." + +"And so this cousin is dead, I suppose?" + +"Na, na, sir," replied Bell. "Gowan's on his wye back frae Ameriky, ye +ken, an' Christian's had word to expect him. Maybe he'll be up here in +twa, three days after he lands, like." + +This was news with a vengeance! An American who was "gey rich" might +be a millionaire! All kinds of rosy visions began to float through my +brain. Thoughts of the manifold additions and improvements which Val +was dying to make in the church; of the shinty club we were so anxious +to start, but could not for want of means; of the hall we planned to +build some day for concerts and social gatherings in the long winter +evenings--all started into new life at the prospect of a wealthy +Catholic returning to his native land with gold in his pocket and a +ready hand to scatter it liberally for the benefit of his kinsfolk! + +"I suppose he's a Catholic," was the remark to which my mental plans +gave birth. + +"Aye," said Bell, in a reproachful tone, "the Gowans wes all strict +Catholics. The mon would nae turn agen his chapel oot there, I'm +thinkin'." + +(In Ardmuirland, be it known, "chapel" means the Catholic Church, and +"church"--or more frequently "kirk"--denotes exclusively a Protestant +place of worship; thus do penal laws leave their trail behind them!) + +"Not likely!" I exclaimed boldly. For Bell began to look anxiously at +me, as though the staunch Catholicism of this particular Gowan might be +open to question. "Our religion is as free out there as any other; +that's one good quality in republican America which our government +lacks at present." + +Still, my own mind misgave me a little. I knew of more than one of my +countrymen who had been "strict Catholics" once, but who had lamentably +fallen off through knocking about the world. However, we were not +justified in classing Gowan with such. + +"And will this good man put up at Christian's cottage?" I asked. + +"Na, na, Mr. Edmund," said Bell, astonished, "Christian's nae ower weel +provided wi' sheets and siclike, ye ken. Na! he's to stay wi' Mistress +Dobie at Larrigie Inn. They've redded up the best rooms, and kindled +fires and a', to be ready gin he comes soon. The fowks say as Gowan +'ll likely have ane o' they motors, like the Squire's at the toon, so +as he can drive aboot the countryside and see a' the changes that's +come sin' he left." + +The world was "turning golden," indeed! My cogitations as I made my +way home were touched by the sheen. + +Val took it all very calmly (as he is wont, dear boy! whenever I +rhapsodize). + +"If he happens to be a millionaire, Ted," he remarked--and a twinkle +shone through his glasses--"you may give up all hope of getting +anything out of him. It is proverbial that such gentry haggle over a +six-pence when it comes to gratuities!" + +During the week that followed the whole countryside had no more +interesting subject of conversation than the coming of the rich cousin +to "make a lady" of Christian Logan. + +Christian certainly deserved any good fortune that might fall to her. +She was the young widow of an under-gamekeeper at Taskerton, an estate +in our neighborhood. Donald Logan had met with an accident, by the +discharge of a gun, and had died of lock-jaw, consequent on the wound. +He had not been very thrifty, poor fellow, for he was too fond of +whiskey; the result was that very little means remained for the support +of the family when the bread-winner had been taken. The proprietor of +Taskerton was generally an absentee, and the casual tenants of the +place had little interest in those employed on the estate. +Consequently, Christian had to do her best to support herself and her +three young children by her own efforts. Tam and Kirsty, aged +respectively twelve and eleven, had to continue at school for a year or +two at least; the youngest, Jeemsie, who was only eight, had been deaf +and dumb from his birth. + +Luckily, the agent of the estate, being a man of kindly feelings, was +willing to allow the poor woman to remain for a time in the cottage +they had occupied, and Val had approached the proprietor on the subject +of a pension. At present, however, beyond a liberal donation for +Christian's benefit, nothing definite had been settled. We had all +subscribed to buy her a sewing-machine, and as she was a clever +seamstress she was able to make ends meet by dressmaking. She had her +cow, and her few hens, so altogether, with the sale of eggs and +occasionally of milk, she was able to provide for her little ones for +the present. She was such a cheery, kindly little body that every one +at Ardmuirland was her friend; this accounted in great measure for the +unusual interest in her prospects. + +I felt that it would be but neighborly to offer Christian my +congratulations upon her approaching good fortune. Her little house +stood near a belt of trees on a rising ground, a few feet from the road +that led higher up the hill. No other habitation was within a mile of +it, and its solitary position was quite enough by itself to suggest to +any one that a man who had made money across the "drink"--as I heard an +American once irreverently style the Atlantic--would scarcely be likely +to stay for any considerable time in such an out-of-the-world spot. To +my mind it seemed incredible that he could be content for long with the +comparative luxury of Mrs. Dobie's inn. + +Christian sat at her machine in her clean little kitchen when I arrived +there, and she called to me cheerily through the open doorway to enter, +and rose to receive me. She was a plain little woman, about forty +years old, probably; she bore the marks of her many anxieties on her +brow--too early scored with wrinkles. I could not help thinking, as I +saw her, that no fine clothes that her rich relative might buy for her +would ever make her anything else than a plain country body; in silks +and satins, even, she would still be the same homely Christian. + +"I came over to say how glad I am to hear of your good fortune," I said +when the usual greetings had passed, and I was seated in the chair of +state by the fire--for the hillside was chilly, and fires were seldom +wanting up there even in the summer weather. + +"Thank you kindly, sir," was her answer. "Father Fleming was in +himself yesterday, for the same reason. It is very good of the priest +and yourself, sir, as well as our neighbors aboot, to take sic an +interest in us. Indeed, I'm very thankful that God has been sae guid +to us. It looks as though our troubles are coming to an end, with this +guid news!" + +"When do you expect your cousin?" I asked. + +Christian took a letter from the mantelpiece, where a china dog had +been guarding it. + +"This is his last letter, sir," she said, with a touch of honest pride, +as she handed it to me to read. "You will see what he says. He was to +sail on the 14th, and that was about a fortnight ago. Mistress Dobie +had a message to say that he would be there about the first of June. +He has business in Glasgow, which will keep him there a bit." + +"It's a kind, friendly letter," I remarked, as I handed it back. "He +speaks very nicely about you all." + +"If only for the sake of the bairns, sir, I'm very thankful that we've +foond sae guid a friend," she said with much feeling. + +Jeemsie peeped in at the door just then. He was quite a handsome +little chap, with regular features and a rather intelligent face. + +"Jeemsie will be provided for now," I said, beckoning the child to me. +He came, shyly smiling, and put his hand in mine. + +"Yes, thank God!" was the poor mother's reply. "It's been a trouble to +me to know what to do for him, and especially what'll happen to the +bairn when I'm taken. But Father Fleming says his cousin can put him +to some kind of institution for a year or two, where they can teach him +to read and write and coont as well as any bairn wi' all his senses. +For he's nae daft!" she exclaimed, with motherly pride. "He's just as +sensible as can be aboot most things. He kens as weel as Tam aboot +searching for the eggs, and he loves to fetch water from the well in +his little pail for me, bless him!" + +"Yes, it's a great thing for the child that his cousin is coming to +look after you all. Jeemsie will be made a man of. I once knew a +postman who was afflicted like Jeemsie, and he did his work better than +any of the other men in the same office. The postmaster was quite +proud of him. He couldn't talk, poor man, so there was no danger of +his wasting time in gossip." + +I took my leave after chatting a while, and rejoiced as I pictured to +myself on the way home the lightening of so many burdens which had +pressed heavily on the shoulders of that brave little woman. + +A week later and we heard through Willy that Mr. Gowan had arrived at +Larrigie Inn. + +"An' a freer mon wi' his money, Mistress Dobie says, ye'd niver wish to +see," was his estimate of the newcomer. "He was treatin' the fellows +wi' drams a' roond, the nicht he cam'; he wes sae glad to be bock i' +the auld place. He wes a loon o' fafteen when him an' his farther went +an' to mak' their fortune in Ameriky, ye ken." + +"I don't like to hear about that dramming business," was Val's comment +to me later. "There's too much of that kind of thing already about +here. However, we must make allowance for the man's natural joy at +seeing his old haunts once more." + +"Including the inn, I suppose! But he was too young when they left to +have cultivated a very intimate acquaintance with that one!" + +Gowan proved to be but one of our own rough crofters who had acquired +so thin a veneer of civilization that it scarcely concealed the reality +beneath. With a somewhat boisterous geniality he made instant friends +with all of his former class in the neighborhood. With Val and myself +he was not altogether at his ease. An abrupt awkwardness of manner, +which we put down to shyness, characterized our intercourse, which was +of rare occurrence. + +He drove up to Mass on a Sunday, not in a motor, but in the ordinary +"machine" belonging to the inn--a kind of small wagonette, drawn by a +single horse--in which he always occupied the seat next the driver, +good-humoredly conveying any persons from that direction who might be +coming up our way, either to kirk or "chapel." + +We heard glowing accounts of his kindness to Christian and the +children--of constant excursions to the town; of the purchase of +unlimited clothing for all the family, and of many costly presents, +such as watches for Christian and Tam, pretty trinkets for little +Kirsty, and toys for each of the bairns. He seemed to be never happy +out of their company; when they were not driving about the country, +visiting neighbors, or picnicking on the hills, they took their more +important meals at the inn. The two elder children seemed to have left +school for good; we heard later that Gowan had arranged matters with +the authorities, stating that he meant to take the family back to +America with him, or at any rate to find them a home elsewhere should +he make a lengthy stay in Scotland. + +Things had gone on thus for three weeks before Val alluded to Gowan, or +anything connected with him. But his words showed me as soon as he +began to speak that he had been thinking much on the subject. + +"I don't like this prolonged carnival of Gowan's," he remarked to me. +"It's doing no good. I hear of unlimited drinks at Larrigie day after +day for all who choose to ask. Many of our young fellows are getting +into the habit of dropping in there of nights and listening to the +man's stories of life 't'other side.' He seems capable of standing a +good deal of liquor himself, as he is never really overcome--only more +coarse and noisy, the more he takes. I have had complaints from +several of the fathers of families about the harm he is doing." + +"That's rather bad!" was my answer. "But what about the Logans? I +hear that he means to take them off with him, and he doesn't appear to +be a desirable guardian for those children, by all accounts." + +"It is that I'm most anxious about," said Val. + +And thereupon he became communicative. Things were really worse than I +had thought. Gowan, it is true, still came to Mass, but he was fond of +boasting to his boon companions that they had got beyond "all that +nonsense in the States!" He had certainly, on his own showing, ceased +to be a practical Catholic for years, and it was probable that his +attendance at Mass and contribution of half a sovereign to the +offertory every Sunday was merely the result of a desire to stand well +in the estimation of the more staid members of the community, and might +be classed with the free drinks and other signs of friendliness to the +district. The character of the man rendered Val naturally anxious +about the future of Christian Logan and her children, if they were to +depend upon him for support in a strange land among strangers. + +"The one redeeming feature in his character," summed up Val, "is his +genuine affection for the children. His wife died about two years ago, +it seems, and he is too old to marry again. So he appears to have +devoted himself to the idea of practically adopting these three little +Logans." + +"It seems to me a case of body versus soul for the poor little kids, if +they are to trust to that old heathen for a proper bringing up. But +the mother is a good woman, and has a will of her own." + +"That's where it is so difficult to do anything," said Val sadly. "She +does not understand the state of the case properly, though I've tried +to make it plain to her. The fellow is an avowed Free Mason. He can +not practise his religion, and in a kind of self-defense he rails +against it--though not openly to Catholics, I believe. She is deluded +enough to imagine that the influence of herself and the children will +win him over to the right path again. But it's far more likely that he +will win the children over to unbelief, if he is to become their +practical parent. Christian acknowledges that his indulgence is +spoiling Tam already." + +It was almost dramatic that at that moment a knock at the room door +should prove to be from Elsie, who announced the presence of Christian +Logan in the "priest's room" asking for a few minutes' conversation +with his Reverence. + +The interview proved to be somewhat long. Val gave me an account of it +later in the day. Gowan had proposed that Jeemsie should be placed +without delay in an English institution for the deaf and dumb, while +the others traveled a little about Scotland before starting for +America, as he had now decided to do. He had made his money in +horse-dealing, it appeared, and was not satisfied with his present +prosperous condition, but longed to make more money; probably, too, he +was tired of idling, after a rather strenuous life spent in business. + +Christian was willing to part with the little fellow for a time, but +only on condition that he should go to a Catholic institution, of which +Val had told her previously. The idea infuriated Gowan. What did +religion matter? Protestant institutions of the kind were far in +advance of Catholic. It was ridiculous to think of sending the boy +anywhere except to a place thoroughly up-to-date. Finally he had +refused to do anything in the matter unless he had free scope to place +the child where he should think best. + +The poor woman's eyes were opened at last. She was absolutely +determined that Jeemsie should be given up to no authority that was +incapable of teaching him all that was necessary for the practice of +his religion. She had come to pour out her difficulties to Val, and to +ask further advice. He, of course, applauded her decision, and +strengthened her in the resolution she had made, even though it might +lead to a temporary withdrawal of Gowan's liberality. Val was +convinced that the man was too much attached to the children to break +altogether with the Logans. + +Gowan had expressed his intention of going up to settle definitely with +Christian about the matter of Jeemsie, and she was most anxious for Val +to be present. To this he had at once consented; for he felt it a +foremost duty to protect the faith of the little lad. So next morning +the interview would come off. + +"It was a stormy conference!" was Val's first remark, when we met for +lunch next day. "But we've won the victory for the little chap's +faith, though it has cost us Gowan's further patronage!" + +The man had refused to be persuaded to allow the priest to choose some +institution to which Jeemsie might safely be sent--merely because it +was a priest who wished to have a voice in the matter, Val was inclined +to think; for the Protestant Home which Gowan favored was in no way +superior. They discussed the question in all its bearings, and +eventually Gowan lost his temper and showed his hand. He meant to +bring up all the children Protestants! He had learned by experience +what a hindrance it was to have to submit in everything to the +dictation of priests, and he was determined to have no more of it! + +It was at that stage that Christian interposed. Very quietly but +firmly she spoke her mind. + +"If you expect me to risk the loss of my children's souls as well as my +own for the sake of worldly advantages, Cousin Aleck, I may as well +speak plainly. I would rather stay here and work myself to death than +take your money." + +This produced a terrific storm of abuse from Gowan. He called her +"priest-ridden" and every kind of fool and idiot. She would soon learn +to repent of her folly, for he would go straightway to a lawyer and +change his will! Not a penny would she get--now or later--from him, as +she would find one day to her cost! Then he dashed away without +further discussion. + +"The fellow is a brute!" was Val's conclusion. "They are well rid of +him! What a blessing he showed himself in his true colors before it +was too late!" + +Gowan left the neighborhood that very day. No one knew his +destination. Mrs. Dobie replied to all inquiries that Mr. Gowan had +paid "like a gentleman," and she was "sorry that some people did'na ken +when they were well off!"--alluding, of course, to Christian. But Mrs. +Dobie, not being "of the household of the Faith," could not be expected +to show sympathy toward a course of action which robbed her of so +profitable a guest. + +Thus were our golden dreams dispelled! Ardmuirland, indeed, took some +little time to recover from the dazzling visions which the coming of +"the millionaire"--as Val and I delighted to style him in private--had +called up, but in a year or so Gowan's name had become a mere memory to +most of us. Christian alone--true to her baptismal name--held that +memory in benediction; every night she and her little ones gave a +prominent place in their family prayers to the "Cousin Aleck" whom they +all regarded as a generous benefactor. It was not difficult to +interpret the mother's intention in thus making the man a constant +object of prayer; to her the possession of God's grace appeared a good +beyond all earthly riches and delights, and I can well believe that she +even rejoiced that she had been called upon to give testimony of the +faith that was in her. Her sentiments were doubtless those of Tobias +of old: "For we are the children of saints, and look for the life which +God will give to those that never change their faith from him." + + + + +V + +"DOMINIE DICK" + + + "A light to guide, a rod + To check the erring and reprove." + (_Wordsworth--"Ode to Duty"_) + + +Few of the many conversations I have had from time to time with old +Willy have been more interesting than those upon the subject of schools +and schoolmasters in the days when he was young. + +In the early part of the nineteenth century education was conducted in +a primitive fashion at Ardmuirland. In a small community, consisting +almost entirely of Catholics, and those mostly in poor circumstances, a +trained teacher was rarely to be found. In many country districts like +ours the task of instructing the young devolved upon one or other of +the better educated of the crofter class. For in those days even +reading and writing--not to mention "counting," or arithmetic, as we +style it--constituted a liberal education in Ardmuirland, and many of +the people were unable to boast of possessing either. Hence when one +of the community was sufficiently versed in such accomplishments he was +looked up to as a qualified instructor. + +Willy had passed through the hands of more than one of such +schoolmasters, and his recollections on the subject are interesting. +The one who seems to have made the most impression upon his memory was +a better informed man than is usually found in the class to which he +belonged. + +"Finlay Farquharson wes the best o' them a'! There wes saxty or +siventy bairns went to his school at Carnavruick when I wes a loon. +He'd been to Ameriky, ye ken, sir, and I doot he'd brought back wi' him +a bit o' the Yankee tongue. Faix! He had a lively tongue! He niver +wanted his answer when he had to come oot wi' it." + +Farquharson's "Academy" was his little living-room--not over-spacious +for such an assembly; but in those days no parental government +legislated for so many cubic feet of space for each child, and they +seemed to keep in health and strength in spite of that fact. The +school assembled in what we may term the winter months only, which in +Scotland may be reckoned as nearly two-thirds of the year. The +remaining months were occupied in farming work both by master and +scholars. + +During the term (as we may call it) the procedure was as follows: +Farquharson was accustomed to rise about four o'clock and to work for +two or three hours at threshing corn. After an early breakfast he made +preparations for his scholastic duties by clearing out of the way all +unnecessary furniture--though there was little that was +superfluous--and placing the long planks supported by big stones which +served for forms. As some children were sure to be occupied with class +work during the whole time, fewer seats were needed than would have +been necessary otherwise. The schoolmaster's old mother, Margot, kept +her own chair by the fire, where she kept an eye on the pot of soup and +occupied herself with knitting. The one small table served as master's +desk and as writing-table for those pupils who had advanced +sufficiently in the art to be allowed to use a copy-book instead of a +slate--but they were few. + +The scholars arrived about eight o'clock. It was required of each, as +part of the school fees, to bring a block of dried peat to serve as +fuel for the fire. It was always the ambition of a boy of lively +temperament, such as Willy represented himself to be, to choose as hard +a "peat" as he could possibly find, to serve as a weapon in the mimic +battles fought on the road to school. As the fire was composed wholly +of peat, and the chimney was wide, the place would be often a difficult +one to study in when the wind was in the wrong quarter. At such times, +to use Willy's description: + +"It wes juist a reeky hole! We wes all well learned to pit up wi' the +reek! I niver thocht muckle o' reek aifter that schule!" + +The proceedings began with reading; after that came spelling. +"Coontin'" followed for those who were sufficiently accomplished. + +"Them as wes best at the readin' spent nearly all day at the coontin' +and writin'. The maister wes short enuch in the temper," remarked +Willy on this point. "Aye, aye, he wes gey hot in the temper, I insure +ye! I mind a loon comin' up to him ane day wi' a coont on his slate, +ye ken, an' Farquharson wes that enraged at a mistak' i' the coont that +he broke the slate on the laddie's heid an' left the frame hangin' like +a horse's collar roond his neck!" + +Farquharson evidently held to the great principle that corporal +punishment was part of a sound education. Behind the door was a stool, +which served as a block upon which to stretch a victim whose offense +deserved the extreme punishment, but that was not often required. A +favorite instrument was the strap, or, as Willy termed it, "the belt." +Should the master catch sight of an idler, or practical joker, he would +throw the strap to the delinquent as a sign that a thrashing was due, +and the boy or girl had to come up to his table and receive the +punishment. + +"Some wad be stiff to come up wi't, ye ken," explained Willy; "but he'd +niver let a loon off, though he wes mair merciful-like to the wee +lassies. He'd larnt by experience, ye ken; for in the auld days, afore +I went there, ane o' the lassies wes a month awa' frae the schule--he +throosh her that severe." + +About midday there was a recess, and the children ate their "pieces," +which they had brought from home, and spent a little time outside at +play, while the schoolmaster took his simple meal. The favorite game +was a kind of shinty. It was played by the boys with a ball, driven +with sticks, each with "a big lump o' wood at the end o't." + +The more advanced pupils learned grammar. + +"I niver learned nae graymer masel'," said Willy. "I couldna' +onderstan' a word o't. I thocht it a gey-like leetany to hear the +graymer. 'I mak', thou mak's, he mak's'--seemed to me nae sense, ye +ken!" + +There were no holidays as a regular thing. School went on in the +season every week-day. But there was one great day in the year, which +was looked forward to by both parents and children; it was that set +apart for what we more delicately reared folk in these days would +regard as cruel sport--that of cock-fighting! Sometimes as many as +thirty of the lads would each bring his bird under his arm, and these +in turn would be placed in the ring. Neighbors from far and near would +come to the school for that day. + +"The best fichter," said Willy, "wes callit the King; the second best, +the Queen; the third, the Knave. Them as wouldna' ficht we callit +'fougie.' Eh, what a day that wes!" + +But it must not be thought that the duties of the schoolmaster were +confined to his school. He was a personage in the community when he +had assumed his position as pedagogue. Since he was instructor of +youth, he was regarded as capable of assisting the literary pursuits of +their parents and elders. + +"We callit the schoolmaster 'Dominie Dick,'" explained Willy. "He wes +a big mon i' the distric', ye ken, sir! He'd oft write letters for the +fowk roond aboot!" + +I gathered from the same authority that the "Dominie," for the time +being, was also the reliable reader of the public newspaper. When the +weekly paper had arrived, all the men who were interested in what the +world was doing would gather at some specified house to listen to the +schoolmaster as he read aloud choice extracts. In his absence the best +reader of the party was requested to undertake the duty. + +"My faither," said Willy, "wes aye conseedered the best aifter the +schulemaister. If he miscallit a word the dictionar' wes allas +consultit; it wes on the table ready." + +This recollection called up another in commendation of his father's +reading powers. + +"The maister o' the Strathdalgie Schule wes a Protestant, ye ken, but +he wouldna' hae ony person read till him but my faither. He had to gae +till the schulemaister's bedside when he wes dyin'; for the puir mon +wouldna' hae the menister, as he likit a' the words clear." + +Farquharson's quasi-official position was on one occasion the cause of +rather an unpleasant experience. One of his predecessors in office, an +old man named McConnachie, had been forced to retire from the teaching +profession on account of failing intellect. After an illness, when he +was already far advanced in years, his mind gradually gave way, until +he was nothing better than a harmless lunatic. No one grudged the old +man a little oatmeal or a bag of potatoes now and again, and he could +get milk for the asking from any of those who owned a cow. He lived +all by himself in a small house, and a kindly neighbor would go in +occasionally to "redd up"--in other words, put the place in order. + +But the poor old fellow's lunacy became less harmless as he grew older. +It developed into a kind of kleptomania. Should a housewife have a +family wash hanging on her clothes-lines, it was not infrequently the +case that many of the articles would mysteriously disappear. The most +extraordinary objects would vanish from the houses--chimney ornaments, +cups, spoons, flatirons, buttons, photographs, and such like gear. For +a time no one suspected old McConnachie; though, upon reflection, after +the matter had been cleared up it appeared that many of the losers had +missed articles after one of his calls. When a venturous spirit +undertook to search the old man's habitation during his absence, a +store of miscellaneous objects came to light, which revealed the +hitherto unknown pilferer. + +In another way, too, McConnachie became a nuisance to the community. +Perhaps some faint recollection of one of his duties as "Dominie" may +have led to it; but he began to show so violent a dislike toward any of +the children who might cross his path that he would do his best to give +them a good drubbing with his stick. In the case of the more simple he +sometimes succeeded in seizing hold before the child had attempted to +escape his clutches, and in giving the unfortunate culprit a good +reason for flying home in tears to exhibit to an angry mother the marks +of "t' auld schulemaister's wand!" + +Under such circumstances it became necessary to take counsel with the +Inspector of the Poor with a view to getting McConnachie placed under +restraint. Matters were easily settled and a time fixed for his +deportation to the County Asylum. + +But though the old fellow was mad enough in some respects, he was sharp +enough in others! It required diplomacy to get him to leave his home +and undertake a journey even in the conveyance which the Inspector had +promised to provide to take him to the railway station some miles away. +Farquharson, on account of his office, was the only person in the +community who was on terms of cordiality with McConnachie; for the old +man had a great idea of his position in Ardmuirland, and held himself +somewhat above the common run of people. With Farquharson he could +converse as with one who was _almost_ an equal--not absolutely, for he +himself had been through some little training which the other had not. +To Farquharson, therefore, the Inspector looked for assistance. He +arranged for him to travel with the old fellow, under the pretence of +visiting a large school on the invitation of a master there whom he +knew; this supposititious friend had included McConnachie in the letter +(really written by the Inspector) which Farquharson had received on the +subject. + +The old schoolmaster was easily duped by this trick, and on an +appointed day the two set off. The first obstacle arose at the +station, when Farquharson had taken the tickets, for which the "friend" +had provided the necessary money. + +"I should like to have my own ticket," the older man remarked with an +air of dignity. "I'm not a bairn to be likely to lose it." + +Here was a slight difficulty! Farquharson had taken a single ticket +for the other and a return for himself. It would never do to allow +this to be known. On the other hand, McConnachie must be kept in good +humor or he would give trouble to his guardian, who began now to see +the weak points in the plot. So trusting to the certainty of being +able to get back the remaining half-ticket when the old man was safely +lodged in the Asylum, he retained the single ticket and gave +McConnachie the other. + +They reached the end of their railway journey successfully, and +Farquharson managed to explain their destination to a porter privately, +and asked him to get a cab for them. The man was either stupid or was +disappointed at receiving an insignificant tip, since Farquharson was +not one to waste money unnecessarily; for he gave the direction +"Asylum" to the driver in a voice that McConnachie must have been deaf +not to have heard distinctly. Farquharson glanced at once at his +companion, but the old man's face was expressionless, and he persuaded +himself, almost against his will, that McConnachie was too much taken +up with the novelty of the situation to catch the words spoken. The +eagerness with which the old man took notice of every feature of their +progress tended to confirm the idea, and by the time the Asylum was +reached Farquharson felt more at ease. + +"The grounds are well kept," remarked McConnachie as they proceeded up +the short avenue. + +"Aye, aye, they are that!" was the other's ready answer. + +"It seems a big building!" said the old man, as they drove up to the +entrance. + +"Far bigger than I expected," said Farquharson. + +The cabby rang the bell, and the door was opened by a man-servant, who +came down the steps and opened the carriage door. Farquharson got out +first and incautiously walked up the steps toward the door of the +building. With a madman's cunning, McConnachie whispered to the +servant: + +"That's the gentleman I was to bring. He's gone in, so I need not +wait. Tell the man to drive back." + +And the agonized Farquharson beheld his charge rapidly driving away and +leaving him behind alone. + +"Stop! Stop!" he cried in an angry voice. "That's the man I was +bringing here! He's not fit to be left alone. I tell you he's the +daft man! I'm only a friend!" + +"Quite so, sir," said the servant quietly. "It will be all right if +you will step in for a few minutes. We can easily explain to the +Governor." + +Two other attendants had appeared on the scene by this time, and the +gentle pressure of the servant's hand on his arm induced the hapless +Farquharson to ascend the steps once more and enter the hall. + +He repeated his explanation to the other men, who treated it in the +same quiet way as the first had done. Then it began to dawn upon him +that they really took him for the madman and McConnachie for his sane +companion. + +It was a natural mistake as far as they were concerned; for it was +quite a common thing for patients to suppose every one else to be +mentally afflicted except themselves. Moreover, McConnachie had a more +cultured manner than Farquharson at any time, and when the latter +showed so much excitement on account of the trick which had been played +upon him, he did not appear to advantage. He was so intensely angry +and so apprehensive of the consequences of the disaster that he was +scarcely coherent, and this justified the attendants in their view of +the situation. + +The Governor had already been prejudiced against him, when Farquharson +at last obtained an interview with him, and took the same view as the +others. The fact of his having given the return ticket to McConnachie +made it difficult to explain that the other had no right to it; the +faint glimmer of a smile on the face of the attendant while he was +attempting to clear up that point filled poor Farquharson with dismay +and rendered him still more nervous and excited. + +So the poor schoolmaster was detained in the Asylum and old McConnachie +returned home in state. All was put right in a day or two, for the +Inspector was informed of the turn affairs had taken, and lost no time +in releasing Farquharson. The unfortunate man did not dare to return +to the district for some time. When he at last ventured to appear, +McConnachie had long left the place and was dead and almost forgotten, +and neighbors were too glad to welcome Farquharson back among them to +remind him of his humiliation. + +"Things is gey different now, sir," was Willy's summing-up on the +subject of education. "The bairns get mair teechin' noo, and less o' +the beltin', an' I'm no sure but they learn a' the better for it!" + + + + +VI + +BILDY + + + "'Tis not the whole of life to live; + Nor all of death to die." + (_Montgomery--"Issues of Life and Death"_) + + +Old Widow Lamont and her spinster daughter, Robina, lived in a bit of a +house on the edge of the pine wood that sheltered our presbytery from +the east winds; they were consequently our nearest neighbors with the +exception of Willy and Bell. They possessed a cow and a few hens, and +Robina, who was a sturdy woman of forty, did the work of their small +croft with occasional help from one of the males of the community. For +in Ardmuirland, be it known, one neighbor helps another in return for +the like service when required; thus Robina would lend a hand at +hay-time, harvest, potato planting, and the rest, and would be entitled +to a few days' plowing and harrowing on her own land in compensation. + +The Lamonts, though not exceedingly poor, could not be called +well-to-do. The absence of a resident man in a small croft must be of +necessity a difficulty; but they were upright, hard-working women, and +managed to maintain themselves in a simple, frugal way. Oatmeal and +potatoes were grown on the croft; bread could be obtained from the +passing baker's cart in exchange for eggs; butter, and sometimes milk, +could be sold to neighbors; the widow's knitted stockings fetched a +fair price with the hosier in the county town; in these various ways +they made ends meet. + +Old-age pensions were then unheard of, and the Lamonts would have +thought themselves insulted had any one suggested parish relief for the +old woman; although her helpless condition would have justified it, for +she never moved from her corner by the fire, to which she was carried +from her bed in the morning to be borne back to bed at night. An +accident which had befallen her when in the prime of life had rendered +her a cripple without power to move her lower limbs. + +Like many of their class, the Lamonts were full of an honest pride, and +although they may have possibly felt the pinch of poverty now and +again, they would have scorned to acknowledge it. By the exercise of +diplomacy Penny has often managed to help them in little ways from time +to time; she will visit the old woman to inquire after her health, and +take with her in a neighborly way some little delicacy in the shape of +soup or pudding. At one time she tried to furnish her with some orders +for stockings, but it turned out that the Lamonts considered it next +door to heresy to take payment from the priest's house, and Penny's +charitable attempts were frustrated. She found it better to "borrow" a +few eggs occasionally (even though she was not in great need of them), +and to more than pay their value in little presents--an acknowledgment +of the kindness of the lenders. + +"The very thing for the Lamonts!" exclaimed Val at breakfast one +morning. He had been reading his letters, just delivered, and I was +glancing through that day's paper. I looked up in token of interest. + +"I have an application from the Inspector of the Poor," he continued, +"for a quiet, reliable family, who would be willing to take charge, for +payment, of a poor daft fellow. He is about thirty, and has been in +this state since he was eighteen, when he had a bad fever. He is +perfectly tractable, quite inoffensive, and thoroughly good-tempered. +The only reason for moving him from his present home is that it is in a +village, and the children tease and annoy him. I fancy the Lamonts +would jump at the opportunity." + +I quite agreed with him. To my mind, Robina Lamont was a match for a +far more dangerous character. She would be equal in strength to many +an able-bodied man. But I felt doubtful whether the arrangement would +be satisfactory as regarded the old widow. She was so helpless that +unless the man was actually as harmless as was supposed it might he +risky to place him in such a house. I voiced my objection, but Val was +not impressed by it. He had great confidence in the judgment of the +Inspector--a thoroughly able man, and shrewd withal. + +When the question was proposed to the Lamonts they at once warmed to +the idea. It appeared that one of the lads of their own family--now +long dead--had been in much the same state, though _he_ was inclined to +be unruly at times; consequently neither the widow nor her daughter +felt the least apprehension of difficulties in managing their patient. +Thus it came about that Bildy Gow became a member of our community. + +In Scotland we have many more diminutive forms of ordinary Christian +names than is the case in England. William, for example, figures as +Willy, Wildy, Will, Bill, Billy, and Bildy. The variety is useful in +cases, which are of frequent occurrence, where the same name belongs to +grandfather, father, and son; William, Wildy, and Bill are perfectly +distinct. It was as Bildy that William Gow became known among us; +before long every one dropped the unnecessary surname and he was spoken +of habitually as Bildy simply. + +Robina brought her lodger to Mass with her in state on the very first +Sunday. He was rather a good-looking fellow, tall and straight, with +fresh complexion, regular features and light-brown hair and moustache. +He was neatly dressed, too, for he had evidently been fitted out for +his new home by the liberality of the Inspector. Beyond a shy, vacant +expression, Bildy gave no evidence of mental incapacity in his +appearance. He kept close to Robina when they emerged from church, and +seemed to rely upon her protection with the air of a shy lad, which was +rather pathetic to witness. He was not a Catholic, but he had shown +such distress when Robina had told him to sit at home with her mother +that they were forced to let him go to church to keep him quiet. + +On further acquaintance, Bildy did not belie the good character given +him by the Inspector. He was merely a grown-up child. In his youth he +must have been of a thoroughly quiet, innocent nature, for he showed it +in his aspect still; his character had never developed beyond that +innocent adolescence, while his mind had retrograded to a state +resembling early childhood. If one spoke to him on the road he at once +assumed the air of an exceedingly shy bairn--frightened and +embarrassed. It would have been amusing were it not so sad. I could +never extract a word from him on such occasions, so overawed was he! + +From the first, while looking upon Robina as the supreme authority to +which he owed implicit obedience, Bildy seemed to give all his +affection to the old widow. He liked nothing better than to sit +opposite her by the fireside, watching the tireless swiftness of her +knitting needles as they flashed in the firelight. When summoned by +Robina for any duty, he would promptly comply, returning as soon as +free to his favorite attraction. + +I was passing by the Lamonts' house one afternoon, and as Robina was +working in her garden I stopped for a chat. After asking after her +mother and things in general, the conversation turned on Bildy. Robina +praised him highly. + +"He's as biddable as a bairn," she declared. "He carries a' the water +for us frae the spring, an' takes oot the coo, an' fetches her hame as +weel as I could masel'. He's nae tribble to us whateever!" + +She then launched into details concerning Bildy which were very +entertaining, and gave much amusement to Val over our dinner. It +appeared that the poor fellow had formed a most reverential opinion of +the priest on his first visit to our church for Mass. On his return +home he sat by the fire smiling delightedly and murmuring to himself. +They did not catch what he said, but after repeated questioning Robina +found that he was quite pleased with the "chapel." + +"An' yon mon!" he exclaimed. "Isna' he dressed fine? Wha's yon mon +wi' the fine dress?" + +"Yen's the priest," explained Robina. "Father Fleming, he's callit." + +"Father Fleming! Father Fleming!" repeated Bildy over and over again, +as though to familiarize himself with the sound of it. + +"Aye, aye! He's the boy! He can gab, canna' he? He's the boy to tell +us what to dee!" he continued in his broad Scots. + +"It's extraordinary how well he behaves at Mass--or at any rate during +the sermon," said Val when he heard the story. "I wish some others +were as good!" + +That reminded me of another anecdote. After one or two Sundays, Bildy +had got familiar with the church, and was inclined to gaze about more +than Robina approved of. She therefore took it upon herself to +instruct him upon the sacred character of the place, and to threaten to +keep him at home if he did not behave better. + +"Remember, Bildy," she said as they started next Sunday, "it's the +hoose o' God ye're goin' tee. Ye musna' glower aboot! Juist sit ye +still an' look straicht at Father Fleming a' the time." + +After that his manner was irreproachable. But one Sunday, as Penny was +leaving the church after Mass, she caught sight of Bildy furiously +shaking his fist--at her, she thought! So she mentioned the fact +quietly to Robina, who promised to investigate the matter. It turned +out that poor Bildy had so thoroughly assimilated her instructions as +to the requisite behavior in church that he had been silently reproving +what he thought irreverence. He had seen a crofter whom he knew very +well dozing during the sermon, and had "wagged his fist" at +him--righteously indignant. + +"Sleepin' i' the hoose o' God!" cried Bildy. "Yon's nae the place to +sleep in! I waggit my fist, an' I sair fleggit him!" + +Bildy evidently congratulated himself on having so successfully "sore +frighted" the delinquent that he would never dare to behave so badly +again. + +Bildy's respect for Val never waned. He never caught sight of the +priest, even at some little distance, but his hand flew up to his cap +in salutation, and remained there until Val had seen him and had +returned his salute. This would happen if he saw Val at a window of +our house just the same as when outside. + +Penny took quite a motherly interest in the poor afflicted fellow. +Whenever he came on any errand from the Lamonts he was always given a +piece of cake or fruit--anything sweet, for he had a child's taste. +But although Bildy was supremely delighted, he seldom said more than +"thank you, Ma'am!" I once suggested that she should refer to Val, and +the experiment was successful in opening Bildy's mouth. After that the +conversation would almost invariably run thus: + +"Did you see Father Fleming on Sunday, Bildy?" + +"Aye, aye! He's the boy! Father Fleming's the boy!" + +Next to the old widow, Bildy loved the cow. She was his particular +charge, and he was soon on intimate terms with her. Not only did he +carry on familiar conversations with her, on his part, but it appeared +that the cow made him her confidant in return. If he began to murmur +something to himself as he sat by the chimney corner, they would +inquire what he was talking about. It was generally arrant nonsense +that he told them. Once Robina asked: + +"Wha tellit ye that rubbish, Bildy?" + +"The coo," he gravely answered. + +On a damp, misty morning he had gone out as usual to drive the cow out +to the meadow to graze. Widow Lamont, from her place opposite the +window, noticed that they did not pass out in the customary way, and +notified the fact to Robina. The latter accordingly ran out at once to +inquire the reason of the delay. She found Bildy quietly fastening the +door of the byre before returning to the house. + +"Ye havna' fetched oot the coo!" she exclaimed. "Gae in an' drive her +oot, Bildy!" + +"Na, na," replied he, solemnly shaking his head. "She says it's ower +cauld the day. She'll bide inside." + +Bildy's hero-worship of my brother increased as time went by. He +regularly came to Mass, and obedient to Robina's instructions sat still +and looked "straicht at Father Fleming." On one particular Sunday, +when we had a priest staying with us (an old friend of Val's), the +latter invited him to preach. This did not suit Bildy at all. After +Mass he walked home alone, not waiting for Robina, who was chatting +with her neighbors outside the church, and showed by his manner that +something was amiss. Widow Lamont put down her book, in which she had +been piously reading her "Prayers for Mass," and accosted him with the +usual formula: + +"Weel, Bildy, what kind o' preachin' had ye the day?" + +But the answer was not that which they took a simple pleasure in +drawing from him usually. Bildy began to bite his hand--a trick he had +when annoyed. + +"That's nae preachin'," he cried indignantly. "Yon monnie canna' +preach! Wha's the reason Father Fleming canna' preach the day? Eh!" +(with withering contempt.) "Sic a monnie preach!" + +The diminutive, in Bildy's phraseology, implied depreciation; that was +why he stigmatized a regular six-footer as a "monnie." + +When Doddy came to Ardmuirland, Bildy discovered his real vocation! +Doddy--or, in English, Georgie--was the orphan child of Robina's +sister. His father had married a second wife and had gone out to +Canada, and Widow Lamont had insisted upon having the little chap with +her; for his father and step-mother were both Protestants, and Doddy +stood little chance of being reared in the faith of his baptism. So +the man agreed, and undertook to pay a trifle weekly for the child's +keep, until he could earn something for himself. + +Doddy was almost a baby--not more than four, and quite small of his +age; but he soon discovered that he had a slave at his beck and call in +the spellbound Bildy. The man seemed to worship the little fellow. +Whenever Bildy was free from his ordinary occupations he was playing +with Doddy, as though they were both children--with this difference: +Doddy was always the tyrant, and Bildy the submissive subject. + +It was a proof of the man's absolute harmlessness that he never so much +as touched any one who angered him. Sometimes other children, +attracted by Doddy, would come to join in the games, and often drove +poor Bildy away. He would slink off, the picture of misery, and make +his way home, biting his hand--his only sign of displeasure. + +When Doddy was five, and had to attend school, Bildy would watch with +the utmost patience the road by which the child had to return, until he +caught sight of the tiny figure in the distance; then he would run to +meet Doddy with every demonstration of joy, pick him up, set him on his +shoulder, and amble off up the hill to the cottage. + +Bildy had been about six years in Ardmuirland, and had become a +favorite with every one. The poor fellow was so unfeignedly pleased to +receive any little notice from any one that all accosted him kindly, +and no one in the district would have dreamed of causing him +unhappiness. Doddy had grown into a sharp little lad of seven, and was +no longer so dependent upon Bildy for companionship. Yet Bildy did not +relinquish altogether his post of guardian, but kept a wary eye upon +the movements of his little master, ready at all times to do his +bidding. + +Winter set in that year unusually early. At the beginning of December +earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost. Nothing +could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland +were in their element. There was a small, shallow pond close by the +schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their +hearts' content. But children are changeful. When the frost had +lasted more than two whole weeks, the little pond was not exciting +enough. There was a mountain lake about a mile farther on, a much +larger piece of water. Thither the more adventurous spirits determined +to go one holiday afternoon. Doddy, who was precocious for his years, +made up his mind to go too, proud in being the companion of much bigger +boys. Unluckily, none of the parents of the boys had any idea of the +proposed adventure; had they known, the project would have been sternly +prohibited. It is possible that the young adventurers knew this and +kept the matter quiet. + +But Doddy's faithful guardian had watched the boy steal off, to be met +by five or six others, and followed them at a distance. He did not +venture to join the party openly, fearing to be driven off +ignominiously, as he often had been before on other occasions. By the +time he reached them they had been some half-hour at the lake, and had +most of them ventured cautiously to try the bearing power of the ice. +The long frost had made this quite safe in most parts; but, unluckily, +the lads were not aware that there were other portions where rising +springs prevented the water from freezing much, if at all. As long as +they kept near to the place upon which they had first set foot all was +well; but security made them venturesome. They started a game of +shinty, and threw themselves into the sport with fervor. + +Bildy, partly hidden behind the bushes which skirted the water, watched +the game with interest, his eyes on his beloved Doddy. Suddenly, while +he looked on, Doddy disappeared, and a shout of terror arose from the +other boys, who were too full of fear to do much toward helping the +unfortunate child, though one or two slid down prostrate and tried to +crawl to the hole into which Doddy had fallen, in order to help him out +with their sticks. + +It remained for Bildy to come to their assistance. With a frightened +cry the man rushed over the ice to the spot, and regardless of the +cautions which the others shrilled at him, plunged into the water. +Doddy had fallen in where there was only very thin ice around the edge +of an open sheet of water. Luckily, it was shallow for a man, though +it covered the child. Bildy managed to seize the boy and rose up +gasping from the pool, holding Doddy aloft. He seated the frightened +child on his shoulder, and was able to keep half his own body out of +the water. Thus they remained till help came in the shape of one or +two farm-servants, who had been summoned by the screams of the boys. + +It was not a difficult matter to get the two out of the water safely; +indeed, any one more sensible than poor Bildy could have lifted the +child onto thicker ice, after wading some paces in the water. Both +were shivering with cold and drenched with water, which froze on their +clothes during their hurried progress home to bed. + +The after-effects were not serious, as far as Doddy was concerned. He +got a severe cold, but nothing worse--not taking into account the +castigation administered with a good-will by his "auntie." With poor +Bildy it was different. He had been in the ice-cold water far longer +than the boy, and a serious attack of pneumonia was the result. The +poor fellow had probably little stamina. He did not rally, even when +the climax seemed to have been successfully passed, but grew weaker +every day. + +"Robina Lamont wants me to go to that poor fellow," Val said one day. +"She wants me to do what I can for him, as the doctor gives no hope of +recovery. I can baptize him conditionally, of course, and I am +starting now. Would you like to come, Ted?" + +I was most anxious to accompany him, and we set out at once for the +Lamonts' cottage. + +Bildy looked frightfully wasted; his face was the color of parchment, +and his brown eyes looked enormously large and startlingly bright. But +what touched me more than his emaciated appearance was the wonderful +expression of emotion which shone from those large eyes as we appeared +at the bedside; they looked at Val with the yearning affection that one +sees sometimes in a faithful dog. The poor fellow put out his white, +wasted hand to Val with evident delight. + +"Bildy's been wearyin' for ye, Father," said Robina. "He's often cried +out for Father Fleming." + +The dying man's eyes were proof that she spoke truly. + +The short ceremony was soon over, and after some prayers for the sick +man we took our leave. For the few days that he lingered after that, +the visit of the priest--twice every day and sometimes oftener--was the +culminating point of satisfaction for poor Bildy. + +I was there with Val when the end came. Bildy passed away quite +peacefully while we joined in the prayers for the dying; a calm smile +was on his face, and some vision of delight before his wide-open eyes, +which it is not for mortals to attempt to fathom. + +"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Val, as we took our way home; "life has held +little of happiness for him. Indeed, one can hardly call it life in +the full sense of the word; it was mere existence, as far as we can +see." + +"Let's hope that life has begun for him at last," I said reverently. + +"I have little doubt of that," replied the priest. + + + + +VII + +SMUGGLERS + + + "My enemy's dog, + Though he had bit me, should have stood that night + Against my fire." + (_"King Lear"--Act IV, Sc. 7._) + + +"Aebody kent Davie Forbes wes tarrible at the smugglin'," said Willy. + +We had been discussing the _pros_ and _cons_ of illicit +distilling--known inland as "smuggling"--and I found that Willy agreed +with the general opinion of the district that the only harm in it was +the penalty due "'gin ye get foond oot by the gauger." He assured me +that in his young days the practice was widespread. This had brought +us to Davie Forbes and his persistence in escaping government dues, and +led on to the narrative which I here set down in intelligible English. + +Davie was a fine, hearty specimen of a Scottish crofter, whose +appearance did not tally with his acknowledged seventy-nine years; for +his handsome, ruddy face, framed by white whiskers, and crowned with +abundant, curly white locks, showed scarcely a wrinkle. He was +stalwart and straight, too, as many a man twenty years his junior would +dearly love to be. + +Davie's wife had been dead many years at the date of this story; his +only daughter, Maggie Jean, was housekeeper for him and her two +unmarried brothers, Jock and Peter. Like many of his fellows who might +have to support a widowed mother or other helpless relatives, he had +not married until rather late in life. Consequently, Maggie Jean, the +youngest of the family, was a strapping lass of thirty, and Jock, the +eldest, a "lad" of thirty-six; for an unmarried man in our +neighborhood, be it known, is a lad till he becomes decrepit! + +The family residence of the Forbes stood about half-way up Ben +Sgurrach, the highest hill in the district, and the house was at least +1,000 feet above the sea. It was sheltered from the east wind by a +clump of scarecrow-looking pine trees, and a spur of barren rock rose +behind it on the north. I could imagine those trees, though I have +never seen them; we have some such in our little wood behind the +presbytery. Gaunt-looking figures they are indeed! Some have been +twisted into uncouth shapes by adverse winds; others stand draped in +veritable garments of gray lichen--weird and shaggy. The latter, seen +in the dusk, are calculated to terrify a chance comer who might find +himself in their neighborhood; for he would probably mistake them for +goblins. + +A copious spring of excellent water and several convenient crevices in +the surrounding rocks made Davie's place an excellent site for a still. +His son Jock was occupied with odd jobs provided for him as handy man +at a shooting lodge not far from the foot of the hill, where he tended +the garden and looked after the pony at ordinary times, and acted as +gillie when the shooting season came round. Peter did most of the work +on the croft, lower down the hill; for David himself was getting past +arduous labors, though he directed the distilling, in which Peter, and +occasionally Jock, did the greater part of the work. Much of the +barley for the still grew on their own land, where also they raised +corn for their own oatmeal and for Maggie Jean's chickens, as well as +turnips for her "coo." The customers for whiskey were many; for owing +to its innocence of government duty it was cheaper than could be got +from a merchant, while for quality it was renowned. Davie was a past +master in the art of distilling, and the secluded nature of his +storehouses enabled him to keep it until its rawness had worn off with +age. + +Many a tale was told of Davie's adventures in his contraband trade. In +days when he was young and strong revenue officers would scour the +hills with a small band of soldiers in their company, the better to +over-awe the country folk. On one such occasion Davie had the +misfortune to be apprehended in his house, when off his guard; for he +was well known to the preventive men of the district, who had long been +seeking to trap him. They had tracked him from his still, which they +then took charge of, and surrounded his house to prevent escape. But +Davie was too wary for them in the end. He feigned submission, and got +his old mother to bring out refreshments for the party within the +house, and went himself to the door with glasses and whiskey for the +two soldiers on guard there. But they never tasted their dram; Davie +was the renowned wrestler of the neighborhood, and in a second or two +he had tripped up both men and had made off for some secret +hiding-place in the hills before the party inside, aroused by the cries +of the sentinels, were able to understand what had happened. Both the +unfortunate soldiers had been so badly bruised by their fall on the +flagstones near the doorway that they were unable to rise without help. + +At another time he was still more successful. The revenue officers and +their escort surprised his house at midnight, and demanded admission in +the King's name. Old Jeandy, his mother, who was then alive, made as +much difficulty as possible in getting the door open in order to give +Davie time to conceal himself. But he did better than hide in the +house. Springing out of bed, he actually broke a hole through the +"divets" or turfs of the thatch, and creeping through it, climbed down +outside, just as his adversaries, certain of capturing their prize, +were mounting the ladder which led to his bed-chamber. When the +exciseman saw the empty bed he cried with an angry oath: + +"Here's the nest--still warm; but the bird's awa'!" The "bird" had +flown to a more hidden place of retirement under cover of the darkness! + +In later years Davie was not much molested by the representatives of +the excise. A gauger was indeed stationed in a town ten miles distant, +but he was elderly, and not over energetic. He would make a formal +visit now and again to suspected districts, and content himself with a +few casual inquiries. As a matter of fact, he was personally quite +inadequate to the task of searching for illicit stills in a district of +such abundant hidden recesses. + +But there was a change of front when the old officer retired and a +young and energetic man succeeded him. A "new broom" is eulogized in +proverb; and Mr. Michael Bonar, being new to his district, and a man of +youth and determination, boasted that he meant to sweep away the taint +of smuggling from the neighborhood of Ardmuirland, which bore a bad +name in that respect. + +The boast of the incautious gauger was repeated far and wide, and a +strong spirit of opposition was aroused. Many a wary practitioner +began to devise cunning means of concealment, and to invent traps to +catch their adversary and turn him into ridicule. Davie Forbes was not +behindhand in making remote preparations for the ganger's certain visit +to him. But it was then mid-winter, and if Bonar was the canny man +that he was said to be, there would be little fear of any attempted +search for Davie's implements and stores before spring had set in. So +the Forbes family congratulated themselves upon the security of their +airy nest, and would smile grimly when the name of Bonar was mentioned. + +The gauger was, it is true, canny, but his youth made him perhaps a +trifle too venturesome. He was not unused to climbing, and had scaled +many a mountain more imposing than Ben Sguarrach; but it was not in +winter; forgetfulness of that trifling circumstance led to his +discomfiture. Ben Sguarrach was indeed no pleasant place in wintry +weather. Its open spaces were swept by icy blasts; snow often drifted +to unparalleled depths, and made the ascent dangerous to those who were +not familiar with the mountain in its more peaceful aspects. + +To Bonar's ardent mind the season of the year seemed likely to assist +rather than hinder him. Days were short; nights were dark (if the moon +should happen to be unpropitious), but they were long. No work was +possible at such a time in a mountain distillery, and stores could not +be shifted so readily as in summer time. So he determined to bide his +opportunity and make a secret visit to Davie Forbes' dwelling, just to +reconnoiter. He would thus be enabled to form his plan of campaign for +a more bold attack. + +Unfortunately, the gauger did not thoroughly know the people he had to +deal with or he would have made allowance for their clannish devotion +to each other's interests. Every one recognized him as a public enemy, +and however politely he might be treated public sympathy was on the +side of his opponents. He might flatter himself that he was keeping +his intentions and movements absolutely secret, yet it was impossible +not to take some one or other into his confidence; thus it came about +that tidings of his intended visit flew to Davie at least a week before +his attempt. + +In consequence of this fact, all incriminating evidence was carefully +concealed by the old man and his sons, and it would have taken a +sharper man than Bonar--intelligent as he was--to discover any traces +of illicit distilling in the neighborhood of their house. There was +one suspicious feature only; a large eighteen-gallon barrel, full of +something--whatever the liquid might be--was barely covered by +peat-turfs heaped over it under the shelter of the end wall of the +byre. But it had not been overlooked; arrangements had been made in +its regard, should circumstances demand its more thorough concealment, +otherwise it must not be disturbed. For--if the truth must be +told--that particular cask contained the store of whiskey which Davie +had been carefully preserving for his last act of hospitality; it was +for the entertainment of those who would attend his funeral. Who, +indeed, was able to provide refreshment for the crowd of mourners who +would surely assemble on such an occasion, if not Davie, whose +"whuskey" was renowned in the whole countryside? + +Bonar had the good sense to keep from every one the actual date of his +intended visit, lest tidings should reach the Forbes. He fixed upon a +night when there would be an early rising moon to light him. On the +morning of the day he made all his preparations very carefully. In +view of an absence of some hours, he provided himself with a good +packet of sandwiches and a flask of spirits. He then set out for +Fouranbuie Inn, a dreary hostel about four miles distant from the foot +of the mountain. There he made a substantial meal, and about four in +the afternoon started on his quest. He had resolved to ride off from +the inn on his bicycle, ostensibly toward a village farther on; then to +dismount at the foot of Ben Sgurrach, and, hiding his machine in some +bushes, to start the climb as dusk fell. Jock, as he had found out, +was accustomed to approach from another direction when returning from +work. + +The January day was already closing when Bonar began the ascent. The +climb was decidedly pleasant; the wintry air, the excitement coming +from the spirit of adventure, the vigorous exercise--all tended to +raise the young man's ardor, and he trod the upward path with the +steady, swinging pace of a Highlander. + +The moon had scarcely risen when clouds began to drift across the sky, +and the wind became more boisterous. The darkness increased, and soon +it became almost impossible to discern the path. Then cold, soft +particles brushed his cheek, and he realized that snow was beginning to +fall. In a snowstorm he had no better prospect of finding his way to +his bicycle down below than up to Davie Forbes' house. So he kept +mechanically groping his way upward, although the storm had commenced +in earnest now. + +There was less difficulty in progressing while the pretty well-defined +pathway could be kept to; but the falling snow began to obliterate its +traces. His entire surroundings soon became shut out from the man's +vision. He moved on resolutely, although his face smarted and his eyes +were blinded by the steadily descending snow, which surrounded him on +all sides like a moving curtain of grayish white. He owned to himself +that it was impossible to proceed, but what was he to do? To return +was just as impossible! + +Fortune at last favored him. Staggering through the wind and snow of +the ever-increasing storm, he ran unexpectedly upon a lofty wall of +rock looking to him like a high cliff. He had evidently lost the path, +for here was an insurmountable obstacle. Clinging to the rough +surface, he cautiously felt his way along the rock for some yards. He +was still ascending, but the ground was rough and piled with small +stones, which had crumbled off from the main wall and lay in heaps +beneath it. He knew enough about Scottish mountains to expect to find +an opening in the wall large enough to enable him to creep into some +kind of shelter; he was not disappointed, for soon he came upon a +crevice--not deep enough to be called a cave, but affording some +temporary relief from the storm, which had by this time assumed a +furious aspect. + +The retreat happened to be under the lee of the rock, so that although +it had little depth, he was protected from the violence of the storm; +the relief was great after the fatiguing struggle he had been +undergoing. He managed to strike a match and look at his watch; it was +only six o'clock. Had he to pass the night in that chill and dreary +region? + +Gruesome anecdotes rushed tormentingly to memory. It was but last +winter that he had read of the finding of a man's body, stark and cold, +not fifty yards from his own threshold; he had fallen helpless, faint +from incessant struggling through the snow-drifts and too weak to make +his cries for help heard above the rushing of the wind and the swish of +the snow on the window behind which his terrified wife was anxiously +awaiting his coming. + +And what of Bonar himself? He might at that instant be miles away from +any human habitation; it might be days before a human being chanced to +pass that way! Would his body confront some wandering shepherd or some +sportsman months hence, when the snows had gone, and, perhaps--horrible +thought, yet possible to be realized!--after carrion birds had made +their onslaught on the foul thing it had become? + +Be sure he called himself every kind of idiot for venturing on such a +fool's errand at such a time. But that did not warm his shivering +limbs or infuse patience into his almost despairing heart. The cold +was intense. He was obliged at last to move away from his +shelter--such as it was--and in spite of the thick snow beneath his +feet, and the hurrying flakes still noiselessly but relentlessly +falling, to trample some kind of pathway in which he might pace +backwards and forwards to keep the blood circulating in his veins. + +It was not quite dark, but the gray curtain of falling snow shut out +everything from his vision; no sound could be heard but the rush of the +wind over the slopes, and an occasional wail nearer at hand, as it +swished round a corner of the rocks behind him. He dare not attempt to +climb higher, nor dare he descend. What unexplored expanses of +moorland might lie beyond, to lure him farther away from the chance of +shelter or rescue? What hidden pitfalls might not lurk below, to trap +his inexperienced feet and hurl him to his death? + +Warmed by his exercise, he crept back into his recess to await the +possibility of some cessation of the storm. Busied with anxious +thoughts, he failed to notice the gradual lessening of the snow-flakes +and the lull in the wind beyond the rocks. It was only when the moon +shone out clearly once more that he perceived that the storm was over. + +Courage returned at once. He left his shelter and tried to find the +direction of the upward path. Light had dispelled his fears. It was +better to trust himself to the dangers of the higher level than to risk +a fall into some crevice on the downward way. Before his eyes lay +stretched out a vast snowfield! More dazzlingly white in the moonlight +than before, a thick carpet of snow lessened every inequality of +surface; it softened every hard outline, while it filled up +depressions. Sounding every step as he advanced, he trod slowly +upwards; plowing now and again into drifts waist-deep, staggering over +submerged bowlders and stony heaps whose unexpected existence would +often imperil his balance, he managed to climb considerably higher. +But his progress was necessarily slow. He kept as near as possible to +the rocky ridge which had sheltered him; for on his other hand the +ground sloped downwards in a steep gradient, and the treacherous snow +might well conceal many a deadly peril. + +His strength was becoming exhausted by the severe strain of wading +through the deep drifts when, turning round a corner of the wall of +rock beside him, his eyes were gladdened by a welcome sight. Across +the expanse of snow he could see shining a tiny bright light. It was +no reflection from the moonbeams, for it burned with a reddish glow +amid the dazzling whiteness all around. His courage revived; he was +certainly not far from some habitation--perhaps the very one he sought! +The thought filled him with fresh vigor; his wearied limbs gained new +strength, and he climbed forward with energy and decision. But, alas! +in spite of his efforts, the light seemed to recede; it grew gradually +smaller and less bright until he lost sight of it altogether. + +The man's powers of endurance were well-nigh spent. His food had been +eaten long before while he lay in shelter; his flask--more carefully +husbanded--was now empty. He almost gave up striving. Why not give +way to the almost uncontrollable desire to lie down and rest in the +snow? He could hold out no longer! + +It was at that critical moment that through the intense stillness of +the mountain solitudes he heard the bark of a dog! Once more he picked +up courage. Staggering on a few steps further, he saw from behind an +intervening rock, which had concealed it till then, the light from a +window not far ahead! + +All interest in his errand had departed long before. What did he care +if the mountain were full of illicit stills? The only desire that +possessed him now was that roused by the human instinct in every man in +peril of his life--the desire to escape from danger. Oh, for +sufficient strength to creep onwards! If he could but hold out a +little, shelter and warmth, and--above all--safety would be his! So +once again, wearily, painfully, and slowly, he plowed his way through +the drifts toward the beacon that shone ahead. + + * * * * * * + +Within the modest dwelling to which Davie Forbes was wont to refer as +his "hoosachie" (little house), on snow-clad Ben Sguarrach, the +living-room looked cosy enough on that wild evening. By the two +windows--one at the gable-end of the house, the other near the door--no +icy draught could enter, for both apertures were hermetically sealed! +All the ventilation deemed necessary during the daytime came through +the usually open door, by which Maggie Jean was continually passing in +and out, bent on domestic duties. (Like other Scottish housewives, she +carried out much of her rougher and dirtier housework in the open.) At +night, when work was over, the bright lamp and fire of glowing peat and +blazing logs kept the house warm and snug; the pungent "reek" from the +peat, too, acted as a healthy disinfectant. + +Everything was scrupulously clean. The flagged floor, the deal table, +the dresser, with its shelves filled with crockery--all spoke of +frequent and thorough scrubbing. The high mantel-shelf bore brass +candlesticks--more for ornament than use--which had been polished till +they shone like gold. The very walls had been so often subjected to +Maggie Jean's whitewashing brush that they were spotless. + +Under the overhanging ingle-nook, in which a ham or two were hanging +overhead, sat Davie in his own special corner and his own special +chair, calmly smoking; opposite sat Jock, a black-bearded man of sturdy +build, who was also smoking. Both were listening to Maggie Jean, who, +seated near her father, was reading in a monotonous voice the choice +extracts from a three-days-old local paper. Now and again, as the snow +beat more forcibly upon the window, or the wind moaned round the corner +of the house, or drove the peat reek in gusts into the room, she would +pause and glance anxiously through the uncurtained window near the +door. For Peter had gone down to the croft to bring back a bag of +turnips for her "coo" during this unforeseen spell of fierce weather. +The storm had come on suddenly, and provender was low; so Peter had +volunteered his services in his characteristically shy way (which a +southron, perhaps, would have taken for an indication of surliness), +and his sister, in equally characteristic Scottish fashion, had +accepted the offer with the air of one who had a right to it. Yet all +the while (I am sure, for I know the type well!) Peter was full of +tender compassion for the poor beast, and Maggie Jean's heart +overflowed with solicitude for her brother's safe return. + +"Eh! But it's a fearfu' nicht, and nae mistak'!" old Davie would +exclaim, as the storm made itself felt more than usual. + +"Aye, aye, it is thot," was Jock's imperturbable reply. + +And Maggie Jean, with an anxious sigh, would resume her slow chant, +punctuated by occasional glances outside. + +But a dash at the door from without, and Don's joyful barking, told of +the return of the dog and his master. Snow-clad Peter, with his +lantern, looking like some rustic Santa Claus--all white from head to +foot--made his appearance, and with much stamping and shaking off of +the snow from his garments, divested himself of his wraps, and joined +the family circle, pushing his way past Jock to the corner nearest the +fire, his dog following at his heels. + +"Eh! But it's bin gey stormy!" he said as he filled his pipe. + +"Nae doot o' thot!" hazarded Jock, solemnly sucking away at his. + +"The sna's gey deep, I doot," remarked Davie interrogatively. + +"Some o' the reefs is fower foot an' mair," answered Peter +nonchalantly, between puffs of smoke. + +The announcement caused no visible surprise. Maggie Jean made a +diversion. + +"It's fair noo," she said, glancing through the window, "and there's a +bonny moon!" + +"Aye," responded Peter. "There's bin nae sna' this guid while." + +The party had settled down to silent contemplation of the cheery fire, +the men enjoying their pipes, Maggie Jean busy with her knitting. No +sound disturbed the peaceful calm except the regular faint click of the +rapidly moving knitting-pins. + +Suddenly there was a loud noise at the door. It was not so much a +knock as the fall of some heavy body against it. Don's startled bark +roused all from their seats, and Peter made for the door at once, +having first quieted the dog by the forcible argument of a +well-directed kick. "It's a mon," he cried in surprise as he opened +the door, "faint wi' the cauld!" And at once strong arms lifted the +prostrate form out of the snow and bore it to the warm hearthside. + +It was a man--young and handsome. He was well dressed, and his thick +gloves, gaiters and strong boots, together with his warm clothing, +showed him to be not altogether unprovided against the cold whose +unusual potency had overcome him. He had evidently tramped for some +distance in deep snow, and gave proofs of more than one fall into the +drifts. + +The men busied themselves in efforts for his restoration. Maggie Jean +produced whiskey, which they administered in small doses; Jock and +Peter drew off the man's sodden boots and socks, and chafed his hands +and feet in the warmth of the fire. Old Davie stood regarding the +stranger attentively during these proceedings. + +"It's himsel', I doot," he remarked to Jock at last. "D'ye ken him?" + +"Aye, aye," said Jock dispassionately. "I ken him fine. I see him in +the toon last market-day. It's himsel', sure enough!" + +"Eh! Puir body!" exclaimed old Davie. "And mayhe the creetur wes on +his wye t' oor still." + +"Nae doot o' thot," remarked Peter, while Jock wisely nodded assent. + +"No' but what he'd find it gey hard to come up wi't in the sna' and +a'!" added the latter, in a tone of unrestrained congratulation. + +They spoke in half-whispers, and never ceased their charitable +ministrations the while. Not a word passed on the subject again, for +in a few minutes the stranger had gained consciousness. He looked in a +puzzled way from one face to another, not realizing for the moment +where he was. Davie was the first to speak. + +"The storm's bin ower muckle for ye, sir, I'm thinkin'," he said +kindly. "It's weel ye chanced to find y'r wye t' oor wee hoosachie. +It's nae muckle to be prood on; but it's better ner bein' ootside in +siclike weather, I doot!" + +Bonar suddenly became aware of the identity of his hosts. He had no +doubt that this was Davie Forbes, whom he had come to spy upon and +denounce! But he was no coward, and quickly reassured himself that +duty alone had led him. Still, he was indebted to his enemies! + +"I'm greatly obliged to you, indeed," he said with genuine gratitude. +"I probably owe my life to the good luck that led me to your door." + +"Na, na, mon," replied Davie. "Ye've naething to thank us for. But +ye'll need a bit supper!" he added, as Bonar rose to his feet and +seemed about to prepare for departure. (He felt rather unsteady on his +legs, but go he must, as he assured himself resolutely.) + +"Aye, sure!" cried Maggie Jean, seconding her father's hospitable +invitation. And without another word she produced from various hidden +receptacles tablecloth, knives and forks, bread, oatcake, butter, +cheese, and jam, with the rapidity of a conjurer--as the dazed Bonar +thought. Then down came a frying-pan, and she began to cook eggs and +ham over the bright fire. + +It was impossible to resist, and Bonar had no wish to refuse the food +he needed so badly. + +"You're very good, I'm sure!" he faltered out. "I really think it was +hunger alone that made me faint. I've never done such a thing in my +life before!" + +"Ye'd be nane the worse for a wee drappie sperrits afore y'r supper," +said Davie. "Peter, lad, fetch oot a drap frae yon jar beyont!" + +Peter dutifully obeyed, retiring into some back recess and returning +with a small jug of whiskey, from which his father poured out drams for +the guest and himself. + +"Y'r guid health, sir!" he said hospitably, lifting his glass. "May ye +be nane the worse for y'r wettin', the nicht!" + +Bonar would have been less than human to have refused. He quietly +sipped his whiskey, which was excellent. The spirit gave him renewed +strength; the savor of Maggie Jean's cooking whetted his appetite. He +owed it to himself to take ordinary care of his health, he reasoned +interiorly. He would tell them who he was, though, before he left. + +He had indeed been saved from serious disaster, if not from death, by +means of this family. Peter's lantern--which he had not troubled to +extinguish when the moon rendered it no longer necessary--had been +Bonar's first guiding-star. Don's bark had renewed his energy, and the +result was shelter and hospitality. Like a sensible man he accepted +the good fortune which had fallen to him, and ate a hearty meal. + +When it came to the question of starting out again, he found it less +easy than he had anticipated. + +"Ye'll nae think o' leavin' this hoose the nicht!" the old man +declared, when, after his supper and a pipe, Bonar touched on the +subject. + +"It's an impossibeelity for ony mon as disna' ken the hill yon to find +his wye up or doon in siclike weather," Jock added grimly. + +Bonar knew how true was Jock's remark. Nevertheless, he felt very +uncomfortable at the prospect of remaining there for the night, as +Davie had proposed. Did they know who he was? It seemed most +unlikely, with the kindness they had shown him! Yet he could not stay, +he told himself, under false pretences. + +"It's more than kind of you to treat me like this," he said. "I could +never have expected such a friendly welcome to one who is a perfect +stranger to you all." + +"Nae altogither a stranger, whateever," returned Davie--and for a +moment there was ever so slight a suspicion of a twinkle in his kindly +old eyes. "Ye're the new gauger we've haird sae muckle aboot, I'm +thinkin'." + +"Quite so," stammered Bonar, rather shamefacedly, "and--it's really +very good of you to show me so much kindness." + +"Na, na, sir," said the old man warmly. "I should be wantin' in human +feelin' if I wes to turn a dog oot sic a nicht--still mair a +fellow-creetur. Na, na, sir! Juist ye sit still, and Maggie Jean'll +redd up the bed for ye beyont for y'r nicht's rest!" + +So in the smuggler's very house the smuggler's natural enemy was bound +to rest for the night, having been warmed at the smuggler's hearth and +cheered and invigorated by whiskey that had paid no duty! + +It was with changed mien that Bonar trod his downward path next morning +under Peter's guidance. + +Be sure he lost no time in applying for removal to a new sphere of +labor! Let others tackle Davie Forbes and his sons if they wished; as +for himself, he could never so repay the fearless generosity to which +he owed--as he firmly believed--the saving of his life! + + + + +VIII + +PHENOMENA + + + "This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him." + (_"Hamlet" Act I, Sc. 1._) + + +Strolling across the little stableyard one day to have a look at Tim, our +pony, I heard from the open door of the kitchen Penny's voice, raised in +expostulation. + +"_Ghost_, indeed!" And withering scorn was expressed in the very tone of +her ejaculation. "When you're my _h_age you'll have learned to take no +'eed of such nonsense! There's no such a thing; and I'm surprised as a +Catholic girl, born and bred, should be that superstitious! You mustn't +believe such rubbish!" + +I scented entertainment, for Penny dogmatizing on spiritualism was likely +to prove interesting. + +"What's up, Penny?" I inquired with an air of innocence, as she suddenly +emerged from the kitchen, wrathfully brandishing a huge knife--as who +should say, in Hamlet's words: + +"I'll make a ghost of him that lets me!" + +had she not been bent upon the more peaceful, if prosaic, slaughter of a +lettuce for the luncheon salad. + +Penny was just in the mood to give vent to her theological opinions +concerning the possibility of visits from another world, and at once +seized the opportunity of imparting a little wholesome instruction to any +audience obtainable. + +"The nonsense that folks get into their 'eads nowadays, Mr. Edmund--what +with these trashy novels and 'apenny papers--is something past belief! +Not but what Elsie is a good, quiet girl enough, and reg'lar at her +duties every first Sunday in the month; but she's young, and I suppose we +'ave to make allowance for young folk." + +I murmured in token of acquiescence. + +"I let her off for the afternoon yesterday, to take tea with her _h_aunt +from America, and back she comes with a cock-and-bull story of a +_h_apparition her youngest brother Aleck imagined he saw the night before +last." + +"An apparition!" I cried. "That's strange! Where did the boy see it?" + +"He couldn't have seen it, Mr. Edmund, as you must know very well, with +your _h_education and experience. He was running home in the moonlight +and thought he saw some figure in the old mill, which, of course, he says +must have been a ghost." + +"A ghost at the old mill!" I laughed heartily myself at the notion. "It +couldn't have been poor old Archie. It's not like him to terrify his +neighbors in that way." + +"I gave the girl a good talking to," continued Penny. (I did not doubt +it!) "'Read your Penny Catechism,' I said, 'and see how strong it is +against dealing with the Devil by consulting spiritualists, and don't let +me hear another word about it.'" + +It seemed rather hard on poor Elsie, who was, beyond doubt, innocent of +any such forbidden practices. But I refrained from comment, for I wanted +to hear more about the _h_apparition. + +But Penny could not be drawn out. She professed herself so disgusted at +Elsie's "superstition" that I could get no coherent account of what Aleck +was supposed to have seen. So I left her to vent her wrath on the +defenceless vegetables, and determined to seek a more copious source of +information. + +Willy and Bell would be capable of second-hand descriptions only, so I +resolved to approach the fountain-head and interrogate Aleck in person. +I found the youth in the garden of Fanellan farm, evidently just passing +the time by a cursory pruning of berry bushes. He had on his Sunday +suit, and was unusually smartened up for a weekday; for it was but +natural that neighbors might be expected to drop in for information as to +the supernatural manifestations he had experienced, and it was well to be +prepared. He was a fresh-looking, fair-haired lad of eighteen or +thereabouts. I had often noticed him on Sundays among the gathering +under the pine-trees near the church door, but had never spoken to him. + +Aleck had not expected so illustrious a visitor as "the priest's +brother," and, though evidently gratified by my interest, was so +painfully shy that it would have needed an expert barrister to draw out +any satisfactory information from so bashful a witness. Luckily his +mother had espied me from the window, and promptly appeared on the scene, +and by means of her judicious prompting the youth was induced to tell his +tale. + +It appeared that Aleck was out on the night in question at the unusual +hour of twelve. He had been "bidden," as his mother explained, to a +marriage in the neighborhood, and his father had allowed him to accept +the invitation on the condition of his return home by midnight. As is +not unusual in such cases, the attractions of the dance had led the youth +to postpone his departure, minute by minute, until it was questionable +whether he could possibly reach home by the appointed time, even if he +ran his best. Consequently he took all the short cuts he knew, and one +of them led him by the old mill. + +I was well aware, from an anecdote related to me by Penny, that John +Farquhar, the lad's father, was a stern disciplinarian. Elsie's elder +sister, Jean, a lass of nineteen, had once happened to return home from +confession rather later than usual one Saturday evening, owing to the +exceptionally large number awaiting their turn in the church. On +reaching home about half-past eight on a spring evening, she became aware +of her father standing in the dusk at the garden gate, holding an +ominously slender walking-stick in his hand. With this he proceeded to +deal several far from gentle strokes upon the girl's shoulders, +regardless of her frightened remonstrances and explanations. + +"I dinna' care wha ye come frae, chaipel or nae chaipel; ye'll nae be +alloowed oot at sic an hoor!" + +In the light of this circumstance it was not difficult to understand +Aleck's desire to reach Fanellan punctually. But to return to his +adventure. + +As he approached the old mill he became aware of a light shining from one +of the windows. Thinking that some traveling tinkers had taken up free +lodgings there, he was preparing to pass as quickly and quietly as +possible, to avoid drawing attention upon himself and delaying his +progress. But, to his astonishment, the light suddenly went out, and by +the time he reached the house it was wrapped in darkness. There was +little moonlight (spite of Penny's indignant insinuations), for it was a +cloudy night, and the lad would have had difficulty in finding his way +had it not been so familiar. Curiosity urged Aleck to investigate the +mystery of the light, and, forgetful for the moment of his father's +injunction, he crept quietly to the unglazed window and looked through +the opening. Not a sound revealed the presence of any human being +within. A silence, accentuated no doubt by his startled imagination, +seemed to hang over the place. He was starting on again when a strange +sight met his eyes. Suddenly out of the darkness of the cottage shone +out the figure of a human hand! It seemed to glow with a faint greenish +light, and it held a long pointed knife, which burned with the same pale +hue. Nothing else could be seen except a kind of gauzy floating sleeve, +from which the mysterious hand emerged. Aleck had no wish to investigate +further, but promptly took to his heels, and made for home with all +speed, frightened out of his wits. + +As luck would have it, the clock by which he had started was fast, and he +was home in good time. The circumstance tended to render his story more +worthy of credence than it might otherwise have proved. But his evident +terror, and the very incoherence of his narrative, told in his favor. + +"He's been a truthful lad all his days," his mother proudly testified; +"while as to drink--not a drop of spirits has passed his lips sin' I gev' +him a wee drop for the spasms when he wes a wean!" + +And Aleck's blushing approval of the maternal statement bore witness to +its truth. + +I confess that the story did not in the least rouse any superstitious +credence in my mind. Luminous paint was not such an unknown quantity to +me as it would be to this country-bred lad and his family. I took care, +however, to breathe no word of my suspicions; for I meant to make a few +investigations on my own account. So with the looked-for expressions of +astonishment, I took my leave. + +I had been asked to dine at Ardmuir House that evening, and as it was a +matter of eight miles distant, I was to stay the night. Accordingly, I +started in good time in the pony cart, old Willy by my side to bring back +the trap. Colonel Ashol was by way of being civil to Val and myself, and +frequently invited us; my brother, however, seldom accepted, and was +always glad when I undertook to represent the Flemings there. The +Ashols, though a family of a feeble type of Protestants, showed no +decided bigotry. They had a few Catholics in their employ on the estate, +and were cordial enough with us. + +Ardmuir House and some of its land had been Church property before the +Reformation. Val looked the matter up once, and discovered that it had +been a dependency upon one of the larger abbeys, and was itself a place +of no little importance. + +The mansion itself was rather picturesque; it had been rebuilt in a later +century on the site and from the materials of the former church and +monastery. You drove for some distance up a stately avenue of beeches +before sighting the house. It was a big, roomy place, with fine large +windows and handsome moldings round them--probably portions of the spoils +of the ancient erection. A wide portico, supported on stone pillars, +stood in front of the chief entrance, and carriages might drive under its +shelter to set down the occupants at the doorstep. An air of gloom +seemed to hang about it, owing to the huge trees which grew pretty close +to it in places. + +The one striking feature about the house was the parapet, which ran round +the entire roof. This was pierced in such a way as to form the letters +composing a text of Scripture. The inscription, in huge characters, ran +thus: + + EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE THEY + LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT + +The idea of such a decoration doubtless originated with the desire of +some pious Presbyterian ancestor of the present owners to emphasize the +fact that the ancient builders had not made pure Gospel teaching their +sure foundation. But, by the irony of fate, the text had become a +striking commentary upon the fortunes of later possessors of sacrilegious +spoils; for it was a tradition--upon which the family kept a discreet +silence--that three male heirs in direct succession had never lived to +inherit the property. At the very time of which I am writing, Colonel +Ashol's only son was suffering from what doctors had pronounced to be +incipient spinal disease, which, should it develop, would render him a +helpless cripple for life--should life be granted to him. + +I was rather more keen than usual about that particular visit, as I +expected to meet a young Catholic priest, who was to stay with the Ashols +for a day or two in company with his mother, an old friend of the +hostess. For that reason Val would have accompanied me that evening, in +spite of his aversion to such "inanities," as he chose to call dinner +parties, had he not been otherwise engaged. He had already made an +appointment to interview for the first time a girl who lived some +distance away and could not be easily postponed; moreover, the occasion +was important, being the commencement of a series of instructions +preparatory to her reception into the Church. For the lassie in +question--to use the terminology of Ardmuirland--"had gotten a Catholic +man"; in other words, was engaged to be married to a Catholic, who had +inspired her with the desire of sharing his faith as well as his worldly +goods. + +It was early when I arrived. The Colonel and some of the men were still +out on the moors, but a few guests were sitting about in the big, cool +entrance hall, waiting for tea. Among them were Mrs. Vansome and her +son, to both of whom I was at once presented. They happened to be the +only Catholics of the house party. We chatted amicably for some time, +until the dressing-bell broke up the gathering for the nonce. + +I happened to remain for a few minutes in the hall after the rest had +left; I wanted to look into a paper which was there, and I knew my room +from previous visits. The staircase ran along two sides of the hall and +led to a broad corridor, upon which the rooms opened. Another passage at +right angles joined this corridor, and to reach my room I had to pass by +the end of it. + +It was just between daylight and dusk, on a September evening, and no +lamps were yet needed. As I passed the passage on my way I saw an +elderly lady coming toward the main corridor. I am no great observer of +feminine costume--perhaps because I am not much in ladies' company, or, +it may be, because I never had a sister to instruct me; I can only say of +this lady's dress, therefore, that it struck me as differing from those I +had lately seen in the hall, both in fashion and material. I remember +hearing a rustling as of silk, and I think there was some white lace +about the neck and hair. + +But what struck me most was the woman's face. I had looked in her +direction, lest I might seem discourteous to some acquaintance; but this +was a stranger. The face was that of a woman in an agony of suffering! +The wide-open eyes were full of trouble; the whole countenance expressed +pain and something like terror. (I am describing the impression made +upon me at the moment, for the incident passed more quickly than it takes +to tell, however brief the narration.) + +As my eyes met hers, the woman stretched out her hands with an appealing +gesture, and seemed to be hastening swiftly toward me. But just as she +was almost near enough to touch me, she suddenly disappeared--having +turned, as it seemed to me, into a door close by. + +For a moment I stood bewildered. Then that look of appeal for help came +back to mind; it was evident something was wrong. I at once entered the +open door into which the figure had passed, determined to do what I could +to assist one in such unmistakable need of help. To my astonishment I +found that the place was a mere housemaid's closet, for the keeping of +brooms, dusting appliances, and the like. It was but a tiny room, too; a +glance from the threshold was enough to convince me that no human being +was there! + +It was not so much surprise as terror that seized me at such a discovery. +I found myself wiping from my brow the cold sweat that stood there in +great drops. I felt certain that I had been face to face with something +unexplainable by the ordinary laws of nature. I was as well as usual. I +had read nothing of late that could have conjured up such a figure. As +to preternatural manifestations of such a kind--I had but that very day, +and but an hour or two ago, passed supercilious judgment on what I +thought the credulity of ignorant rustics. And yet here I was, the +victim to some such hallucination--unless it was possible that I had +really seen the figure with my bodily eyes! My knees were shaking under +me as I managed to reach my room, my whole being agitated by an +unaccountable sense of fear. + +Luckily we were allowed an unusually long time for dressing, and I was +able to get a smoke and take a bath; by dinner-time I was more like +myself. + +I tried hard at first to persuade myself that the entire scene had been +imaginary; but I could not succeed. I was too firmly convinced that I +had actually seen such a figure to entertain the idea. + +Dinner passed without particular incident. I had an interesting chat +after with young Father Vansome. I discovered that he was a Benedictine +attached to one of the English monasteries, and had been permitted, as a +relief from a long spell of heavy teaching work, to spend a few days at +Ardmuir House, where his mother was then staying. He was dressed like an +ordinary priest; this, as he explained, was out of consideration for the +Ashols, who were entertaining among their guests that day some of +ultra-Protestant views, who might have resented the intrusion into their +midst of a real live monk, "in habit as he lived." + +More than once during our conversation the extraordinary occurrence which +had disturbed my peace of mind kept intruding itself upon my mental +vision, and again and again it was almost divulged to my companion; but I +shrank from being laughed at as a victim to superstitious imaginings. I +had a priest for a brother, and no one knew better than I how sceptical +were our own clergy with regard to any supernatural happenings that had +not been corroborated by the testimony of reliable authority. + +There was the usual smoke, with the usual billiards, and bedtime arrived +without any disclosure on my part of the mysterious incident. I did not +fear further revelations, for my bedroom was nowhere near the scene of +the apparition. I must confess to a momentary creepy sensation as I +passed, in company with other men, the corridor of the adventure; but +nothing happened to disturb my rest materially. + +I like to be stirring at a pretty early hour, to get a morning pipe of +peace. But in a strange house it is not always convenient to prowl about +too soon; however, I could not interfere with any one in the garden, so +to the garden I promptly betook myself. It wanted an hour until +breakfast, and I was rather surprised to find the Benedictine already +pacing the broad walk under the terrace, which was out of view of the +windows. He was not smoking, though, and when I accosted him it seemed +to me that he looked somewhat disturbed and embarrassed. We passed a few +desultory remarks, and then he asked whether I intended to leave early +after breakfast or stay for lunch. As it happened, I had arranged for +Willy to bring the cart in time to start soon after ten; for Val had to +drive somewhere in the afternoon, and it was as well to give Tim a rest +before starting out again. This I explained to Father Vansome. + +"I wonder whether you could give me a lift," was his remark. "I should +very much like to consult Father Fleming upon a certain matter, and if +you could take me, it would avoid a fuss here. I shall enjoy the tramp +back again." + +Of course I was delighted to give him a lift. So we set off in due time +with Willy on the back seat. I had been rejoicing in the prospect of an +agreeable drive with a pleasant companion, for I had been greatly +attracted by the young monk; but I was doomed to disappointment. My +constant efforts at conversation fell flat; for the priest seemed +preoccupied, and his responses were evidently merely mechanical. + +Father Vansome was closeted with Val up to lunch time. He sat down to +table with us, and after the meal he and Val drove off together in the +trap; they had arranged that Father Vansome should get down at a point +where their roads diverged. I was rather astonished to learn, when I +took leave of him, that he hoped to return that same evening, as he had a +particular reason for wishing to say Mass next day. + +Left to myself, I turned my steps in the direction of Archie's former +dwelling at the old mill; for I hoped to light upon some evidence which +would clear up to my own satisfaction at least the apparent mystery of +Aleck Farquhar's ghost story. Although I could not account by any +natural means for the event which had startled me at Ardmuir House, I was +nevertheless still sceptical with regard to the supposed apparition at +the mill-house. Indeed, I felt more certain than ever that a living +person had been playing pranks in the latter case, to serve some purpose +of his own; the impossibility of fraud in my regard contrasted strongly +with its probability at the old mill. + +I was not deceived in my expectation. I found that the boards that +usually covered the window opening had been carefully removed, and were +standing in a corner awaiting replacement, probably. Here was a sign +that the midnight visitor had been surprised, and had not dared to wait +to cover up the window again--unless, indeed, it meant that another +"apparition" was intended. But a more close investigation convinced me +of trickery. Flung away into a corner was a small brush bearing traces +of luminous paint, and in a heap of rubbish I discerned the very lid of a +small tin of that effective spiritualistic medium. No further proof was +needed. By lucky chance I discovered what appeared to be a clue to the +reason of all this mystification. Loosened stones in the chimney and by +the hearth suggested that a search had been made for something supposed +to be hidden in the hut. The spiritual visitor had evidently been bent +upon seizing the material riches which rumor had doubtless located in the +dwelling of one whom those not in his confidence would have reason to +regard as a miser. Here then was one illusion dissipated by my +discoveries. + +Father Vansome was driven over again in time for dinner. During the +progress of the meal I was inclined to make merry over my find; but I had +little success in gaining the interest either of Val or our guest, who +both seemed to shun the topic. + +When dinner was over, it occurred to me to introduce the subject of my +own ghostly experience, for I was curious to hear what the priests would +think of it. As I led up to it by degrees I saw the dark eyes of Father +Vansome light up with expectation. Both he and Val listened with keen +interest, neither attempting to interrupt the narration. Then they +looked spontaneously at each other. + +"I am quite as convinced as yourself," said the Benedictine to me as I +finished my relation, "that what you saw was neither an hallucination nor +a human figure. I have seen it also, and that is why I am here now." + +He then gave, in turn, his experience. During the early part of the +night he had been unusually restless. When he did at last fall asleep he +had a strange dream. He saw the figure of an elderly woman, clad in +antique garb, holding by the hand a young man, who wore the habit of his +own Order. The woman fixed upon him eyes full of entreaty, and implored +him in piteous accents to offer Mass for her soul, for it was in his +power to release her from grievous torments. Father Vansome then awoke, +the impression made by his dream still vivid. He struck a light and +looked at his watch. It was two o'clock only; but his nerves were too +highly strung to suffer him to sleep again, and he lay wondering what the +dream could signify. + +Suddenly, while still wide awake, he was aware of the figure of the woman +of his dream standing by his bed. Her eyes were full of intense +supplication, and her hands stretched out to him in eager entreaty. +Yielding to a sudden, irresistible impulse, he exclaimed: + +"Tell me, in God's name, who you are and what you want of me?" + +The answer came in a clear, distinct voice: + +"I am Elizabeth Ashol. I am suffering for a wrong done to my stepson, +Gilbert, a monk of your Order. Say Mass for my soul and I shall have +rest." + +Then the figure vanished. + +Father Vansome naturally had no more sleep that morning. Very early, +indeed, he was summoned to his mother's bedside by her maid, and found +her as agitated as himself. From her lips he learned that she too had +been visited by the figure he had himself seen. The woman, answering to +the description of his ghostly visitor, had approached Mrs. Vansome's +bed, when she was still wide awake, with outstretched hands and +entreating eyes, but no voice had been heard. + +The apparition to his mother had convinced Father Vansome that what he +had experienced was no trick of the imagination. He had, however, taken +counsel with Val, who, like himself, was of opinion that the Mass ought +to be said. He had found on returning to Ardmuir House that morning that +his mother had confided the matter to Mrs. Ashol, and had heard from her +that previous visitors had experienced similar apparitions; on further +consideration it was discovered--though Mrs. Ashol had not realized it +before--that such persons had been invariably Catholics. There was, +however, no record of the figure having spoken; this had happened for the +first time to the only Benedictine monk who had ever entered the house +since Elizabeth Ashol's death, two centuries before. + +It appeared that a certain Dame Elizabeth Ashol, second wife of Gilbert +Ashol, lived in the latter part of the seventeenth century. She had one +son, Laurence, to whom his father left the estate, to the exclusion of +his eldest son, Gilbert, the offspring of the first marriage. This +youth, to his father's intense indignation, had reverted to the faith of +his ancestors; soon after his conversion he had entered a monastery on +the continent, with a view to returning, as so many of his religious +brethren were then doing, to work for the restoration of his +fellow-countrymen to the Church. It was generally thought that Dame +Elizabeth, in her ambition for the welfare of her own son, had encouraged +her husband in his religious bias, and secured the succession for +Laurence. It was held in the family that the disasters which had always +befallen the first-born of the house dated from the unjust acquisition of +the estate by this Laurence, and the entire disinheriting of Gilbert; it +was from a kind of superstitious dread attaching to the name that no +Ashol for a long term of years had ever been baptized Laurence. + +Father Vansome said the required Mass next morning, and his mother drove +over to assist at it. Her prayers and mine were thus united with the +supreme Sacrifice on behalf of the soul so greatly in need. + +The apparition has never been seen again, though many a Catholic guest +has visited Ardmuir House. More wonderful still--the curse seems to have +been averted by the laying of the ghost; for young Gilbert Ashol has so +greatly improved in health and strength that his doctors predict for him +a probably long and useful life. + +The family has indeed been thoroughly impressed by the strange +circumstances just related. In the light of their increasing interest in +all things Catholic, Val is beginning to entertain hopes of the ultimate +return of the Ashols to the Faith their fathers abandoned more than three +hundred years ago. + + + + +IX + +SPRING'S RETURN + + + "Now Ariel goes a-singing, by the olden + Dark yews, where flitter-mice were wont to cling. + All the world is turning golden, turning golden + In the spring." + (_Nora Hopper--"April"_) + + +"Guess the latest news, Ted," said my brother, coming in from parochial +visits. + +I shook my head. + +"I'm no hand at riddles." + +"Well, there's a marriage to come off in our parish before long, if +matters can be satisfactorily arranged." + +"A marriage!" That roused me; it would be the first function of the +kind I had seen in Ardmuirland. For our lads usually fetched partners +from elsewhere, and maidens being accustomed to migrate to service in +the south, found mates there--even as the swallows. + +"I thought that would fetch you!" cried Val triumphant. "And now give +a guess." + +But I racked my brains to no purpose. + +"It's not Widow Lamont, and it's not Robina----" + +"Why not?" he asked. But I saw he was quizzing. + +"It's a widow," he said. "I'll tell you that much." + +Even then I was nonplussed. + +"Ted, you've no imagination! Is Christian Logan too old?" + +"Christian Logan! Of course not! Who's the happy man?" + +"He's not altogether happy yet," returned Val. "There are obstacles in +the way at present. Do you know the Camerons of Redbank Farm at all?" + +"Camerons of Redbank! Why, they're Protestants!" + +"Tell me something I don't know already," he retorted. + +"I can say very little about them. There are two brothers, I +believe--one very middle-aged and the other less so. I may have passed +the time of day with one or the other." + +"Well, it's the less middle-aged one--Lachlan by name--who wants to +marry Christian. It's all right about religion. He's ready to make +all the necessary promises, and moreover, remarked quite spontaneously +that he intended coming to church with his wife after they were +married--a most unusual undertaking in these cases. He's evidently +merely ignorant of everything Catholic; not bigoted, really. With a +wife like Christian, he is most likely to enter the Church himself +eventually." + +"But what are these almost insurmountable obstacles?" + +"Chiefly financial. It seems that the elder brother is the actual +tenant of Redbank, and Lachlan is little better than a farm-servant at +present. It would be scarcely possible for the poor chap to support a +wife and three of a ready-made family on the wages of a mere +plowman--except, of course, in the style of a common laborer, and he is +far above that. The best way out of the difficulty would be for +Christian to manage the house at Redbank, instead of a paid +housekeeper; but the old brother is bitter against Catholics, and more +opposed to young children in the house. Hence these tears! Don't you +think there are rather respectable obstacles to be overcome?" + +"Quite. So what did you suggest?" + +"Cameron himself suggested what I think a reasonable solution: to try +for some situation as farm bailiff or manager. He is thoroughly up to +it all, for he has been practically managing things at Redbank for the +last year or two, and has plenty of experience in farm work." + +"He ought to be able to find something of the sort. Could the factor +at Taskerton do anything for him, do you think? Christian has already +lost a husband in the service of the estate, and it would be but +restitution to provide her with another." + +"The idea struck me, too, though not in precisely the same terms," said +Val with an amused laugh. "I am thinking of writing to him about the +matter." + +"You are really satisfied with the man, then?" + +"Decidedly so! He struck me as being a very decent sort of fellow. He +has a straight-forward, pleasant manner with him, and is altogether +superior to an ordinary crofter. It would be a good match for +Christian. Poor soul! She deserves a better lot than she enjoys at +present." + +"What's his age, do you suppose?" + +"Forty-six. Quite a lad, for these parts!" + +"Things look all right, certainly," was my summing up. + +Val wrote to the factor, but the result was not over-promising. He +knew of nothing suitable at present. But he would keep the case in +mind, and write at once should he hear of anything available. + +Both Val and I were keen on getting the matter settled, and often +talked it over together, discussing ways and means. But the weeks +slipped by, and we found ourselves no nearer to a solution of the +difficulty. We little dreamed of the quarter from which it was +eventually to come! + +One day as we sat at breakfast Elsie brought in a telegram for Val. It +was a somewhat unusual occurrence; for we were a good way from the +office, and, porterage being expensive, we had carefully instructed our +ordinary correspondents that we preferred the humbler post-card, as a +rule. When a telegram did arrive, therefore, it generally presaged +something of unusual importance. I saw Val's face change as he read +it. He passed it over to me as he rose to write a reply. This is what +I saw: + + "Gowan dying wants to see you come immediately." + +It was signed by a Glasgow doctor, and sent from one of the chief +hotels of the city. + +I followed Val to his den, where he was writing the answer. + +"Would you mind my coming with you?" I asked. + +"I should like it of all things," was his reply. + +In less than half an hour we had started, and before night had arrived +at our destination. + +It always seems to me that one feels one's personal insignificance more +keenly in a big city than anywhere else. The hurry and bustle on all +sides witness to the self-interest which rules every individual of the +crowd, to the exclusion of any sincere concern for others. The feeling +was accentuated when we reached the hotel. There all was brightness +and movement; in the brilliantly lighted dining-room guests were +eating, drinking, chatting, and enjoying life; in the hall and on the +staircases attendants were moving swiftly about, visitors were coming +and going. Each one's pleasures, comforts, and advantages were the +business of the hour. Yet in some chamber overhead a momentous crisis +was at hand for one poor, lonely man, who had to leave behind him this +scene of busy life, to enter upon an eternity of weal or woe. Upon the +passing moments everything depended for him; he had to prepare to meet +his God. Around him things were taking their usual course; it mattered +little to the majority of the people under that roof whether he lived +or died, and less still how his soul would fare in that passage. Yet +the things which made up the present happiness of the crowd were those +which he had labored so strenuously to procure--ease, enjoyment, +freedom from care--the companions of wealth. For these he had bartered +not only the toil and stress of his best years, but something +infinitely more precious; part of the price had been the favour of his +God! Now he had to part with all these gains, willing or unwilling; +would he have the grace to sue for the mercy which might still be his +for the asking? + +We had ascertained that Gowan still lived, though there was no hope for +his recovery, and were ascending the staircase to our rooms when we +encountered a priest coming down. He regarded Val with evident +interest, then stopped and accosted him. He proved to be one of the +neighboring parochial clergy, who had just been visiting the dying man. +Val invited him to our room, and there we learned the circumstances of +the case. + +Gowan had been in Glasgow about a fortnight, having come thither +immediately after landing in Liverpool. He was seriously ill when he +arrived at the hotel, and was compelled to take to his bed at once. A +doctor was sent for, and found him suffering from heart disease, which +had already reached an advanced stage. In spite of every attention the +patient became rapidly worse. He would not infrequently fall into fits +of unconsciousness, which were the prelude to a state of coma in which +he would eventually pass away from life. + +To the man's credit, be it said, he at once asked for a priest when he +became aware of his danger, and had afterward desired to see Val. All +the Sacraments had been administered, and Gowan lay in a weak state, +hovering between life and death. I could not but think of the lasting +gratitude of Christian Logan and her children, which had led them to +remember this man daily in their prayers; who could tell how great a +part those prayers had had in securing for him the grace to make his +peace with God at the eleventh hour? + +Val went in alone to Gowan's room; it was not for me to take any part +in such an interview. It was not long before he was back again in our +own apartment. Gowan's reception of him had been all that could have +been desired. The man expressed sincere sorrow for his ill behavior, +and begged Val's forgiveness. But what was still more satisfactory was +his message to Christian and her children. He asked pardon for his +unkindness in deserting them; they would soon see, he said, how dear +they were to him. + +"He has made his will in their favor," was Val's summing up of the +matter. "He was just explaining that fact when he had another bad +attack quite suddenly, and I came away, after summoning the nurse." + +That conversation, short as it was, proved to be the last in which the +dying man was to take part with my brother. He passed away a short +time after, having never recovered consciousness. The Catholic nurse +had sent for Val a few minutes after he had rejoined me. We both went +to the sick-room, and my brother had said the prayers for the dying, +followed by those for the repose of his soul when Gowan ceased to +breathe. + +The funeral was over and we had been back in Ardmuirland for some weeks +before any tidings arrived about the dead man's affairs. All +arrangements as to payment of expenses and the like were carried out by +a Glasgow lawyer, who had been empowered to act for Gowan's agent in +America. The most thorough search had failed to discover anything in +the shape of a will among the dead man's effects in Glasgow, and it was +supposed to be in the keeping of the American lawyer. When tidings did +arrive, they were such as to fill us with consternation. The will in +the lawyer's possession was dated more than two years before, after +Gowan's return to America from Ardmuirland. Its terms, moreover, by no +means tallied with the information given by the dying man to Val; for +in it there was no mention of the Logans at all, everything being +bequeathed to the Freemason's lodge of which Gowan had been a member. + +Val was puzzled, but not convinced. + +"It's a mystery, certainly," he said; "but I feel absolutely satisfied +that there is another will somewhere. Poor Gowan said so, +unmistakably." + +"Can you recall his exact words?" I asked. + +Val had an idea that Gowan had said: "I have settled everything on +Cousin Christian." He fancied that just before the attack occurred he +had added: "You will have to see about it," or words to that effect. + +We both felt convinced that Gowan had been too good a man of business +to make such a remark unless he had made his bequest legally secure. + +The obvious thing to do was to cable at once to the lawyer to delay +action until the new will should turn up. This we did; a letter +followed, detailing circumstances. + +Our next communication was from the Glasgow lawyer, who requested Val's +presence there to consult about matters, as my brother was the only +person to whom Gowan had spoken on the subject of a second will. I was +too much interested in the mystery to let Val go alone, and he was +delighted to have my company, so once more we set off for the distant +city. + +Dalziel, the lawyer in question, received us in his private office on +the morning after our arrival. He was a small gray man, with keen +black eyes that twinkled behind his gold-rimmed spectacles now and +again when an ordinary man would have smiled. His statement of affairs +was indeed not reassuring. Every scrap of paper left behind by Gowan +had been carefully examined by one of his responsible clerks, but +nothing in the shape of a will had been discovered. Had there been no +previous will, Christian Logan's boy might have claimed the estate as +next of kin; but that was now not possible. To bring the matter before +the law courts was equally futile; the law took cognizance of a man's +wishes expressed in writing, and no evidence of a verbal declaration on +his part would suffice to set aside a written document. + +"I am afraid, Father Fleming," said the lawyer, summing up his report, +"that there is no case to go upon for the Logan family." + +"But I am convinced," replied Val, "that Gowan has made another will. +He sent for me to tell me so, and to ask me to help the Logans in the +matter. The will must be somewhere. The question is: Where?" + +"I am inclined to think that he never made a second will," the lawyer +went on to say. "Not that I think he meant to deceive you," he added +hastily, as he noticed Val's air of protest. "But it has often come +within my experience that a man in such a weak state may persuade +himself that he has already accomplished something which he has fixed +his mind upon doing, while all the time nothing has been actually done." + +Val, however, could not be convinced that such was the case in the +present instance, and I could not help agreeing with him. + +"It would be as well if you would call at Gowan's hotel before you +leave Glasgow," said Dalziel, as our interview came to an end. "There +are some clothes, traveling-cases, rugs, and such like, which it would +be absurd to send to America, and equally absurd to sell. They will be +something for the Logons if you think well to take them. I can easily +arrange with the legatees on the other side, who will certainly make no +difficulty." + +It was a good idea, and we resolved to act upon it. The lawyer drove +with us to the hotel, to introduce us to the manager, and left us when +we ascended to the room occupied by the dead man, which was still being +retained by the executor until the property should be removed. + +The manager himself very civilly accompanied us, directing us to summon +a servant, when we had examined things to our satisfaction, and to give +orders about packing and removal. + +I must confess that I had not altogether given up hope of discovering +the lost document among the clothes and packing-cases. But my +anticipations were dispelled when we entered. Everything had been +neatly folded and placed on the bed and the two tables; it was evident +that no document could have been passed unnoticed. The room, too, was +quite clean and in order. Val, like myself, seemed rather depressed at +the state of things. There was no receptacle where any paper could +have been stowed away that had not been thoroughly ransacked by the +lawyer's men, whose interest it was to discover the will. A wardrobe +for hanging clothes, a chest of drawers, dressing-table, and washstand +were the only articles of furniture besides bed, tables, and chairs; +none of them looked like possible receptacles of a hidden paper. + +Scarcely realizing what I did, I began opening one after another the +drawers in the chest. Each was neatly lined with paper, but otherwise +empty. As though possessed by a mania for searching, I took out each +paper and carefully assured myself that nothing had slipped underneath. +Val, roused by my action, began to poke into the drawers of the +dressing-table; but his search was just as fruitless. There was +nothing to be done but to settle as to the packing of the clothes and +take our departure. + +Suddenly an idea struck me. How often does a small article get lost in +a chest of drawers by slipping behind the drawers themselves. At once +I acted on the suggestion. I did not watt to consider that others had +probably searched as thoroughly as I could do. Out came the drawers, +one after the other, and were deposited on the floor. The bottom +drawer was rather tight, and would not come out easily; but I got it +out with an extra expenditure of muscle. Positively, there was a small +folded paper--like a letter--lying behind it; my heart sank, for it was +too small for such a document as I was anxious to find. I picked it up +listlessly and unfolded it. + +"By Jove, Val! Here it is!" I cried exultantly. + +He skipped across the room to read the paper over my shoulder. + +"That's it, all right!" was his exclamation. "Thank God!" + +It was but a sheet of common note-paper, bearing the printed heading of +the hotel. Across it was written in shaky characters the following: + + +"This is the last will and testament of me, Alexander Gowan, of 269 +Heniker Street, Chicago, U. S. A. I revoke all former testaments, and +hereby bequeath the whole of the property of which I die possessed to +Rev. Valentine Fleming of Ardmuirland, Scotland, in trust for Christian +McRae, widow of Donald Logan, of Ardmuirland, and her children. + +"ALEXANDER JOHN GOWAN. + +"May 16, 1912." + + +"Blessed Scottish law!" cried Val, when he had scanned the scrap of +paper that meant so much to us. "It's not an imposing document, but +it'll stand good in this country. Let's take it to Dalziel at once." + +The lawyer corroborated Vat's declaration. It was a holograph will, +and therefore needed no witness; Gowan was man of business enough to +realize that. He had probably slipped it into the drawer where some of +his clothes were, meaning to hand it to Val. The drawer must have been +over-full, and the mere opening of it would sweep the bit of paper to +the back, where it had fallen behind the other drawers. + + * * * * * * + +Six months later we had a Catholic wedding in the little church at +Ardmuirland. All the congregation flocked up for the ceremony and the +nuptial Mass--for the bridegroom had suggested that it would be well to +begin his married life in perfect union with his wife, and he had been +received into the Church a month before. + +The Camerons are very well off; for poor old Gowan, though not a +millionaire, had put by pots of money. But it would suit neither +Lachlan nor his wife to lead an idle life. They have got Redbank into +their own hands and are turning it into quite a model farm. + +The children are at school. Jeemsie is said to be able to do +everything except talk. Tam is bent on being a priest. + +Val got his shinty club and his parish hall, and if he wants anything +for the church or for himself he has but to mention it. Indeed, he had +almost to use force to prevent Christian handing over half her fortune. + +Golden dreams do, now and again, it seems, get realized! + + + + +X + +A RUSTIC PASTOR + + + "In sober state, + Through the sequestered vale of rural life, + The venerable patriarch guileless held + The tenor of his way." + (_Porteus--"Death."_) + + +The priest who ministered to the Catholic flock of Ardmuirland in the +far-off days when "Bell o' the Burn" was a lassie was known as "Mr. +McGillivray"; for the repeal of the penal laws had not yet emancipated +the people from the cautious reticence of the days of persecution, and +they still spoke of "prayers" instead of "Mass," and of "speaking to +the priest" and "going forward" to intimate Confession and Holy +Communion. + +"He wes a stoot, broad-shouldered gentleman o' middle size," said Bell +in one of her reminiscent moods; "when I first knew him he wes gettin' +bent wi' age, and his hair wes snow-white and lang on his shoulders +like. I couldna' ha' been muckle mair ner five or sax year auld when +he took me by the hand and askit me if I'd like to come an' herd his +coos an' leeve wi' his niece at the chapel hoose. That wes in 1847, +sir, ten years aifter Queen Victoria (God rest her!) cam' to the +throne. That's a good bit back, ye ken." + +Bell dwelt under the same roof as the priest until she was needed at +home, a few years later. Although chiefly employed during the day in +looking after the two cows that grazed on the hillside about a mile +distant, and driving them out and in, she was sufficiently within doors +to be able to gain much knowledge of the daily life of a simple +Scottish pastor of the old school. + +That life, as her reminiscences witness, was one of extreme +homeliness--not to say austerity. The food of the priest was that of +the ordinary peasant class among which he lived. "His denner," said +Bell, "wes juist tatties, taken in their skins; his supper wes brochan +an' sometimes tatties as weel. Some o' the neebors would come an' join +him, whiles, an' share the supper wi' him, as they sat roond the +hearth." (In answer to my query Bell explained that "brochan" was a +kind of soup or gruel, made from oatmeal.) + +"My faither an' mither," Bell remarked with some pride, "usit often to +tak' denner wi' the priest o' Sundays. They wes bidin' a good bit awa' +frae the chapel, ye ken, sir, an' they aye likit a talk wi' me aifter +Mass. So Mr. McGillivray wouldna' aloo them to fast till they got +hame, but aye pressit them to stay. For they wouldna' break their fast +till the priest did, ye ken; it had aye been the custom in their young +days, and they keepit it till they wes too weak to fast sae lang." + +Besides the Ardmuirland district, the priest had charge of two others +at some little distance over the hills in different directions. It was +his duty to say Mass at one or other of these stations occasionally, +and the Ardmuirland folk who could conveniently manage the journey +would generally accompany him on a Sunday. They would walk over the +hill in a kind of unorganized procession, reciting the Rosary and +litany as they went. + +During the week the priest kept daily moving about among his people, +and little of interest could happen which did not soon come to his +knowledge. "The fowk aye enjoyit a chat wi' the priest," said Bell, +"for Mr. McGillivray wes the best oot at tellin' auld-fashioned +stories." His figure was a familiar one in all the countryside, as he +walked slowly along, leaning on his silver-mounted walking-stick, and +wrapped in the ample folds of a well-worn Spanish cloak, buckled at the +neck by a silver clasp. Under that same cloak he would often carry +tit-bits of oatcake for the horses he might come across in the farms he +visited--for he was a lover of all dumb creatures. + +Mr. McGillivray's only outdoor recreation was fishing. Children knew +his ways, and would shyly steal after him down to the side of the burn +and watch him from a distance. When his rod happened to get caught in +the branches of the stunted birches which bordered the stream--which +was not of infrequent occurrence--they would run to his assistance and +help to untangle the hook; they would often search for and carry to him +worms to serve as bait. Both kinds of service were sure to be rewarded +by a piece of "black sugar," as Bell styled licorice, which he always +carried with him for use in such emergencies. + +"We bairns," she explained, "were niver feared o' the priest. I weel +remember hoo my mither chided me for usin' sic freedom wi' him--I had +lived sae lang in the hoose wi' him, ye ken, that I wes whiles gey +familiar in my speech. Well, when he askit me one day--juist as a +joke, ye ken--to tak' a snuff oot o' the wee boxie he aye carrit, I +tossit my head and said (ill bred as I wes!), 'Fuich!' Mr. McGillivray +wesna' angered; he juist laughed oot an' says he: 'Weel, lassie, ye +couldna' ha' said worse to a dog!' But I got mair words frae my mither +aifter, an' a strappin' as weel, an' to bed wi'oot supper. It learned +me to be mair respectful-like to the priest!" + +This anecdote recalled another. "I mind weel hoo I got my first bonnet +through Mr. McGillivray. In they times, ye ken, sir, it wes aye the +fashion to wear large bonnets o' Tuscan straw, an' a lassie o' foorteen +wes surely auld enough for siclike--I said to mysel'. So when the +priest cam' to oor hoose aince, I made sae bold as to get him to ask my +faither to buy me a bonnet for Sundays, next time he went to the toon +o' Aberdeen. My faither wouldna' ha' done it for me, but he did when +the priest askit him, and I got my bonnet! But I doot I wes a bit o' a +favorite with the priest, sin' I herdit his coos sae lang." + +However free the children may have been in their intercourse with the +old priest, I gathered from Bell's narrative that the grown-ups rather +feared him. His methods were certainly such as would be considered +unnecessarily severe in these days; still, there is no doubt he managed +by them to keep his people well in hand. + +"I canna' mind muckle aboot Mr. McGillivray's discoorses," she +answered, when I questioned her on that subject. "I wes but a bit +lassie, an' I couldna' onderstand weel. He seemed to me to stan' an' +drone awa' mostly. Whiles, he wud gi' great scoldin's, an' then I usit +to think it wes splendid! He could be eloquent then, I assure ye, sir! +I mind weel when there wes a marriage in Advent in a Protestant family, +an' Mr. McGillivray warned the fowk that they mightna' attend it; some +o' them, in spite o' that, went to the marriage, an' I could niver +forget the awfu' way he chided them in the chapel on the Sunday aifter! +It wes tarrible! + +"If ony o' the fowk cam' to the chapel in their working clothes he +would be greatly pit aboot. He would ca' them up to the rail at +catechism time an' reprove them before a' the congregation." + +"So you said your catechism in public!" I asked. + +"There wes aye catechism, atween the Mass an' the preachin'. Aebody +had to be prepared to be callit up till they wes marrit, at least! +Even aifter that, a body couldna' be sure o' bein' left alane! I mind +him callin' a mon o' saxty years o' age ane Sunday! He wes a mon +greatly thought of by the congregation, an' maybe the priest wes +afeared he wes gettin' prood. Onyways, Mr. McGillivray had him at the +rails wi' the bairns. 'Are you ashamed,' he says, 'to learn your +Christian Doctrine?' 'Na, na, sir,' says he. 'Then gae back an' sit +ye doon,' says the priest." + +Such treatment would scarcely be appreciated in these days, but perhaps +the reason is that we are less endowed with humility than our fathers +in the Faith. + +Bell had other anecdotes of a like kind. + +"If ony o' the bairns wes restless or trifling-kind, during the +preachin', Mr. McGillivray would stop his discoorse an' ca' them up to +the rail an' reprove them severely. I mind him summoning a grown man +from the choir aince, and mak' him own his fault. Hey! He wer a +graund priest, an' nae mistak'--wer Mr. McGillivray!" + +On stormy days, when it was difficult for the aged pastor to wade +through the deep snow down to the chapel, Mass was said in his own +house. The people crowded in at the door of his little living-room, +and would fill the kitchen. When he grew old and infirm it was +impossible for the greater number to hear anything of the sermon; yet +he never omitted to preach. + +"An' I mind," naïvely added Bell, "that there wes aye a collection +made." + +People went to Confession in the house at such times; otherwise the +priest heard them in the chapel on Saturdays or Sundays, and on the +eves of feasts. + +It can not be denied that Mr. McGillivray was a militant churchman, +whenever the interests of his flock or of the Catholic Church were at +stake. Bell had more than one anecdote to prove it. + +A poor woman who was at the point of death had been induced by two good +old Catholic spinsters who lived near her to send for the priest to +reconcile her to the Church. She was the offspring of a mixed +marriage; her mother--the Catholic party--had died when the child was +quite young, and the father had at once taken the girl to kirk with +him. She had once been to Confession, but had received no other +Sacrament except Baptism. When she had grown to womanhood, she married +a Presbyterian, and all her family had been brought up in that +religion. Yet the grace of her Baptism seemed to cling to her. After +her husband's death she would now and again attend at Mass, driven the +six miles by her Protestant son; but she was not known to the priest, +and so she remained outside the pale. Her intimacy with Jeannie and +Katie Ann McGruer was the means of keeping her in touch with Catholic +matters, and eventually resulted in her reconciliation. + +This was not accomplished, however, without a stiff skirmish between +the old priest and the members of her family--not to mention the +minister of their particular kirk. + +In compliance with the summons conveyed by one of the McGruers (Bell +spoke of them as "guid Catholic lassies," but in answer to my query +explained that Katie Ann, the younger sister, would be "risin' +sixty"!), Mr. McGillivray betook himself to the house of the invalid. +The door was opened by her eldest son, Adam Fordyce--a burly, +black-browed, bearded man of forty. He had charge of the roads in the +district, so that he and the priest were on speaking terms, at least. + +Adam held the door in one hand and the door-post in the other, and his +portly figure filled up the opening fairly well. + +"I am sorry to hear that your mother is unwell," said the priest +sympathetically. + +"Aye, aye, sir, she's nae weel at all," was the answer. + +"I would like to see her, if she's well enough," said Mr. McGillivray. + +"Weel, sir, I wouldna' like to say she's nae fit to see a +veesitor--but--ye ken, sir----" + +"You mean she's not well enough to see me." + +"Weel, it's this wye, Mr. McGillivray," answered Adam, lowering his +voice; "I'm nae ohjectin' mysel', sin she askit me to let ye come; but +the ithers is awfu' set again' it. That's the wye it is, sir." + +The fact was, the "Cerberus" was not at all fierce--quite the contrary! +He had been deputed by the others to confront the unwelcome visitor, as +being the eldest, and therefore responsible for all unpleasant duties; +but as far as he was concerned, he had no feeling in the matter. Like +any Scotsman who had lived with his mother from childhood to mature +manhood, he was deeply attached to her, and willing to agree to +anything that might give her satisfaction in her present weak state; +that the visit of the priest would be a comfort to her he strongly +suspected, and hence the conflict between duty--as he regarded it--and +affection. + +It took very little persuasion from the priest to overcome Adam's +scruples and gain admittance to the sick-room; this accomplished, it +might seem that the battle had been won for religion, but the victory +was not yet complete! + +Adam had relented so far as to admit the priest, but no argument could +persuade him to leave him alone with the invalid. He was the agent of +the family, and it was his duty to see everything that went on. He +would have nothing underhand in the matter! + +Mr. McGillivray easily interpreted his action. He was afraid of what +the others might say should he desert his post--that was all. +Diplomacy was necessary and the priest rose to the occasion. + +"Look here, Adam," he said; "I know you are merely carrying out what +you feel to be a duty to your family in staying here. We can arrange +matters without any difficulty. I must have a few minutes' private +talk with your mother on religious matters which concern herself and no +one else. Just leave me with her for a bit and you can come back and +stay here as long as I do." + +But Adam was obstinate. He acknowledged that the others "wouldna' be +pleased" should he relinquish his post of watch-dog. He must "bide" in +the room as long as the priest remained. + +As in many houses of that class, there was what is called a +"bed-closet" opening out of the room in which the sick woman lay. It +was literally a closet, containing nothing except the bed, and lighted +by a tiny window. Without more ado, Mr. McGillivray seized the man by +the arm and led him to the closet. + +"Just jump onto the bed," he whispered. "No one will know that you +have not remained in the room. You shall come out in a few minutes." + +So the burly Adam climbed onto the bed, and the priest shut the door +upon his prisoner and fastened the "sneck." After hearing the mother's +Confession, he released his captive, and Adam stood by while the saving +unction was administered to prepare the poor woman for her last +journey. It was soon over and the priest took his leave. + +Adam was quite relieved to find that his mother had been gladdened by +the priest's ministrations--for she had poured forth grateful thanks +for his kindness--while he had not been compromised in the eyes of his +brothers and sisters. He willingly consented for Mr. McGillivray to +return next day to administer Holy Communion for the first--and +probably the last--time in the life of the dying woman. + +"I've only one more office to do for your mother, Adam," the priest had +explained, "and then she will be quite at rest. So I will call +to-morrow about this time." And Adam had cordially agreed. + +But there were others to be reckoned with. The news of the priest's +visit was soon carried to the Free Church minister, and down he swooped +upon the luckless Fordyces that very afternoon. Poor Adam was the +scapegoat. He it was who had to bear the whole of the blame. The +minister congratulated himself, when he took his leave (without +venturing into the sick-room, for the present), that he had +successfully prevented any further "popish antics" in that house! + +Consequently, when Mr. McGillivray returned next day, according to +promise, he was met, not by Adam, but by the younger son--a dour +Presbyterian, of pronounced type. He absolutely refused to allow the +priest to cross the threshold again. His brother was "oot"; but he had +left word that he must not be allowed to enter the house. The +minister, as the brother explained, "had been sair angered" on account +of the proceedings of the previous day. He had threatened to remove +Adam from his post of "precentor" should he allow any more intercourse +between his mother and any "popish minister." + +Remonstrances, persuasions, entreaties were all unavailing. The man +declared that his mother "didna' wish to see" Mr. McGillivray. The +latter had therefore reluctantly to submit to circumstances and return +home with the Blessed Sacrament, leaving the poor woman +"unhouselled"--although not "unanointed." He feared that she had given +in to the persuasions of the minister to refuse further help. But +after her death, which occurred a few days later, the good priest +ascertained that she had died in most edifying dispositions. The +minister had not visited her, and she had thought it best to wait a +little before seeing the priest again, merely on account of her family. +The McGruers, who were present at the last, assured him that she had +died a good Catholic---her only regret the deprivation of Holy +Communion. + +Some remarks dropped by the Free Church minister as to the priest's +"interference" with a member of his congregation drew forth so vehement +a denial from Mr. McGillivray, and a demand for a public contradiction +of the statement from the pulpit on the following Sunday, that the +crestfallen minister had to eat his words. + +The priest was indeed a match for any of his opponents in whatever way +they chose to attack him. Once at a dinner, when three ministers were +present as well as Mr. McGillivray, one of them thought to make a butt +of the priest, and during the after-dinner toasts proposed suddenly: +"The Auld Kirk!" But the priest was too quick for him. Raising his +glass, he responded promptly: "The Auld Kirk--the True Kirk!" + +"No! No!" cried the entrapped Presbyterian. + +"Then I'm sorry for _you_!" was the quiet retort. + +One feature in Bell's recollections must not be passed over. The +priest was renowned as a peacemaker. Anything like family strife was +speedily put an end to by his tactful intervention. Even by +Protestants his services were not infrequently asked for in this +respect, and the result was a great popularity with all classes in the +district of Ardmuirland. There was much pathos about the old man's +last days; for he hastened his end by his self-denying charity in the +cause of peace. + +A violent quarrel had taken place some years before between two +Protestant farmers, both living some distance away from the priest's +house. They had married two sisters, and a dispute had arisen on the +subject of a legacy left to one of these nieces by their father's +brother, while the other was passed over entirely. Suspicions and +insinuations of underhand dealing on the part of the successful legatee +had aroused strong feelings, with the result that all communication +between the two families had ceased. + +At length the wife of one of the belligerents lay upon her deathbed, +and under the softening influence of that solemn hour she begged that +her sister should be asked to visit her, that they might part as +sisters should. The other woman was just as anxious for a +reconciliation, but their respective husbands could not be brought to +terms. + +In her distress the dying woman sent a message to the priest, begging +for his intervention. It was the dead of winter, and a severe frost +had set in. The old priest had to drive in a friendly farmer's open +vehicle for ten miles in a keen wind. He succeeded in persuading one +of the men to seek for peace and friendship, then drove on five miles +farther to interview the other. Through his earnest remonstrances the +strife was entirely brought to an end. But it was at the cost of the +life of the aged peacemaker. He caught a severe chill, which he was +never able to throw off, and after two or three months he bade farewell +to earth. + +Mr. McGillivray had desired, when old age should have rendered him +incapable of his priestly charge, to be allowed to retire from active +work, and end his days in the quiet seclusion of his native district--a +strath shut in by hills, many miles to the north of Ardmuirland. But +the family from which the priest had sprung were no great favorites +there, and his wish, when made known, had not been cordially received +by the people. This had been sufficient to excite the wrath of the +Ardmuirland folk; they had risen up as one man against any such +arrangement. An appeal was made to the Bishop to prevent their beloved +pastor from leaving his flock to die among comparative strangers. So +it had been settled by authority that Mr. McGillivray should continue +his ministrations among them as long as he was able, and should then +receive a helper; thus he was never to take leave of Ardmuirland except +to receive his heavenly reward. As we have seen, he died in harness, +before there could be any question of retirement. + +And now another difficulty arose. His own native district naturally +laid claim to his mortal remains, and his relatives had speedily made +arrangements for his burial in the family grave. Then, indeed, +Ardmuirland was stirred. + +"They wouldna' tak' him leevin'; they'll nae get him deid!" was the +universal cry. + +So in the bright springtime, after a late fall of snow had clothed the +countryside in dazzling whiteness, his people bore him to the grave. +An immense gathering--of both Catholics and Protestants--had assembled; +in Bell's expressive phrase--"the country wes full o' men!" Every man +took his turn in helping to bear the coffin shoulder-high all the five +miles which lay between the priest's house and the ancient +burial-ground of St. Michael below the hill. There, surrounded by the +flock he had tended so long and so faithfully, the body of the pastor +awaits with them the general awakening to life eternal. + + + + +XI + +A SPRIG OF SHAMROCK + + + "Amid the roses fierce Repentance rears + Her snaky crest." + (_Thomson's Seasons---"Spring"_) + + +"Shamrock in Scotland!" I seem to hear some captious critic exclaim. I +do not attribute Scottish birth to the particular sprig of shamrock +which is to figure in these pages, dear reader. Like all true +shamrock, it was grown in the Emerald Isle. Nevertheless, it was by +its means that the subject of this story migrated to Ardmuirland; hence +it is responsible for my narrative. + + * * * * * * + +It was no fault on Bernard Murray's part that all his acquaintances +should without exception imagine that he was of Scottish race. For +every one who knew him well--and they numbered not a few--dubbed him "a +canny Scot." He had not started the fiction, even if he had done +nothing toward contradicting it. For what did it matter to any one +else that his nationality should be so widely misinterpreted? He did +not care a straw. Indeed, it is possible that in his secret heart he +was rather pleased that the illusion had grown up. For it might prove +awkward to be known as Irish; Ireland, among the set in which he moved, +was looked upon as so impossibly retrograde! So when he was hailed as +"a canny Scot" Bernard merely smiled pleasantly and held his peace. + +No doubt Violet Rossall thought that smile well worth awakening. It +was so sunny--lighting up to classical beauty Bernard's usually grave +yet always handsome features. The rarity of his smile, too, rendered +it all the more precious. His habitual quiet thoughtfulness of +expression helped to settle so definitely his supposed origin; yet had +his admirers been better learned in physiognomy they could never have +guessed so wide of the mark. The clear, pale skin, the black hair and +dark blue eyes so palpably proclaimed him Irish! Moreover, it was to +his native traits that he really owed his wide popularity. The quiet +reserve which usually characterized him hid a fund of brilliant humor, +which would occasionally, and often unexpectedly, flash out in some +quick retort or witty jest; nor was there ever wanting that indefinable +attraction which is the special charm of Erin's sons and daughters all +the world over. + +Even Cuthbert Aston was not proof against that charm, although in a +sense he and Bernard were rivals. For it must have been as evident to +Violet Rossall as it was to all onlookers that both Murray and Aston +sought her company in preference to that of any other maiden of their +acquaintance; which of the two was preferred by her was not so evident, +since she seemed to favor both alike. + +Violet was, indeed, the center of attraction for all the unattached +males of her particular set. For one reason, she was undeniably +beautiful. An oval face, creamy complexion, large, changeful gray +eyes, abundant hair of bright chestnut hue, a slim and graceful +figure--these were but the half of her charms; there was beauty in her +ever-changing expression, and beauty, above all, in that radiant, +winning smile, apart from all loveliness of form or feature. She was +so undeniably clever, too. She had passed through school and college +with flying colors, carrying off one distinction after another; now she +held a prominent position as teacher in a secondary school, with the +certain prospect of advancement in course of time to spheres of higher +responsibility and social position. Violet, therefore, was well +pleased with her lot, and felt, it may be taken for granted, little +anxiety about her future. + +As regards a life-partner, were she disposed to relinquish the chance +of future honors for present ease and happiness, there were many +aspirants to the distinction; she might choose freely among the +eligible bachelors of her acquaintance. Two only of these, however, +seemed to appeal to her sense of fitness--Murray and Aston. + +The former, a year or two older than herself, was a master at the same +school; clever and capable, he was evidently destined to rise rapidly +in his profession, and his future promise, together with his attractive +personality, might well render him the more favored suitor. + +Cuthbert Aston could not be compared with Murray as regarded intellect, +attainments, or personal charm; but he had other attractions of no less +weight in the eyes of a girl who had social ambitions. His father had +made money in business, and bore the reputation of possessing great +wealth. Cuthbert, was the only child of infatuated parents, who had +spared no expense in his upbringing, and were ready to gratify his +every whim. For a genteel occupation he had been placed in a +bank--"not that it would be necessary for him to earn his living at +it," as Mrs. Aston was careful to inform her lady friends; "but it was +well to give him something to do, and banking is not trade! If the +dear boy should get tired of the routine, he could easily take up +something else more to his taste." + +Apart from his worldly prospects, there was little to attract a girl of +Violet's character toward Cuthbert Aston. He was what men technically +style "a bounder!" Yet, empty-headed, arrogant, self-centered though +he might be, he was a rich man's only son. In Violet's eyes that in +itself condoned many flagrant defects. The Astons moved in the highest +circles of the city--spite of Mrs. Aston's "flamboyant" style and her +husband's demonstrative vulgarity; as a member of their family, +therefore, her social status would be secure. + +If the girl had any heart it must have pleaded on behalf of Bernard +Murray--young, handsome, lovable, as he was. Nothing else except +ambition could have allowed her to compare Aston with him. There +might, it is true, have been a spice of adventure connected with her +encouragement of the latter; it was well known that his parents looked +with dismay upon the prospect of their idolized boy "throwing himself +away on that little school-teacher," as his mother phrased it. + +To do the Astons credit, their objection to Violet did not rest wholly +upon an imagined social disparity; there was a much graver reason. The +girl lost no opportunity in proclaiming herself a pronounced +Free-thinker. Her mother had died while she was quite a child, and for +her upbringing Violet had depended wholly upon her father--an ardent +Socialist as well as Atheist. Thus she had grown up in an atmosphere +thoroughly anti-religious, until death had claimed her father also. +Socialism had never strongly appealed to her, and was not likely to do +so, under present circumstances; for religion she entertained a +supercilious disdain, as "out-of-date nonsense." + +Here, then, were three young people kept in contact by the evident +attraction of both men for the same girl, and by the diplomatic +encouragement which the latter seemed to give to each in equal +proportion. Had Violet not been in question, Murray would have given +the cold shoulder to Aston; but as Violet tolerated Aston, he perforce +must put up with him. Aston, on his part, admired and feared Murray, +whom he regarded as a formidable rival. + +"What puzzles me about Murray," he exclaimed once to a boon companion, +"is his jolly good English! Why, the chap has positively no kind of +provincial accent!" (Cuthbert's English, by the way, was not regarded +by his intimates as the perfect thing!) "He doesn't speak like a +Scotch Johnny at all! You never hear an 'Aye, aye' or 'd'ye ken?'--not +a broad vowel even! Why, he might have lived all his life this side +the border, to judge by his tongue, confound him!" + +There could be no doubt of Cuthbert's attachment to Violet. No +remonstrances of his mother--and they were but mild, in spite of her +objection to Violet, since she recognized the futility of opposing her +son's determined will--had the slightest effect with him. He felt +confident in the final acquiescence of both parents in whatever he +might choose to do with regard to marriage. Everything, as he saw, +rested with Violet, and he was shrewd enough to appreciate the +advantages--not so much personal as social--involved in her ultimate +decision. + +An amateur operatic company had been started in the town, and all the +musical talent among the younger generation had been stirred up to take +part in what was regarded as a pleasant occupation for winter evenings +with the pleasurable anticipation of the excitement of a public +performance as the outcome of practices. Our human triangle formed +part of the company. All three were musical, and two of them more than +usually talented both in singing and acting--Violet and Bernard. The +former especially--endowed with a beautiful soprano voice, which had +been well cultivated, added to what is styled by the initiated "a good +stage presence"--was much in request on all such occasions. She had +filled more than one title-role in popular operas presented by their +little company, and no one would dream of casting her for any other +than the leading part. Bernard had a good tenor voice, and Cuthbert a +very fair bass. + +It happened that the particular opera chosen for presentation during +the Easter holidays was to be performed by a capable traveling company +in a neighboring town a month or so before. Consequently our amateurs +felt it their duty to witness the performance, and thus pick up some +valuable hints for future use by such a mild form of "under-study." +Not only our three friends, but two others of the company--the second +soprano and the contralto--started on their short railway journey on a +certain evening in March, intending to return by the last train. + +It was scarcely possible, without giving offense to some one or other +of the party, to arrange beforehand who was to escort whom. One of the +men must inevitably take charge of two of the ladies; fate must +determine which! Cuthbert Aston--a youth unaccustomed to deny himself +any gratification upon which he had set his mind--had probably resolved +that it would not be he! But fortune is proverbially fickle. The +train was crowded and seats were at a discount. It was impossible for +all five to travel together. Violet--with a woman's perversity, +perhaps, because of Cuthbert's evident intention, or, it may be, to +show a deliberate preference for Murray--contrived that the latter +should accompany herself. The other cavalier was therefore compelled, +with as good grace as he could manage, to find places in another +compartment for himself and the two very uninteresting maidens thus +thrust upon him. No wonder he was nettled! Like a spoiled boy he +determined to leave Violet to herself--or rather to her chosen +escort--for the rest of the evening. Glum as an owl, he took his place +in the theater between the two girls, keeping himself severely aloof +from the fickle lady of his dreams. She, on the contrary, stirred by +the pleasurable excitement of her surroundings, and possibly not +displeased by so evident a proof of Cuthhert's appreciation of her, +gave herself wholly to the enjoyment of the hour. + +Bernard, on his part, could not fail to be struck by the preference +manifested in his regard; he, too, was consequently in high spirits. +No better companion--apart from his personal attraction for her--could +have been allotted to him for such an occasion. Violet's sunny +presence, her clever criticisms of the acting and singing--which he had +learned of old to expect--promised for him a thoroughly enjoyable +evening. His heart took courage; was it possible that this charming +girl really preferred him--a man who had to make his way in the world, +and work hard to provide a home for her such as befitted her hopes and +ambitions--to this rich man's only son, who had it in his power to give +her at once wealth, position, and admiration? + +The first act was over. They both had been charmed with what they had +seen and heard, and it was pleasurable to compare impressions and to +anticipate further gratifying experiences. The theater was warm, and +Violet unwound from her neck a lace scarf which she had been wearing. +Pinned to the bosom of her pretty mauve dress was a tiny spray of dull +green leaves. + +"What have you there?" he asked all unthinkingly. + +But before she could answer he knew, and a wave of mingled remorse, +shame, and self-condemnation swept over his soul. + +"What is it? Why, shamrock, of course!" + +"Shamrock!" was all he could falter lamely in reply. + +"Yes, shamrock. Queen Alexandra set the fashion, you know. Every one +who wants to do the correct thing wears shamrock today. But of course +you are a Scotchman; you probably have no idea what day it is! So I +don't mind instructing you. It's St. Patrick's Day." + +He dare not speak. She took his silence and his rapt gaze on the +little spray of green as token of his admiration of her. + +"Perhaps," she rattled on lightly, "you never heard of Patrick, or if +you did, you are inclined to share the modern opinion that 'there never +was no sich a person'--to quote an immortal! If you were an Irishman I +should not dare to whisper such a thing; but a canny Scot could have no +regard for Patrick, even should he believe in him ever so much!" + +Bernard kept his self-control, though he was deadly pale as he spoke. + +"If it is so correct to wear it, you might give me a bit of it." + +Smilingly she complied. He placed it in his buttonhole with what must +have seemed to her elaborate care. Luckily the curtain rose, and he +was free to indulge his thoughts. + +Oh, it was almost sacramental--that tiny sprig! How it called up dead +memories--memories of the old land, of his dear ones now gone, of his +boyhood's simple faith! + +"If you were an Irishman! . . . Perhaps you never heard of Patrick!" +The frivolous words burned his brain. + +O God! Believe in Patrick! His breath came and went. He could hardly +refrain from pressing his lips to the tiny leaves he was wearing on his +breast. + +An Irishman, indeed, he was; but how unworthy of the name! He, a child +of that dear land which Patrick's blessed feet had trodden--he, a son +of that race to whom the saint's words of grace had made known the +Truth--what was he now? A renegade! A false deserter from the ranks +of his faithful countrymen! He had been ashamed of his nationality! +He had ceased to practise or to cherish the faith which Patrick had +brought to the Isle of Saints! + +The curtain fell upon the second act, and he had to be ready to listen +to frivolities and to respond. He did it with a bad grace, as he well +knew. Indeed, he would gladly have been far away--hidden in the dark +corner of some deserted church, where freely and unrestrainedly he +might pour forth penitential tears, and beg forgiveness of the Father +he had so wantonly offended. + +"How deadly dull you are to-night!" cried his companion. "I believe +Cuthbert Aston, glum as he looks, would have been more entertaining! +What can be the matter with you?" + +Her banter failed to provoke the always ready apology--usually so +charmingly proffered. + +He could only mutter something about an awful headache; luckily +Violet's attention was drawn for the moment to an acquaintance who +caught her eye, and there was a speedy change of subject. Did he ever +see such execrable taste as that girl's dress? It was positively +hideous! The colors did not suit either the wearer or each other, +etc., etc. + +It was a relief when the curtain rose once more. The music and the +action of the piece engrossed the attention of Violet; to Bernard they +were God-sent helps. His mind could range back over the past without +restraint, while outwardly he appeared absorbed in the play. + +What torrents of self-reproach swept over him as he retraced the +wanderings of his misspent years--misspent as regarded the service of +his Creator, however prosperous in the eyes of the world! The past +came back like a dream. His innocent childhood, spent under the +vigilant care of a saintly mother; his boyhood, with its keener +joys--all tempered by religion; his school-days, his college +career--both dominated by faith; in minute detail the pictures passed +before his mental vision as he sat there, silent and solitary--heedless +of the throng of pleasure-seekers all around him. The sorrow with +which such recollections filled his heart was caused by the contrast +which after years presented. He could recall his first falling-away +from grace, when the successful attainment of a coveted appointment had +brought with it the necessity of concealing his Catholic upbringing and +convictions. How rapidly had he descended after that turning point had +been passed! Conscience had been stifled until its voice no longer +troubled him. Ambition became his goal, worldly success his God. Far +away in Ireland his mother had died blessing him for his generous +provision for her, ignorant of her darling's downfall. None were now +left for whose opinion he had cared one straw, even should they learn +of his apostasy. + +Shrouded as they were in the gloom of the auditorium, his face, kept +resolutely toward the stage, could not be seen by his companion, much +less his eyes, which were wells of misery. In his overwhelming grief +he almost forgot the girl beside him until a whispered remark upon some +beautiful passage in the music recalled her presence. It did but add +fresh stings to his remorse. Could it be possible that he--a son of a +sainted mother, child of a faithful Catholic race--could have +contemplated marriage with a professed atheist? Had he indeed been +planning to take to wife, to make the mother of his possible children, +one who openly flouted the idea of a personal God--he, who had drunk in +at his mother's breast the burning love of the Faith which is the +birthright of every true son of Ireland? + +The pain and the shame which filled his heart were well-nigh +unendurable! Oh, if he could but manage to keep his self-control for +an hour or two! If he could but hold out until he was alone; for at +times it seemed as though he must betray himself--there, in that public +assembly--by crying aloud in his anguish, or even by breaking out into +unmanly weeping. + +How he got through that miserable evening he never could recall. He +realized by her coldness on the return journey, and by the +demonstrative encouragement shown to Aston, that he had woefully +offended Violet. + +Bernard never played his allotted part in the opera; for to every one's +astonishment he threw up his appointment and left the town, bound no +one knew whither. So the course was clear for Cuthbert Aston, and he +lost no time in making good his opportunity. His engagement to Violet +took no one by surprise, when his only possible rival was out of the +way. + +It does not need a very vivid imagination to voice the sentiments of +Aston and his _fiancée_ on the subject of Bernard's extraordinary +conduct--as it would appear to them. + +"I was always afraid," the successful suitor would doubtless exclaim, +"that Murray would be the fortunate chap; he was so jolly clever--and +good looking, too!" + +"Of course," we may imagine the lady responding, "he was all right in +that way--handsome, and well-bred, and all that sort of thing. But +surely affection is the only thing one really values, dear, and you +were always so faithful," etc., etc., etc. + +Meanwhile, in the great Trappist monastery beyond the Irish Sea a +Brother Patrick labored and prayed--if so be he might make some +reparation, at least for past unfaithfulness to so bountiful a Lord. + + * * * * * * + +"You must have been working hard at your prayers, Ted," was Val's +morning salutation to me when I went in to breakfast one day. + +"What, am I late?" I asked, glancing at my watch. + +"Oh, that's nothing unusual," was the unkind response, "But I was not +thinking of this morning in particular. Don't you remember what I +asked you to pray for?" + +"To be sure I do. For a particularly good mistress for the school." +(For we had just had the misfortune to lose one who was next door to +perfection, and wanted to increase in perfection by entering a convent, +and Val had been worrying himself to replace her before the holidays +were over.) + +"So you've heard of one? That's good!" I continued. + +"Well, not exactly," said Val. "I've heard of a person who is on the +lookout for a place of this kind, and reference seem quite correct, +but----" + +"But what? If she is all right, why hesitate? Write at once, my dear +fellow, and snap her up before some one else does!" + +Val's eyes twinkled. + +"It's not a _she_ at all. That's the difficulty. It's a master who is +applying." + +I whistled my astonishment, then shook my head in distrust. + +"If he's not a fraud he must be fooling you!" I rejoined irreverently. +"No capable master would come up here." + +"Read that before you make a pronouncement," said Val, as he threw a +letter across the table to me. + +It proved to be from an old college friend of Val's, and backed up very +warmly the application for our vacant post of a young man who was an +excellent trained teacher, who had tried his vocation as a monk, and +had failed through a breakdown in health. He was in want of an easy +berth in good country air, where he could pick up his strength and fit +himself for entering college to train for the secular priesthood in a +couple of years. No man with sense in his head would think twice about +closing with such a promising candidate; Val wrote back gladly +accepting the young man. + +So Bernard Murray came to Ardmuirland, and won all our hearts in no +time. + +"That gentleman's got the face of a priest, Mr. Edmund," was Penny's +remark at first sight of him. + +"Murray's a treasure!" cried Val in delight. "He'll do wonders with +our bairns, Ted!" + +It was a true forecast. The children all took to him at once; the +little lassies loved him; for he had a gentle way with them--like that +of a kindly, grown-up brother; the boys regarded him with more awe, but +were ready to stand up for him against any adversary, as the best +shinty player in the district. He thoroughly transformed our little +choir of children--leading them and accompanying them with taste and +skill. + +To Val as well as to myself he grew inexpressibly dear. It became the +regular custom for one or other of us to look in at the schoolhouse of +an evening, to smoke a pipe with the master, or to lure him for a +walk--should the weather be favorable; while on Sunday evenings after +service Murray dined with us as a matter of course. It was in the +intimate fellowship thus engendered that he confided to me his life +story as detailed above. + +It was a wrench to all three of us when the parting came, and the dear +boy left us to begin his training for the Foreign Missions--his elected +field of labor; but we could not grudge our sacrifice when we compared +it with the immensity of his. + +Bernard is devoting rare talents, ceaseless energy, abundant tenderness +to the winning of souls to God. Difficult and hopeless as his efforts +appear, yet his rare letters breathe patience and cheerful content. +Like every true missionary, he is prodigal of labor, in spite of the +apparent scarcity of the harvest gathered; for like his fellows, he +relies upon those inspired words which promise a plentiful reaping +before the great Harvest-home. + + + "They went forth on their way and wept: scattering + their seed. + But returning, they shall come with joy: carrying + their sheaves." + + + + +XII + +PENNY + + + "While memory watches o'er the sad review + Of joys that faded like the morning dew." + (_Campbell--"Pleasures of Hope"_) + + +Although Penny's early history is not concerned with Ardmuirland or its +neighborhood, yet her long residence in the district will serve as an +excuse for its introduction here, apart from the fact of its undoubted +interest. Indeed, any account of Ardmuirland which should ignore so +prominent a figure in its social life would fail to give a perfect +picture of the place; yet but for the circumstances of her youthful +career Penny would never have appeared there at all. Her story, as given +here, is pieced together from knowledge gained at various times in +intimate conversation; in such a form it is more likely to meet with the +reader's appreciation than related in her own words. + +Lanedon, in the Midlands, was a humble village enough half a century ago. +It lay low, amid gently swelling green hills, and was shaded by luxuriant +woodlands; out of the beaten track it slept in rustic seclusion, +undisturbed by the events of the outside world, its knowledge of such +things being confined to scraps of information which the local newspaper +might cull from more up-to-date journals. + +It had but one street--if a single straggling line of dwellings along a +roadside might be so termed; on one side were cottages, each in its +embowering garden, and on the other ran a clear streamlet, which supplied +all the residents with abundance of fresh water. Besides these +habitations in the village proper, there were others, more pretentious, +though simple enough, in the shape of small farms situated in outlying +districts which claimed to belong to Lanedon parish, whose dwellers +worshiped in the little Norman church. + +At one end of the village stood the "British Lion" public-house. It was +a quaint old homestead of two stories, with black, oaken interlacing +beams in its wattled walls and mullioned windows, retaining the small +diamond, leaded panes, long ago discarded by more pretentious +contemporaries. Before the door still stood an ancient horse-block, +which had served in its time to mount many a lady of olden days; for the +inn had once been of no little importance when stage-coaches plying +between London and the north, along the old Roman road, daily passed the +end of the lane leading to the village. Many a guest of quality, in +those days, spent a night in the "British Lion." + +Opposite the inn door, on the other side of the road, a signboard swung +in a frame upheld by a massive oaken pillar, under the shelter of a +cluster of tall elms; on a marine background, the noble beast that stands +for the type of national courage and strength was depicted rampant, his +fierce claws raised in defiance of all invaders. Under the sign shone +out in golden letters the name, "Stephen Dale." + +The other end of the straggling street was closed by the old church with +its squat tower, whose carven doorways and capitals were wont to attract +to the place many a traveler learned in archaeology; for it was a famous +building in its way, and was honorably mentioned in most manuals of +architecture. + +The inn and the church had little in common--less, indeed, than an inn +and a church in other villages. Stephen Dale's sole interest in the +sacred building was of a temporal nature; he regarded its attractions +with satisfaction because they served to bring past his door many a +wayfarer who would otherwise never set foot in Lanedon. Such might pass +on their way to the church, but would seldom omit to enter the inn on +their return journey for a few minutes of rest and refreshment. And a +charming place of rest it was! From a stone-paved passage you entered +the "house-place," a large square room, also stone-paved, a step lower +than the passage. Its wide chimney had settled on either side, where one +could sit warm and comfortable--heedless of winter winds--in the glow of +the log-fire burning on the iron "dogs" of the low hearth. In summer its +sanded pavement made it a gratefully cool retreat from the sunshine +outside. Moreover, Stephen Dale's renowned home-brewed ale added to the +attractions of the house. + +Neither Stephen nor any of his household ever set foot in the church for +the purposes of worship; for, strange as it may seem, the Dales, +surrounded by English country yokels, whose sole notion of religion lay +in a perfunctory attendance at church once on a Sunday--afternoon for +preference--to listen uncomprehending to the service, and slumber through +the sermon, came of a Catholic stock. Both Stephen and his wife hailed +from Lancashire; they had spent many years in service together in a +Catholic household about fifty miles distant from Lanedon before they had +married and set up housekeeping at the "British Lion." Nor were they so +utterly deprived of the consolations of religion as at first sight might +appear; four miles away were the military barracks of Melliford, and a +Catholic chapel which had been built there--principally on account of the +soldiers--was served every Sunday and holiday from a larger center, and +thither the Dales regularly drove to worship. + +Seven children had been born to the worthy couple, but death had snatched +all in turn except the last; this was Penelope (our Penny), who, needless +to say, was the idol of both parents. The result of their devotion was a +rather strict surveillance, to which she was subjected, not only during +childhood's years, but with even greater insistence when she had reached +maidenhood. For it became necessary then to guard their treasure from +any adventurer who might seek to win her in marriage for the sake of the +goodly dowry which every one knew must fall to her lot. Her father would +often remark with no little show of determination: "Penny shall never +throw herself away on any whipper-snapper of a fellow! She'll not be a +pauper, and she can afford to wait a bit till she meets her match!" + +It is not to be surprised, therefore, that Penny should hold her pretty +head rather high. No mere plowman would dare to aspire to the hand of a +landlord's only daughter, and no marriageable farmer to whom Penny might +aspire was to be found in the neighborhood. As to the military--Penny +would have scouted the idea of wedding a common soldier, and was sensible +enough to turn a cold shoulder upon the undisguised glances of admiration +of youthful and impressionable officers. Thus it came about that she had +blossomed into a graceful girl of twenty--small in stature, yet not +without good looks--and yet remained heart-whole. + +Among their few intimate acquaintances the Dales had a particular +attraction for one of the married sergeants of the barracks and his +wife--both Catholics. Sergeant Pike and his better-half would not +infrequently, especially during the summer months, stroll over to the inn +of an evening--sure of a hearty welcome to a cup of tea and a chat. Pike +had seen service in India, and his adventures would thrill his rustic +audience in the inn, as they listened over pipe and mug to his stirring +narratives. His wife was equally entertaining toward Sarah Dale and her +daughter, in the little glass-partitioned bar in the corner of the +"house-place"; she had been maid to many an officer's lady, and had +traveled as far abroad as her husband. Thus while "the tented field" and +its dangers held enthralled the larger company of men, present fashions +and past adventures--though less exciting than those of the +sergeant--were entertaining enough to the smaller audience in the bar. +Even 'Melia, the maid-servant of tender years, would share in the social +enjoyment, as knitting in hand she stole furtively in from the kitchen +and listened unreproved to the interesting discourse. Sometimes it might +happen that the Pikes had been able to drive over in a borrowed +conveyance on a winter afternoon; in such case a cosy supper in the snug +little bar, after the ordinary company had departed, would take the place +of tea. The Pikes, in their turn, were always hospitably inclined +whenever Stephen Dale, his wife, or daughter, or all of them together, +might look in upon them of a Sunday after Mass. + +The acquaintance, thus ripened, was destined to influence Penny's future +beyond any anticipation on the part of either family. It fell out on one +occasion that Mrs. Pike was unable to accompany the sergeant on a visit +to the Dales, and to serve as a companion on the walk he brought with him +a fellow-sergeant, much younger, whom he introduced to the Dales as "my +particular chum--Sergeant Spence." The newcomer was a decidedly +handsome, strapping young soldier, with a merry dark eye, rendered still +more striking by his fair hair and tawny moustache. His skin would have +been fair, too, had it not undergone a process of bronzing under tropical +suns. He could not have been thirty, and looked even younger. He proved +also to be unmarried; a fact playfully made known by his companion. +"Arthur's never met with a missus to suit him since he got his stripes," +he said laughing, as they sat at supper; "he's like me--a bit particular +in that respect." Spence merely greeted the remark with a quiet smile. +He seemed a silent young fellow, with a manner superior to his +companion's. + +Perhaps it was a want of circumspection on the part of Stephen Dale that +he should welcome a stranger, and a soldier, too, as a guest at his +family meal. But it was his favorite axiom that a sergeant might not be +looked down upon "like as if he was a common Tom, Dick, or Harry in the +ranks"; so that his hospitality was to be expected in the present +instance. Had either anxious parent had the slightest fear of the +attractive sergeant's pleasing qualities proving too strong for Penny's +"proper pride," their welcome would have been less genuine; but they were +altogether without suspicion. Yet, as to Penny herself, it must have +been evident from the first that the dark eyes often strayed in her +direction, and that with unmistakable interest, even on so short an +acquaintance. + +After that first visit the handsome young sergeant became a frequent +partaker of the hospitality of the "British Lion." He never omitted to +accompany the Pikes, and not seldom walked over on a summer's evening to +smoke a pipe with Stephen and feast his eyes surreptitiously upon +Stephen's attractive daughter. He proved, on acquaintance, to be an +intelligent, well-spoken young fellow, evidently superior to most of his +class; this was owing to the fact that he was a farmer's son, left, +through a combination of circumstances, orphaned and almost destitute, +who had found in the army a welcome means of livelihood. + +It was not long before Spence was on as familiar a footing at the +"British Lion" as his fellow-sergeant. It was strange that both Stephen +Dale and his wife were altogether blind to the real reason for his +frequent visits. Penny, on the other hand, had early discerned the state +of the young man's feelings toward her; but instinctively she guarded her +secret from all. Even when Spence had spoken, and had learned her strong +affection for him, she insisted that all knowledge of their mutual +understanding should be kept from her parents until she could gauge their +feelings in the matter. She was not without uneasiness; for it seemed +extremely doubtful whether her father--much as he liked her lover--would +consider him suitable as a son-in-law. For her mother's opinion she felt +no anxiety; since Sarah Dale was thoroughly under her husband's thumb. +Penny's own strong will had come to her from her father alone. + +The course of events was much like that of other instances of the kind. +Clandestine letters, less frequent meetings--as opportunity offered--ran +the usual risk; in due time, as might have been expected by any but +ardent lovers, the secret oozed out. Some busybody or other lost no time +in conveying the startling news to Stephen Dale, who had hitherto had no +suspicion of the state of things. + +To say that Penny's father was disappointed would be an altogether +inadequate description of his state of mind; he was thoroughly enraged. +Never in her life had his daughter seen him give way to such unrestrained +passion; for never before had his hopes and aspirations been so entirely +thrown over. He had set his heart upon establishing his darling in a +position in life as far above his own as might be possible; now, by her +own initiative, she had paved the way to an evident descent in the social +scale. Not content with choosing one far beneath her, she had even +chosen a Protestant! Yet Stephen had too strong a will to be easily +contravened. He was determined to prevent, at all costs, such a +disaster. His first impulse was to relieve his mind by telling Spence in +no measured language what he thought of his conduct; the latter had +perforce to keep silent, however exaggerated the abuse heaped upon him, +for his conscience told him that he was in fault. Penny was the next to +listen to some very candid truths as to the uprightness of her part in +the proceedings. Then when he had given full play to his indignation, +Stephen began to make plans for the future which might effectually defeat +any attempts on the part of the young people to renew their intimacy. +Spence, of course, was absolutely forbidden to set foot again over the +threshold of the inn. Penny was kept under strict surveillance until her +father was able to carry her off to a sister of his own in distant +Lancashire, who could be depended upon to prevent any communication +between the lovers. The Pikes--poor people--though absolutely innocent +of any complicity, since they knew no more of what was going on than +Stephen himself, were made to share in Spence's interdict. No assurances +of their total ignorance of the affair would avail; the fact that Pike +had been the unfortunate instrument in introducing his comrade to the +Dale family was in itself sufficient to kindle Stephen's wrath against +him. To add to the sergeant's discomfiture, he could not forget that in +his admiration for his "chum" he had been unstinting in his praises; for +he had a genuine affectionate regard for Spence, as a thoroughly upright +young fellow, and a striking contrast to the majority of the Protestants +with whom he was daily brought into contact. + +The unhappy Penny, placed under her aunt's vigilant guardianship, was +inconsolable. She languished and drooped, during the first week or two +of her exile, as though her usually firm will had died within her. So +utterly broken did she seem that her aunt began to lose all hope of +rousing her to any interest in life; apparently she was submitting in a +spirit of blank despair to a fate which she regarded as inevitable. But +soon a change came over her. Though still quiet and seemingly docile, +she gained by degrees some vestiges of her old cheerfulness and gaiety. +Her guardian's watchfulness inadvertently relaxed, for it appeared no +longer necessary. + +But the unfortunate woman had a sad awakening. One morning the girl went +out alone--ostensibly to Mass; the day wore on, and to her aunt's +consternation no Penny put in an appearance. An explanation arrived next +morning by letter. Penny's lover had contrived to communicate with her +and to arrange a meeting in Liverpool, where they had been married; by +the time the letter arrived at its destination the couple were on the way +to Ireland, whither Spence's regiment had been just transferred. + +The two years that followed were, for the most part, years of happiness +for the sergeant and his bride. Penny's conscience had been at first +greatly troubled by her sacrilegious marriage before a registrar, on +account of the inevitable haste with which it had to be carried through. +She bitterly deplored her weakness for many a long day, even after she +had done all that was possible to atone for her sin by a sincere +Confession. Her husband could not be expected to realize as she did the +gravity of her offense against religion; but he sympathized with her +distress, and did all that lay in his power, by unceasing care and +devotion, to comfort her. By degrees his lavish affection tended to +deaden for the time the keenness of her remorse. + +Their happiness was increased by the birth of a little daughter. The +child was the idol of her father, and Penny's life was brightened by the +joys of motherhood, in spite of the persistent refusal of Stephen Dale to +hold any communication with her or allow his wife to do so. + +But all too soon that happiness was to be rudely shattered, and that in a +way entirely unforeseen. + +Like many another family on the strength of the regiment, the Spences, +for lack of accommodation in barracks, were lodged in apartments in the +city. One dreary winter evening, when little Annie was about a year old, +Penny sat at her knitting by the fireside, the baby in her cot close by, +fast asleep. Spence had been taking part in a concert, and was later +than usual in coming in, for it was past ten o'clock. In the silence +Penny heard the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs outside; they +halted at her door, and there was a gentle rapping. She rose and opened +the door in response. + +On the landing without stood a woman, whom she had never before seen--a +shabby-looking woman, dressed in soiled and worn garments, which had once +been bright and stylish. Her appearance, apart from her dress, was far +from attractive; her lean face had dull red blotches upon it, her eyes +looked wild and shining, and her gray hair straggled out from her tawdry +bonnet. It scarcely needed the evidence of a strong smell of spirits to +prove that she had been taking drink. + +Penny instinctively shrank back from the threshold, but still held the +door in her hand. The woman made no attempt to enter. Fixing her too +bright eyes upon Penny's face with a scrutinizing glance, she said in a +raucous whisper: + +"I was told that Sergeant Spence was likely to be here; but it seems I've +come to the wrong rooms." + +Penny was silent for a moment, dreading she knew not what. + +"Sergeant Spence may be here any moment," she answered, rousing herself. +She was praying that he might come quickly. + +"Oh, indeed! So he may be here any moment," said the woman in louder +tones. "I suppose my fine fellow is courting you now," she went on, +staring boldly into Penny's frightened face. "Well, I've no fault to +find with his taste. He used to have an eye for a pretty face, and +you're a good-looking girl, though you're but a little one." + +"What do you want with Sergeant Spence?" asked Penny, as her courage +began to return. Why should she fear this coarse, black-eyed woman. She +could have nothing in common with Arthur. But why should she seek him +thus openly in his own dwelling? Her fears began to return. + +The strange visitor advanced across the threshold; Penny retreated before +her. The color deepened in her already florid face as the woman cried +fiercely: + +"What do I want with him? I mean to force him to take me back to my +rightful place, that's what I want with him!" + +Her voice, raised angrily, awoke the child, who gave a shrill cry of +fright. The woman stared at the cot in astonishment. Penny stooped and +lifted the little one, and faced the stranger once more as she pressed +the child to her bosom. + +"Is that your baby?" the woman almost whispered, as she caught the gleam +of Penny's wedding ring. Then she cried wrathfully: + +"What! Has he dared to marry you? Oh, the treacherous villain! Surely +you're not Arthur Spence's wife!" + +In spite of the fear that fell upon her, Penny grew at once strangely +calm. This must be some disreputable relative of her husband's--though +she had thought him alone in the world. He was an orphan. This could +not be Arthur's mother! He could have nothing in common with a woman so +low as this! It was some bold, bad creature trying to frighten her. +Thus spoke her trembling heart, but her voice was quiet and restrained as +she said in reply: + +"I do not see how it affects you that Arthur Spence is my husband, and +this is our child." + +The simple dignity with which she spoke and her apparent calmness seemed +to soften the woman and still her anger somewhat. Drawing nearer, she +laid her hand with something of gentleness upon Penny's arm, and tears +started to her eyes as she exclaimed: + +"My dear, the man's a scoundrel! You are no wife of his. He married me +when he was a stripling of eighteen, and he cast me off in less than a +year. He ruined me, and now he's ruined you--poor dear!" + +"It's false, it's false!" cried Penny with fierce eyes and glowing color. +"You certainly know nothing of my husband. You'll never turn me against +him with your wicked lies! He's good and true--I'm sure of it, say what +you like!" + +"I only wish you were right, my dear," replied the other, evidently +softened by Penny's unshaken fidelity. "But God knows I'm speaking the +truth; for here is the proof." + +She drew from her pocket a folded paper and held it open before Penny's +eyes. + +It was a marriage certificate. It described Arthur Spence as wedded to +Clara Millar, and the date was twelve years ago. The shock, though +intense, was merely momentary. So strong was Penny's trust in her +husband that not even this manifest evidence, as it seemed, could shake +it. Another man might bear the same name--Arthur might have some +disreputable cousin or other relative. She would believe nothing against +the uprightness of her Arthur. + +"I do not believe," she said firmly, looking steadfastly at the other +woman, "that my husband could wrong any woman." + +"I declare to you before God," cried the stranger excitedly, "that +Sergeant Arthur Spence, whom you call your husband, married me on the day +set down here!" And she rapped with one hand on the paper she held in +the other. "But I have a stronger proof. Read that!" + +She had taken an envelope from her pocket as she spoke, and drawing from +it a paper she held it before Penny. + +With shaking hands the poor little wife took it. It was a letter--the +handwriting familiar to her. She turned to the signature; it was her +husband's own. + +"Read it through," persisted the woman. "See whether I am telling the +truth or lies." + +Penny's knees were shaking under her. She sank into a chair, and +clasping her baby more closely to her breast she read the letter. It was +dated a few days before she and Arthur were married. + +"Dear Clara," it ran. "This is the last time I shall write to you. +Unless you stick to the agreement we made, I shall stop sending you +money. Do not try to meet me, and do not mention again our unhappy +marriage--even to me--or I shall shake you off entirely. So use your +common-sense, and keep quiet. You will find that I shall do something +desperate if you keep on annoying me as you have done lately. I tell you +plainly: I will never see you again." + +What a moment of agony for the poor stricken wife! There could no longer +he room for doubt. She had indeed been fooled and deceived! Her innate +courage rose and sustained her under the weight of the trial. She would +leave that house--now, once and for all--before her betrayer could +return! Never, never would she look upon his smiling, treacherous face +again! + +Animated with fresh strength, she rose and hastily began her +preparations. She fetched the baby's warm wraps from the inner room and +began to dress the child. The other woman looked on in silence--dazed +for the moment by Penny's brisk movements. At last she found a voice. + +"What are you doing?" she cried. "Surely you will not take the child out +to-night!" + +Penny made no answer, but fetched her own outdoor clothes and dressed +hastily. + +"Where are you going, on such a night?" cried the other excitedly. + +"Anywhere," answered Penny, her lips white and her eyes flashing. +"Anywhere out of reach of that man." + +"No, no!" the woman expostulated. "Wait till morning! I'll see him then +and settle everything." + +"What can you settle that can make me stay?" asked Penny, in bitter +wrath. "Do you think that I would spend another night under this roof? +Wait here and see him, if you wish--you have the right to be here, not I! +He will never see me again." + +She ran back into her bedroom for the little purse. In it were a few +pounds she had saved up to buy the man an easy chair for his coming +birthday. How often she had pictured his pleasure when he would be able +to lean back comfortably in it on the opposite side of the fireplace and +smoke his evening pipe, his handsome face beaming love and admiration. +The vision filled her with fresh loathing. She scarcely bade the other +woman good-night, but clasping her babe hurried from the room. Swiftly +down the stairs she ran, heedless of the cries of the woman she had left +behind, and out into the wind and rain of the dreary street--fit emblem, +in its forlorn wretchedness, of the future which loomed hopeless before +her. + + * * * * * * + +Two things added to the poignancy of Penny's unavailing grief in after +years: the innocence of Arthur Spence of any deception (except silence +regarding his past), and the fact that she never knew this until he had +given his life in his country's service. It was then too late to reap +comfort in her supreme sorrow from the knowledge of his uprightness both +to herself and to the wretched woman who had caused her unreflecting +flight on that fatal night. + +For many months she had been hidden from all her former acquaintances in +the Convent of Mercy, whose Superior she had long been intimate with. +There she had nursed her baby through an illness which at last proved +fatal. Grief at the loss of her little one, added to her already heavy +burden of trouble, had told upon her own health, and for weeks she had +needed to be nursed herself. After her recovery, as she shrank from +returning home, the good Sisters obtained for her the post of nurse with +our family. + +Two years later Stephen Dale died suddenly. Penny had written to him and +to her mother more than once, but got no answer; the intimation of her +father's death was the first communication she had received since leaving +home. Later on a letter was forwarded to her, which had been found among +her father's papers. It was from Spence, and was dated the day following +her flight. In an agony of mind the man had searched for her everywhere, +and failing to discover any trace of her whereabouts, had written to her +under cover to her father. He, poor man, could not send it--even had he +been willing--having no idea of her address. + +The letter was a pitiful appeal to Penny to return, and contained a full +explanation of his conduct. The marriage with the woman Millar--never a +happy one--had proved invalid, owing to the survival of her former +husband to a later date. This, however, only became known to Spence +after the woman's intemperate habits had told upon her brain, and landed +her in an asylum. She had really believed that her husband--a worthless +fellow--had died on the day stated. It was characteristic of the +chivalrous nature of the man that Spence shrank from telling her, after +her recovery, of the error; content to send her an annual allowance on +condition that they should remain apart--as they had agreed to do long +before. Although the woman had no legal claim upon him, he had continued +this allowance even after his marriage with Penny, hoping to secure by +this means freedom from molestation. + +It was natural that Penny, knowing all the circumstances, should desire +to communicate with her husband and become reconciled. My dear old +father, to whom she had confided her trouble, at once inquired through +the War Office as to where Arthur Spence was then stationed. The answer +told of his death in action three months earlier. + +Penny--poor soul!--when giving me these details many years later, utterly +broke down, as she accused herself of having wronged--however +unwittingly--by her suspicions the brave and upright man whose loss she +still keenly deplored, and whose soul (I make no doubt) she will never +omit to recommend to God in her daily prayers as long as life is granted +to her. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UP IN ARDMUIRLAND*** + + +******* This file should be named 17453-8.txt or 17453-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/5/17453 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/17453-8.zip b/17453-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..29af6db --- /dev/null +++ b/17453-8.zip diff --git a/17453.txt b/17453.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3fd1af3 --- /dev/null +++ b/17453.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5329 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Up in Ardmuirland, by Michael Barrett + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Up in Ardmuirland + + +Author: Michael Barrett + + + +Release Date: January 4, 2006 [eBook #17453] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UP IN ARDMUIRLAND*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +UP IN ARDMUIRLAND + +by + +REV. MICHAEL BARRETT, O.S.B. + + + + + + + +New York Cincinnati Chicago +Benziger Brothers +Publishers of Benziger's Magazine +1912 +Copyright, 1912, by Benziger Brothers + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. PERSONAL + II. MEMORIES + III. ARCHIE + IV. GOLDEN DREAMS + V. "DOMINIE DICK" + VI. BILDY + VII. SMUGGLERS + VIII. PHENOMENA + IX. SPRING'S RETURN + X. A RUSTIC PASTOR + XI. A SPRIG OF SHAMROCK + XII. PENNY + + + + +UP IN ARDMUIRLAND + + +I + +PERSONAL + + + Forest and meadow and hill, and the steel-blue rim of the ocean + Lying silent and sad, in the afternoon shadows and sunshine. + (_Longfellow--"Miles Standish"_) + + +Val and I, being twins, have always been looked upon as inseparables. +True, we have been often forced apart during life's course; yet, +somehow, we have always managed to drift back again into the old +companionship which Nature seems to have intended in bringing us into +the world together. + +Boyhood and youth, as long as school life lasted, slipped by with never +a parting. The crux came when we were old enough to choose our +respective paths in life. It appeared that Val, although he had never +before breathed a word to me--whatever he may have done to Dad--had +thoroughly determined to be a priest if he could. I had never felt the +ghost of a vocation in that direction, so here came the parting of the +ways. Val went to college, and I was left inconsolable. + +But I was not allowed to nurse my griefs; plans had been made in my +regard also, it appeared. + +"Ted," said Dad quite abruptly one day, "you'll have to go to Bonn. +That'll be the best place for you, since Oxford is out of the question. +You've got to take my place some day, and you mustn't grow up an +absolute dunce. Atfield" (an old school-chum of his) "is well pleased +with the place for his boy, Bill, so you may get ready to travel back +with him next week, when the vacation finishes." + +In those days (how long ago I almost blush to record) Catholics were +not allowed access to our own universities as they now are, and we +Flemings were Catholics to the core, and of old staunch Jacobites, as +befitted our Scottish race and name. + +So Bill Atfield took me under his wing, and to Bonn I went the very +next week. There I remained until the end of my course, returning home +for vacations, as a rule, but ending up with a week or two, in company +with Dad, in Paris, whither Val had gone for his philosophy. But such +rare meetings became rarer still when Val went off to Rome, and I had +to take up a profession; and our separation was apparently destined to +last indefinitely when Val had been ordained, and I went out to India +after a civil service appointment. + +And yet so kindly at times is Fate that, quite beyond my most ardent +hopes, I have been thrown together with Val, in daily companionship, as +long as life permits. + +For, as it fell out, I was invalided home at quite an early stage of my +public career, and, contrary to all family traditions, disgraced my kin +by contracting lung disease--at least, so the doctors have declared, +though I have experienced very little inconvenience thereby, except +that of being condemned to act the invalid for the rest of my life. +For years I was forced by arbitrary decrees to winter in clement +climes, as the only means of surviving till the spring; but now that I +am fifty I have emancipated myself from such slavery, and insist on +spending winter as well as summer in "bonnie Scotland." So far I have +found no difference in health and strength. Thus it came about that a +long visit to Val lengthened out indefinitely, and is not likely to +terminate until one or other of us is removed hence. + +The _ego_ appears rather prominently in these introductory paragraphs, +it is true, but it was almost unavoidable; for my presence had to be +accounted for in Ardmuirland before I could give reminiscences of this +delightful spot. Now, however, I am free to speak of other folks; and +first of dear old Val. + +It was a long and arduous apprenticeship (if it is not irreverent so to +style it) which Val had to pass in order to fit himself for priestly +work; he was curate for I know not how many years in a large and +extremely poor mission in one of our big towns. He worked well and +thoroughly, as any one who knows Val will be ready to affirm; but his +health would not stand the hard work and close confinement of a town, +and he was forced against his will to relinquish his post. His +attraction had always been toward a studious life, so it came about +that he was sent up here, where he has time to study to his heart's +content, since his flock will never be anything but small. Moreover, +his share of poor old Dad's worldly substance enables him to live, for +the emoluments here would scarcely support a canary-bird. + +Yet it must not be supposed that Val is rolling in riches. In the +first place, poor Dad had to sell a good deal of property to make good +his losses from unfortunate investments, and he had not overmuch to +leave us. His worldly wisdom, too, taught him to be sparing with Val. + +"He would spend his half in a month, Ted," said the old Pater shrewdly, +when he came to settle his worldly affairs. "I shall therefore leave +the bulk of everything to you, and trust to you to provide liberally +for the dear boy." + +Dad's remark is the best possible clue to Val's character. Had he +nothing else to give, Val would strip the very coat off his own back, +when it was a question of relieving distress. So it is a part of my +duty to see that he is clothed and fed as he ought to be, and a +difficult job it is at times. + +I suppose I ought to give some idea of Val's appearance, if this is to +be a proper literary turn-out. When we both were younger, it was +commonly said by aunts, uncles, and such like, that one was the image +of the other. That would be scarcely a fair description now. I am +thin; Val is inclined to become chubby. I have a beard and he is +necessarily shaven; he needs glasses always, and I only for reading. +With these preliminary observations I may say that Val is about five +feet six in his shoes, of dark complexion, and with hair inclining to +gray. He is quiet in manner, yet withal a charming companion when +called upon to talk. The people worship him; that is the best +testimonial of a country priest, and all that I need say about his +interior man. + +If I did not know for certain that Longfellow never set eyes on +Ardmuirland, I should maintain that the lines at the head of this +chapter were meant for a description of it. For "the steel-blue rim of +the ocean" is but three miles distant from this heather-clad, +wind-swept height, which rises some seven hundred feet above it. +Moreover, as one gazes down, the eye meets many a miniature forest of +pine and birch, clothing portions of the lower hills, or nestling in +the crevices of the numerous watercourses which divide them. Strewn +irregularly over the landscape are white-walled, low-roofed farms and +crofters' dwellings--each in the embrace of sheltering barn and byre, +whose roofs of vivid scarlet often shine out in the sun from a setting +of green meadow or garden. + +Our own habitation is simple enough, yet amply suffices for our needs. +It is just a stone cottage of two stories, and is connected by a small +cloister-like passage, Gothic in character, with the stone chapel which +is the scene of Val's priestly ministrations. This, too, is modest +enough. The windows are triple lancets, filled with opaque glass, the +altar of stone and marble, but simple in decoration, the tabernacle of +brass, and the eastern window--larger than the others--is embellished +with stained glass. It is in memory of our dear Dad, and besides his +patron, St. Andrew, it has the figures of St. Valentine and St. Edmund +on either side of the Apostle. + +Within the house is a dining-room, a better furnished room for the +reception of important visitors, and a small den known as the "priest's +room," in which Val interviews members of his flock. Upstairs are +Val's study and my sitting-room, with our respective bed-chambers and a +spare one for a casual visitor. Kitchen offices and servants' quarters +are in a tiny special block. + +Both chapel and house have been built by Val. I can recall his +pleading letters to Dad for help to raise a more worthy temple. The +Pater, with his characteristic caution, made it a condition of his help +that a new house should form part of the plan. If the old chapel was +as unworthy of its purpose as Val's descriptions painted it, the +dwelling must have been indeed poverty-stricken. From what I have +gleaned from the natives, both buildings must have surpassed in +meanness our wildest conceptions of them. But more upon that subject +later. + +Any account of the chapel-house at Ardmuirland would be incomplete +without some reference to a personage who holds an important position +in the household, second only to that of the master of the house. This +is Penelope Spence, known to the world outside as "Mistress Spence," +and to Val and myself as "Penny." She was our nurse long ago, and is +now the ruler of the domestic affairs of the chapel-house. A little, +round, white-haired, rosy-faced dumpling of a woman is Penny; an +Englishwoman, too, from the Midlands, where the letter H is reserved by +many persons of her social standing for the sake of special emphasis +only. I find by calculation that she first saw the light at least +seventy years ago, but she is reticent upon that subject. All the +precise information I have ever extracted from her on the point is that +she is not so young as she once was--which is self-evident! But young +or old, she is brisk and active, both in mind and body, still. Such a +devoted old soul, too! She would go to the stake cheerfully for either +of us, but for Val she entertains an almost superstitious reverence, +which would be amusing were it not touching. When speaking of him to +the natives, she invariably styles him "the Priest." I imagine she +looks for a higher place above, in recognition of her early services to +him. + +Penny was already a young married woman when she came into the service +of our family. Her history, as I have learned it from her own lips, +will be worth narrating, if I can find room for it in these pages. + +Elsie is Penny's "lady in waiting"; she is too youthful as yet to have +made history. She hails from a neighboring farm, and is a really +satisfactory handmaid--ready, cheerful, and diligent; she entertains a +thoroughly genuine respect for her superior officer, "Mistress Spence," +in spite of the latter's somewhat severe notions as to the training of +young servants. In appearance Elsie is much like any other Scottish +lassie of her age--not strikingly beautiful, nor yet ugly; just +pleasant to look upon. Her most conspicuous trait is a smile which +appears to be chronic. One cannot help wondering what she looks like +on occasions when a smile is out of place--at her prayers, or at a +funeral, for instance. I am quite prepared to maintain that she does +not lose it during sleep; for though I have noticed it growing deeper +and broader when she has reason to feel more than usual satisfaction +(e.g., when Penny unthinkingly utters a word of praise), it never +entirely disappears during the daytime. + +There is another personage who deserves special mention; for not only +is he an important item in our establishment, but a very special crony +of mine. This is Willy Paterson (known locally, by-the-bye, as "the +Priest's Wully"), our gardener, groom, coachman (when required), and +general handy man. Willy is a wiry, wrinkled, white-haired little +man--little now, because stooping a bit under the weight of well-nigh +eighty years--who is greatly respected by his neighbors far and near +because he has "been sooth." For he was long ago in the ranks of the +police of one of our biggest cities, and his former profession, not to +speak of his knowledge of the world gained thereby, entitles him to +esteem. It has raised him to the rank of a species of oracle on any +subject upon which he is pleased to discourse; the result is a not +unpleasing, because altogether unintentional, dogmatism which seasons +Willy's opinions of men and things. + +Our garden is the pride of Willy's heart. It begins in front of the +house, where flowers of varied hue succeed one another as season +follows season, and roses--red, white, and yellow--seem almost +perennial, since they bud forth in late May and scarcely disappear till +December. But that is due to our wonderful climate as much as to +Willy's attention. As the garden disappears round the corner of the +house, its nature changes; vegetables in surprising and intricate +variety there flourish chiefly. At the stable-yard it ceases; beyond +that a dense pine wood holds its own to the very top of a hill, which +rises above our domain and protects us from eastern blasts. The wood +is not the least of the attractions which Ardmuirland has for me; +beyond the more prosaic quality of its health-giving power, it +possesses, as every bit of forest land does for those who can read its +message aright, a charm unspeakable. + +And now I seem to hear some crusty reader exclaim quite impatiently, +having skimmed through my literary attempt thus far: + +"No doubt the fellow thinks all this interesting enough! But why +expect me to wade through pages of twaddle about Scottish peasants and +their doings--for it is evident that is what it will turn out?" + +"Read it or not, just as you feel inclined, honored sir," I answer with +all the courtesy I can command. "I respect your opinions, as your +fellow-creature, and have no desire to thrust my wares upon unwilling +hands. But opinions differ, luckily, or this world would be an +undesirable habitation for any one, so there may be some who do not +disdain my humble efforts to entertain--and perhaps even amuse. To +such I dedicate my pages." + +Yet, between ourselves (dear, appreciative reader), it is but just that +I should offer some apology for thus rushing into print. I trust to +you to keep the matter a strict secret from my doctor (McKillagen, +M.D., M.R.C.S.), but winter weather at Ardmuirland is not altogether of +a balmy nature. Consequently it is necessary that these precious lungs +of mine should not be exposed too rashly to + + "the cauld, cauld blast, on yonder lea." + + +This leads to much enclosure within doors during a good share of the +worst of our months--say from February to May, off and on; this again +leads to a dearth of interesting occupation. + +It is Val who is really to be blamed for this literary attempt. When, +in an unlucky moment, I was one day expatiating on the material +afforded to a book-maker (I do not use the word in a sporting sense, of +course) by the varied characters and histories of our people, and the +more than ordinary interest attaching to some, he beamed at me across +the dinner-table, a twinkle of humor disclosing itself from behind his +glasses, and said: + +"Why not write about them yourself, Ted? You complain of having +nothing to do in bad weather." + +The idea took root; it was nourished by reflection. Here is the fruit; +pluck it or not, gentle reader, as your inclination bids. + + + + +II + +MEMORIES + + + "Remembrance wakes with all her busy train, + Swells at my breast, and turns the past to pain." + (_Goldsmith--"Deserted Village"_) + + +I have heard a complaint made of some reverend preachers (untruthfully, +I well believe) that they could never begin a sermon without harking +back to the Creation. Now it is not my intention to travel quite so +far back into the past, but I must confess to a desire to dig somewhat +deeply into the history of Ardmuirland in days gone by before touching +upon more recent happenings. Such a desire led me to investigate the +recollections of some of our "oldest inhabitants." + +Willy Paterson, I well knew, was to be trusted for accurate memories of +a certain class of happenings; but for more minute details of events +the feminine mind is the more reliable. So I determined to start with +Willy's wife, Bell. Their dwelling is nearest to ours; it stands, +indeed, but a few yards down the road which leads past our gate. It is +a white-walled, thatched house of one story only--like most of the +habitations in Ardmuirland; it stands in a little garden whose neatness +and the prolific nature of its soil are standing proofs of Willy's +industry in hours of leisure. + +Owing to the prevalence in our neighborhood of some particular +patronymics--Macdonald, Mackintosh, Mackenzie, and the rest--many +individuals are distinguished by what is called in Ardmuirland a +"by-name." Some of these are furnished by the title of the residence +of the family in question, others by the calling or trade of father, +mother, or other relative; thus we have "Margot of the Mill," "Sandy +Craigdhu," as examples of the former, and "Nell Tailor," "Duncan the +Post," of the latter. Still more variety is obtained by the mention of +some personal trait of the individual, such as "Fair Archie," "Black +Janet," and the like. Willy Paterson's wife was commonly known by such +a by-name; every one spoke of her as "Bell o' the Burn," from the name +of her childhood's home. + +Bell is a spare, hard-featured body--not attractive at first sight, +though when one comes to know her, and the somewhat stern expression +relaxes, as the lines about the mouth soften, and the brown eyes grow +kindly, one begins to think that Bell must have been once quite +handsome. She is always scrupulously clean whenever I chance to visit +her, and is usually arrayed in a white "mutch" cap, spotless apron, and +small tartan shawl over her shoulders. Willy and she have reared up a +large family, all of them now settled in the world and most of them +married. They are most proud of their youngest, Margaret, who is a lay +sister in a town convent. Though her husband is reckoned a traveler, +Bell can lay no claim to the title; she probably never moved farther +than ten miles away from the family hearthstone until the day she left +her father's house by the Burn of Breakachy to marry Willy Paterson, +and certainly has never traveled much since that time. + +Most of the houses of Ardmuirland are constructed on exactly the same +plan. There are two principal rooms--"but" and "ben," as they are +commonly designated. (It is unnecessary here to dive into etymology; +but it may be noticed in passing that _but_ signifies "without" and +_ben_ "within.") To "gae ben" is to pass into the inner room, which at +one time opened out of the ordinary living apartment or kitchen, but is +now usually separated from it by a little entrance lobby. Besides +these two chief rooms, the initiated will be able to point out sundry +little hidden closets and cupboards, fitted up as sleeping apartments, +and reminding one of the contrivances on board ship. The two rooms +each contain a more demonstrative bed, as a rule: but in some cases the +bed is shut up with panelled doors like a cupboard. + +All that I learned from Bell about the Ardmuirland of bygone days was +gathered from her lips at intervals, and in the course of many repeated +visits; for it would have been fatal to my purpose had I allowed her to +imagine that I intended to make public use of her communications. +Though I have retained the substance, I have often altered the form; +for it would be useless to expect the reader to translate (if it were +even possible to do so without the help of a glossary) Bell's broad +Scots dialect. Yet the temptation has been too great to be resisted +from time to time to quote her exact words--so quaint her diction and, +to me at least, so attractive withal. + +A description of the original chapel of the district will serve as a +fitting introduction to these memoirs. According to Bell, it must have +been simple even to destitution. No smoothly hewn stones, no carved +windows, no decoration of any kind distinguished it from the houses of +the people. It was a small, low building of rough stone, unplastered, +even inside, and roofed by a heather thatch. There was a single door +in the side wall. The roof within was open to the rude, unvarnished +beams which upheld the thatch. The floor was of beaten clay, and there +were rough benches for the people to sit upon during the sermon, but no +contrivance for kneeling upon. + +"Some o' the fowk had boards to kneel on, ye ken," Bell explained, "but +the maist o' them prayed kneelin' on the flure." + +The altar was a plain, deal kitchen table, devoid of all ornament in +the shape of draperies except the necessary linen coverings. +Underneath it was a box, within which the vestments were stowed away; +for there was no semblance of sacristy, and the priest's house was some +yards distant. At the opposite end from the altar was a raised dais +for the accommodation of the singers, of whom Bell herself was one. +She could not recall what they were accustomed to sing as a rule. + +"I mind we wad sing the _Dies Irae_, whiles," was all the information +she could give on that point. One would think it scarcely possible +that so penitential a chant could form the usual musical accompaniment +to Sunday Mass! A teacher of music from a neighboring glen used to +come over from time to time to practise the singers. + +"I mind weel," said Bell, "he had a wand and a tunin' fork." Are these +not the recognized signs of ability, all the world over, to conduct a +band of singers? The practices were held in the priest's house; +sometimes the pastor would join in the singing, although Bell naively +remarked on that point: + +"He hadna much ear for music, ye ken." + +Of the priest of that day, "Mr." McGillivray, as the old style of +address ran, more will be said later. The figure next in prominence to +him in Bell's recollections was the old sacristan, Robbie Benzie. For +many years he acted as "clerk" at the altar, continuing to carry out +his duties when well advanced in years. During the week he carried on +his trade of weaver; on Sundays he was at his post betimes, carrying a +lantern with him, from which he took the light for the altar candles. +Bell describes him as a stalwart man with fine features and dark eyes. +Clad in his green tartan plaid, he always accompanied the priest round +the little chapel with the holy water for the Asperges, and with his +"lint-white locks" flowing onto his neck, he used to appear in Bell's +eyes "a deal mair imposin' lookin' ner the priest himsel'." His modest +and respectful bearing gained him the esteem of all. "I always think +of him," said Bell, "as one o' the saints of th' olden times, ye ken. +He was the model of a guid Catholic--pious, hard-workin', and aye happy +and contented." + +In those far-off days Ardmuirland was entirely Catholic. The Faith, in +consequence, was an integral part of the life of the district, and the +priest the recognized potentate, whom every one was at all times ready +to serve--working on his croft, plowing, harvesting, and such +like--with cheerful promptitude. Any such labor, when required, was +requested by the priest from the altar on Sunday. + +"I shall be glad to receive help this week on the glebe-land," he would +announce. "You will kindly arrange the division of labor among +yourselves." + +The same would happen when the time came for cutting and storing up +peats for the winter fuel. The day and hour would be named, and all +who could possibly help would be at the hill punctually to take their +respective shares in the labor. + +It was on one such occasion that the incident occurred which struck me +as the culminating point of Bell's recollections. I cannot give it as +dramatically as she did, and if I attempted to do so the pathos would +be marred by the broad Doric--unintelligible to southrons--in which her +narrative was told; but I will reproduce it as faithfully as possible +in my own words. + +It was the "peat-casting" for the priest; every one had worked with a +will--young and old. Dinner had been sent up to the moss at noon by +the various housewives of the district. It was a sumptuous repast, as +usual on so great an occasion; chickens, oatcake, scones, cheese, and +abundance of milk had been thoroughly enjoyed by the workers. The +children--bearers of the dainties from their respective mothers--though +bashful in responding to the fatherly greetings of the old priest, were +yet secretly proud of the honor of his special notice. Shyly they +stood about in groups, watching for a time the resumed labors of +fathers and brothers, until afternoon was wearing away, and it was time +to betake themselves home to make ready for the still more important +event of the day. Gaily they rushed down the hill, their joyous +laughter and merry shouts--relieved as they were from the restraint +which good manners had imposed in the priest's presence--awaking the +echoes of the glen. For many of them would be allowed to take part in +the evening's festivity, and all might share in the preparations for +it. This event was the public supper in the priest's barn, when women +were welcomed with their husbands and brothers, and even the bigger +children were admitted. For the evening repast, as for that of +noonday, each family contributed its share of provisions, which were +always ample in quantity as well as excellent in quality. + +Supper, on this particular occasion--as was usual--took some time, and +it was a serious business, when little conversation was encouraged. +But after supper the real fun began. None love dancing more than +Scots; so dancing must needs form the climax of every gathering for +social enjoyment. The bashful roughness which characterized the +commencement had worn off; lads and lasses were thoroughly enjoying the +somewhat rare opportunity of taking part in so large an assembly; +Archie Cattanach, the piper, was throwing his whole soul into the +skirls and flourishes of his choice tunes; all was gaiety and innocent +enjoyment. The good priest sat looking on pleased because his people +were happy; now and again he would move his position to another group +of the older guests, so that he might chat with all in turn; his flock, +though they held their Pastor in that reverence which none but a priest +can inspire, were under no false restraint in his presence, but joined +in laugh and jest with ease and simplicity. + +Loudly rang out Archie's pipes, merrily tripped the dancers, and joy +reigned supreme, when suddenly there came an unexpected check. The +outer door flew open, and a girlie of about ten, wild-eyed, +bare-headed, panting for breath, rushed into the midst of the +gathering. She was evidently laboring under the stress of some +unwonted excitement. There was no shyness now, in spite of the +priest's presence--in spite of the eager faces that sought hers in +anxious questioning. + +"Mither, Mither!" she screamed shrilly, as she caught sight of the +familiar face she sought, and rushed toward her mother's open arms. It +was little Peggy, Bell's younger sister. + +"Oh, Mither," she wailed through her sobs, "oor Jessie's nae to be +foond! She's nae at hame. I dinna ken wha she's gane!" + +With her mother's arms around her, the child was able to give a more +coherent account of the circumstances which had led to this abrupt +cessation of the dance; for Archie's melody had trailed off into an +unmusical drone and speedily ceased, and the dancers had spontaneously +crowded round the child and her mother. + +Peggy had been left in charge at home, for Bell was allowed to take +part in the "ball." Jessie, the youngest but one of the family, was a +little maid of four years. She had accompanied Peggy and her brothers, +with a crowd of other small folk, when the children went to the moss +with provisions for the workers. All had gone and returned in a body, +and no one noticed that Jessie was not with them. It was only when +Peggy began to assemble her own little charges, to conduct them to +their own house, that she missed the wee lassie. Peggy knew that her +father and mother, together with all her elders in the family, had +already started for the barn--some to help in the preparations, others +to chat with those who were assembling outside. It was growing dark, +for the children had delayed their homeward journey (as they often will +when a number are together) to play and sport. + +There was no one to advise or help the child. Sending on +three-year-old Elsie and the other little ones in charge of Johnnie, +she ran back, half distracted, toward the hill they had left earlier in +the afternoon. Shouting out for Jessie by name, she wandered hither +and thither--terrified, self-accusing, disconsolate. But it was all to +no purpose. Darkness fell, and fearful and contrite, Peggy had no +resource but to seek her mother. + +There was no more merriment that night. A search party was at once +organized by the younger men, who started with lanterns and some of +their collies to the peat-moss. All that night the anxious mother kept +weary vigil, while the men-folk searched the hill. Day broke, and no +trace had been found of the lost child. Weary and sad, the men +returned for some needful rest and others took their places. But +though they traversed the moors all day, and searched crevices and +water-courses with diligence, they met with no better success. +Sometimes a sound would break through the stillness which would stir +their hearts with renewed hope. The cry of a child! Weak and faint, +indeed, but telling of the continuance of life! But again and again, +after scaling heights or creeping down comes, they were doomed to +disappointment. It was but the bleat of a strayed lamb! That night a +larger party set out with lanterns and torches, and once more ranged +the hills shouting for the child; but once again morning dawned upon +disappointed hopes. + +Then every one who could be of any possible use was pressed into the +service. The people flocked out of their homes from all that district, +and hand in hand they started in a long line stretching across a wide +tract of country, and moving slowly on until every inch of ground in +their way had been thoroughly explored. + +It was after three nights and three days had passed that they came upon +the weak little body, lying stark and still under an overhanging rock, +and half buried in the heather. Moss was clutched in her clenched +hand, and shreds of moss were on her cold lips; the poor little bairn +had hungered for food, and had seized that which first came to hand to +satisfy her craving. She was quite dead. + +The bereaved mother mourned her darling with a grief that none but a +mother can know. But the child had been her father's special pet of +all his little flock. + +"His heart," said Bell, the rising tears witnessing to the sadness of +the memories called back by her story, "was well-nigh broke. He burst +into tears at the sight of her wee white face, and sobbed like a bairn +wi' the rest of us." + +And poor little Peggy! How touching the story! She never ceased to +reproach herself for what she considered her carelessness in losing +sight of Jessie on that fatal day. No single creature attached a +shadow of blame to her; on the contrary, it was the dearest wish of all +to try to console her and assure her of her innocence in that respect. +But it was of no avail. Her unceasing grief fretted away her strength, +and six months later she was borne to St. Mungo's ancient burying +ground to share Jessie's grave. + +"It's nigh on sixty years sin'," said Bell apologetically, as she wiped +her streaming eyes with her apron; "but the thocht o' that time brings +the tears up yet." + + + + +III + +ARCHIE + + + "Thus let me live, unseen, unknown, + Thus unlamented let me die; + Steal from the world, and not a stone + Tell where I lie." + (_Pope--"Ode to Solitude"_) + + +He was an unusually wretched semblance of a man. A tattered coat--some +one's cast-off overcoat--green, greasy, mud-stained, clung round his +shaking knees; trousers which might have been of any hue originally, +but were now "sad-colored," flapped about his thin legs and fringed his +ankles; shoes, slashed across the front for ease, revealed bare feet +beneath; an antique and dirty red woolen muffler swathed his neck +almost to the ears. Surmounting these woeful garments appeared a +yellow, wrinkled face surrounded by a straggling fringe of gray +whisker; gray locks strayed from an old red handkerchief tied round the +brows under a dilapidated wide-awake hat. To add to his woe-begone +aspect, the poor wretch was streaming with wet, for a Scottish mist had +been steadily falling all the morning. + +Leaning on his stick, the man slowly shuffled up the central path +toward the porch in which I was sitting, striving to get the nearest +possible approach to an open-air pipe. Touching his sorry headgear, he +looked at me with mild eyes of faded blue, and smiled benignly as he +asked: + +"Could I see himsel'?" + +I had not long come to that part of the country, and I was not +thoroughly conversant with the terminology of the people, but it +flashed upon me what he meant. + +"Did you wish to see the priest?" I rejoined. + +"Aye," replied the old vagrant--for so I deemed him. The smile seemed +stereotyped, for it never faded. His face, when one regarded it +attentively, had a quite attractive pleasantness. + +"I'm sorry to say he's out just now," I said. "But you may go round to +the back and get something to eat, if you wish." + +It struck me as strange that he did not ask for money, but thanked me +profusely and politely, as he touched his wretched hat once more and +shuffled off toward the kitchen quarters. + +He did not reappear for so long a time that I began to think it would +be prudent to investigate. Traveling gentry of such a class are not +always desirable visitors when the kitchen happens to be unoccupied for +the nonce. As I made my way in that direction through the little hall +I heard voices through the half-open door beyond. + +"It'll be all right, Archie," Penny was saying. "The priest shall have +the money as soon as he comes in, and if he can't say the Mass +to-morrow, I'll take care to send you word by Willy. Now, mind you get +a bit of fire lighted when you get back home. You must be wet through!" + +"Thank ye kindly, Mistress Spence," came the slow response in the +quavering voice of the old man. "It's yersel' that's aye kind and +thochtful!" + +I waited till I heard the door close upon the supposed "tramp" before +venturing to make the inquiries that rushed to my lips. And even then +I paused a while. When needing information from Penny, one has to be +circumspect; she has a way of shutting off the supply with ruthless +decision, yet with a seeming absence of deliberate purpose, whenever +she suspects a "pumping" operation. + +"I'm one that won't be drove," I've often heard her say. So we old +fellows are often obliged to have recourse to diplomacy in dealing with +our old nurse. + +Consequently I lounged casually, as it were, into Penny's domain with +the remark, "That poor old chap looked awfully wet, Penny." + +"Wet enough he was, Mr. Edmund," replied the unsuspecting Penny, "and I +have just been giving him a good hot cup of tea; for he never touches +wine or spirits." + +She was evidently betrayed by my apparent lack of inquisitiveness into +a relation of the details I was longing to hear. + +"To think," she continued, "of the creature walking down in such +weather, and he such a frail old mortal, too, just to make sure of Mass +to-morrow for his wife's anniversary. I can't help thinking, Mr. +Edmund, that some of us might take an example in many things from poor +old Archie McLean!" + +"Does he live far away?" I asked--just to encourage the flow of the +narrative. + +"A good three miles--and his rheumatism something hawful," exclaimed +Penny, now thoroughly started on her recital. I had but to lend an +ear, and my curiosity would be satisfied. + +Archie, it appeared, had been a soldier in his young days, but when he +came to settle in Ardmuirland his time of service had expired; that was +long ago, for he was now quite an elderly man. He took up his +residence in a deserted mill, by the Ardmuir Burn. As he proved to be +thoroughly quiet and inoffensive, the neighbors--true to their national +character, not speedily attracted by strangers--began in course of time +to make his acquaintance, and he eventually became a great favorite +with all. When younger, Penny had been told, he had been "a wonderful +good gardener," and for trifling payment, or in return for a meal, +would always "redd-up" the gardens of the district. Thus he acquired +the designation of "Airchie Gairdener," and by that was usually known. + +What his neighbors could not comprehend was how Archie spent these +small earnings, but more especially to what use he had put his army +pension, which every one knew he once received regularly. He had no +occasion to buy food, for kindly neighbors would always exchange for +meal or eggs the varied produce of his well-cultivated garden. His +clothes cost him nothing; for he had worn the same old garments for +years past, and though no self-respecting tramp would have accepted +them, he never seemed anxious to replace them. If any others were +given him, he would use them for a time, out of compliment to the +donor, but the ancient attire would always reappear after a short +interval. + +"As to where his money goes," summed up Penny, "I've a notion that his +Reverence knows more than any one else except Archie himself. Poor +Archie often asks for the priest, and I've heard his Reverence speaking +to him in quite an angry way--for him," she added quickly; "but there's +never any change in Archie's way of living. Some of the people here +think he's a perfect saint, and I'm not so sure that they're far wrong! +However, I think he ought to take ordinary care of his 'ealth; that +seems to me a duty even for saints!" + +I tried to glean more details from Val, but found him strangely +reticent. + +"Poor old fellow! A good soul, if ever there was one!" was the only +remark I could elicit. + +This air of mystery made me more than ever desirous of learning +something about Archie's antecedents. It was this curiosity which led +me, in the first instance, to visit his tumbledown dwelling. It was a +quaint establishment. A moderately large garden surrounded it on three +sides, roughly fenced in from the woodland, its fence interwoven with +gorse branches to keep out rabbits. The varied supplies of vegetables +were evidence of Archie's industry, in spite of his rheumatism. It was +by the produce of this garden that the old man obtained in return the +oatmeal and milk which formed his staple food; for he could no longer +work for others. + +The house itself was a picture! Its aged roof seemed to have bent +beneath the weight of years; for the ridge had sunk in the middle of +its mossy, grass-grown expanse, and threatened to fall upon its +occupant to the peril of his life. A small barrel served for a +chimney. One window possessed still two small panes of glass; the +other openings were filled in with bits of boarding, as was the whole +of the other window. + +There was something quite uncanny about the silence of the place. The +monotonous ripple of the burn below seemed to intensify it. I stood in +hesitation for a moment or two before venturing to knock at the door. +When at last I had done so, shuffling footsteps sounded within, and +Archie opened the door; the same bland smile which I had noticed when I +first saw him appeared on his wrinkled face, and the faded blue eyes +lighted up. + +"Come ben, sir; come ben!" he said hospitably. "Ye're kindly welcome, +tho' 'tis but a puir hoosachie for ane o' the gentry." + +It was indeed a sorry place to live in. The roof was so unsound that, +as I learned later from Bell, it was difficult to find a dry spot for +his wretched bed in wet weather. Added to this, as the same informant +assured me, the place was a happy hunting-ground for rats. + +"The rats is that bould, sir," she said, "that he's fairly to tak' a +stick to bed wi' him o' nichts, to keep the beasts off. It's a wonder +they rats hasna' yokit on him afore this!" + +But on this, my first visit, no rat put in an appearance. + +I gave no motive for looking in, nor did Archie seem to be surprised at +my call. He was evidently much pleased to see me; but I could not help +thinking at the time that his cordial welcome was due in great measure +to my relationship to Val. + +That first visit was short, but it was succeeded by others. It soon +became quite customary to wind up my daily walk with a chat with the +"hermit"--as I got into the way of calling him. For beyond the mystery +attaching to the man--or perhaps I ought to say intensifying it--was +the fact that he was a really attractive personality. He could talk +about the various countries he had seen with a degree of intelligence +unlooked for in one of his condition; moreover, he could season his +remarks with much spice of sound, earnest wisdom, which amused while it +edified me. It did not take long to discover that Archie "Gairdener" +was a man out of the common. + +That Archie was a good Christian was self-evident. No weather, however +tempestuous, could keep him from Sunday Mass, and I noticed with some +surprise that he received Holy Communion at least once and sometimes +more frequently every week, but always on a week-day, when our +congregation consisted chiefly of our household and Bell. + +"I suppose Archie 'Gairdener' finds it more convenient to come to the +Sacraments on a week-day," I remarked one day to Val, "because of the +late hour of Mass on Sunday." + +"Scarcely that," was his quiet answer. "I happen to know from other +sources that he still keeps up the old practice he found in use when he +first came here. In those days no one dreamed of breaking fast on a +Sunday until the priest himself did. Every one came to Mass fasting, +as Archie still does--though I believe he is the only one nowadays." + +During the two or three years that followed I saw a good deal of +Archie. We became such cronies, indeed, that Val was considerably +amused that I should take so much pleasure in the company of one with +whom I could have few ideas in common. But there was something that +attracted me to the old fellow from the first, which I can not define +in words. + +A severe winter made it almost impossible for the old man to get to +Sunday Mass at all; he would do his best, but it was evident, as I +could see more plainly in my visits, that he was growing very feeble. +I happened to be seedy myself at that time, and did not manage to get +out so frequently as before, owing to the trying weather. + +It came with no surprise when Val told me in early spring that Archie +was growing worse, and that the doctor gave little hope of his +regaining strength; in the circumstances, Val thought it well not to +delay the Last Sacraments any longer. I tried to accompany him when he +went to the old mill for that purpose, but I had to give it up. It was +about a week later that I was able to visit the old man. + +Winter seemed to have departed for good on that day in mid-April. A +bright sun was shining; deluded little birds were flitting about as +though summer had come; even on the hill the air was mild and balmy. + +The brooding silence seemed accentuated in the neighborhood of Archie's +hermitage. An unusual sign of life was to be seen at the mill-house +itself; smoke was rising from the extemporized chimney; for Bell, as I +knew, had installed herself as nurse and was doing her best to render +the last days of the old recluse more restful than they could have been +during his more active period. + +It was Bell who answered to my knock. With a gesture imploring silence +she led me in. I was startled at the sight which met my eyes. The old +man lay stretched on the bare earthen floor, his head pillowed upon a +large stone. His body was covered by blankets, but his arms were +crossed on his breast outside of them and embraced his crucifix. His +eyes were closed, but he was still breathing fitfully. Bell whispered, +in response to my amazed look of inquiry: + +"He wouldna' rest till Wully and I lifted him oot o' bed before Wully +went for the priest. He'd been keepin' yon big stane for years to +serve him at the last." + +Val appeared very soon. Archie showed no sign of recognition, even +when the well-known voice began the prayers he seemed to have been +waiting for before departing. + +Bell lighted the blessed candle, which was in readiness, and knelt with +Willy on one side of the quiet form, while I knelt on the other near to +the priest. + +"Go forth, Christian soul, out of this world, in the name of God the +Father Almighty, Who created thee: in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son +of the Living God, Who suffered for thee"--thus the quiet voice +continued until those prayerful words: "Pity his sighs, pity his tears, +trusting in nothing but thy mercy"--when the last long breath, like a +sigh of relief, passed from the dying man's lips as his soul departed. + +I could not shake off a sense of loss as keen as though some dearly +loved friend had been taken from me. Val and I walked home in unbroken +silence through the shadow of the wood, newly decked in tender green +buds, up to the rising ground beyond. My brother seemed as much +touched as I. + +It was not until our meal was over, and we sat on either side of the +still necessary fire, though we had dined without a lamp, and still +preferred the dusk for a quiet talk, that Val spoke of Archie. + +"Now that the poor old fellow is at rest," he said, "I will tell you, +by his express desire, something about his history. He wanted me to +promise to make it public, but that I resolutely refused to do, for +many reasons. 'Let Mr. Edmund know, at least,' he said. 'I do not +want him to have too good an opinion of me, or he will not pray as much +as I should wish for my poor soul.' So you have a right to know, Ted." + +And with that he unfolded the story of Archie McLean's early years. + +Archie had been a wild boy in his youth, with a strong propensity for +drink--hereditary, unfortunately--which he was not so well able to +satisfy on his father's croft, in Banffshire; so, to gain more liberty, +he ran off and enlisted. When scarcely more than twenty he took up +with a girl he met in one of the provincial towns in which he happened +to be stationed, and eventually married her. He had asked no +leave--indeed, at his age it would not have been granted; his wife, +therefore, was not "on the strength of the regiment"--in other words, +depended entirely upon his pay, and what little she might earn, for the +necessaries of life, and even for traveling expenses, in case of +removal elsewhere. The girl was a negligent Protestant, and he a +non-practising Catholic. They had been married before a Registrar, and +neither of them entered a church as long as the woman lived. The one +child born to them died a week later, unbaptized. + +Such a marriage could not possibly prove happy, but it was more +unfortunate in its results than could have been imagined. The man's +craving for drink grew with its indulgence. His wife, neglected by +him, followed his example and took to that sorry comforter; before long +she had acquired habits of drunkenness that disgusted even him. Soon +she had fallen so low that her life was a crying scandal for its +unrestrained vices. + +The man's companions took a savage pleasure in taunting him about his +wife's depravity, until the very mention of her name was hateful to +him. He acknowledged that he himself was bad enough, but her conduct +had reached the extreme of vileness. The result was what might have +been foreseen. Quarrels and recriminations were perpetual. The man +hated the woman because of her vicious life; he hated himself because, +as his conscience reminded him in lucid intervals, he was responsible +for her downfall. + +The regiment was on the eve of removing to other quarters, and much as +he would have liked to leave his wife behind to shift for herself, he +dare not face the consequences. Coming to her lodgings, therefore, to +arrange about her journey, he found the woman hopelessly incapable. +His mad rage against her was inflamed by the drink he had just taken; +in his anger he was strongly tempted to rid himself of the burden she +had become. Nothing could be easier! No one had seen him enter the +house, and there was every chance of his being able to steal away +unperceived, in the dusk of the evening. An uncontrollable loathing +for the woman urged him on; conscience was disregarded. He seized one +of the pillows of the bed. It was merely necessary to press it over +her face, hold it there till life was extinct, and creep away, a free +man! + +It must have been the ever-watching Angel Guardian of that wretched man +who touched his heart at that moment of danger, by a sudden grace. He +faltered; threw down the pillow, and swiftly ran from the room and from +the house--pursued by remorse. + +An hour later, when he ventured to return, he was met on the threshold +with the tidings that his wife had been found dead of heart failure. + +For many a year after that horrible day Archie McLean was tormented by +his reproachful conscience. He regarded himself as a murderer in +desire, though actually guiltless of his wife's blood. The terrible +shock was his salvation. From that day he never more touched strong +drink. The formerly inveterate drunkard, a great portion of whose time +was spent in the cells, rose by degrees to the position of the smartest +soldier in his company. When his long service had to come to an end, +he took a situation as gardener for a time; but a desire which had come +upon him when his army service had been completed became still more +urgent. He longed to be able to devote himself to a penitential life, +as a means of making such atonement as was in his power for his past +transgressions. Even while in the army his life had been one of +rigorous mortification, dating from the day when he once more began to +practise his religion; he shunned no duty, however distasteful, and +shrank from no danger. + +In response to the keen desire which dominated him, Archie threw up his +situation, and searching for some part of the country in which he would +not be known, yet where he should find life and surroundings not +entirely foreign to his experience, settled at length at Ardmuirland. +For about forty years his life was characterized by a rigorous +austerity. His pension was at once carried to the priest, as soon as +he received it, to be devoted to the offering of Masses for the soul of +his unhappy wife, and the relief of the poor--scarcely poorer than +himself. He never spent a penny upon his own needs; even the scanty +earnings of his labor, unless made in kind, went the same way as his +pension. The clothing, even, which charitable persons bestowed upon +him in pity soon passed into coin for the same end; no scolding of his +spiritual Father could prevail upon him to look better after his own +well-being. + +"I've been a great sinner, Father," he would say. "I owe a big debt to +the justice of the Almighty!" + +As he had lived, so he died, I had noticed that my brother had shown no +surprise, as I did, at the sight of the dying figure of the old man +stretched on the bare earth with a stone for his pillow; Val had become +familiar with the idea. + +"My Saviour died on a Cross for me, and shall I, a vile sinner, be +content to die in my bed?" Thus he would always answer the +remonstrances of the priest. + +Whenever I read the Gospel narrative of Lazarus--the wretchedly +clothed, ill-fed, diseased mendicant--who inspired loathing in the eyes +and nostrils of the delicately nurtured, sensual men who flocked past +his unlovely form to the banquets of the rich glutton at whose palace +gate he lay, my thoughts fly at once to my old friend, Archie the +penitent, and my prayers rise to Heaven on his behalf in the Church's +touching petition for the departed: + + "Cum Lazaro, quondam paupere, eternam habeas requiem!" + + "With Lazarus, once poor, now blest + May'st thou enjoy eternal rest!" + + + + +IV + +GOLDEN DREAMS + + + "All the world is turning golden, turning golden + In the spring." + (_Nora Hopper--"April."_) + + +On a day when May was growing old, everything up at Ardmuirland was +green and gold except the sky, and that was mostly blue and gold. +Gorse and broom were in full blossom, so that on all sides the outlook +was glorious! + +Looking through my field-glasses to discover the meaning of a column of +dense smoke, which seemed to be rising from a hill in the distance, I +found myself gazing at a forest in flames! Fire--a very wall of +fire--seemed to extend for miles along a dense tract of woodland! So +seemingly fierce the blaze that it lighted up with golden gleams the +tower of a distant church beyond the wood! Yet, as I looked steadily, +it became evident that the flames neither diminished nor increased; +presently I discovered that the column of smoke rose from a spot +entirely different--more to the foreground. In the end I had to +confess with reluctance that my eyes had been deceived; there was no +sensational forest fire at all! What I had seen was but the sunshine +on an expanse of yellow bloom on some rising ground beyond the belt of +woodland, and on the old church tower, while a rare cloud shaded the +nearer prospect. + +What a silly goat I called myself! Looking nearer home I saw the same +red-gold glow, which needed but the sunshine to wake it into flame. +The disused quarry, not half a mile away, where the sun was bright, +might have been an open gold mine--so brilliant the shining of its +wealth of broom bushes! The hedge of gorse which bordered the road on +both sides had no speck of green to mar its splendor. + + + "All the world is turning golden, turning golden. + Gold butterflies are light upon the wing; + Gold is shining through the eyelids that were holden + Till the spring." + + +The graceful verse haunted me all that day, repeating spontaneously, +again and again, its tuneful refrain. For up at Ardmuirland we have to +wait till May for settled springtide. + +Later on I strolled across to her cottage to have a chat with "Bell o' +the Burn." I found her busy at her washtub on the threshold of the +door, but none the less ready to enter into conversation, as I leaned +on the garden fence watching her tireless pink hands, as they worked up +the snowy soapsuds. + +"You've maybe haird the news, sir?" she began, a note of inquiry in her +tone. + +I had seen yesterday's _Scotsman_, but not in those pages did any of +our folk look for news. They read--those, at least, who possess that +accomplishment--the stories in the _People's Friend_ and the like, if +they were young; those who were older scanned the columns of the local +newspaper, published in the county town, and believed firmly in the +absolute truth of everything that was asserted there. But "news" meant +something more intimate--something which affected our own immediate +circle by its relation to the daily life and interests of those around +us. + +So, knowing this, I did not dream about any startling political crisis, +recent mining disaster, or railway collision; Bell knew nothing about +such events. Experience had taught me to allow her to enlighten me in +her own way. So I put a question to that end. + +"Have you heard some news?" I said. + +Bell's delight at being first in the field was evident. + +"Christian Logan's come intil a fortune!" she replied, with no little +delight. + +"That is good news, indeed!" I cried impulsively. For Christian was, +beyond doubt, one of the poorest of our neighbors, and the most +deserving. + +"But where did the fortune come from, Bell?" I asked. + +"Her mon," explained Bell, "had a cousin oot in Ameriky as fowks allays +said wes gey rich. But he niver so much as sent a word to Donal' for +years, till juist aboot a week afore the puir mon met wi' his accident, +ye ken. An' he says in the letter," continued the old woman, warming +up with the interest attaching to her subject, "as Donal' wes the only +kin left him, an' he'd find himsel' nane the worse o' that. Alexander +Gowan, they callit him." + +"And so this cousin is dead, I suppose?" + +"Na, na, sir," replied Bell. "Gowan's on his wye back frae Ameriky, ye +ken, an' Christian's had word to expect him. Maybe he'll be up here in +twa, three days after he lands, like." + +This was news with a vengeance! An American who was "gey rich" might +be a millionaire! All kinds of rosy visions began to float through my +brain. Thoughts of the manifold additions and improvements which Val +was dying to make in the church; of the shinty club we were so anxious +to start, but could not for want of means; of the hall we planned to +build some day for concerts and social gatherings in the long winter +evenings--all started into new life at the prospect of a wealthy +Catholic returning to his native land with gold in his pocket and a +ready hand to scatter it liberally for the benefit of his kinsfolk! + +"I suppose he's a Catholic," was the remark to which my mental plans +gave birth. + +"Aye," said Bell, in a reproachful tone, "the Gowans wes all strict +Catholics. The mon would nae turn agen his chapel oot there, I'm +thinkin'." + +(In Ardmuirland, be it known, "chapel" means the Catholic Church, and +"church"--or more frequently "kirk"--denotes exclusively a Protestant +place of worship; thus do penal laws leave their trail behind them!) + +"Not likely!" I exclaimed boldly. For Bell began to look anxiously at +me, as though the staunch Catholicism of this particular Gowan might be +open to question. "Our religion is as free out there as any other; +that's one good quality in republican America which our government +lacks at present." + +Still, my own mind misgave me a little. I knew of more than one of my +countrymen who had been "strict Catholics" once, but who had lamentably +fallen off through knocking about the world. However, we were not +justified in classing Gowan with such. + +"And will this good man put up at Christian's cottage?" I asked. + +"Na, na, Mr. Edmund," said Bell, astonished, "Christian's nae ower weel +provided wi' sheets and siclike, ye ken. Na! he's to stay wi' Mistress +Dobie at Larrigie Inn. They've redded up the best rooms, and kindled +fires and a', to be ready gin he comes soon. The fowks say as Gowan +'ll likely have ane o' they motors, like the Squire's at the toon, so +as he can drive aboot the countryside and see a' the changes that's +come sin' he left." + +The world was "turning golden," indeed! My cogitations as I made my +way home were touched by the sheen. + +Val took it all very calmly (as he is wont, dear boy! whenever I +rhapsodize). + +"If he happens to be a millionaire, Ted," he remarked--and a twinkle +shone through his glasses--"you may give up all hope of getting +anything out of him. It is proverbial that such gentry haggle over a +six-pence when it comes to gratuities!" + +During the week that followed the whole countryside had no more +interesting subject of conversation than the coming of the rich cousin +to "make a lady" of Christian Logan. + +Christian certainly deserved any good fortune that might fall to her. +She was the young widow of an under-gamekeeper at Taskerton, an estate +in our neighborhood. Donald Logan had met with an accident, by the +discharge of a gun, and had died of lock-jaw, consequent on the wound. +He had not been very thrifty, poor fellow, for he was too fond of +whiskey; the result was that very little means remained for the support +of the family when the bread-winner had been taken. The proprietor of +Taskerton was generally an absentee, and the casual tenants of the +place had little interest in those employed on the estate. +Consequently, Christian had to do her best to support herself and her +three young children by her own efforts. Tam and Kirsty, aged +respectively twelve and eleven, had to continue at school for a year or +two at least; the youngest, Jeemsie, who was only eight, had been deaf +and dumb from his birth. + +Luckily, the agent of the estate, being a man of kindly feelings, was +willing to allow the poor woman to remain for a time in the cottage +they had occupied, and Val had approached the proprietor on the subject +of a pension. At present, however, beyond a liberal donation for +Christian's benefit, nothing definite had been settled. We had all +subscribed to buy her a sewing-machine, and as she was a clever +seamstress she was able to make ends meet by dressmaking. She had her +cow, and her few hens, so altogether, with the sale of eggs and +occasionally of milk, she was able to provide for her little ones for +the present. She was such a cheery, kindly little body that every one +at Ardmuirland was her friend; this accounted in great measure for the +unusual interest in her prospects. + +I felt that it would be but neighborly to offer Christian my +congratulations upon her approaching good fortune. Her little house +stood near a belt of trees on a rising ground, a few feet from the road +that led higher up the hill. No other habitation was within a mile of +it, and its solitary position was quite enough by itself to suggest to +any one that a man who had made money across the "drink"--as I heard an +American once irreverently style the Atlantic--would scarcely be likely +to stay for any considerable time in such an out-of-the-world spot. To +my mind it seemed incredible that he could be content for long with the +comparative luxury of Mrs. Dobie's inn. + +Christian sat at her machine in her clean little kitchen when I arrived +there, and she called to me cheerily through the open doorway to enter, +and rose to receive me. She was a plain little woman, about forty +years old, probably; she bore the marks of her many anxieties on her +brow--too early scored with wrinkles. I could not help thinking, as I +saw her, that no fine clothes that her rich relative might buy for her +would ever make her anything else than a plain country body; in silks +and satins, even, she would still be the same homely Christian. + +"I came over to say how glad I am to hear of your good fortune," I said +when the usual greetings had passed, and I was seated in the chair of +state by the fire--for the hillside was chilly, and fires were seldom +wanting up there even in the summer weather. + +"Thank you kindly, sir," was her answer. "Father Fleming was in +himself yesterday, for the same reason. It is very good of the priest +and yourself, sir, as well as our neighbors aboot, to take sic an +interest in us. Indeed, I'm very thankful that God has been sae guid +to us. It looks as though our troubles are coming to an end, with this +guid news!" + +"When do you expect your cousin?" I asked. + +Christian took a letter from the mantelpiece, where a china dog had +been guarding it. + +"This is his last letter, sir," she said, with a touch of honest pride, +as she handed it to me to read. "You will see what he says. He was to +sail on the 14th, and that was about a fortnight ago. Mistress Dobie +had a message to say that he would be there about the first of June. +He has business in Glasgow, which will keep him there a bit." + +"It's a kind, friendly letter," I remarked, as I handed it back. "He +speaks very nicely about you all." + +"If only for the sake of the bairns, sir, I'm very thankful that we've +foond sae guid a friend," she said with much feeling. + +Jeemsie peeped in at the door just then. He was quite a handsome +little chap, with regular features and a rather intelligent face. + +"Jeemsie will be provided for now," I said, beckoning the child to me. +He came, shyly smiling, and put his hand in mine. + +"Yes, thank God!" was the poor mother's reply. "It's been a trouble to +me to know what to do for him, and especially what'll happen to the +bairn when I'm taken. But Father Fleming says his cousin can put him +to some kind of institution for a year or two, where they can teach him +to read and write and coont as well as any bairn wi' all his senses. +For he's nae daft!" she exclaimed, with motherly pride. "He's just as +sensible as can be aboot most things. He kens as weel as Tam aboot +searching for the eggs, and he loves to fetch water from the well in +his little pail for me, bless him!" + +"Yes, it's a great thing for the child that his cousin is coming to +look after you all. Jeemsie will be made a man of. I once knew a +postman who was afflicted like Jeemsie, and he did his work better than +any of the other men in the same office. The postmaster was quite +proud of him. He couldn't talk, poor man, so there was no danger of +his wasting time in gossip." + +I took my leave after chatting a while, and rejoiced as I pictured to +myself on the way home the lightening of so many burdens which had +pressed heavily on the shoulders of that brave little woman. + +A week later and we heard through Willy that Mr. Gowan had arrived at +Larrigie Inn. + +"An' a freer mon wi' his money, Mistress Dobie says, ye'd niver wish to +see," was his estimate of the newcomer. "He was treatin' the fellows +wi' drams a' roond, the nicht he cam'; he wes sae glad to be bock i' +the auld place. He wes a loon o' fafteen when him an' his farther went +an' to mak' their fortune in Ameriky, ye ken." + +"I don't like to hear about that dramming business," was Val's comment +to me later. "There's too much of that kind of thing already about +here. However, we must make allowance for the man's natural joy at +seeing his old haunts once more." + +"Including the inn, I suppose! But he was too young when they left to +have cultivated a very intimate acquaintance with that one!" + +Gowan proved to be but one of our own rough crofters who had acquired +so thin a veneer of civilization that it scarcely concealed the reality +beneath. With a somewhat boisterous geniality he made instant friends +with all of his former class in the neighborhood. With Val and myself +he was not altogether at his ease. An abrupt awkwardness of manner, +which we put down to shyness, characterized our intercourse, which was +of rare occurrence. + +He drove up to Mass on a Sunday, not in a motor, but in the ordinary +"machine" belonging to the inn--a kind of small wagonette, drawn by a +single horse--in which he always occupied the seat next the driver, +good-humoredly conveying any persons from that direction who might be +coming up our way, either to kirk or "chapel." + +We heard glowing accounts of his kindness to Christian and the +children--of constant excursions to the town; of the purchase of +unlimited clothing for all the family, and of many costly presents, +such as watches for Christian and Tam, pretty trinkets for little +Kirsty, and toys for each of the bairns. He seemed to be never happy +out of their company; when they were not driving about the country, +visiting neighbors, or picnicking on the hills, they took their more +important meals at the inn. The two elder children seemed to have left +school for good; we heard later that Gowan had arranged matters with +the authorities, stating that he meant to take the family back to +America with him, or at any rate to find them a home elsewhere should +he make a lengthy stay in Scotland. + +Things had gone on thus for three weeks before Val alluded to Gowan, or +anything connected with him. But his words showed me as soon as he +began to speak that he had been thinking much on the subject. + +"I don't like this prolonged carnival of Gowan's," he remarked to me. +"It's doing no good. I hear of unlimited drinks at Larrigie day after +day for all who choose to ask. Many of our young fellows are getting +into the habit of dropping in there of nights and listening to the +man's stories of life 't'other side.' He seems capable of standing a +good deal of liquor himself, as he is never really overcome--only more +coarse and noisy, the more he takes. I have had complaints from +several of the fathers of families about the harm he is doing." + +"That's rather bad!" was my answer. "But what about the Logans? I +hear that he means to take them off with him, and he doesn't appear to +be a desirable guardian for those children, by all accounts." + +"It is that I'm most anxious about," said Val. + +And thereupon he became communicative. Things were really worse than I +had thought. Gowan, it is true, still came to Mass, but he was fond of +boasting to his boon companions that they had got beyond "all that +nonsense in the States!" He had certainly, on his own showing, ceased +to be a practical Catholic for years, and it was probable that his +attendance at Mass and contribution of half a sovereign to the +offertory every Sunday was merely the result of a desire to stand well +in the estimation of the more staid members of the community, and might +be classed with the free drinks and other signs of friendliness to the +district. The character of the man rendered Val naturally anxious +about the future of Christian Logan and her children, if they were to +depend upon him for support in a strange land among strangers. + +"The one redeeming feature in his character," summed up Val, "is his +genuine affection for the children. His wife died about two years ago, +it seems, and he is too old to marry again. So he appears to have +devoted himself to the idea of practically adopting these three little +Logans." + +"It seems to me a case of body versus soul for the poor little kids, if +they are to trust to that old heathen for a proper bringing up. But +the mother is a good woman, and has a will of her own." + +"That's where it is so difficult to do anything," said Val sadly. "She +does not understand the state of the case properly, though I've tried +to make it plain to her. The fellow is an avowed Free Mason. He can +not practise his religion, and in a kind of self-defense he rails +against it--though not openly to Catholics, I believe. She is deluded +enough to imagine that the influence of herself and the children will +win him over to the right path again. But it's far more likely that he +will win the children over to unbelief, if he is to become their +practical parent. Christian acknowledges that his indulgence is +spoiling Tam already." + +It was almost dramatic that at that moment a knock at the room door +should prove to be from Elsie, who announced the presence of Christian +Logan in the "priest's room" asking for a few minutes' conversation +with his Reverence. + +The interview proved to be somewhat long. Val gave me an account of it +later in the day. Gowan had proposed that Jeemsie should be placed +without delay in an English institution for the deaf and dumb, while +the others traveled a little about Scotland before starting for +America, as he had now decided to do. He had made his money in +horse-dealing, it appeared, and was not satisfied with his present +prosperous condition, but longed to make more money; probably, too, he +was tired of idling, after a rather strenuous life spent in business. + +Christian was willing to part with the little fellow for a time, but +only on condition that he should go to a Catholic institution, of which +Val had told her previously. The idea infuriated Gowan. What did +religion matter? Protestant institutions of the kind were far in +advance of Catholic. It was ridiculous to think of sending the boy +anywhere except to a place thoroughly up-to-date. Finally he had +refused to do anything in the matter unless he had free scope to place +the child where he should think best. + +The poor woman's eyes were opened at last. She was absolutely +determined that Jeemsie should be given up to no authority that was +incapable of teaching him all that was necessary for the practice of +his religion. She had come to pour out her difficulties to Val, and to +ask further advice. He, of course, applauded her decision, and +strengthened her in the resolution she had made, even though it might +lead to a temporary withdrawal of Gowan's liberality. Val was +convinced that the man was too much attached to the children to break +altogether with the Logans. + +Gowan had expressed his intention of going up to settle definitely with +Christian about the matter of Jeemsie, and she was most anxious for Val +to be present. To this he had at once consented; for he felt it a +foremost duty to protect the faith of the little lad. So next morning +the interview would come off. + +"It was a stormy conference!" was Val's first remark, when we met for +lunch next day. "But we've won the victory for the little chap's +faith, though it has cost us Gowan's further patronage!" + +The man had refused to be persuaded to allow the priest to choose some +institution to which Jeemsie might safely be sent--merely because it +was a priest who wished to have a voice in the matter, Val was inclined +to think; for the Protestant Home which Gowan favored was in no way +superior. They discussed the question in all its bearings, and +eventually Gowan lost his temper and showed his hand. He meant to +bring up all the children Protestants! He had learned by experience +what a hindrance it was to have to submit in everything to the +dictation of priests, and he was determined to have no more of it! + +It was at that stage that Christian interposed. Very quietly but +firmly she spoke her mind. + +"If you expect me to risk the loss of my children's souls as well as my +own for the sake of worldly advantages, Cousin Aleck, I may as well +speak plainly. I would rather stay here and work myself to death than +take your money." + +This produced a terrific storm of abuse from Gowan. He called her +"priest-ridden" and every kind of fool and idiot. She would soon learn +to repent of her folly, for he would go straightway to a lawyer and +change his will! Not a penny would she get--now or later--from him, as +she would find one day to her cost! Then he dashed away without +further discussion. + +"The fellow is a brute!" was Val's conclusion. "They are well rid of +him! What a blessing he showed himself in his true colors before it +was too late!" + +Gowan left the neighborhood that very day. No one knew his +destination. Mrs. Dobie replied to all inquiries that Mr. Gowan had +paid "like a gentleman," and she was "sorry that some people did'na ken +when they were well off!"--alluding, of course, to Christian. But Mrs. +Dobie, not being "of the household of the Faith," could not be expected +to show sympathy toward a course of action which robbed her of so +profitable a guest. + +Thus were our golden dreams dispelled! Ardmuirland, indeed, took some +little time to recover from the dazzling visions which the coming of +"the millionaire"--as Val and I delighted to style him in private--had +called up, but in a year or so Gowan's name had become a mere memory to +most of us. Christian alone--true to her baptismal name--held that +memory in benediction; every night she and her little ones gave a +prominent place in their family prayers to the "Cousin Aleck" whom they +all regarded as a generous benefactor. It was not difficult to +interpret the mother's intention in thus making the man a constant +object of prayer; to her the possession of God's grace appeared a good +beyond all earthly riches and delights, and I can well believe that she +even rejoiced that she had been called upon to give testimony of the +faith that was in her. Her sentiments were doubtless those of Tobias +of old: "For we are the children of saints, and look for the life which +God will give to those that never change their faith from him." + + + + +V + +"DOMINIE DICK" + + + "A light to guide, a rod + To check the erring and reprove." + (_Wordsworth--"Ode to Duty"_) + + +Few of the many conversations I have had from time to time with old +Willy have been more interesting than those upon the subject of schools +and schoolmasters in the days when he was young. + +In the early part of the nineteenth century education was conducted in +a primitive fashion at Ardmuirland. In a small community, consisting +almost entirely of Catholics, and those mostly in poor circumstances, a +trained teacher was rarely to be found. In many country districts like +ours the task of instructing the young devolved upon one or other of +the better educated of the crofter class. For in those days even +reading and writing--not to mention "counting," or arithmetic, as we +style it--constituted a liberal education in Ardmuirland, and many of +the people were unable to boast of possessing either. Hence when one +of the community was sufficiently versed in such accomplishments he was +looked up to as a qualified instructor. + +Willy had passed through the hands of more than one of such +schoolmasters, and his recollections on the subject are interesting. +The one who seems to have made the most impression upon his memory was +a better informed man than is usually found in the class to which he +belonged. + +"Finlay Farquharson wes the best o' them a'! There wes saxty or +siventy bairns went to his school at Carnavruick when I wes a loon. +He'd been to Ameriky, ye ken, sir, and I doot he'd brought back wi' him +a bit o' the Yankee tongue. Faix! He had a lively tongue! He niver +wanted his answer when he had to come oot wi' it." + +Farquharson's "Academy" was his little living-room--not over-spacious +for such an assembly; but in those days no parental government +legislated for so many cubic feet of space for each child, and they +seemed to keep in health and strength in spite of that fact. The +school assembled in what we may term the winter months only, which in +Scotland may be reckoned as nearly two-thirds of the year. The +remaining months were occupied in farming work both by master and +scholars. + +During the term (as we may call it) the procedure was as follows: +Farquharson was accustomed to rise about four o'clock and to work for +two or three hours at threshing corn. After an early breakfast he made +preparations for his scholastic duties by clearing out of the way all +unnecessary furniture--though there was little that was +superfluous--and placing the long planks supported by big stones which +served for forms. As some children were sure to be occupied with class +work during the whole time, fewer seats were needed than would have +been necessary otherwise. The schoolmaster's old mother, Margot, kept +her own chair by the fire, where she kept an eye on the pot of soup and +occupied herself with knitting. The one small table served as master's +desk and as writing-table for those pupils who had advanced +sufficiently in the art to be allowed to use a copy-book instead of a +slate--but they were few. + +The scholars arrived about eight o'clock. It was required of each, as +part of the school fees, to bring a block of dried peat to serve as +fuel for the fire. It was always the ambition of a boy of lively +temperament, such as Willy represented himself to be, to choose as hard +a "peat" as he could possibly find, to serve as a weapon in the mimic +battles fought on the road to school. As the fire was composed wholly +of peat, and the chimney was wide, the place would be often a difficult +one to study in when the wind was in the wrong quarter. At such times, +to use Willy's description: + +"It wes juist a reeky hole! We wes all well learned to pit up wi' the +reek! I niver thocht muckle o' reek aifter that schule!" + +The proceedings began with reading; after that came spelling. +"Coontin'" followed for those who were sufficiently accomplished. + +"Them as wes best at the readin' spent nearly all day at the coontin' +and writin'. The maister wes short enuch in the temper," remarked +Willy on this point. "Aye, aye, he wes gey hot in the temper, I insure +ye! I mind a loon comin' up to him ane day wi' a coont on his slate, +ye ken, an' Farquharson wes that enraged at a mistak' i' the coont that +he broke the slate on the laddie's heid an' left the frame hangin' like +a horse's collar roond his neck!" + +Farquharson evidently held to the great principle that corporal +punishment was part of a sound education. Behind the door was a stool, +which served as a block upon which to stretch a victim whose offense +deserved the extreme punishment, but that was not often required. A +favorite instrument was the strap, or, as Willy termed it, "the belt." +Should the master catch sight of an idler, or practical joker, he would +throw the strap to the delinquent as a sign that a thrashing was due, +and the boy or girl had to come up to his table and receive the +punishment. + +"Some wad be stiff to come up wi't, ye ken," explained Willy; "but he'd +niver let a loon off, though he wes mair merciful-like to the wee +lassies. He'd larnt by experience, ye ken; for in the auld days, afore +I went there, ane o' the lassies wes a month awa' frae the schule--he +throosh her that severe." + +About midday there was a recess, and the children ate their "pieces," +which they had brought from home, and spent a little time outside at +play, while the schoolmaster took his simple meal. The favorite game +was a kind of shinty. It was played by the boys with a ball, driven +with sticks, each with "a big lump o' wood at the end o't." + +The more advanced pupils learned grammar. + +"I niver learned nae graymer masel'," said Willy. "I couldna' +onderstan' a word o't. I thocht it a gey-like leetany to hear the +graymer. 'I mak', thou mak's, he mak's'--seemed to me nae sense, ye +ken!" + +There were no holidays as a regular thing. School went on in the +season every week-day. But there was one great day in the year, which +was looked forward to by both parents and children; it was that set +apart for what we more delicately reared folk in these days would +regard as cruel sport--that of cock-fighting! Sometimes as many as +thirty of the lads would each bring his bird under his arm, and these +in turn would be placed in the ring. Neighbors from far and near would +come to the school for that day. + +"The best fichter," said Willy, "wes callit the King; the second best, +the Queen; the third, the Knave. Them as wouldna' ficht we callit +'fougie.' Eh, what a day that wes!" + +But it must not be thought that the duties of the schoolmaster were +confined to his school. He was a personage in the community when he +had assumed his position as pedagogue. Since he was instructor of +youth, he was regarded as capable of assisting the literary pursuits of +their parents and elders. + +"We callit the schoolmaster 'Dominie Dick,'" explained Willy. "He wes +a big mon i' the distric', ye ken, sir! He'd oft write letters for the +fowk roond aboot!" + +I gathered from the same authority that the "Dominie," for the time +being, was also the reliable reader of the public newspaper. When the +weekly paper had arrived, all the men who were interested in what the +world was doing would gather at some specified house to listen to the +schoolmaster as he read aloud choice extracts. In his absence the best +reader of the party was requested to undertake the duty. + +"My faither," said Willy, "wes aye conseedered the best aifter the +schulemaister. If he miscallit a word the dictionar' wes allas +consultit; it wes on the table ready." + +This recollection called up another in commendation of his father's +reading powers. + +"The maister o' the Strathdalgie Schule wes a Protestant, ye ken, but +he wouldna' hae ony person read till him but my faither. He had to gae +till the schulemaister's bedside when he wes dyin'; for the puir mon +wouldna' hae the menister, as he likit a' the words clear." + +Farquharson's quasi-official position was on one occasion the cause of +rather an unpleasant experience. One of his predecessors in office, an +old man named McConnachie, had been forced to retire from the teaching +profession on account of failing intellect. After an illness, when he +was already far advanced in years, his mind gradually gave way, until +he was nothing better than a harmless lunatic. No one grudged the old +man a little oatmeal or a bag of potatoes now and again, and he could +get milk for the asking from any of those who owned a cow. He lived +all by himself in a small house, and a kindly neighbor would go in +occasionally to "redd up"--in other words, put the place in order. + +But the poor old fellow's lunacy became less harmless as he grew older. +It developed into a kind of kleptomania. Should a housewife have a +family wash hanging on her clothes-lines, it was not infrequently the +case that many of the articles would mysteriously disappear. The most +extraordinary objects would vanish from the houses--chimney ornaments, +cups, spoons, flatirons, buttons, photographs, and such like gear. For +a time no one suspected old McConnachie; though, upon reflection, after +the matter had been cleared up it appeared that many of the losers had +missed articles after one of his calls. When a venturous spirit +undertook to search the old man's habitation during his absence, a +store of miscellaneous objects came to light, which revealed the +hitherto unknown pilferer. + +In another way, too, McConnachie became a nuisance to the community. +Perhaps some faint recollection of one of his duties as "Dominie" may +have led to it; but he began to show so violent a dislike toward any of +the children who might cross his path that he would do his best to give +them a good drubbing with his stick. In the case of the more simple he +sometimes succeeded in seizing hold before the child had attempted to +escape his clutches, and in giving the unfortunate culprit a good +reason for flying home in tears to exhibit to an angry mother the marks +of "t' auld schulemaister's wand!" + +Under such circumstances it became necessary to take counsel with the +Inspector of the Poor with a view to getting McConnachie placed under +restraint. Matters were easily settled and a time fixed for his +deportation to the County Asylum. + +But though the old fellow was mad enough in some respects, he was sharp +enough in others! It required diplomacy to get him to leave his home +and undertake a journey even in the conveyance which the Inspector had +promised to provide to take him to the railway station some miles away. +Farquharson, on account of his office, was the only person in the +community who was on terms of cordiality with McConnachie; for the old +man had a great idea of his position in Ardmuirland, and held himself +somewhat above the common run of people. With Farquharson he could +converse as with one who was _almost_ an equal--not absolutely, for he +himself had been through some little training which the other had not. +To Farquharson, therefore, the Inspector looked for assistance. He +arranged for him to travel with the old fellow, under the pretence of +visiting a large school on the invitation of a master there whom he +knew; this supposititious friend had included McConnachie in the letter +(really written by the Inspector) which Farquharson had received on the +subject. + +The old schoolmaster was easily duped by this trick, and on an +appointed day the two set off. The first obstacle arose at the +station, when Farquharson had taken the tickets, for which the "friend" +had provided the necessary money. + +"I should like to have my own ticket," the older man remarked with an +air of dignity. "I'm not a bairn to be likely to lose it." + +Here was a slight difficulty! Farquharson had taken a single ticket +for the other and a return for himself. It would never do to allow +this to be known. On the other hand, McConnachie must be kept in good +humor or he would give trouble to his guardian, who began now to see +the weak points in the plot. So trusting to the certainty of being +able to get back the remaining half-ticket when the old man was safely +lodged in the Asylum, he retained the single ticket and gave +McConnachie the other. + +They reached the end of their railway journey successfully, and +Farquharson managed to explain their destination to a porter privately, +and asked him to get a cab for them. The man was either stupid or was +disappointed at receiving an insignificant tip, since Farquharson was +not one to waste money unnecessarily; for he gave the direction +"Asylum" to the driver in a voice that McConnachie must have been deaf +not to have heard distinctly. Farquharson glanced at once at his +companion, but the old man's face was expressionless, and he persuaded +himself, almost against his will, that McConnachie was too much taken +up with the novelty of the situation to catch the words spoken. The +eagerness with which the old man took notice of every feature of their +progress tended to confirm the idea, and by the time the Asylum was +reached Farquharson felt more at ease. + +"The grounds are well kept," remarked McConnachie as they proceeded up +the short avenue. + +"Aye, aye, they are that!" was the other's ready answer. + +"It seems a big building!" said the old man, as they drove up to the +entrance. + +"Far bigger than I expected," said Farquharson. + +The cabby rang the bell, and the door was opened by a man-servant, who +came down the steps and opened the carriage door. Farquharson got out +first and incautiously walked up the steps toward the door of the +building. With a madman's cunning, McConnachie whispered to the +servant: + +"That's the gentleman I was to bring. He's gone in, so I need not +wait. Tell the man to drive back." + +And the agonized Farquharson beheld his charge rapidly driving away and +leaving him behind alone. + +"Stop! Stop!" he cried in an angry voice. "That's the man I was +bringing here! He's not fit to be left alone. I tell you he's the +daft man! I'm only a friend!" + +"Quite so, sir," said the servant quietly. "It will be all right if +you will step in for a few minutes. We can easily explain to the +Governor." + +Two other attendants had appeared on the scene by this time, and the +gentle pressure of the servant's hand on his arm induced the hapless +Farquharson to ascend the steps once more and enter the hall. + +He repeated his explanation to the other men, who treated it in the +same quiet way as the first had done. Then it began to dawn upon him +that they really took him for the madman and McConnachie for his sane +companion. + +It was a natural mistake as far as they were concerned; for it was +quite a common thing for patients to suppose every one else to be +mentally afflicted except themselves. Moreover, McConnachie had a more +cultured manner than Farquharson at any time, and when the latter +showed so much excitement on account of the trick which had been played +upon him, he did not appear to advantage. He was so intensely angry +and so apprehensive of the consequences of the disaster that he was +scarcely coherent, and this justified the attendants in their view of +the situation. + +The Governor had already been prejudiced against him, when Farquharson +at last obtained an interview with him, and took the same view as the +others. The fact of his having given the return ticket to McConnachie +made it difficult to explain that the other had no right to it; the +faint glimmer of a smile on the face of the attendant while he was +attempting to clear up that point filled poor Farquharson with dismay +and rendered him still more nervous and excited. + +So the poor schoolmaster was detained in the Asylum and old McConnachie +returned home in state. All was put right in a day or two, for the +Inspector was informed of the turn affairs had taken, and lost no time +in releasing Farquharson. The unfortunate man did not dare to return +to the district for some time. When he at last ventured to appear, +McConnachie had long left the place and was dead and almost forgotten, +and neighbors were too glad to welcome Farquharson back among them to +remind him of his humiliation. + +"Things is gey different now, sir," was Willy's summing-up on the +subject of education. "The bairns get mair teechin' noo, and less o' +the beltin', an' I'm no sure but they learn a' the better for it!" + + + + +VI + +BILDY + + + "'Tis not the whole of life to live; + Nor all of death to die." + (_Montgomery--"Issues of Life and Death"_) + + +Old Widow Lamont and her spinster daughter, Robina, lived in a bit of a +house on the edge of the pine wood that sheltered our presbytery from +the east winds; they were consequently our nearest neighbors with the +exception of Willy and Bell. They possessed a cow and a few hens, and +Robina, who was a sturdy woman of forty, did the work of their small +croft with occasional help from one of the males of the community. For +in Ardmuirland, be it known, one neighbor helps another in return for +the like service when required; thus Robina would lend a hand at +hay-time, harvest, potato planting, and the rest, and would be entitled +to a few days' plowing and harrowing on her own land in compensation. + +The Lamonts, though not exceedingly poor, could not be called +well-to-do. The absence of a resident man in a small croft must be of +necessity a difficulty; but they were upright, hard-working women, and +managed to maintain themselves in a simple, frugal way. Oatmeal and +potatoes were grown on the croft; bread could be obtained from the +passing baker's cart in exchange for eggs; butter, and sometimes milk, +could be sold to neighbors; the widow's knitted stockings fetched a +fair price with the hosier in the county town; in these various ways +they made ends meet. + +Old-age pensions were then unheard of, and the Lamonts would have +thought themselves insulted had any one suggested parish relief for the +old woman; although her helpless condition would have justified it, for +she never moved from her corner by the fire, to which she was carried +from her bed in the morning to be borne back to bed at night. An +accident which had befallen her when in the prime of life had rendered +her a cripple without power to move her lower limbs. + +Like many of their class, the Lamonts were full of an honest pride, and +although they may have possibly felt the pinch of poverty now and +again, they would have scorned to acknowledge it. By the exercise of +diplomacy Penny has often managed to help them in little ways from time +to time; she will visit the old woman to inquire after her health, and +take with her in a neighborly way some little delicacy in the shape of +soup or pudding. At one time she tried to furnish her with some orders +for stockings, but it turned out that the Lamonts considered it next +door to heresy to take payment from the priest's house, and Penny's +charitable attempts were frustrated. She found it better to "borrow" a +few eggs occasionally (even though she was not in great need of them), +and to more than pay their value in little presents--an acknowledgment +of the kindness of the lenders. + +"The very thing for the Lamonts!" exclaimed Val at breakfast one +morning. He had been reading his letters, just delivered, and I was +glancing through that day's paper. I looked up in token of interest. + +"I have an application from the Inspector of the Poor," he continued, +"for a quiet, reliable family, who would be willing to take charge, for +payment, of a poor daft fellow. He is about thirty, and has been in +this state since he was eighteen, when he had a bad fever. He is +perfectly tractable, quite inoffensive, and thoroughly good-tempered. +The only reason for moving him from his present home is that it is in a +village, and the children tease and annoy him. I fancy the Lamonts +would jump at the opportunity." + +I quite agreed with him. To my mind, Robina Lamont was a match for a +far more dangerous character. She would be equal in strength to many +an able-bodied man. But I felt doubtful whether the arrangement would +be satisfactory as regarded the old widow. She was so helpless that +unless the man was actually as harmless as was supposed it might he +risky to place him in such a house. I voiced my objection, but Val was +not impressed by it. He had great confidence in the judgment of the +Inspector--a thoroughly able man, and shrewd withal. + +When the question was proposed to the Lamonts they at once warmed to +the idea. It appeared that one of the lads of their own family--now +long dead--had been in much the same state, though _he_ was inclined to +be unruly at times; consequently neither the widow nor her daughter +felt the least apprehension of difficulties in managing their patient. +Thus it came about that Bildy Gow became a member of our community. + +In Scotland we have many more diminutive forms of ordinary Christian +names than is the case in England. William, for example, figures as +Willy, Wildy, Will, Bill, Billy, and Bildy. The variety is useful in +cases, which are of frequent occurrence, where the same name belongs to +grandfather, father, and son; William, Wildy, and Bill are perfectly +distinct. It was as Bildy that William Gow became known among us; +before long every one dropped the unnecessary surname and he was spoken +of habitually as Bildy simply. + +Robina brought her lodger to Mass with her in state on the very first +Sunday. He was rather a good-looking fellow, tall and straight, with +fresh complexion, regular features and light-brown hair and moustache. +He was neatly dressed, too, for he had evidently been fitted out for +his new home by the liberality of the Inspector. Beyond a shy, vacant +expression, Bildy gave no evidence of mental incapacity in his +appearance. He kept close to Robina when they emerged from church, and +seemed to rely upon her protection with the air of a shy lad, which was +rather pathetic to witness. He was not a Catholic, but he had shown +such distress when Robina had told him to sit at home with her mother +that they were forced to let him go to church to keep him quiet. + +On further acquaintance, Bildy did not belie the good character given +him by the Inspector. He was merely a grown-up child. In his youth he +must have been of a thoroughly quiet, innocent nature, for he showed it +in his aspect still; his character had never developed beyond that +innocent adolescence, while his mind had retrograded to a state +resembling early childhood. If one spoke to him on the road he at once +assumed the air of an exceedingly shy bairn--frightened and +embarrassed. It would have been amusing were it not so sad. I could +never extract a word from him on such occasions, so overawed was he! + +From the first, while looking upon Robina as the supreme authority to +which he owed implicit obedience, Bildy seemed to give all his +affection to the old widow. He liked nothing better than to sit +opposite her by the fireside, watching the tireless swiftness of her +knitting needles as they flashed in the firelight. When summoned by +Robina for any duty, he would promptly comply, returning as soon as +free to his favorite attraction. + +I was passing by the Lamonts' house one afternoon, and as Robina was +working in her garden I stopped for a chat. After asking after her +mother and things in general, the conversation turned on Bildy. Robina +praised him highly. + +"He's as biddable as a bairn," she declared. "He carries a' the water +for us frae the spring, an' takes oot the coo, an' fetches her hame as +weel as I could masel'. He's nae tribble to us whateever!" + +She then launched into details concerning Bildy which were very +entertaining, and gave much amusement to Val over our dinner. It +appeared that the poor fellow had formed a most reverential opinion of +the priest on his first visit to our church for Mass. On his return +home he sat by the fire smiling delightedly and murmuring to himself. +They did not catch what he said, but after repeated questioning Robina +found that he was quite pleased with the "chapel." + +"An' yon mon!" he exclaimed. "Isna' he dressed fine? Wha's yon mon +wi' the fine dress?" + +"Yen's the priest," explained Robina. "Father Fleming, he's callit." + +"Father Fleming! Father Fleming!" repeated Bildy over and over again, +as though to familiarize himself with the sound of it. + +"Aye, aye! He's the boy! He can gab, canna' he? He's the boy to tell +us what to dee!" he continued in his broad Scots. + +"It's extraordinary how well he behaves at Mass--or at any rate during +the sermon," said Val when he heard the story. "I wish some others +were as good!" + +That reminded me of another anecdote. After one or two Sundays, Bildy +had got familiar with the church, and was inclined to gaze about more +than Robina approved of. She therefore took it upon herself to +instruct him upon the sacred character of the place, and to threaten to +keep him at home if he did not behave better. + +"Remember, Bildy," she said as they started next Sunday, "it's the +hoose o' God ye're goin' tee. Ye musna' glower aboot! Juist sit ye +still an' look straicht at Father Fleming a' the time." + +After that his manner was irreproachable. But one Sunday, as Penny was +leaving the church after Mass, she caught sight of Bildy furiously +shaking his fist--at her, she thought! So she mentioned the fact +quietly to Robina, who promised to investigate the matter. It turned +out that poor Bildy had so thoroughly assimilated her instructions as +to the requisite behavior in church that he had been silently reproving +what he thought irreverence. He had seen a crofter whom he knew very +well dozing during the sermon, and had "wagged his fist" at +him--righteously indignant. + +"Sleepin' i' the hoose o' God!" cried Bildy. "Yon's nae the place to +sleep in! I waggit my fist, an' I sair fleggit him!" + +Bildy evidently congratulated himself on having so successfully "sore +frighted" the delinquent that he would never dare to behave so badly +again. + +Bildy's respect for Val never waned. He never caught sight of the +priest, even at some little distance, but his hand flew up to his cap +in salutation, and remained there until Val had seen him and had +returned his salute. This would happen if he saw Val at a window of +our house just the same as when outside. + +Penny took quite a motherly interest in the poor afflicted fellow. +Whenever he came on any errand from the Lamonts he was always given a +piece of cake or fruit--anything sweet, for he had a child's taste. +But although Bildy was supremely delighted, he seldom said more than +"thank you, Ma'am!" I once suggested that she should refer to Val, and +the experiment was successful in opening Bildy's mouth. After that the +conversation would almost invariably run thus: + +"Did you see Father Fleming on Sunday, Bildy?" + +"Aye, aye! He's the boy! Father Fleming's the boy!" + +Next to the old widow, Bildy loved the cow. She was his particular +charge, and he was soon on intimate terms with her. Not only did he +carry on familiar conversations with her, on his part, but it appeared +that the cow made him her confidant in return. If he began to murmur +something to himself as he sat by the chimney corner, they would +inquire what he was talking about. It was generally arrant nonsense +that he told them. Once Robina asked: + +"Wha tellit ye that rubbish, Bildy?" + +"The coo," he gravely answered. + +On a damp, misty morning he had gone out as usual to drive the cow out +to the meadow to graze. Widow Lamont, from her place opposite the +window, noticed that they did not pass out in the customary way, and +notified the fact to Robina. The latter accordingly ran out at once to +inquire the reason of the delay. She found Bildy quietly fastening the +door of the byre before returning to the house. + +"Ye havna' fetched oot the coo!" she exclaimed. "Gae in an' drive her +oot, Bildy!" + +"Na, na," replied he, solemnly shaking his head. "She says it's ower +cauld the day. She'll bide inside." + +Bildy's hero-worship of my brother increased as time went by. He +regularly came to Mass, and obedient to Robina's instructions sat still +and looked "straicht at Father Fleming." On one particular Sunday, +when we had a priest staying with us (an old friend of Val's), the +latter invited him to preach. This did not suit Bildy at all. After +Mass he walked home alone, not waiting for Robina, who was chatting +with her neighbors outside the church, and showed by his manner that +something was amiss. Widow Lamont put down her book, in which she had +been piously reading her "Prayers for Mass," and accosted him with the +usual formula: + +"Weel, Bildy, what kind o' preachin' had ye the day?" + +But the answer was not that which they took a simple pleasure in +drawing from him usually. Bildy began to bite his hand--a trick he had +when annoyed. + +"That's nae preachin'," he cried indignantly. "Yon monnie canna' +preach! Wha's the reason Father Fleming canna' preach the day? Eh!" +(with withering contempt.) "Sic a monnie preach!" + +The diminutive, in Bildy's phraseology, implied depreciation; that was +why he stigmatized a regular six-footer as a "monnie." + +When Doddy came to Ardmuirland, Bildy discovered his real vocation! +Doddy--or, in English, Georgie--was the orphan child of Robina's +sister. His father had married a second wife and had gone out to +Canada, and Widow Lamont had insisted upon having the little chap with +her; for his father and step-mother were both Protestants, and Doddy +stood little chance of being reared in the faith of his baptism. So +the man agreed, and undertook to pay a trifle weekly for the child's +keep, until he could earn something for himself. + +Doddy was almost a baby--not more than four, and quite small of his +age; but he soon discovered that he had a slave at his beck and call in +the spellbound Bildy. The man seemed to worship the little fellow. +Whenever Bildy was free from his ordinary occupations he was playing +with Doddy, as though they were both children--with this difference: +Doddy was always the tyrant, and Bildy the submissive subject. + +It was a proof of the man's absolute harmlessness that he never so much +as touched any one who angered him. Sometimes other children, +attracted by Doddy, would come to join in the games, and often drove +poor Bildy away. He would slink off, the picture of misery, and make +his way home, biting his hand--his only sign of displeasure. + +When Doddy was five, and had to attend school, Bildy would watch with +the utmost patience the road by which the child had to return, until he +caught sight of the tiny figure in the distance; then he would run to +meet Doddy with every demonstration of joy, pick him up, set him on his +shoulder, and amble off up the hill to the cottage. + +Bildy had been about six years in Ardmuirland, and had become a +favorite with every one. The poor fellow was so unfeignedly pleased to +receive any little notice from any one that all accosted him kindly, +and no one in the district would have dreamed of causing him +unhappiness. Doddy had grown into a sharp little lad of seven, and was +no longer so dependent upon Bildy for companionship. Yet Bildy did not +relinquish altogether his post of guardian, but kept a wary eye upon +the movements of his little master, ready at all times to do his +bidding. + +Winter set in that year unusually early. At the beginning of December +earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost. Nothing +could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland +were in their element. There was a small, shallow pond close by the +schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their +hearts' content. But children are changeful. When the frost had +lasted more than two whole weeks, the little pond was not exciting +enough. There was a mountain lake about a mile farther on, a much +larger piece of water. Thither the more adventurous spirits determined +to go one holiday afternoon. Doddy, who was precocious for his years, +made up his mind to go too, proud in being the companion of much bigger +boys. Unluckily, none of the parents of the boys had any idea of the +proposed adventure; had they known, the project would have been sternly +prohibited. It is possible that the young adventurers knew this and +kept the matter quiet. + +But Doddy's faithful guardian had watched the boy steal off, to be met +by five or six others, and followed them at a distance. He did not +venture to join the party openly, fearing to be driven off +ignominiously, as he often had been before on other occasions. By the +time he reached them they had been some half-hour at the lake, and had +most of them ventured cautiously to try the bearing power of the ice. +The long frost had made this quite safe in most parts; but, unluckily, +the lads were not aware that there were other portions where rising +springs prevented the water from freezing much, if at all. As long as +they kept near to the place upon which they had first set foot all was +well; but security made them venturesome. They started a game of +shinty, and threw themselves into the sport with fervor. + +Bildy, partly hidden behind the bushes which skirted the water, watched +the game with interest, his eyes on his beloved Doddy. Suddenly, while +he looked on, Doddy disappeared, and a shout of terror arose from the +other boys, who were too full of fear to do much toward helping the +unfortunate child, though one or two slid down prostrate and tried to +crawl to the hole into which Doddy had fallen, in order to help him out +with their sticks. + +It remained for Bildy to come to their assistance. With a frightened +cry the man rushed over the ice to the spot, and regardless of the +cautions which the others shrilled at him, plunged into the water. +Doddy had fallen in where there was only very thin ice around the edge +of an open sheet of water. Luckily, it was shallow for a man, though +it covered the child. Bildy managed to seize the boy and rose up +gasping from the pool, holding Doddy aloft. He seated the frightened +child on his shoulder, and was able to keep half his own body out of +the water. Thus they remained till help came in the shape of one or +two farm-servants, who had been summoned by the screams of the boys. + +It was not a difficult matter to get the two out of the water safely; +indeed, any one more sensible than poor Bildy could have lifted the +child onto thicker ice, after wading some paces in the water. Both +were shivering with cold and drenched with water, which froze on their +clothes during their hurried progress home to bed. + +The after-effects were not serious, as far as Doddy was concerned. He +got a severe cold, but nothing worse--not taking into account the +castigation administered with a good-will by his "auntie." With poor +Bildy it was different. He had been in the ice-cold water far longer +than the boy, and a serious attack of pneumonia was the result. The +poor fellow had probably little stamina. He did not rally, even when +the climax seemed to have been successfully passed, but grew weaker +every day. + +"Robina Lamont wants me to go to that poor fellow," Val said one day. +"She wants me to do what I can for him, as the doctor gives no hope of +recovery. I can baptize him conditionally, of course, and I am +starting now. Would you like to come, Ted?" + +I was most anxious to accompany him, and we set out at once for the +Lamonts' cottage. + +Bildy looked frightfully wasted; his face was the color of parchment, +and his brown eyes looked enormously large and startlingly bright. But +what touched me more than his emaciated appearance was the wonderful +expression of emotion which shone from those large eyes as we appeared +at the bedside; they looked at Val with the yearning affection that one +sees sometimes in a faithful dog. The poor fellow put out his white, +wasted hand to Val with evident delight. + +"Bildy's been wearyin' for ye, Father," said Robina. "He's often cried +out for Father Fleming." + +The dying man's eyes were proof that she spoke truly. + +The short ceremony was soon over, and after some prayers for the sick +man we took our leave. For the few days that he lingered after that, +the visit of the priest--twice every day and sometimes oftener--was the +culminating point of satisfaction for poor Bildy. + +I was there with Val when the end came. Bildy passed away quite +peacefully while we joined in the prayers for the dying; a calm smile +was on his face, and some vision of delight before his wide-open eyes, +which it is not for mortals to attempt to fathom. + +"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Val, as we took our way home; "life has held +little of happiness for him. Indeed, one can hardly call it life in +the full sense of the word; it was mere existence, as far as we can +see." + +"Let's hope that life has begun for him at last," I said reverently. + +"I have little doubt of that," replied the priest. + + + + +VII + +SMUGGLERS + + + "My enemy's dog, + Though he had bit me, should have stood that night + Against my fire." + (_"King Lear"--Act IV, Sc. 7._) + + +"Aebody kent Davie Forbes wes tarrible at the smugglin'," said Willy. + +We had been discussing the _pros_ and _cons_ of illicit +distilling--known inland as "smuggling"--and I found that Willy agreed +with the general opinion of the district that the only harm in it was +the penalty due "'gin ye get foond oot by the gauger." He assured me +that in his young days the practice was widespread. This had brought +us to Davie Forbes and his persistence in escaping government dues, and +led on to the narrative which I here set down in intelligible English. + +Davie was a fine, hearty specimen of a Scottish crofter, whose +appearance did not tally with his acknowledged seventy-nine years; for +his handsome, ruddy face, framed by white whiskers, and crowned with +abundant, curly white locks, showed scarcely a wrinkle. He was +stalwart and straight, too, as many a man twenty years his junior would +dearly love to be. + +Davie's wife had been dead many years at the date of this story; his +only daughter, Maggie Jean, was housekeeper for him and her two +unmarried brothers, Jock and Peter. Like many of his fellows who might +have to support a widowed mother or other helpless relatives, he had +not married until rather late in life. Consequently, Maggie Jean, the +youngest of the family, was a strapping lass of thirty, and Jock, the +eldest, a "lad" of thirty-six; for an unmarried man in our +neighborhood, be it known, is a lad till he becomes decrepit! + +The family residence of the Forbes stood about half-way up Ben +Sgurrach, the highest hill in the district, and the house was at least +1,000 feet above the sea. It was sheltered from the east wind by a +clump of scarecrow-looking pine trees, and a spur of barren rock rose +behind it on the north. I could imagine those trees, though I have +never seen them; we have some such in our little wood behind the +presbytery. Gaunt-looking figures they are indeed! Some have been +twisted into uncouth shapes by adverse winds; others stand draped in +veritable garments of gray lichen--weird and shaggy. The latter, seen +in the dusk, are calculated to terrify a chance comer who might find +himself in their neighborhood; for he would probably mistake them for +goblins. + +A copious spring of excellent water and several convenient crevices in +the surrounding rocks made Davie's place an excellent site for a still. +His son Jock was occupied with odd jobs provided for him as handy man +at a shooting lodge not far from the foot of the hill, where he tended +the garden and looked after the pony at ordinary times, and acted as +gillie when the shooting season came round. Peter did most of the work +on the croft, lower down the hill; for David himself was getting past +arduous labors, though he directed the distilling, in which Peter, and +occasionally Jock, did the greater part of the work. Much of the +barley for the still grew on their own land, where also they raised +corn for their own oatmeal and for Maggie Jean's chickens, as well as +turnips for her "coo." The customers for whiskey were many; for owing +to its innocence of government duty it was cheaper than could be got +from a merchant, while for quality it was renowned. Davie was a past +master in the art of distilling, and the secluded nature of his +storehouses enabled him to keep it until its rawness had worn off with +age. + +Many a tale was told of Davie's adventures in his contraband trade. In +days when he was young and strong revenue officers would scour the +hills with a small band of soldiers in their company, the better to +over-awe the country folk. On one such occasion Davie had the +misfortune to be apprehended in his house, when off his guard; for he +was well known to the preventive men of the district, who had long been +seeking to trap him. They had tracked him from his still, which they +then took charge of, and surrounded his house to prevent escape. But +Davie was too wary for them in the end. He feigned submission, and got +his old mother to bring out refreshments for the party within the +house, and went himself to the door with glasses and whiskey for the +two soldiers on guard there. But they never tasted their dram; Davie +was the renowned wrestler of the neighborhood, and in a second or two +he had tripped up both men and had made off for some secret +hiding-place in the hills before the party inside, aroused by the cries +of the sentinels, were able to understand what had happened. Both the +unfortunate soldiers had been so badly bruised by their fall on the +flagstones near the doorway that they were unable to rise without help. + +At another time he was still more successful. The revenue officers and +their escort surprised his house at midnight, and demanded admission in +the King's name. Old Jeandy, his mother, who was then alive, made as +much difficulty as possible in getting the door open in order to give +Davie time to conceal himself. But he did better than hide in the +house. Springing out of bed, he actually broke a hole through the +"divets" or turfs of the thatch, and creeping through it, climbed down +outside, just as his adversaries, certain of capturing their prize, +were mounting the ladder which led to his bed-chamber. When the +exciseman saw the empty bed he cried with an angry oath: + +"Here's the nest--still warm; but the bird's awa'!" The "bird" had +flown to a more hidden place of retirement under cover of the darkness! + +In later years Davie was not much molested by the representatives of +the excise. A gauger was indeed stationed in a town ten miles distant, +but he was elderly, and not over energetic. He would make a formal +visit now and again to suspected districts, and content himself with a +few casual inquiries. As a matter of fact, he was personally quite +inadequate to the task of searching for illicit stills in a district of +such abundant hidden recesses. + +But there was a change of front when the old officer retired and a +young and energetic man succeeded him. A "new broom" is eulogized in +proverb; and Mr. Michael Bonar, being new to his district, and a man of +youth and determination, boasted that he meant to sweep away the taint +of smuggling from the neighborhood of Ardmuirland, which bore a bad +name in that respect. + +The boast of the incautious gauger was repeated far and wide, and a +strong spirit of opposition was aroused. Many a wary practitioner +began to devise cunning means of concealment, and to invent traps to +catch their adversary and turn him into ridicule. Davie Forbes was not +behindhand in making remote preparations for the ganger's certain visit +to him. But it was then mid-winter, and if Bonar was the canny man +that he was said to be, there would be little fear of any attempted +search for Davie's implements and stores before spring had set in. So +the Forbes family congratulated themselves upon the security of their +airy nest, and would smile grimly when the name of Bonar was mentioned. + +The gauger was, it is true, canny, but his youth made him perhaps a +trifle too venturesome. He was not unused to climbing, and had scaled +many a mountain more imposing than Ben Sguarrach; but it was not in +winter; forgetfulness of that trifling circumstance led to his +discomfiture. Ben Sguarrach was indeed no pleasant place in wintry +weather. Its open spaces were swept by icy blasts; snow often drifted +to unparalleled depths, and made the ascent dangerous to those who were +not familiar with the mountain in its more peaceful aspects. + +To Bonar's ardent mind the season of the year seemed likely to assist +rather than hinder him. Days were short; nights were dark (if the moon +should happen to be unpropitious), but they were long. No work was +possible at such a time in a mountain distillery, and stores could not +be shifted so readily as in summer time. So he determined to bide his +opportunity and make a secret visit to Davie Forbes' dwelling, just to +reconnoiter. He would thus be enabled to form his plan of campaign for +a more bold attack. + +Unfortunately, the gauger did not thoroughly know the people he had to +deal with or he would have made allowance for their clannish devotion +to each other's interests. Every one recognized him as a public enemy, +and however politely he might be treated public sympathy was on the +side of his opponents. He might flatter himself that he was keeping +his intentions and movements absolutely secret, yet it was impossible +not to take some one or other into his confidence; thus it came about +that tidings of his intended visit flew to Davie at least a week before +his attempt. + +In consequence of this fact, all incriminating evidence was carefully +concealed by the old man and his sons, and it would have taken a +sharper man than Bonar--intelligent as he was--to discover any traces +of illicit distilling in the neighborhood of their house. There was +one suspicious feature only; a large eighteen-gallon barrel, full of +something--whatever the liquid might be--was barely covered by +peat-turfs heaped over it under the shelter of the end wall of the +byre. But it had not been overlooked; arrangements had been made in +its regard, should circumstances demand its more thorough concealment, +otherwise it must not be disturbed. For--if the truth must be +told--that particular cask contained the store of whiskey which Davie +had been carefully preserving for his last act of hospitality; it was +for the entertainment of those who would attend his funeral. Who, +indeed, was able to provide refreshment for the crowd of mourners who +would surely assemble on such an occasion, if not Davie, whose +"whuskey" was renowned in the whole countryside? + +Bonar had the good sense to keep from every one the actual date of his +intended visit, lest tidings should reach the Forbes. He fixed upon a +night when there would be an early rising moon to light him. On the +morning of the day he made all his preparations very carefully. In +view of an absence of some hours, he provided himself with a good +packet of sandwiches and a flask of spirits. He then set out for +Fouranbuie Inn, a dreary hostel about four miles distant from the foot +of the mountain. There he made a substantial meal, and about four in +the afternoon started on his quest. He had resolved to ride off from +the inn on his bicycle, ostensibly toward a village farther on; then to +dismount at the foot of Ben Sgurrach, and, hiding his machine in some +bushes, to start the climb as dusk fell. Jock, as he had found out, +was accustomed to approach from another direction when returning from +work. + +The January day was already closing when Bonar began the ascent. The +climb was decidedly pleasant; the wintry air, the excitement coming +from the spirit of adventure, the vigorous exercise--all tended to +raise the young man's ardor, and he trod the upward path with the +steady, swinging pace of a Highlander. + +The moon had scarcely risen when clouds began to drift across the sky, +and the wind became more boisterous. The darkness increased, and soon +it became almost impossible to discern the path. Then cold, soft +particles brushed his cheek, and he realized that snow was beginning to +fall. In a snowstorm he had no better prospect of finding his way to +his bicycle down below than up to Davie Forbes' house. So he kept +mechanically groping his way upward, although the storm had commenced +in earnest now. + +There was less difficulty in progressing while the pretty well-defined +pathway could be kept to; but the falling snow began to obliterate its +traces. His entire surroundings soon became shut out from the man's +vision. He moved on resolutely, although his face smarted and his eyes +were blinded by the steadily descending snow, which surrounded him on +all sides like a moving curtain of grayish white. He owned to himself +that it was impossible to proceed, but what was he to do? To return +was just as impossible! + +Fortune at last favored him. Staggering through the wind and snow of +the ever-increasing storm, he ran unexpectedly upon a lofty wall of +rock looking to him like a high cliff. He had evidently lost the path, +for here was an insurmountable obstacle. Clinging to the rough +surface, he cautiously felt his way along the rock for some yards. He +was still ascending, but the ground was rough and piled with small +stones, which had crumbled off from the main wall and lay in heaps +beneath it. He knew enough about Scottish mountains to expect to find +an opening in the wall large enough to enable him to creep into some +kind of shelter; he was not disappointed, for soon he came upon a +crevice--not deep enough to be called a cave, but affording some +temporary relief from the storm, which had by this time assumed a +furious aspect. + +The retreat happened to be under the lee of the rock, so that although +it had little depth, he was protected from the violence of the storm; +the relief was great after the fatiguing struggle he had been +undergoing. He managed to strike a match and look at his watch; it was +only six o'clock. Had he to pass the night in that chill and dreary +region? + +Gruesome anecdotes rushed tormentingly to memory. It was but last +winter that he had read of the finding of a man's body, stark and cold, +not fifty yards from his own threshold; he had fallen helpless, faint +from incessant struggling through the snow-drifts and too weak to make +his cries for help heard above the rushing of the wind and the swish of +the snow on the window behind which his terrified wife was anxiously +awaiting his coming. + +And what of Bonar himself? He might at that instant be miles away from +any human habitation; it might be days before a human being chanced to +pass that way! Would his body confront some wandering shepherd or some +sportsman months hence, when the snows had gone, and, perhaps--horrible +thought, yet possible to be realized!--after carrion birds had made +their onslaught on the foul thing it had become? + +Be sure he called himself every kind of idiot for venturing on such a +fool's errand at such a time. But that did not warm his shivering +limbs or infuse patience into his almost despairing heart. The cold +was intense. He was obliged at last to move away from his +shelter--such as it was--and in spite of the thick snow beneath his +feet, and the hurrying flakes still noiselessly but relentlessly +falling, to trample some kind of pathway in which he might pace +backwards and forwards to keep the blood circulating in his veins. + +It was not quite dark, but the gray curtain of falling snow shut out +everything from his vision; no sound could be heard but the rush of the +wind over the slopes, and an occasional wail nearer at hand, as it +swished round a corner of the rocks behind him. He dare not attempt to +climb higher, nor dare he descend. What unexplored expanses of +moorland might lie beyond, to lure him farther away from the chance of +shelter or rescue? What hidden pitfalls might not lurk below, to trap +his inexperienced feet and hurl him to his death? + +Warmed by his exercise, he crept back into his recess to await the +possibility of some cessation of the storm. Busied with anxious +thoughts, he failed to notice the gradual lessening of the snow-flakes +and the lull in the wind beyond the rocks. It was only when the moon +shone out clearly once more that he perceived that the storm was over. + +Courage returned at once. He left his shelter and tried to find the +direction of the upward path. Light had dispelled his fears. It was +better to trust himself to the dangers of the higher level than to risk +a fall into some crevice on the downward way. Before his eyes lay +stretched out a vast snowfield! More dazzlingly white in the moonlight +than before, a thick carpet of snow lessened every inequality of +surface; it softened every hard outline, while it filled up +depressions. Sounding every step as he advanced, he trod slowly +upwards; plowing now and again into drifts waist-deep, staggering over +submerged bowlders and stony heaps whose unexpected existence would +often imperil his balance, he managed to climb considerably higher. +But his progress was necessarily slow. He kept as near as possible to +the rocky ridge which had sheltered him; for on his other hand the +ground sloped downwards in a steep gradient, and the treacherous snow +might well conceal many a deadly peril. + +His strength was becoming exhausted by the severe strain of wading +through the deep drifts when, turning round a corner of the wall of +rock beside him, his eyes were gladdened by a welcome sight. Across +the expanse of snow he could see shining a tiny bright light. It was +no reflection from the moonbeams, for it burned with a reddish glow +amid the dazzling whiteness all around. His courage revived; he was +certainly not far from some habitation--perhaps the very one he sought! +The thought filled him with fresh vigor; his wearied limbs gained new +strength, and he climbed forward with energy and decision. But, alas! +in spite of his efforts, the light seemed to recede; it grew gradually +smaller and less bright until he lost sight of it altogether. + +The man's powers of endurance were well-nigh spent. His food had been +eaten long before while he lay in shelter; his flask--more carefully +husbanded--was now empty. He almost gave up striving. Why not give +way to the almost uncontrollable desire to lie down and rest in the +snow? He could hold out no longer! + +It was at that critical moment that through the intense stillness of +the mountain solitudes he heard the bark of a dog! Once more he picked +up courage. Staggering on a few steps further, he saw from behind an +intervening rock, which had concealed it till then, the light from a +window not far ahead! + +All interest in his errand had departed long before. What did he care +if the mountain were full of illicit stills? The only desire that +possessed him now was that roused by the human instinct in every man in +peril of his life--the desire to escape from danger. Oh, for +sufficient strength to creep onwards! If he could but hold out a +little, shelter and warmth, and--above all--safety would be his! So +once again, wearily, painfully, and slowly, he plowed his way through +the drifts toward the beacon that shone ahead. + + * * * * * * + +Within the modest dwelling to which Davie Forbes was wont to refer as +his "hoosachie" (little house), on snow-clad Ben Sguarrach, the +living-room looked cosy enough on that wild evening. By the two +windows--one at the gable-end of the house, the other near the door--no +icy draught could enter, for both apertures were hermetically sealed! +All the ventilation deemed necessary during the daytime came through +the usually open door, by which Maggie Jean was continually passing in +and out, bent on domestic duties. (Like other Scottish housewives, she +carried out much of her rougher and dirtier housework in the open.) At +night, when work was over, the bright lamp and fire of glowing peat and +blazing logs kept the house warm and snug; the pungent "reek" from the +peat, too, acted as a healthy disinfectant. + +Everything was scrupulously clean. The flagged floor, the deal table, +the dresser, with its shelves filled with crockery--all spoke of +frequent and thorough scrubbing. The high mantel-shelf bore brass +candlesticks--more for ornament than use--which had been polished till +they shone like gold. The very walls had been so often subjected to +Maggie Jean's whitewashing brush that they were spotless. + +Under the overhanging ingle-nook, in which a ham or two were hanging +overhead, sat Davie in his own special corner and his own special +chair, calmly smoking; opposite sat Jock, a black-bearded man of sturdy +build, who was also smoking. Both were listening to Maggie Jean, who, +seated near her father, was reading in a monotonous voice the choice +extracts from a three-days-old local paper. Now and again, as the snow +beat more forcibly upon the window, or the wind moaned round the corner +of the house, or drove the peat reek in gusts into the room, she would +pause and glance anxiously through the uncurtained window near the +door. For Peter had gone down to the croft to bring back a bag of +turnips for her "coo" during this unforeseen spell of fierce weather. +The storm had come on suddenly, and provender was low; so Peter had +volunteered his services in his characteristically shy way (which a +southron, perhaps, would have taken for an indication of surliness), +and his sister, in equally characteristic Scottish fashion, had +accepted the offer with the air of one who had a right to it. Yet all +the while (I am sure, for I know the type well!) Peter was full of +tender compassion for the poor beast, and Maggie Jean's heart +overflowed with solicitude for her brother's safe return. + +"Eh! But it's a fearfu' nicht, and nae mistak'!" old Davie would +exclaim, as the storm made itself felt more than usual. + +"Aye, aye, it is thot," was Jock's imperturbable reply. + +And Maggie Jean, with an anxious sigh, would resume her slow chant, +punctuated by occasional glances outside. + +But a dash at the door from without, and Don's joyful barking, told of +the return of the dog and his master. Snow-clad Peter, with his +lantern, looking like some rustic Santa Claus--all white from head to +foot--made his appearance, and with much stamping and shaking off of +the snow from his garments, divested himself of his wraps, and joined +the family circle, pushing his way past Jock to the corner nearest the +fire, his dog following at his heels. + +"Eh! But it's bin gey stormy!" he said as he filled his pipe. + +"Nae doot o' thot!" hazarded Jock, solemnly sucking away at his. + +"The sna's gey deep, I doot," remarked Davie interrogatively. + +"Some o' the reefs is fower foot an' mair," answered Peter +nonchalantly, between puffs of smoke. + +The announcement caused no visible surprise. Maggie Jean made a +diversion. + +"It's fair noo," she said, glancing through the window, "and there's a +bonny moon!" + +"Aye," responded Peter. "There's bin nae sna' this guid while." + +The party had settled down to silent contemplation of the cheery fire, +the men enjoying their pipes, Maggie Jean busy with her knitting. No +sound disturbed the peaceful calm except the regular faint click of the +rapidly moving knitting-pins. + +Suddenly there was a loud noise at the door. It was not so much a +knock as the fall of some heavy body against it. Don's startled bark +roused all from their seats, and Peter made for the door at once, +having first quieted the dog by the forcible argument of a +well-directed kick. "It's a mon," he cried in surprise as he opened +the door, "faint wi' the cauld!" And at once strong arms lifted the +prostrate form out of the snow and bore it to the warm hearthside. + +It was a man--young and handsome. He was well dressed, and his thick +gloves, gaiters and strong boots, together with his warm clothing, +showed him to be not altogether unprovided against the cold whose +unusual potency had overcome him. He had evidently tramped for some +distance in deep snow, and gave proofs of more than one fall into the +drifts. + +The men busied themselves in efforts for his restoration. Maggie Jean +produced whiskey, which they administered in small doses; Jock and +Peter drew off the man's sodden boots and socks, and chafed his hands +and feet in the warmth of the fire. Old Davie stood regarding the +stranger attentively during these proceedings. + +"It's himsel', I doot," he remarked to Jock at last. "D'ye ken him?" + +"Aye, aye," said Jock dispassionately. "I ken him fine. I see him in +the toon last market-day. It's himsel', sure enough!" + +"Eh! Puir body!" exclaimed old Davie. "And mayhe the creetur wes on +his wye t' oor still." + +"Nae doot o' thot," remarked Peter, while Jock wisely nodded assent. + +"No' but what he'd find it gey hard to come up wi't in the sna' and +a'!" added the latter, in a tone of unrestrained congratulation. + +They spoke in half-whispers, and never ceased their charitable +ministrations the while. Not a word passed on the subject again, for +in a few minutes the stranger had gained consciousness. He looked in a +puzzled way from one face to another, not realizing for the moment +where he was. Davie was the first to speak. + +"The storm's bin ower muckle for ye, sir, I'm thinkin'," he said +kindly. "It's weel ye chanced to find y'r wye t' oor wee hoosachie. +It's nae muckle to be prood on; but it's better ner bein' ootside in +siclike weather, I doot!" + +Bonar suddenly became aware of the identity of his hosts. He had no +doubt that this was Davie Forbes, whom he had come to spy upon and +denounce! But he was no coward, and quickly reassured himself that +duty alone had led him. Still, he was indebted to his enemies! + +"I'm greatly obliged to you, indeed," he said with genuine gratitude. +"I probably owe my life to the good luck that led me to your door." + +"Na, na, mon," replied Davie. "Ye've naething to thank us for. But +ye'll need a bit supper!" he added, as Bonar rose to his feet and +seemed about to prepare for departure. (He felt rather unsteady on his +legs, but go he must, as he assured himself resolutely.) + +"Aye, sure!" cried Maggie Jean, seconding her father's hospitable +invitation. And without another word she produced from various hidden +receptacles tablecloth, knives and forks, bread, oatcake, butter, +cheese, and jam, with the rapidity of a conjurer--as the dazed Bonar +thought. Then down came a frying-pan, and she began to cook eggs and +ham over the bright fire. + +It was impossible to resist, and Bonar had no wish to refuse the food +he needed so badly. + +"You're very good, I'm sure!" he faltered out. "I really think it was +hunger alone that made me faint. I've never done such a thing in my +life before!" + +"Ye'd be nane the worse for a wee drappie sperrits afore y'r supper," +said Davie. "Peter, lad, fetch oot a drap frae yon jar beyont!" + +Peter dutifully obeyed, retiring into some back recess and returning +with a small jug of whiskey, from which his father poured out drams for +the guest and himself. + +"Y'r guid health, sir!" he said hospitably, lifting his glass. "May ye +be nane the worse for y'r wettin', the nicht!" + +Bonar would have been less than human to have refused. He quietly +sipped his whiskey, which was excellent. The spirit gave him renewed +strength; the savor of Maggie Jean's cooking whetted his appetite. He +owed it to himself to take ordinary care of his health, he reasoned +interiorly. He would tell them who he was, though, before he left. + +He had indeed been saved from serious disaster, if not from death, by +means of this family. Peter's lantern--which he had not troubled to +extinguish when the moon rendered it no longer necessary--had been +Bonar's first guiding-star. Don's bark had renewed his energy, and the +result was shelter and hospitality. Like a sensible man he accepted +the good fortune which had fallen to him, and ate a hearty meal. + +When it came to the question of starting out again, he found it less +easy than he had anticipated. + +"Ye'll nae think o' leavin' this hoose the nicht!" the old man +declared, when, after his supper and a pipe, Bonar touched on the +subject. + +"It's an impossibeelity for ony mon as disna' ken the hill yon to find +his wye up or doon in siclike weather," Jock added grimly. + +Bonar knew how true was Jock's remark. Nevertheless, he felt very +uncomfortable at the prospect of remaining there for the night, as +Davie had proposed. Did they know who he was? It seemed most +unlikely, with the kindness they had shown him! Yet he could not stay, +he told himself, under false pretences. + +"It's more than kind of you to treat me like this," he said. "I could +never have expected such a friendly welcome to one who is a perfect +stranger to you all." + +"Nae altogither a stranger, whateever," returned Davie--and for a +moment there was ever so slight a suspicion of a twinkle in his kindly +old eyes. "Ye're the new gauger we've haird sae muckle aboot, I'm +thinkin'." + +"Quite so," stammered Bonar, rather shamefacedly, "and--it's really +very good of you to show me so much kindness." + +"Na, na, sir," said the old man warmly. "I should be wantin' in human +feelin' if I wes to turn a dog oot sic a nicht--still mair a +fellow-creetur. Na, na, sir! Juist ye sit still, and Maggie Jean'll +redd up the bed for ye beyont for y'r nicht's rest!" + +So in the smuggler's very house the smuggler's natural enemy was bound +to rest for the night, having been warmed at the smuggler's hearth and +cheered and invigorated by whiskey that had paid no duty! + +It was with changed mien that Bonar trod his downward path next morning +under Peter's guidance. + +Be sure he lost no time in applying for removal to a new sphere of +labor! Let others tackle Davie Forbes and his sons if they wished; as +for himself, he could never so repay the fearless generosity to which +he owed--as he firmly believed--the saving of his life! + + + + +VIII + +PHENOMENA + + + "This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him." + (_"Hamlet" Act I, Sc. 1._) + + +Strolling across the little stableyard one day to have a look at Tim, our +pony, I heard from the open door of the kitchen Penny's voice, raised in +expostulation. + +"_Ghost_, indeed!" And withering scorn was expressed in the very tone of +her ejaculation. "When you're my _h_age you'll have learned to take no +'eed of such nonsense! There's no such a thing; and I'm surprised as a +Catholic girl, born and bred, should be that superstitious! You mustn't +believe such rubbish!" + +I scented entertainment, for Penny dogmatizing on spiritualism was likely +to prove interesting. + +"What's up, Penny?" I inquired with an air of innocence, as she suddenly +emerged from the kitchen, wrathfully brandishing a huge knife--as who +should say, in Hamlet's words: + +"I'll make a ghost of him that lets me!" + +had she not been bent upon the more peaceful, if prosaic, slaughter of a +lettuce for the luncheon salad. + +Penny was just in the mood to give vent to her theological opinions +concerning the possibility of visits from another world, and at once +seized the opportunity of imparting a little wholesome instruction to any +audience obtainable. + +"The nonsense that folks get into their 'eads nowadays, Mr. Edmund--what +with these trashy novels and 'apenny papers--is something past belief! +Not but what Elsie is a good, quiet girl enough, and reg'lar at her +duties every first Sunday in the month; but she's young, and I suppose we +'ave to make allowance for young folk." + +I murmured in token of acquiescence. + +"I let her off for the afternoon yesterday, to take tea with her _h_aunt +from America, and back she comes with a cock-and-bull story of a +_h_apparition her youngest brother Aleck imagined he saw the night before +last." + +"An apparition!" I cried. "That's strange! Where did the boy see it?" + +"He couldn't have seen it, Mr. Edmund, as you must know very well, with +your _h_education and experience. He was running home in the moonlight +and thought he saw some figure in the old mill, which, of course, he says +must have been a ghost." + +"A ghost at the old mill!" I laughed heartily myself at the notion. "It +couldn't have been poor old Archie. It's not like him to terrify his +neighbors in that way." + +"I gave the girl a good talking to," continued Penny. (I did not doubt +it!) "'Read your Penny Catechism,' I said, 'and see how strong it is +against dealing with the Devil by consulting spiritualists, and don't let +me hear another word about it.'" + +It seemed rather hard on poor Elsie, who was, beyond doubt, innocent of +any such forbidden practices. But I refrained from comment, for I wanted +to hear more about the _h_apparition. + +But Penny could not be drawn out. She professed herself so disgusted at +Elsie's "superstition" that I could get no coherent account of what Aleck +was supposed to have seen. So I left her to vent her wrath on the +defenceless vegetables, and determined to seek a more copious source of +information. + +Willy and Bell would be capable of second-hand descriptions only, so I +resolved to approach the fountain-head and interrogate Aleck in person. +I found the youth in the garden of Fanellan farm, evidently just passing +the time by a cursory pruning of berry bushes. He had on his Sunday +suit, and was unusually smartened up for a weekday; for it was but +natural that neighbors might be expected to drop in for information as to +the supernatural manifestations he had experienced, and it was well to be +prepared. He was a fresh-looking, fair-haired lad of eighteen or +thereabouts. I had often noticed him on Sundays among the gathering +under the pine-trees near the church door, but had never spoken to him. + +Aleck had not expected so illustrious a visitor as "the priest's +brother," and, though evidently gratified by my interest, was so +painfully shy that it would have needed an expert barrister to draw out +any satisfactory information from so bashful a witness. Luckily his +mother had espied me from the window, and promptly appeared on the scene, +and by means of her judicious prompting the youth was induced to tell his +tale. + +It appeared that Aleck was out on the night in question at the unusual +hour of twelve. He had been "bidden," as his mother explained, to a +marriage in the neighborhood, and his father had allowed him to accept +the invitation on the condition of his return home by midnight. As is +not unusual in such cases, the attractions of the dance had led the youth +to postpone his departure, minute by minute, until it was questionable +whether he could possibly reach home by the appointed time, even if he +ran his best. Consequently he took all the short cuts he knew, and one +of them led him by the old mill. + +I was well aware, from an anecdote related to me by Penny, that John +Farquhar, the lad's father, was a stern disciplinarian. Elsie's elder +sister, Jean, a lass of nineteen, had once happened to return home from +confession rather later than usual one Saturday evening, owing to the +exceptionally large number awaiting their turn in the church. On +reaching home about half-past eight on a spring evening, she became aware +of her father standing in the dusk at the garden gate, holding an +ominously slender walking-stick in his hand. With this he proceeded to +deal several far from gentle strokes upon the girl's shoulders, +regardless of her frightened remonstrances and explanations. + +"I dinna' care wha ye come frae, chaipel or nae chaipel; ye'll nae be +alloowed oot at sic an hoor!" + +In the light of this circumstance it was not difficult to understand +Aleck's desire to reach Fanellan punctually. But to return to his +adventure. + +As he approached the old mill he became aware of a light shining from one +of the windows. Thinking that some traveling tinkers had taken up free +lodgings there, he was preparing to pass as quickly and quietly as +possible, to avoid drawing attention upon himself and delaying his +progress. But, to his astonishment, the light suddenly went out, and by +the time he reached the house it was wrapped in darkness. There was +little moonlight (spite of Penny's indignant insinuations), for it was a +cloudy night, and the lad would have had difficulty in finding his way +had it not been so familiar. Curiosity urged Aleck to investigate the +mystery of the light, and, forgetful for the moment of his father's +injunction, he crept quietly to the unglazed window and looked through +the opening. Not a sound revealed the presence of any human being +within. A silence, accentuated no doubt by his startled imagination, +seemed to hang over the place. He was starting on again when a strange +sight met his eyes. Suddenly out of the darkness of the cottage shone +out the figure of a human hand! It seemed to glow with a faint greenish +light, and it held a long pointed knife, which burned with the same pale +hue. Nothing else could be seen except a kind of gauzy floating sleeve, +from which the mysterious hand emerged. Aleck had no wish to investigate +further, but promptly took to his heels, and made for home with all +speed, frightened out of his wits. + +As luck would have it, the clock by which he had started was fast, and he +was home in good time. The circumstance tended to render his story more +worthy of credence than it might otherwise have proved. But his evident +terror, and the very incoherence of his narrative, told in his favor. + +"He's been a truthful lad all his days," his mother proudly testified; +"while as to drink--not a drop of spirits has passed his lips sin' I gev' +him a wee drop for the spasms when he wes a wean!" + +And Aleck's blushing approval of the maternal statement bore witness to +its truth. + +I confess that the story did not in the least rouse any superstitious +credence in my mind. Luminous paint was not such an unknown quantity to +me as it would be to this country-bred lad and his family. I took care, +however, to breathe no word of my suspicions; for I meant to make a few +investigations on my own account. So with the looked-for expressions of +astonishment, I took my leave. + +I had been asked to dine at Ardmuir House that evening, and as it was a +matter of eight miles distant, I was to stay the night. Accordingly, I +started in good time in the pony cart, old Willy by my side to bring back +the trap. Colonel Ashol was by way of being civil to Val and myself, and +frequently invited us; my brother, however, seldom accepted, and was +always glad when I undertook to represent the Flemings there. The +Ashols, though a family of a feeble type of Protestants, showed no +decided bigotry. They had a few Catholics in their employ on the estate, +and were cordial enough with us. + +Ardmuir House and some of its land had been Church property before the +Reformation. Val looked the matter up once, and discovered that it had +been a dependency upon one of the larger abbeys, and was itself a place +of no little importance. + +The mansion itself was rather picturesque; it had been rebuilt in a later +century on the site and from the materials of the former church and +monastery. You drove for some distance up a stately avenue of beeches +before sighting the house. It was a big, roomy place, with fine large +windows and handsome moldings round them--probably portions of the spoils +of the ancient erection. A wide portico, supported on stone pillars, +stood in front of the chief entrance, and carriages might drive under its +shelter to set down the occupants at the doorstep. An air of gloom +seemed to hang about it, owing to the huge trees which grew pretty close +to it in places. + +The one striking feature about the house was the parapet, which ran round +the entire roof. This was pierced in such a way as to form the letters +composing a text of Scripture. The inscription, in huge characters, ran +thus: + + EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE THEY + LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT + +The idea of such a decoration doubtless originated with the desire of +some pious Presbyterian ancestor of the present owners to emphasize the +fact that the ancient builders had not made pure Gospel teaching their +sure foundation. But, by the irony of fate, the text had become a +striking commentary upon the fortunes of later possessors of sacrilegious +spoils; for it was a tradition--upon which the family kept a discreet +silence--that three male heirs in direct succession had never lived to +inherit the property. At the very time of which I am writing, Colonel +Ashol's only son was suffering from what doctors had pronounced to be +incipient spinal disease, which, should it develop, would render him a +helpless cripple for life--should life be granted to him. + +I was rather more keen than usual about that particular visit, as I +expected to meet a young Catholic priest, who was to stay with the Ashols +for a day or two in company with his mother, an old friend of the +hostess. For that reason Val would have accompanied me that evening, in +spite of his aversion to such "inanities," as he chose to call dinner +parties, had he not been otherwise engaged. He had already made an +appointment to interview for the first time a girl who lived some +distance away and could not be easily postponed; moreover, the occasion +was important, being the commencement of a series of instructions +preparatory to her reception into the Church. For the lassie in +question--to use the terminology of Ardmuirland--"had gotten a Catholic +man"; in other words, was engaged to be married to a Catholic, who had +inspired her with the desire of sharing his faith as well as his worldly +goods. + +It was early when I arrived. The Colonel and some of the men were still +out on the moors, but a few guests were sitting about in the big, cool +entrance hall, waiting for tea. Among them were Mrs. Vansome and her +son, to both of whom I was at once presented. They happened to be the +only Catholics of the house party. We chatted amicably for some time, +until the dressing-bell broke up the gathering for the nonce. + +I happened to remain for a few minutes in the hall after the rest had +left; I wanted to look into a paper which was there, and I knew my room +from previous visits. The staircase ran along two sides of the hall and +led to a broad corridor, upon which the rooms opened. Another passage at +right angles joined this corridor, and to reach my room I had to pass by +the end of it. + +It was just between daylight and dusk, on a September evening, and no +lamps were yet needed. As I passed the passage on my way I saw an +elderly lady coming toward the main corridor. I am no great observer of +feminine costume--perhaps because I am not much in ladies' company, or, +it may be, because I never had a sister to instruct me; I can only say of +this lady's dress, therefore, that it struck me as differing from those I +had lately seen in the hall, both in fashion and material. I remember +hearing a rustling as of silk, and I think there was some white lace +about the neck and hair. + +But what struck me most was the woman's face. I had looked in her +direction, lest I might seem discourteous to some acquaintance; but this +was a stranger. The face was that of a woman in an agony of suffering! +The wide-open eyes were full of trouble; the whole countenance expressed +pain and something like terror. (I am describing the impression made +upon me at the moment, for the incident passed more quickly than it takes +to tell, however brief the narration.) + +As my eyes met hers, the woman stretched out her hands with an appealing +gesture, and seemed to be hastening swiftly toward me. But just as she +was almost near enough to touch me, she suddenly disappeared--having +turned, as it seemed to me, into a door close by. + +For a moment I stood bewildered. Then that look of appeal for help came +back to mind; it was evident something was wrong. I at once entered the +open door into which the figure had passed, determined to do what I could +to assist one in such unmistakable need of help. To my astonishment I +found that the place was a mere housemaid's closet, for the keeping of +brooms, dusting appliances, and the like. It was but a tiny room, too; a +glance from the threshold was enough to convince me that no human being +was there! + +It was not so much surprise as terror that seized me at such a discovery. +I found myself wiping from my brow the cold sweat that stood there in +great drops. I felt certain that I had been face to face with something +unexplainable by the ordinary laws of nature. I was as well as usual. I +had read nothing of late that could have conjured up such a figure. As +to preternatural manifestations of such a kind--I had but that very day, +and but an hour or two ago, passed supercilious judgment on what I +thought the credulity of ignorant rustics. And yet here I was, the +victim to some such hallucination--unless it was possible that I had +really seen the figure with my bodily eyes! My knees were shaking under +me as I managed to reach my room, my whole being agitated by an +unaccountable sense of fear. + +Luckily we were allowed an unusually long time for dressing, and I was +able to get a smoke and take a bath; by dinner-time I was more like +myself. + +I tried hard at first to persuade myself that the entire scene had been +imaginary; but I could not succeed. I was too firmly convinced that I +had actually seen such a figure to entertain the idea. + +Dinner passed without particular incident. I had an interesting chat +after with young Father Vansome. I discovered that he was a Benedictine +attached to one of the English monasteries, and had been permitted, as a +relief from a long spell of heavy teaching work, to spend a few days at +Ardmuir House, where his mother was then staying. He was dressed like an +ordinary priest; this, as he explained, was out of consideration for the +Ashols, who were entertaining among their guests that day some of +ultra-Protestant views, who might have resented the intrusion into their +midst of a real live monk, "in habit as he lived." + +More than once during our conversation the extraordinary occurrence which +had disturbed my peace of mind kept intruding itself upon my mental +vision, and again and again it was almost divulged to my companion; but I +shrank from being laughed at as a victim to superstitious imaginings. I +had a priest for a brother, and no one knew better than I how sceptical +were our own clergy with regard to any supernatural happenings that had +not been corroborated by the testimony of reliable authority. + +There was the usual smoke, with the usual billiards, and bedtime arrived +without any disclosure on my part of the mysterious incident. I did not +fear further revelations, for my bedroom was nowhere near the scene of +the apparition. I must confess to a momentary creepy sensation as I +passed, in company with other men, the corridor of the adventure; but +nothing happened to disturb my rest materially. + +I like to be stirring at a pretty early hour, to get a morning pipe of +peace. But in a strange house it is not always convenient to prowl about +too soon; however, I could not interfere with any one in the garden, so +to the garden I promptly betook myself. It wanted an hour until +breakfast, and I was rather surprised to find the Benedictine already +pacing the broad walk under the terrace, which was out of view of the +windows. He was not smoking, though, and when I accosted him it seemed +to me that he looked somewhat disturbed and embarrassed. We passed a few +desultory remarks, and then he asked whether I intended to leave early +after breakfast or stay for lunch. As it happened, I had arranged for +Willy to bring the cart in time to start soon after ten; for Val had to +drive somewhere in the afternoon, and it was as well to give Tim a rest +before starting out again. This I explained to Father Vansome. + +"I wonder whether you could give me a lift," was his remark. "I should +very much like to consult Father Fleming upon a certain matter, and if +you could take me, it would avoid a fuss here. I shall enjoy the tramp +back again." + +Of course I was delighted to give him a lift. So we set off in due time +with Willy on the back seat. I had been rejoicing in the prospect of an +agreeable drive with a pleasant companion, for I had been greatly +attracted by the young monk; but I was doomed to disappointment. My +constant efforts at conversation fell flat; for the priest seemed +preoccupied, and his responses were evidently merely mechanical. + +Father Vansome was closeted with Val up to lunch time. He sat down to +table with us, and after the meal he and Val drove off together in the +trap; they had arranged that Father Vansome should get down at a point +where their roads diverged. I was rather astonished to learn, when I +took leave of him, that he hoped to return that same evening, as he had a +particular reason for wishing to say Mass next day. + +Left to myself, I turned my steps in the direction of Archie's former +dwelling at the old mill; for I hoped to light upon some evidence which +would clear up to my own satisfaction at least the apparent mystery of +Aleck Farquhar's ghost story. Although I could not account by any +natural means for the event which had startled me at Ardmuir House, I was +nevertheless still sceptical with regard to the supposed apparition at +the mill-house. Indeed, I felt more certain than ever that a living +person had been playing pranks in the latter case, to serve some purpose +of his own; the impossibility of fraud in my regard contrasted strongly +with its probability at the old mill. + +I was not deceived in my expectation. I found that the boards that +usually covered the window opening had been carefully removed, and were +standing in a corner awaiting replacement, probably. Here was a sign +that the midnight visitor had been surprised, and had not dared to wait +to cover up the window again--unless, indeed, it meant that another +"apparition" was intended. But a more close investigation convinced me +of trickery. Flung away into a corner was a small brush bearing traces +of luminous paint, and in a heap of rubbish I discerned the very lid of a +small tin of that effective spiritualistic medium. No further proof was +needed. By lucky chance I discovered what appeared to be a clue to the +reason of all this mystification. Loosened stones in the chimney and by +the hearth suggested that a search had been made for something supposed +to be hidden in the hut. The spiritual visitor had evidently been bent +upon seizing the material riches which rumor had doubtless located in the +dwelling of one whom those not in his confidence would have reason to +regard as a miser. Here then was one illusion dissipated by my +discoveries. + +Father Vansome was driven over again in time for dinner. During the +progress of the meal I was inclined to make merry over my find; but I had +little success in gaining the interest either of Val or our guest, who +both seemed to shun the topic. + +When dinner was over, it occurred to me to introduce the subject of my +own ghostly experience, for I was curious to hear what the priests would +think of it. As I led up to it by degrees I saw the dark eyes of Father +Vansome light up with expectation. Both he and Val listened with keen +interest, neither attempting to interrupt the narration. Then they +looked spontaneously at each other. + +"I am quite as convinced as yourself," said the Benedictine to me as I +finished my relation, "that what you saw was neither an hallucination nor +a human figure. I have seen it also, and that is why I am here now." + +He then gave, in turn, his experience. During the early part of the +night he had been unusually restless. When he did at last fall asleep he +had a strange dream. He saw the figure of an elderly woman, clad in +antique garb, holding by the hand a young man, who wore the habit of his +own Order. The woman fixed upon him eyes full of entreaty, and implored +him in piteous accents to offer Mass for her soul, for it was in his +power to release her from grievous torments. Father Vansome then awoke, +the impression made by his dream still vivid. He struck a light and +looked at his watch. It was two o'clock only; but his nerves were too +highly strung to suffer him to sleep again, and he lay wondering what the +dream could signify. + +Suddenly, while still wide awake, he was aware of the figure of the woman +of his dream standing by his bed. Her eyes were full of intense +supplication, and her hands stretched out to him in eager entreaty. +Yielding to a sudden, irresistible impulse, he exclaimed: + +"Tell me, in God's name, who you are and what you want of me?" + +The answer came in a clear, distinct voice: + +"I am Elizabeth Ashol. I am suffering for a wrong done to my stepson, +Gilbert, a monk of your Order. Say Mass for my soul and I shall have +rest." + +Then the figure vanished. + +Father Vansome naturally had no more sleep that morning. Very early, +indeed, he was summoned to his mother's bedside by her maid, and found +her as agitated as himself. From her lips he learned that she too had +been visited by the figure he had himself seen. The woman, answering to +the description of his ghostly visitor, had approached Mrs. Vansome's +bed, when she was still wide awake, with outstretched hands and +entreating eyes, but no voice had been heard. + +The apparition to his mother had convinced Father Vansome that what he +had experienced was no trick of the imagination. He had, however, taken +counsel with Val, who, like himself, was of opinion that the Mass ought +to be said. He had found on returning to Ardmuir House that morning that +his mother had confided the matter to Mrs. Ashol, and had heard from her +that previous visitors had experienced similar apparitions; on further +consideration it was discovered--though Mrs. Ashol had not realized it +before--that such persons had been invariably Catholics. There was, +however, no record of the figure having spoken; this had happened for the +first time to the only Benedictine monk who had ever entered the house +since Elizabeth Ashol's death, two centuries before. + +It appeared that a certain Dame Elizabeth Ashol, second wife of Gilbert +Ashol, lived in the latter part of the seventeenth century. She had one +son, Laurence, to whom his father left the estate, to the exclusion of +his eldest son, Gilbert, the offspring of the first marriage. This +youth, to his father's intense indignation, had reverted to the faith of +his ancestors; soon after his conversion he had entered a monastery on +the continent, with a view to returning, as so many of his religious +brethren were then doing, to work for the restoration of his +fellow-countrymen to the Church. It was generally thought that Dame +Elizabeth, in her ambition for the welfare of her own son, had encouraged +her husband in his religious bias, and secured the succession for +Laurence. It was held in the family that the disasters which had always +befallen the first-born of the house dated from the unjust acquisition of +the estate by this Laurence, and the entire disinheriting of Gilbert; it +was from a kind of superstitious dread attaching to the name that no +Ashol for a long term of years had ever been baptized Laurence. + +Father Vansome said the required Mass next morning, and his mother drove +over to assist at it. Her prayers and mine were thus united with the +supreme Sacrifice on behalf of the soul so greatly in need. + +The apparition has never been seen again, though many a Catholic guest +has visited Ardmuir House. More wonderful still--the curse seems to have +been averted by the laying of the ghost; for young Gilbert Ashol has so +greatly improved in health and strength that his doctors predict for him +a probably long and useful life. + +The family has indeed been thoroughly impressed by the strange +circumstances just related. In the light of their increasing interest in +all things Catholic, Val is beginning to entertain hopes of the ultimate +return of the Ashols to the Faith their fathers abandoned more than three +hundred years ago. + + + + +IX + +SPRING'S RETURN + + + "Now Ariel goes a-singing, by the olden + Dark yews, where flitter-mice were wont to cling. + All the world is turning golden, turning golden + In the spring." + (_Nora Hopper--"April"_) + + +"Guess the latest news, Ted," said my brother, coming in from parochial +visits. + +I shook my head. + +"I'm no hand at riddles." + +"Well, there's a marriage to come off in our parish before long, if +matters can be satisfactorily arranged." + +"A marriage!" That roused me; it would be the first function of the +kind I had seen in Ardmuirland. For our lads usually fetched partners +from elsewhere, and maidens being accustomed to migrate to service in +the south, found mates there--even as the swallows. + +"I thought that would fetch you!" cried Val triumphant. "And now give +a guess." + +But I racked my brains to no purpose. + +"It's not Widow Lamont, and it's not Robina----" + +"Why not?" he asked. But I saw he was quizzing. + +"It's a widow," he said. "I'll tell you that much." + +Even then I was nonplussed. + +"Ted, you've no imagination! Is Christian Logan too old?" + +"Christian Logan! Of course not! Who's the happy man?" + +"He's not altogether happy yet," returned Val. "There are obstacles in +the way at present. Do you know the Camerons of Redbank Farm at all?" + +"Camerons of Redbank! Why, they're Protestants!" + +"Tell me something I don't know already," he retorted. + +"I can say very little about them. There are two brothers, I +believe--one very middle-aged and the other less so. I may have passed +the time of day with one or the other." + +"Well, it's the less middle-aged one--Lachlan by name--who wants to +marry Christian. It's all right about religion. He's ready to make +all the necessary promises, and moreover, remarked quite spontaneously +that he intended coming to church with his wife after they were +married--a most unusual undertaking in these cases. He's evidently +merely ignorant of everything Catholic; not bigoted, really. With a +wife like Christian, he is most likely to enter the Church himself +eventually." + +"But what are these almost insurmountable obstacles?" + +"Chiefly financial. It seems that the elder brother is the actual +tenant of Redbank, and Lachlan is little better than a farm-servant at +present. It would be scarcely possible for the poor chap to support a +wife and three of a ready-made family on the wages of a mere +plowman--except, of course, in the style of a common laborer, and he is +far above that. The best way out of the difficulty would be for +Christian to manage the house at Redbank, instead of a paid +housekeeper; but the old brother is bitter against Catholics, and more +opposed to young children in the house. Hence these tears! Don't you +think there are rather respectable obstacles to be overcome?" + +"Quite. So what did you suggest?" + +"Cameron himself suggested what I think a reasonable solution: to try +for some situation as farm bailiff or manager. He is thoroughly up to +it all, for he has been practically managing things at Redbank for the +last year or two, and has plenty of experience in farm work." + +"He ought to be able to find something of the sort. Could the factor +at Taskerton do anything for him, do you think? Christian has already +lost a husband in the service of the estate, and it would be but +restitution to provide her with another." + +"The idea struck me, too, though not in precisely the same terms," said +Val with an amused laugh. "I am thinking of writing to him about the +matter." + +"You are really satisfied with the man, then?" + +"Decidedly so! He struck me as being a very decent sort of fellow. He +has a straight-forward, pleasant manner with him, and is altogether +superior to an ordinary crofter. It would be a good match for +Christian. Poor soul! She deserves a better lot than she enjoys at +present." + +"What's his age, do you suppose?" + +"Forty-six. Quite a lad, for these parts!" + +"Things look all right, certainly," was my summing up. + +Val wrote to the factor, but the result was not over-promising. He +knew of nothing suitable at present. But he would keep the case in +mind, and write at once should he hear of anything available. + +Both Val and I were keen on getting the matter settled, and often +talked it over together, discussing ways and means. But the weeks +slipped by, and we found ourselves no nearer to a solution of the +difficulty. We little dreamed of the quarter from which it was +eventually to come! + +One day as we sat at breakfast Elsie brought in a telegram for Val. It +was a somewhat unusual occurrence; for we were a good way from the +office, and, porterage being expensive, we had carefully instructed our +ordinary correspondents that we preferred the humbler post-card, as a +rule. When a telegram did arrive, therefore, it generally presaged +something of unusual importance. I saw Val's face change as he read +it. He passed it over to me as he rose to write a reply. This is what +I saw: + + "Gowan dying wants to see you come immediately." + +It was signed by a Glasgow doctor, and sent from one of the chief +hotels of the city. + +I followed Val to his den, where he was writing the answer. + +"Would you mind my coming with you?" I asked. + +"I should like it of all things," was his reply. + +In less than half an hour we had started, and before night had arrived +at our destination. + +It always seems to me that one feels one's personal insignificance more +keenly in a big city than anywhere else. The hurry and bustle on all +sides witness to the self-interest which rules every individual of the +crowd, to the exclusion of any sincere concern for others. The feeling +was accentuated when we reached the hotel. There all was brightness +and movement; in the brilliantly lighted dining-room guests were +eating, drinking, chatting, and enjoying life; in the hall and on the +staircases attendants were moving swiftly about, visitors were coming +and going. Each one's pleasures, comforts, and advantages were the +business of the hour. Yet in some chamber overhead a momentous crisis +was at hand for one poor, lonely man, who had to leave behind him this +scene of busy life, to enter upon an eternity of weal or woe. Upon the +passing moments everything depended for him; he had to prepare to meet +his God. Around him things were taking their usual course; it mattered +little to the majority of the people under that roof whether he lived +or died, and less still how his soul would fare in that passage. Yet +the things which made up the present happiness of the crowd were those +which he had labored so strenuously to procure--ease, enjoyment, +freedom from care--the companions of wealth. For these he had bartered +not only the toil and stress of his best years, but something +infinitely more precious; part of the price had been the favour of his +God! Now he had to part with all these gains, willing or unwilling; +would he have the grace to sue for the mercy which might still be his +for the asking? + +We had ascertained that Gowan still lived, though there was no hope for +his recovery, and were ascending the staircase to our rooms when we +encountered a priest coming down. He regarded Val with evident +interest, then stopped and accosted him. He proved to be one of the +neighboring parochial clergy, who had just been visiting the dying man. +Val invited him to our room, and there we learned the circumstances of +the case. + +Gowan had been in Glasgow about a fortnight, having come thither +immediately after landing in Liverpool. He was seriously ill when he +arrived at the hotel, and was compelled to take to his bed at once. A +doctor was sent for, and found him suffering from heart disease, which +had already reached an advanced stage. In spite of every attention the +patient became rapidly worse. He would not infrequently fall into fits +of unconsciousness, which were the prelude to a state of coma in which +he would eventually pass away from life. + +To the man's credit, be it said, he at once asked for a priest when he +became aware of his danger, and had afterward desired to see Val. All +the Sacraments had been administered, and Gowan lay in a weak state, +hovering between life and death. I could not but think of the lasting +gratitude of Christian Logan and her children, which had led them to +remember this man daily in their prayers; who could tell how great a +part those prayers had had in securing for him the grace to make his +peace with God at the eleventh hour? + +Val went in alone to Gowan's room; it was not for me to take any part +in such an interview. It was not long before he was back again in our +own apartment. Gowan's reception of him had been all that could have +been desired. The man expressed sincere sorrow for his ill behavior, +and begged Val's forgiveness. But what was still more satisfactory was +his message to Christian and her children. He asked pardon for his +unkindness in deserting them; they would soon see, he said, how dear +they were to him. + +"He has made his will in their favor," was Val's summing up of the +matter. "He was just explaining that fact when he had another bad +attack quite suddenly, and I came away, after summoning the nurse." + +That conversation, short as it was, proved to be the last in which the +dying man was to take part with my brother. He passed away a short +time after, having never recovered consciousness. The Catholic nurse +had sent for Val a few minutes after he had rejoined me. We both went +to the sick-room, and my brother had said the prayers for the dying, +followed by those for the repose of his soul when Gowan ceased to +breathe. + +The funeral was over and we had been back in Ardmuirland for some weeks +before any tidings arrived about the dead man's affairs. All +arrangements as to payment of expenses and the like were carried out by +a Glasgow lawyer, who had been empowered to act for Gowan's agent in +America. The most thorough search had failed to discover anything in +the shape of a will among the dead man's effects in Glasgow, and it was +supposed to be in the keeping of the American lawyer. When tidings did +arrive, they were such as to fill us with consternation. The will in +the lawyer's possession was dated more than two years before, after +Gowan's return to America from Ardmuirland. Its terms, moreover, by no +means tallied with the information given by the dying man to Val; for +in it there was no mention of the Logans at all, everything being +bequeathed to the Freemason's lodge of which Gowan had been a member. + +Val was puzzled, but not convinced. + +"It's a mystery, certainly," he said; "but I feel absolutely satisfied +that there is another will somewhere. Poor Gowan said so, +unmistakably." + +"Can you recall his exact words?" I asked. + +Val had an idea that Gowan had said: "I have settled everything on +Cousin Christian." He fancied that just before the attack occurred he +had added: "You will have to see about it," or words to that effect. + +We both felt convinced that Gowan had been too good a man of business +to make such a remark unless he had made his bequest legally secure. + +The obvious thing to do was to cable at once to the lawyer to delay +action until the new will should turn up. This we did; a letter +followed, detailing circumstances. + +Our next communication was from the Glasgow lawyer, who requested Val's +presence there to consult about matters, as my brother was the only +person to whom Gowan had spoken on the subject of a second will. I was +too much interested in the mystery to let Val go alone, and he was +delighted to have my company, so once more we set off for the distant +city. + +Dalziel, the lawyer in question, received us in his private office on +the morning after our arrival. He was a small gray man, with keen +black eyes that twinkled behind his gold-rimmed spectacles now and +again when an ordinary man would have smiled. His statement of affairs +was indeed not reassuring. Every scrap of paper left behind by Gowan +had been carefully examined by one of his responsible clerks, but +nothing in the shape of a will had been discovered. Had there been no +previous will, Christian Logan's boy might have claimed the estate as +next of kin; but that was now not possible. To bring the matter before +the law courts was equally futile; the law took cognizance of a man's +wishes expressed in writing, and no evidence of a verbal declaration on +his part would suffice to set aside a written document. + +"I am afraid, Father Fleming," said the lawyer, summing up his report, +"that there is no case to go upon for the Logan family." + +"But I am convinced," replied Val, "that Gowan has made another will. +He sent for me to tell me so, and to ask me to help the Logans in the +matter. The will must be somewhere. The question is: Where?" + +"I am inclined to think that he never made a second will," the lawyer +went on to say. "Not that I think he meant to deceive you," he added +hastily, as he noticed Val's air of protest. "But it has often come +within my experience that a man in such a weak state may persuade +himself that he has already accomplished something which he has fixed +his mind upon doing, while all the time nothing has been actually done." + +Val, however, could not be convinced that such was the case in the +present instance, and I could not help agreeing with him. + +"It would be as well if you would call at Gowan's hotel before you +leave Glasgow," said Dalziel, as our interview came to an end. "There +are some clothes, traveling-cases, rugs, and such like, which it would +be absurd to send to America, and equally absurd to sell. They will be +something for the Logons if you think well to take them. I can easily +arrange with the legatees on the other side, who will certainly make no +difficulty." + +It was a good idea, and we resolved to act upon it. The lawyer drove +with us to the hotel, to introduce us to the manager, and left us when +we ascended to the room occupied by the dead man, which was still being +retained by the executor until the property should be removed. + +The manager himself very civilly accompanied us, directing us to summon +a servant, when we had examined things to our satisfaction, and to give +orders about packing and removal. + +I must confess that I had not altogether given up hope of discovering +the lost document among the clothes and packing-cases. But my +anticipations were dispelled when we entered. Everything had been +neatly folded and placed on the bed and the two tables; it was evident +that no document could have been passed unnoticed. The room, too, was +quite clean and in order. Val, like myself, seemed rather depressed at +the state of things. There was no receptacle where any paper could +have been stowed away that had not been thoroughly ransacked by the +lawyer's men, whose interest it was to discover the will. A wardrobe +for hanging clothes, a chest of drawers, dressing-table, and washstand +were the only articles of furniture besides bed, tables, and chairs; +none of them looked like possible receptacles of a hidden paper. + +Scarcely realizing what I did, I began opening one after another the +drawers in the chest. Each was neatly lined with paper, but otherwise +empty. As though possessed by a mania for searching, I took out each +paper and carefully assured myself that nothing had slipped underneath. +Val, roused by my action, began to poke into the drawers of the +dressing-table; but his search was just as fruitless. There was +nothing to be done but to settle as to the packing of the clothes and +take our departure. + +Suddenly an idea struck me. How often does a small article get lost in +a chest of drawers by slipping behind the drawers themselves. At once +I acted on the suggestion. I did not watt to consider that others had +probably searched as thoroughly as I could do. Out came the drawers, +one after the other, and were deposited on the floor. The bottom +drawer was rather tight, and would not come out easily; but I got it +out with an extra expenditure of muscle. Positively, there was a small +folded paper--like a letter--lying behind it; my heart sank, for it was +too small for such a document as I was anxious to find. I picked it up +listlessly and unfolded it. + +"By Jove, Val! Here it is!" I cried exultantly. + +He skipped across the room to read the paper over my shoulder. + +"That's it, all right!" was his exclamation. "Thank God!" + +It was but a sheet of common note-paper, bearing the printed heading of +the hotel. Across it was written in shaky characters the following: + + +"This is the last will and testament of me, Alexander Gowan, of 269 +Heniker Street, Chicago, U. S. A. I revoke all former testaments, and +hereby bequeath the whole of the property of which I die possessed to +Rev. Valentine Fleming of Ardmuirland, Scotland, in trust for Christian +McRae, widow of Donald Logan, of Ardmuirland, and her children. + +"ALEXANDER JOHN GOWAN. + +"May 16, 1912." + + +"Blessed Scottish law!" cried Val, when he had scanned the scrap of +paper that meant so much to us. "It's not an imposing document, but +it'll stand good in this country. Let's take it to Dalziel at once." + +The lawyer corroborated Vat's declaration. It was a holograph will, +and therefore needed no witness; Gowan was man of business enough to +realize that. He had probably slipped it into the drawer where some of +his clothes were, meaning to hand it to Val. The drawer must have been +over-full, and the mere opening of it would sweep the bit of paper to +the back, where it had fallen behind the other drawers. + + * * * * * * + +Six months later we had a Catholic wedding in the little church at +Ardmuirland. All the congregation flocked up for the ceremony and the +nuptial Mass--for the bridegroom had suggested that it would be well to +begin his married life in perfect union with his wife, and he had been +received into the Church a month before. + +The Camerons are very well off; for poor old Gowan, though not a +millionaire, had put by pots of money. But it would suit neither +Lachlan nor his wife to lead an idle life. They have got Redbank into +their own hands and are turning it into quite a model farm. + +The children are at school. Jeemsie is said to be able to do +everything except talk. Tam is bent on being a priest. + +Val got his shinty club and his parish hall, and if he wants anything +for the church or for himself he has but to mention it. Indeed, he had +almost to use force to prevent Christian handing over half her fortune. + +Golden dreams do, now and again, it seems, get realized! + + + + +X + +A RUSTIC PASTOR + + + "In sober state, + Through the sequestered vale of rural life, + The venerable patriarch guileless held + The tenor of his way." + (_Porteus--"Death."_) + + +The priest who ministered to the Catholic flock of Ardmuirland in the +far-off days when "Bell o' the Burn" was a lassie was known as "Mr. +McGillivray"; for the repeal of the penal laws had not yet emancipated +the people from the cautious reticence of the days of persecution, and +they still spoke of "prayers" instead of "Mass," and of "speaking to +the priest" and "going forward" to intimate Confession and Holy +Communion. + +"He wes a stoot, broad-shouldered gentleman o' middle size," said Bell +in one of her reminiscent moods; "when I first knew him he wes gettin' +bent wi' age, and his hair wes snow-white and lang on his shoulders +like. I couldna' ha' been muckle mair ner five or sax year auld when +he took me by the hand and askit me if I'd like to come an' herd his +coos an' leeve wi' his niece at the chapel hoose. That wes in 1847, +sir, ten years aifter Queen Victoria (God rest her!) cam' to the +throne. That's a good bit back, ye ken." + +Bell dwelt under the same roof as the priest until she was needed at +home, a few years later. Although chiefly employed during the day in +looking after the two cows that grazed on the hillside about a mile +distant, and driving them out and in, she was sufficiently within doors +to be able to gain much knowledge of the daily life of a simple +Scottish pastor of the old school. + +That life, as her reminiscences witness, was one of extreme +homeliness--not to say austerity. The food of the priest was that of +the ordinary peasant class among which he lived. "His denner," said +Bell, "wes juist tatties, taken in their skins; his supper wes brochan +an' sometimes tatties as weel. Some o' the neebors would come an' join +him, whiles, an' share the supper wi' him, as they sat roond the +hearth." (In answer to my query Bell explained that "brochan" was a +kind of soup or gruel, made from oatmeal.) + +"My faither an' mither," Bell remarked with some pride, "usit often to +tak' denner wi' the priest o' Sundays. They wes bidin' a good bit awa' +frae the chapel, ye ken, sir, an' they aye likit a talk wi' me aifter +Mass. So Mr. McGillivray wouldna' aloo them to fast till they got +hame, but aye pressit them to stay. For they wouldna' break their fast +till the priest did, ye ken; it had aye been the custom in their young +days, and they keepit it till they wes too weak to fast sae lang." + +Besides the Ardmuirland district, the priest had charge of two others +at some little distance over the hills in different directions. It was +his duty to say Mass at one or other of these stations occasionally, +and the Ardmuirland folk who could conveniently manage the journey +would generally accompany him on a Sunday. They would walk over the +hill in a kind of unorganized procession, reciting the Rosary and +litany as they went. + +During the week the priest kept daily moving about among his people, +and little of interest could happen which did not soon come to his +knowledge. "The fowk aye enjoyit a chat wi' the priest," said Bell, +"for Mr. McGillivray wes the best oot at tellin' auld-fashioned +stories." His figure was a familiar one in all the countryside, as he +walked slowly along, leaning on his silver-mounted walking-stick, and +wrapped in the ample folds of a well-worn Spanish cloak, buckled at the +neck by a silver clasp. Under that same cloak he would often carry +tit-bits of oatcake for the horses he might come across in the farms he +visited--for he was a lover of all dumb creatures. + +Mr. McGillivray's only outdoor recreation was fishing. Children knew +his ways, and would shyly steal after him down to the side of the burn +and watch him from a distance. When his rod happened to get caught in +the branches of the stunted birches which bordered the stream--which +was not of infrequent occurrence--they would run to his assistance and +help to untangle the hook; they would often search for and carry to him +worms to serve as bait. Both kinds of service were sure to be rewarded +by a piece of "black sugar," as Bell styled licorice, which he always +carried with him for use in such emergencies. + +"We bairns," she explained, "were niver feared o' the priest. I weel +remember hoo my mither chided me for usin' sic freedom wi' him--I had +lived sae lang in the hoose wi' him, ye ken, that I wes whiles gey +familiar in my speech. Well, when he askit me one day--juist as a +joke, ye ken--to tak' a snuff oot o' the wee boxie he aye carrit, I +tossit my head and said (ill bred as I wes!), 'Fuich!' Mr. McGillivray +wesna' angered; he juist laughed oot an' says he: 'Weel, lassie, ye +couldna' ha' said worse to a dog!' But I got mair words frae my mither +aifter, an' a strappin' as weel, an' to bed wi'oot supper. It learned +me to be mair respectful-like to the priest!" + +This anecdote recalled another. "I mind weel hoo I got my first bonnet +through Mr. McGillivray. In they times, ye ken, sir, it wes aye the +fashion to wear large bonnets o' Tuscan straw, an' a lassie o' foorteen +wes surely auld enough for siclike--I said to mysel'. So when the +priest cam' to oor hoose aince, I made sae bold as to get him to ask my +faither to buy me a bonnet for Sundays, next time he went to the toon +o' Aberdeen. My faither wouldna' ha' done it for me, but he did when +the priest askit him, and I got my bonnet! But I doot I wes a bit o' a +favorite with the priest, sin' I herdit his coos sae lang." + +However free the children may have been in their intercourse with the +old priest, I gathered from Bell's narrative that the grown-ups rather +feared him. His methods were certainly such as would be considered +unnecessarily severe in these days; still, there is no doubt he managed +by them to keep his people well in hand. + +"I canna' mind muckle aboot Mr. McGillivray's discoorses," she +answered, when I questioned her on that subject. "I wes but a bit +lassie, an' I couldna' onderstand weel. He seemed to me to stan' an' +drone awa' mostly. Whiles, he wud gi' great scoldin's, an' then I usit +to think it wes splendid! He could be eloquent then, I assure ye, sir! +I mind weel when there wes a marriage in Advent in a Protestant family, +an' Mr. McGillivray warned the fowk that they mightna' attend it; some +o' them, in spite o' that, went to the marriage, an' I could niver +forget the awfu' way he chided them in the chapel on the Sunday aifter! +It wes tarrible! + +"If ony o' the fowk cam' to the chapel in their working clothes he +would be greatly pit aboot. He would ca' them up to the rail at +catechism time an' reprove them before a' the congregation." + +"So you said your catechism in public!" I asked. + +"There wes aye catechism, atween the Mass an' the preachin'. Aebody +had to be prepared to be callit up till they wes marrit, at least! +Even aifter that, a body couldna' be sure o' bein' left alane! I mind +him callin' a mon o' saxty years o' age ane Sunday! He wes a mon +greatly thought of by the congregation, an' maybe the priest wes +afeared he wes gettin' prood. Onyways, Mr. McGillivray had him at the +rails wi' the bairns. 'Are you ashamed,' he says, 'to learn your +Christian Doctrine?' 'Na, na, sir,' says he. 'Then gae back an' sit +ye doon,' says the priest." + +Such treatment would scarcely be appreciated in these days, but perhaps +the reason is that we are less endowed with humility than our fathers +in the Faith. + +Bell had other anecdotes of a like kind. + +"If ony o' the bairns wes restless or trifling-kind, during the +preachin', Mr. McGillivray would stop his discoorse an' ca' them up to +the rail an' reprove them severely. I mind him summoning a grown man +from the choir aince, and mak' him own his fault. Hey! He wer a +graund priest, an' nae mistak'--wer Mr. McGillivray!" + +On stormy days, when it was difficult for the aged pastor to wade +through the deep snow down to the chapel, Mass was said in his own +house. The people crowded in at the door of his little living-room, +and would fill the kitchen. When he grew old and infirm it was +impossible for the greater number to hear anything of the sermon; yet +he never omitted to preach. + +"An' I mind," naively added Bell, "that there wes aye a collection +made." + +People went to Confession in the house at such times; otherwise the +priest heard them in the chapel on Saturdays or Sundays, and on the +eves of feasts. + +It can not be denied that Mr. McGillivray was a militant churchman, +whenever the interests of his flock or of the Catholic Church were at +stake. Bell had more than one anecdote to prove it. + +A poor woman who was at the point of death had been induced by two good +old Catholic spinsters who lived near her to send for the priest to +reconcile her to the Church. She was the offspring of a mixed +marriage; her mother--the Catholic party--had died when the child was +quite young, and the father had at once taken the girl to kirk with +him. She had once been to Confession, but had received no other +Sacrament except Baptism. When she had grown to womanhood, she married +a Presbyterian, and all her family had been brought up in that +religion. Yet the grace of her Baptism seemed to cling to her. After +her husband's death she would now and again attend at Mass, driven the +six miles by her Protestant son; but she was not known to the priest, +and so she remained outside the pale. Her intimacy with Jeannie and +Katie Ann McGruer was the means of keeping her in touch with Catholic +matters, and eventually resulted in her reconciliation. + +This was not accomplished, however, without a stiff skirmish between +the old priest and the members of her family--not to mention the +minister of their particular kirk. + +In compliance with the summons conveyed by one of the McGruers (Bell +spoke of them as "guid Catholic lassies," but in answer to my query +explained that Katie Ann, the younger sister, would be "risin' +sixty"!), Mr. McGillivray betook himself to the house of the invalid. +The door was opened by her eldest son, Adam Fordyce--a burly, +black-browed, bearded man of forty. He had charge of the roads in the +district, so that he and the priest were on speaking terms, at least. + +Adam held the door in one hand and the door-post in the other, and his +portly figure filled up the opening fairly well. + +"I am sorry to hear that your mother is unwell," said the priest +sympathetically. + +"Aye, aye, sir, she's nae weel at all," was the answer. + +"I would like to see her, if she's well enough," said Mr. McGillivray. + +"Weel, sir, I wouldna' like to say she's nae fit to see a +veesitor--but--ye ken, sir----" + +"You mean she's not well enough to see me." + +"Weel, it's this wye, Mr. McGillivray," answered Adam, lowering his +voice; "I'm nae ohjectin' mysel', sin she askit me to let ye come; but +the ithers is awfu' set again' it. That's the wye it is, sir." + +The fact was, the "Cerberus" was not at all fierce--quite the contrary! +He had been deputed by the others to confront the unwelcome visitor, as +being the eldest, and therefore responsible for all unpleasant duties; +but as far as he was concerned, he had no feeling in the matter. Like +any Scotsman who had lived with his mother from childhood to mature +manhood, he was deeply attached to her, and willing to agree to +anything that might give her satisfaction in her present weak state; +that the visit of the priest would be a comfort to her he strongly +suspected, and hence the conflict between duty--as he regarded it--and +affection. + +It took very little persuasion from the priest to overcome Adam's +scruples and gain admittance to the sick-room; this accomplished, it +might seem that the battle had been won for religion, but the victory +was not yet complete! + +Adam had relented so far as to admit the priest, but no argument could +persuade him to leave him alone with the invalid. He was the agent of +the family, and it was his duty to see everything that went on. He +would have nothing underhand in the matter! + +Mr. McGillivray easily interpreted his action. He was afraid of what +the others might say should he desert his post--that was all. +Diplomacy was necessary and the priest rose to the occasion. + +"Look here, Adam," he said; "I know you are merely carrying out what +you feel to be a duty to your family in staying here. We can arrange +matters without any difficulty. I must have a few minutes' private +talk with your mother on religious matters which concern herself and no +one else. Just leave me with her for a bit and you can come back and +stay here as long as I do." + +But Adam was obstinate. He acknowledged that the others "wouldna' be +pleased" should he relinquish his post of watch-dog. He must "bide" in +the room as long as the priest remained. + +As in many houses of that class, there was what is called a +"bed-closet" opening out of the room in which the sick woman lay. It +was literally a closet, containing nothing except the bed, and lighted +by a tiny window. Without more ado, Mr. McGillivray seized the man by +the arm and led him to the closet. + +"Just jump onto the bed," he whispered. "No one will know that you +have not remained in the room. You shall come out in a few minutes." + +So the burly Adam climbed onto the bed, and the priest shut the door +upon his prisoner and fastened the "sneck." After hearing the mother's +Confession, he released his captive, and Adam stood by while the saving +unction was administered to prepare the poor woman for her last +journey. It was soon over and the priest took his leave. + +Adam was quite relieved to find that his mother had been gladdened by +the priest's ministrations--for she had poured forth grateful thanks +for his kindness--while he had not been compromised in the eyes of his +brothers and sisters. He willingly consented for Mr. McGillivray to +return next day to administer Holy Communion for the first--and +probably the last--time in the life of the dying woman. + +"I've only one more office to do for your mother, Adam," the priest had +explained, "and then she will be quite at rest. So I will call +to-morrow about this time." And Adam had cordially agreed. + +But there were others to be reckoned with. The news of the priest's +visit was soon carried to the Free Church minister, and down he swooped +upon the luckless Fordyces that very afternoon. Poor Adam was the +scapegoat. He it was who had to bear the whole of the blame. The +minister congratulated himself, when he took his leave (without +venturing into the sick-room, for the present), that he had +successfully prevented any further "popish antics" in that house! + +Consequently, when Mr. McGillivray returned next day, according to +promise, he was met, not by Adam, but by the younger son--a dour +Presbyterian, of pronounced type. He absolutely refused to allow the +priest to cross the threshold again. His brother was "oot"; but he had +left word that he must not be allowed to enter the house. The +minister, as the brother explained, "had been sair angered" on account +of the proceedings of the previous day. He had threatened to remove +Adam from his post of "precentor" should he allow any more intercourse +between his mother and any "popish minister." + +Remonstrances, persuasions, entreaties were all unavailing. The man +declared that his mother "didna' wish to see" Mr. McGillivray. The +latter had therefore reluctantly to submit to circumstances and return +home with the Blessed Sacrament, leaving the poor woman +"unhouselled"--although not "unanointed." He feared that she had given +in to the persuasions of the minister to refuse further help. But +after her death, which occurred a few days later, the good priest +ascertained that she had died in most edifying dispositions. The +minister had not visited her, and she had thought it best to wait a +little before seeing the priest again, merely on account of her family. +The McGruers, who were present at the last, assured him that she had +died a good Catholic---her only regret the deprivation of Holy +Communion. + +Some remarks dropped by the Free Church minister as to the priest's +"interference" with a member of his congregation drew forth so vehement +a denial from Mr. McGillivray, and a demand for a public contradiction +of the statement from the pulpit on the following Sunday, that the +crestfallen minister had to eat his words. + +The priest was indeed a match for any of his opponents in whatever way +they chose to attack him. Once at a dinner, when three ministers were +present as well as Mr. McGillivray, one of them thought to make a butt +of the priest, and during the after-dinner toasts proposed suddenly: +"The Auld Kirk!" But the priest was too quick for him. Raising his +glass, he responded promptly: "The Auld Kirk--the True Kirk!" + +"No! No!" cried the entrapped Presbyterian. + +"Then I'm sorry for _you_!" was the quiet retort. + +One feature in Bell's recollections must not be passed over. The +priest was renowned as a peacemaker. Anything like family strife was +speedily put an end to by his tactful intervention. Even by +Protestants his services were not infrequently asked for in this +respect, and the result was a great popularity with all classes in the +district of Ardmuirland. There was much pathos about the old man's +last days; for he hastened his end by his self-denying charity in the +cause of peace. + +A violent quarrel had taken place some years before between two +Protestant farmers, both living some distance away from the priest's +house. They had married two sisters, and a dispute had arisen on the +subject of a legacy left to one of these nieces by their father's +brother, while the other was passed over entirely. Suspicions and +insinuations of underhand dealing on the part of the successful legatee +had aroused strong feelings, with the result that all communication +between the two families had ceased. + +At length the wife of one of the belligerents lay upon her deathbed, +and under the softening influence of that solemn hour she begged that +her sister should be asked to visit her, that they might part as +sisters should. The other woman was just as anxious for a +reconciliation, but their respective husbands could not be brought to +terms. + +In her distress the dying woman sent a message to the priest, begging +for his intervention. It was the dead of winter, and a severe frost +had set in. The old priest had to drive in a friendly farmer's open +vehicle for ten miles in a keen wind. He succeeded in persuading one +of the men to seek for peace and friendship, then drove on five miles +farther to interview the other. Through his earnest remonstrances the +strife was entirely brought to an end. But it was at the cost of the +life of the aged peacemaker. He caught a severe chill, which he was +never able to throw off, and after two or three months he bade farewell +to earth. + +Mr. McGillivray had desired, when old age should have rendered him +incapable of his priestly charge, to be allowed to retire from active +work, and end his days in the quiet seclusion of his native district--a +strath shut in by hills, many miles to the north of Ardmuirland. But +the family from which the priest had sprung were no great favorites +there, and his wish, when made known, had not been cordially received +by the people. This had been sufficient to excite the wrath of the +Ardmuirland folk; they had risen up as one man against any such +arrangement. An appeal was made to the Bishop to prevent their beloved +pastor from leaving his flock to die among comparative strangers. So +it had been settled by authority that Mr. McGillivray should continue +his ministrations among them as long as he was able, and should then +receive a helper; thus he was never to take leave of Ardmuirland except +to receive his heavenly reward. As we have seen, he died in harness, +before there could be any question of retirement. + +And now another difficulty arose. His own native district naturally +laid claim to his mortal remains, and his relatives had speedily made +arrangements for his burial in the family grave. Then, indeed, +Ardmuirland was stirred. + +"They wouldna' tak' him leevin'; they'll nae get him deid!" was the +universal cry. + +So in the bright springtime, after a late fall of snow had clothed the +countryside in dazzling whiteness, his people bore him to the grave. +An immense gathering--of both Catholics and Protestants--had assembled; +in Bell's expressive phrase--"the country wes full o' men!" Every man +took his turn in helping to bear the coffin shoulder-high all the five +miles which lay between the priest's house and the ancient +burial-ground of St. Michael below the hill. There, surrounded by the +flock he had tended so long and so faithfully, the body of the pastor +awaits with them the general awakening to life eternal. + + + + +XI + +A SPRIG OF SHAMROCK + + + "Amid the roses fierce Repentance rears + Her snaky crest." + (_Thomson's Seasons---"Spring"_) + + +"Shamrock in Scotland!" I seem to hear some captious critic exclaim. I +do not attribute Scottish birth to the particular sprig of shamrock +which is to figure in these pages, dear reader. Like all true +shamrock, it was grown in the Emerald Isle. Nevertheless, it was by +its means that the subject of this story migrated to Ardmuirland; hence +it is responsible for my narrative. + + * * * * * * + +It was no fault on Bernard Murray's part that all his acquaintances +should without exception imagine that he was of Scottish race. For +every one who knew him well--and they numbered not a few--dubbed him "a +canny Scot." He had not started the fiction, even if he had done +nothing toward contradicting it. For what did it matter to any one +else that his nationality should be so widely misinterpreted? He did +not care a straw. Indeed, it is possible that in his secret heart he +was rather pleased that the illusion had grown up. For it might prove +awkward to be known as Irish; Ireland, among the set in which he moved, +was looked upon as so impossibly retrograde! So when he was hailed as +"a canny Scot" Bernard merely smiled pleasantly and held his peace. + +No doubt Violet Rossall thought that smile well worth awakening. It +was so sunny--lighting up to classical beauty Bernard's usually grave +yet always handsome features. The rarity of his smile, too, rendered +it all the more precious. His habitual quiet thoughtfulness of +expression helped to settle so definitely his supposed origin; yet had +his admirers been better learned in physiognomy they could never have +guessed so wide of the mark. The clear, pale skin, the black hair and +dark blue eyes so palpably proclaimed him Irish! Moreover, it was to +his native traits that he really owed his wide popularity. The quiet +reserve which usually characterized him hid a fund of brilliant humor, +which would occasionally, and often unexpectedly, flash out in some +quick retort or witty jest; nor was there ever wanting that indefinable +attraction which is the special charm of Erin's sons and daughters all +the world over. + +Even Cuthbert Aston was not proof against that charm, although in a +sense he and Bernard were rivals. For it must have been as evident to +Violet Rossall as it was to all onlookers that both Murray and Aston +sought her company in preference to that of any other maiden of their +acquaintance; which of the two was preferred by her was not so evident, +since she seemed to favor both alike. + +Violet was, indeed, the center of attraction for all the unattached +males of her particular set. For one reason, she was undeniably +beautiful. An oval face, creamy complexion, large, changeful gray +eyes, abundant hair of bright chestnut hue, a slim and graceful +figure--these were but the half of her charms; there was beauty in her +ever-changing expression, and beauty, above all, in that radiant, +winning smile, apart from all loveliness of form or feature. She was +so undeniably clever, too. She had passed through school and college +with flying colors, carrying off one distinction after another; now she +held a prominent position as teacher in a secondary school, with the +certain prospect of advancement in course of time to spheres of higher +responsibility and social position. Violet, therefore, was well +pleased with her lot, and felt, it may be taken for granted, little +anxiety about her future. + +As regards a life-partner, were she disposed to relinquish the chance +of future honors for present ease and happiness, there were many +aspirants to the distinction; she might choose freely among the +eligible bachelors of her acquaintance. Two only of these, however, +seemed to appeal to her sense of fitness--Murray and Aston. + +The former, a year or two older than herself, was a master at the same +school; clever and capable, he was evidently destined to rise rapidly +in his profession, and his future promise, together with his attractive +personality, might well render him the more favored suitor. + +Cuthbert Aston could not be compared with Murray as regarded intellect, +attainments, or personal charm; but he had other attractions of no less +weight in the eyes of a girl who had social ambitions. His father had +made money in business, and bore the reputation of possessing great +wealth. Cuthbert, was the only child of infatuated parents, who had +spared no expense in his upbringing, and were ready to gratify his +every whim. For a genteel occupation he had been placed in a +bank--"not that it would be necessary for him to earn his living at +it," as Mrs. Aston was careful to inform her lady friends; "but it was +well to give him something to do, and banking is not trade! If the +dear boy should get tired of the routine, he could easily take up +something else more to his taste." + +Apart from his worldly prospects, there was little to attract a girl of +Violet's character toward Cuthbert Aston. He was what men technically +style "a bounder!" Yet, empty-headed, arrogant, self-centered though +he might be, he was a rich man's only son. In Violet's eyes that in +itself condoned many flagrant defects. The Astons moved in the highest +circles of the city--spite of Mrs. Aston's "flamboyant" style and her +husband's demonstrative vulgarity; as a member of their family, +therefore, her social status would be secure. + +If the girl had any heart it must have pleaded on behalf of Bernard +Murray--young, handsome, lovable, as he was. Nothing else except +ambition could have allowed her to compare Aston with him. There +might, it is true, have been a spice of adventure connected with her +encouragement of the latter; it was well known that his parents looked +with dismay upon the prospect of their idolized boy "throwing himself +away on that little school-teacher," as his mother phrased it. + +To do the Astons credit, their objection to Violet did not rest wholly +upon an imagined social disparity; there was a much graver reason. The +girl lost no opportunity in proclaiming herself a pronounced +Free-thinker. Her mother had died while she was quite a child, and for +her upbringing Violet had depended wholly upon her father--an ardent +Socialist as well as Atheist. Thus she had grown up in an atmosphere +thoroughly anti-religious, until death had claimed her father also. +Socialism had never strongly appealed to her, and was not likely to do +so, under present circumstances; for religion she entertained a +supercilious disdain, as "out-of-date nonsense." + +Here, then, were three young people kept in contact by the evident +attraction of both men for the same girl, and by the diplomatic +encouragement which the latter seemed to give to each in equal +proportion. Had Violet not been in question, Murray would have given +the cold shoulder to Aston; but as Violet tolerated Aston, he perforce +must put up with him. Aston, on his part, admired and feared Murray, +whom he regarded as a formidable rival. + +"What puzzles me about Murray," he exclaimed once to a boon companion, +"is his jolly good English! Why, the chap has positively no kind of +provincial accent!" (Cuthbert's English, by the way, was not regarded +by his intimates as the perfect thing!) "He doesn't speak like a +Scotch Johnny at all! You never hear an 'Aye, aye' or 'd'ye ken?'--not +a broad vowel even! Why, he might have lived all his life this side +the border, to judge by his tongue, confound him!" + +There could be no doubt of Cuthbert's attachment to Violet. No +remonstrances of his mother--and they were but mild, in spite of her +objection to Violet, since she recognized the futility of opposing her +son's determined will--had the slightest effect with him. He felt +confident in the final acquiescence of both parents in whatever he +might choose to do with regard to marriage. Everything, as he saw, +rested with Violet, and he was shrewd enough to appreciate the +advantages--not so much personal as social--involved in her ultimate +decision. + +An amateur operatic company had been started in the town, and all the +musical talent among the younger generation had been stirred up to take +part in what was regarded as a pleasant occupation for winter evenings +with the pleasurable anticipation of the excitement of a public +performance as the outcome of practices. Our human triangle formed +part of the company. All three were musical, and two of them more than +usually talented both in singing and acting--Violet and Bernard. The +former especially--endowed with a beautiful soprano voice, which had +been well cultivated, added to what is styled by the initiated "a good +stage presence"--was much in request on all such occasions. She had +filled more than one title-role in popular operas presented by their +little company, and no one would dream of casting her for any other +than the leading part. Bernard had a good tenor voice, and Cuthbert a +very fair bass. + +It happened that the particular opera chosen for presentation during +the Easter holidays was to be performed by a capable traveling company +in a neighboring town a month or so before. Consequently our amateurs +felt it their duty to witness the performance, and thus pick up some +valuable hints for future use by such a mild form of "under-study." +Not only our three friends, but two others of the company--the second +soprano and the contralto--started on their short railway journey on a +certain evening in March, intending to return by the last train. + +It was scarcely possible, without giving offense to some one or other +of the party, to arrange beforehand who was to escort whom. One of the +men must inevitably take charge of two of the ladies; fate must +determine which! Cuthbert Aston--a youth unaccustomed to deny himself +any gratification upon which he had set his mind--had probably resolved +that it would not be he! But fortune is proverbially fickle. The +train was crowded and seats were at a discount. It was impossible for +all five to travel together. Violet--with a woman's perversity, +perhaps, because of Cuthbert's evident intention, or, it may be, to +show a deliberate preference for Murray--contrived that the latter +should accompany herself. The other cavalier was therefore compelled, +with as good grace as he could manage, to find places in another +compartment for himself and the two very uninteresting maidens thus +thrust upon him. No wonder he was nettled! Like a spoiled boy he +determined to leave Violet to herself--or rather to her chosen +escort--for the rest of the evening. Glum as an owl, he took his place +in the theater between the two girls, keeping himself severely aloof +from the fickle lady of his dreams. She, on the contrary, stirred by +the pleasurable excitement of her surroundings, and possibly not +displeased by so evident a proof of Cuthhert's appreciation of her, +gave herself wholly to the enjoyment of the hour. + +Bernard, on his part, could not fail to be struck by the preference +manifested in his regard; he, too, was consequently in high spirits. +No better companion--apart from his personal attraction for her--could +have been allotted to him for such an occasion. Violet's sunny +presence, her clever criticisms of the acting and singing--which he had +learned of old to expect--promised for him a thoroughly enjoyable +evening. His heart took courage; was it possible that this charming +girl really preferred him--a man who had to make his way in the world, +and work hard to provide a home for her such as befitted her hopes and +ambitions--to this rich man's only son, who had it in his power to give +her at once wealth, position, and admiration? + +The first act was over. They both had been charmed with what they had +seen and heard, and it was pleasurable to compare impressions and to +anticipate further gratifying experiences. The theater was warm, and +Violet unwound from her neck a lace scarf which she had been wearing. +Pinned to the bosom of her pretty mauve dress was a tiny spray of dull +green leaves. + +"What have you there?" he asked all unthinkingly. + +But before she could answer he knew, and a wave of mingled remorse, +shame, and self-condemnation swept over his soul. + +"What is it? Why, shamrock, of course!" + +"Shamrock!" was all he could falter lamely in reply. + +"Yes, shamrock. Queen Alexandra set the fashion, you know. Every one +who wants to do the correct thing wears shamrock today. But of course +you are a Scotchman; you probably have no idea what day it is! So I +don't mind instructing you. It's St. Patrick's Day." + +He dare not speak. She took his silence and his rapt gaze on the +little spray of green as token of his admiration of her. + +"Perhaps," she rattled on lightly, "you never heard of Patrick, or if +you did, you are inclined to share the modern opinion that 'there never +was no sich a person'--to quote an immortal! If you were an Irishman I +should not dare to whisper such a thing; but a canny Scot could have no +regard for Patrick, even should he believe in him ever so much!" + +Bernard kept his self-control, though he was deadly pale as he spoke. + +"If it is so correct to wear it, you might give me a bit of it." + +Smilingly she complied. He placed it in his buttonhole with what must +have seemed to her elaborate care. Luckily the curtain rose, and he +was free to indulge his thoughts. + +Oh, it was almost sacramental--that tiny sprig! How it called up dead +memories--memories of the old land, of his dear ones now gone, of his +boyhood's simple faith! + +"If you were an Irishman! . . . Perhaps you never heard of Patrick!" +The frivolous words burned his brain. + +O God! Believe in Patrick! His breath came and went. He could hardly +refrain from pressing his lips to the tiny leaves he was wearing on his +breast. + +An Irishman, indeed, he was; but how unworthy of the name! He, a child +of that dear land which Patrick's blessed feet had trodden--he, a son +of that race to whom the saint's words of grace had made known the +Truth--what was he now? A renegade! A false deserter from the ranks +of his faithful countrymen! He had been ashamed of his nationality! +He had ceased to practise or to cherish the faith which Patrick had +brought to the Isle of Saints! + +The curtain fell upon the second act, and he had to be ready to listen +to frivolities and to respond. He did it with a bad grace, as he well +knew. Indeed, he would gladly have been far away--hidden in the dark +corner of some deserted church, where freely and unrestrainedly he +might pour forth penitential tears, and beg forgiveness of the Father +he had so wantonly offended. + +"How deadly dull you are to-night!" cried his companion. "I believe +Cuthbert Aston, glum as he looks, would have been more entertaining! +What can be the matter with you?" + +Her banter failed to provoke the always ready apology--usually so +charmingly proffered. + +He could only mutter something about an awful headache; luckily +Violet's attention was drawn for the moment to an acquaintance who +caught her eye, and there was a speedy change of subject. Did he ever +see such execrable taste as that girl's dress? It was positively +hideous! The colors did not suit either the wearer or each other, +etc., etc. + +It was a relief when the curtain rose once more. The music and the +action of the piece engrossed the attention of Violet; to Bernard they +were God-sent helps. His mind could range back over the past without +restraint, while outwardly he appeared absorbed in the play. + +What torrents of self-reproach swept over him as he retraced the +wanderings of his misspent years--misspent as regarded the service of +his Creator, however prosperous in the eyes of the world! The past +came back like a dream. His innocent childhood, spent under the +vigilant care of a saintly mother; his boyhood, with its keener +joys--all tempered by religion; his school-days, his college +career--both dominated by faith; in minute detail the pictures passed +before his mental vision as he sat there, silent and solitary--heedless +of the throng of pleasure-seekers all around him. The sorrow with +which such recollections filled his heart was caused by the contrast +which after years presented. He could recall his first falling-away +from grace, when the successful attainment of a coveted appointment had +brought with it the necessity of concealing his Catholic upbringing and +convictions. How rapidly had he descended after that turning point had +been passed! Conscience had been stifled until its voice no longer +troubled him. Ambition became his goal, worldly success his God. Far +away in Ireland his mother had died blessing him for his generous +provision for her, ignorant of her darling's downfall. None were now +left for whose opinion he had cared one straw, even should they learn +of his apostasy. + +Shrouded as they were in the gloom of the auditorium, his face, kept +resolutely toward the stage, could not be seen by his companion, much +less his eyes, which were wells of misery. In his overwhelming grief +he almost forgot the girl beside him until a whispered remark upon some +beautiful passage in the music recalled her presence. It did but add +fresh stings to his remorse. Could it be possible that he--a son of a +sainted mother, child of a faithful Catholic race--could have +contemplated marriage with a professed atheist? Had he indeed been +planning to take to wife, to make the mother of his possible children, +one who openly flouted the idea of a personal God--he, who had drunk in +at his mother's breast the burning love of the Faith which is the +birthright of every true son of Ireland? + +The pain and the shame which filled his heart were well-nigh +unendurable! Oh, if he could but manage to keep his self-control for +an hour or two! If he could but hold out until he was alone; for at +times it seemed as though he must betray himself--there, in that public +assembly--by crying aloud in his anguish, or even by breaking out into +unmanly weeping. + +How he got through that miserable evening he never could recall. He +realized by her coldness on the return journey, and by the +demonstrative encouragement shown to Aston, that he had woefully +offended Violet. + +Bernard never played his allotted part in the opera; for to every one's +astonishment he threw up his appointment and left the town, bound no +one knew whither. So the course was clear for Cuthbert Aston, and he +lost no time in making good his opportunity. His engagement to Violet +took no one by surprise, when his only possible rival was out of the +way. + +It does not need a very vivid imagination to voice the sentiments of +Aston and his _fiancee_ on the subject of Bernard's extraordinary +conduct--as it would appear to them. + +"I was always afraid," the successful suitor would doubtless exclaim, +"that Murray would be the fortunate chap; he was so jolly clever--and +good looking, too!" + +"Of course," we may imagine the lady responding, "he was all right in +that way--handsome, and well-bred, and all that sort of thing. But +surely affection is the only thing one really values, dear, and you +were always so faithful," etc., etc., etc. + +Meanwhile, in the great Trappist monastery beyond the Irish Sea a +Brother Patrick labored and prayed--if so be he might make some +reparation, at least for past unfaithfulness to so bountiful a Lord. + + * * * * * * + +"You must have been working hard at your prayers, Ted," was Val's +morning salutation to me when I went in to breakfast one day. + +"What, am I late?" I asked, glancing at my watch. + +"Oh, that's nothing unusual," was the unkind response, "But I was not +thinking of this morning in particular. Don't you remember what I +asked you to pray for?" + +"To be sure I do. For a particularly good mistress for the school." +(For we had just had the misfortune to lose one who was next door to +perfection, and wanted to increase in perfection by entering a convent, +and Val had been worrying himself to replace her before the holidays +were over.) + +"So you've heard of one? That's good!" I continued. + +"Well, not exactly," said Val. "I've heard of a person who is on the +lookout for a place of this kind, and reference seem quite correct, +but----" + +"But what? If she is all right, why hesitate? Write at once, my dear +fellow, and snap her up before some one else does!" + +Val's eyes twinkled. + +"It's not a _she_ at all. That's the difficulty. It's a master who is +applying." + +I whistled my astonishment, then shook my head in distrust. + +"If he's not a fraud he must be fooling you!" I rejoined irreverently. +"No capable master would come up here." + +"Read that before you make a pronouncement," said Val, as he threw a +letter across the table to me. + +It proved to be from an old college friend of Val's, and backed up very +warmly the application for our vacant post of a young man who was an +excellent trained teacher, who had tried his vocation as a monk, and +had failed through a breakdown in health. He was in want of an easy +berth in good country air, where he could pick up his strength and fit +himself for entering college to train for the secular priesthood in a +couple of years. No man with sense in his head would think twice about +closing with such a promising candidate; Val wrote back gladly +accepting the young man. + +So Bernard Murray came to Ardmuirland, and won all our hearts in no +time. + +"That gentleman's got the face of a priest, Mr. Edmund," was Penny's +remark at first sight of him. + +"Murray's a treasure!" cried Val in delight. "He'll do wonders with +our bairns, Ted!" + +It was a true forecast. The children all took to him at once; the +little lassies loved him; for he had a gentle way with them--like that +of a kindly, grown-up brother; the boys regarded him with more awe, but +were ready to stand up for him against any adversary, as the best +shinty player in the district. He thoroughly transformed our little +choir of children--leading them and accompanying them with taste and +skill. + +To Val as well as to myself he grew inexpressibly dear. It became the +regular custom for one or other of us to look in at the schoolhouse of +an evening, to smoke a pipe with the master, or to lure him for a +walk--should the weather be favorable; while on Sunday evenings after +service Murray dined with us as a matter of course. It was in the +intimate fellowship thus engendered that he confided to me his life +story as detailed above. + +It was a wrench to all three of us when the parting came, and the dear +boy left us to begin his training for the Foreign Missions--his elected +field of labor; but we could not grudge our sacrifice when we compared +it with the immensity of his. + +Bernard is devoting rare talents, ceaseless energy, abundant tenderness +to the winning of souls to God. Difficult and hopeless as his efforts +appear, yet his rare letters breathe patience and cheerful content. +Like every true missionary, he is prodigal of labor, in spite of the +apparent scarcity of the harvest gathered; for like his fellows, he +relies upon those inspired words which promise a plentiful reaping +before the great Harvest-home. + + + "They went forth on their way and wept: scattering + their seed. + But returning, they shall come with joy: carrying + their sheaves." + + + + +XII + +PENNY + + + "While memory watches o'er the sad review + Of joys that faded like the morning dew." + (_Campbell--"Pleasures of Hope"_) + + +Although Penny's early history is not concerned with Ardmuirland or its +neighborhood, yet her long residence in the district will serve as an +excuse for its introduction here, apart from the fact of its undoubted +interest. Indeed, any account of Ardmuirland which should ignore so +prominent a figure in its social life would fail to give a perfect +picture of the place; yet but for the circumstances of her youthful +career Penny would never have appeared there at all. Her story, as given +here, is pieced together from knowledge gained at various times in +intimate conversation; in such a form it is more likely to meet with the +reader's appreciation than related in her own words. + +Lanedon, in the Midlands, was a humble village enough half a century ago. +It lay low, amid gently swelling green hills, and was shaded by luxuriant +woodlands; out of the beaten track it slept in rustic seclusion, +undisturbed by the events of the outside world, its knowledge of such +things being confined to scraps of information which the local newspaper +might cull from more up-to-date journals. + +It had but one street--if a single straggling line of dwellings along a +roadside might be so termed; on one side were cottages, each in its +embowering garden, and on the other ran a clear streamlet, which supplied +all the residents with abundance of fresh water. Besides these +habitations in the village proper, there were others, more pretentious, +though simple enough, in the shape of small farms situated in outlying +districts which claimed to belong to Lanedon parish, whose dwellers +worshiped in the little Norman church. + +At one end of the village stood the "British Lion" public-house. It was +a quaint old homestead of two stories, with black, oaken interlacing +beams in its wattled walls and mullioned windows, retaining the small +diamond, leaded panes, long ago discarded by more pretentious +contemporaries. Before the door still stood an ancient horse-block, +which had served in its time to mount many a lady of olden days; for the +inn had once been of no little importance when stage-coaches plying +between London and the north, along the old Roman road, daily passed the +end of the lane leading to the village. Many a guest of quality, in +those days, spent a night in the "British Lion." + +Opposite the inn door, on the other side of the road, a signboard swung +in a frame upheld by a massive oaken pillar, under the shelter of a +cluster of tall elms; on a marine background, the noble beast that stands +for the type of national courage and strength was depicted rampant, his +fierce claws raised in defiance of all invaders. Under the sign shone +out in golden letters the name, "Stephen Dale." + +The other end of the straggling street was closed by the old church with +its squat tower, whose carven doorways and capitals were wont to attract +to the place many a traveler learned in archaeology; for it was a famous +building in its way, and was honorably mentioned in most manuals of +architecture. + +The inn and the church had little in common--less, indeed, than an inn +and a church in other villages. Stephen Dale's sole interest in the +sacred building was of a temporal nature; he regarded its attractions +with satisfaction because they served to bring past his door many a +wayfarer who would otherwise never set foot in Lanedon. Such might pass +on their way to the church, but would seldom omit to enter the inn on +their return journey for a few minutes of rest and refreshment. And a +charming place of rest it was! From a stone-paved passage you entered +the "house-place," a large square room, also stone-paved, a step lower +than the passage. Its wide chimney had settled on either side, where one +could sit warm and comfortable--heedless of winter winds--in the glow of +the log-fire burning on the iron "dogs" of the low hearth. In summer its +sanded pavement made it a gratefully cool retreat from the sunshine +outside. Moreover, Stephen Dale's renowned home-brewed ale added to the +attractions of the house. + +Neither Stephen nor any of his household ever set foot in the church for +the purposes of worship; for, strange as it may seem, the Dales, +surrounded by English country yokels, whose sole notion of religion lay +in a perfunctory attendance at church once on a Sunday--afternoon for +preference--to listen uncomprehending to the service, and slumber through +the sermon, came of a Catholic stock. Both Stephen and his wife hailed +from Lancashire; they had spent many years in service together in a +Catholic household about fifty miles distant from Lanedon before they had +married and set up housekeeping at the "British Lion." Nor were they so +utterly deprived of the consolations of religion as at first sight might +appear; four miles away were the military barracks of Melliford, and a +Catholic chapel which had been built there--principally on account of the +soldiers--was served every Sunday and holiday from a larger center, and +thither the Dales regularly drove to worship. + +Seven children had been born to the worthy couple, but death had snatched +all in turn except the last; this was Penelope (our Penny), who, needless +to say, was the idol of both parents. The result of their devotion was a +rather strict surveillance, to which she was subjected, not only during +childhood's years, but with even greater insistence when she had reached +maidenhood. For it became necessary then to guard their treasure from +any adventurer who might seek to win her in marriage for the sake of the +goodly dowry which every one knew must fall to her lot. Her father would +often remark with no little show of determination: "Penny shall never +throw herself away on any whipper-snapper of a fellow! She'll not be a +pauper, and she can afford to wait a bit till she meets her match!" + +It is not to be surprised, therefore, that Penny should hold her pretty +head rather high. No mere plowman would dare to aspire to the hand of a +landlord's only daughter, and no marriageable farmer to whom Penny might +aspire was to be found in the neighborhood. As to the military--Penny +would have scouted the idea of wedding a common soldier, and was sensible +enough to turn a cold shoulder upon the undisguised glances of admiration +of youthful and impressionable officers. Thus it came about that she had +blossomed into a graceful girl of twenty--small in stature, yet not +without good looks--and yet remained heart-whole. + +Among their few intimate acquaintances the Dales had a particular +attraction for one of the married sergeants of the barracks and his +wife--both Catholics. Sergeant Pike and his better-half would not +infrequently, especially during the summer months, stroll over to the inn +of an evening--sure of a hearty welcome to a cup of tea and a chat. Pike +had seen service in India, and his adventures would thrill his rustic +audience in the inn, as they listened over pipe and mug to his stirring +narratives. His wife was equally entertaining toward Sarah Dale and her +daughter, in the little glass-partitioned bar in the corner of the +"house-place"; she had been maid to many an officer's lady, and had +traveled as far abroad as her husband. Thus while "the tented field" and +its dangers held enthralled the larger company of men, present fashions +and past adventures--though less exciting than those of the +sergeant--were entertaining enough to the smaller audience in the bar. +Even 'Melia, the maid-servant of tender years, would share in the social +enjoyment, as knitting in hand she stole furtively in from the kitchen +and listened unreproved to the interesting discourse. Sometimes it might +happen that the Pikes had been able to drive over in a borrowed +conveyance on a winter afternoon; in such case a cosy supper in the snug +little bar, after the ordinary company had departed, would take the place +of tea. The Pikes, in their turn, were always hospitably inclined +whenever Stephen Dale, his wife, or daughter, or all of them together, +might look in upon them of a Sunday after Mass. + +The acquaintance, thus ripened, was destined to influence Penny's future +beyond any anticipation on the part of either family. It fell out on one +occasion that Mrs. Pike was unable to accompany the sergeant on a visit +to the Dales, and to serve as a companion on the walk he brought with him +a fellow-sergeant, much younger, whom he introduced to the Dales as "my +particular chum--Sergeant Spence." The newcomer was a decidedly +handsome, strapping young soldier, with a merry dark eye, rendered still +more striking by his fair hair and tawny moustache. His skin would have +been fair, too, had it not undergone a process of bronzing under tropical +suns. He could not have been thirty, and looked even younger. He proved +also to be unmarried; a fact playfully made known by his companion. +"Arthur's never met with a missus to suit him since he got his stripes," +he said laughing, as they sat at supper; "he's like me--a bit particular +in that respect." Spence merely greeted the remark with a quiet smile. +He seemed a silent young fellow, with a manner superior to his +companion's. + +Perhaps it was a want of circumspection on the part of Stephen Dale that +he should welcome a stranger, and a soldier, too, as a guest at his +family meal. But it was his favorite axiom that a sergeant might not be +looked down upon "like as if he was a common Tom, Dick, or Harry in the +ranks"; so that his hospitality was to be expected in the present +instance. Had either anxious parent had the slightest fear of the +attractive sergeant's pleasing qualities proving too strong for Penny's +"proper pride," their welcome would have been less genuine; but they were +altogether without suspicion. Yet, as to Penny herself, it must have +been evident from the first that the dark eyes often strayed in her +direction, and that with unmistakable interest, even on so short an +acquaintance. + +After that first visit the handsome young sergeant became a frequent +partaker of the hospitality of the "British Lion." He never omitted to +accompany the Pikes, and not seldom walked over on a summer's evening to +smoke a pipe with Stephen and feast his eyes surreptitiously upon +Stephen's attractive daughter. He proved, on acquaintance, to be an +intelligent, well-spoken young fellow, evidently superior to most of his +class; this was owing to the fact that he was a farmer's son, left, +through a combination of circumstances, orphaned and almost destitute, +who had found in the army a welcome means of livelihood. + +It was not long before Spence was on as familiar a footing at the +"British Lion" as his fellow-sergeant. It was strange that both Stephen +Dale and his wife were altogether blind to the real reason for his +frequent visits. Penny, on the other hand, had early discerned the state +of the young man's feelings toward her; but instinctively she guarded her +secret from all. Even when Spence had spoken, and had learned her strong +affection for him, she insisted that all knowledge of their mutual +understanding should be kept from her parents until she could gauge their +feelings in the matter. She was not without uneasiness; for it seemed +extremely doubtful whether her father--much as he liked her lover--would +consider him suitable as a son-in-law. For her mother's opinion she felt +no anxiety; since Sarah Dale was thoroughly under her husband's thumb. +Penny's own strong will had come to her from her father alone. + +The course of events was much like that of other instances of the kind. +Clandestine letters, less frequent meetings--as opportunity offered--ran +the usual risk; in due time, as might have been expected by any but +ardent lovers, the secret oozed out. Some busybody or other lost no time +in conveying the startling news to Stephen Dale, who had hitherto had no +suspicion of the state of things. + +To say that Penny's father was disappointed would be an altogether +inadequate description of his state of mind; he was thoroughly enraged. +Never in her life had his daughter seen him give way to such unrestrained +passion; for never before had his hopes and aspirations been so entirely +thrown over. He had set his heart upon establishing his darling in a +position in life as far above his own as might be possible; now, by her +own initiative, she had paved the way to an evident descent in the social +scale. Not content with choosing one far beneath her, she had even +chosen a Protestant! Yet Stephen had too strong a will to be easily +contravened. He was determined to prevent, at all costs, such a +disaster. His first impulse was to relieve his mind by telling Spence in +no measured language what he thought of his conduct; the latter had +perforce to keep silent, however exaggerated the abuse heaped upon him, +for his conscience told him that he was in fault. Penny was the next to +listen to some very candid truths as to the uprightness of her part in +the proceedings. Then when he had given full play to his indignation, +Stephen began to make plans for the future which might effectually defeat +any attempts on the part of the young people to renew their intimacy. +Spence, of course, was absolutely forbidden to set foot again over the +threshold of the inn. Penny was kept under strict surveillance until her +father was able to carry her off to a sister of his own in distant +Lancashire, who could be depended upon to prevent any communication +between the lovers. The Pikes--poor people--though absolutely innocent +of any complicity, since they knew no more of what was going on than +Stephen himself, were made to share in Spence's interdict. No assurances +of their total ignorance of the affair would avail; the fact that Pike +had been the unfortunate instrument in introducing his comrade to the +Dale family was in itself sufficient to kindle Stephen's wrath against +him. To add to the sergeant's discomfiture, he could not forget that in +his admiration for his "chum" he had been unstinting in his praises; for +he had a genuine affectionate regard for Spence, as a thoroughly upright +young fellow, and a striking contrast to the majority of the Protestants +with whom he was daily brought into contact. + +The unhappy Penny, placed under her aunt's vigilant guardianship, was +inconsolable. She languished and drooped, during the first week or two +of her exile, as though her usually firm will had died within her. So +utterly broken did she seem that her aunt began to lose all hope of +rousing her to any interest in life; apparently she was submitting in a +spirit of blank despair to a fate which she regarded as inevitable. But +soon a change came over her. Though still quiet and seemingly docile, +she gained by degrees some vestiges of her old cheerfulness and gaiety. +Her guardian's watchfulness inadvertently relaxed, for it appeared no +longer necessary. + +But the unfortunate woman had a sad awakening. One morning the girl went +out alone--ostensibly to Mass; the day wore on, and to her aunt's +consternation no Penny put in an appearance. An explanation arrived next +morning by letter. Penny's lover had contrived to communicate with her +and to arrange a meeting in Liverpool, where they had been married; by +the time the letter arrived at its destination the couple were on the way +to Ireland, whither Spence's regiment had been just transferred. + +The two years that followed were, for the most part, years of happiness +for the sergeant and his bride. Penny's conscience had been at first +greatly troubled by her sacrilegious marriage before a registrar, on +account of the inevitable haste with which it had to be carried through. +She bitterly deplored her weakness for many a long day, even after she +had done all that was possible to atone for her sin by a sincere +Confession. Her husband could not be expected to realize as she did the +gravity of her offense against religion; but he sympathized with her +distress, and did all that lay in his power, by unceasing care and +devotion, to comfort her. By degrees his lavish affection tended to +deaden for the time the keenness of her remorse. + +Their happiness was increased by the birth of a little daughter. The +child was the idol of her father, and Penny's life was brightened by the +joys of motherhood, in spite of the persistent refusal of Stephen Dale to +hold any communication with her or allow his wife to do so. + +But all too soon that happiness was to be rudely shattered, and that in a +way entirely unforeseen. + +Like many another family on the strength of the regiment, the Spences, +for lack of accommodation in barracks, were lodged in apartments in the +city. One dreary winter evening, when little Annie was about a year old, +Penny sat at her knitting by the fireside, the baby in her cot close by, +fast asleep. Spence had been taking part in a concert, and was later +than usual in coming in, for it was past ten o'clock. In the silence +Penny heard the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs outside; they +halted at her door, and there was a gentle rapping. She rose and opened +the door in response. + +On the landing without stood a woman, whom she had never before seen--a +shabby-looking woman, dressed in soiled and worn garments, which had once +been bright and stylish. Her appearance, apart from her dress, was far +from attractive; her lean face had dull red blotches upon it, her eyes +looked wild and shining, and her gray hair straggled out from her tawdry +bonnet. It scarcely needed the evidence of a strong smell of spirits to +prove that she had been taking drink. + +Penny instinctively shrank back from the threshold, but still held the +door in her hand. The woman made no attempt to enter. Fixing her too +bright eyes upon Penny's face with a scrutinizing glance, she said in a +raucous whisper: + +"I was told that Sergeant Spence was likely to be here; but it seems I've +come to the wrong rooms." + +Penny was silent for a moment, dreading she knew not what. + +"Sergeant Spence may be here any moment," she answered, rousing herself. +She was praying that he might come quickly. + +"Oh, indeed! So he may be here any moment," said the woman in louder +tones. "I suppose my fine fellow is courting you now," she went on, +staring boldly into Penny's frightened face. "Well, I've no fault to +find with his taste. He used to have an eye for a pretty face, and +you're a good-looking girl, though you're but a little one." + +"What do you want with Sergeant Spence?" asked Penny, as her courage +began to return. Why should she fear this coarse, black-eyed woman. She +could have nothing in common with Arthur. But why should she seek him +thus openly in his own dwelling? Her fears began to return. + +The strange visitor advanced across the threshold; Penny retreated before +her. The color deepened in her already florid face as the woman cried +fiercely: + +"What do I want with him? I mean to force him to take me back to my +rightful place, that's what I want with him!" + +Her voice, raised angrily, awoke the child, who gave a shrill cry of +fright. The woman stared at the cot in astonishment. Penny stooped and +lifted the little one, and faced the stranger once more as she pressed +the child to her bosom. + +"Is that your baby?" the woman almost whispered, as she caught the gleam +of Penny's wedding ring. Then she cried wrathfully: + +"What! Has he dared to marry you? Oh, the treacherous villain! Surely +you're not Arthur Spence's wife!" + +In spite of the fear that fell upon her, Penny grew at once strangely +calm. This must be some disreputable relative of her husband's--though +she had thought him alone in the world. He was an orphan. This could +not be Arthur's mother! He could have nothing in common with a woman so +low as this! It was some bold, bad creature trying to frighten her. +Thus spoke her trembling heart, but her voice was quiet and restrained as +she said in reply: + +"I do not see how it affects you that Arthur Spence is my husband, and +this is our child." + +The simple dignity with which she spoke and her apparent calmness seemed +to soften the woman and still her anger somewhat. Drawing nearer, she +laid her hand with something of gentleness upon Penny's arm, and tears +started to her eyes as she exclaimed: + +"My dear, the man's a scoundrel! You are no wife of his. He married me +when he was a stripling of eighteen, and he cast me off in less than a +year. He ruined me, and now he's ruined you--poor dear!" + +"It's false, it's false!" cried Penny with fierce eyes and glowing color. +"You certainly know nothing of my husband. You'll never turn me against +him with your wicked lies! He's good and true--I'm sure of it, say what +you like!" + +"I only wish you were right, my dear," replied the other, evidently +softened by Penny's unshaken fidelity. "But God knows I'm speaking the +truth; for here is the proof." + +She drew from her pocket a folded paper and held it open before Penny's +eyes. + +It was a marriage certificate. It described Arthur Spence as wedded to +Clara Millar, and the date was twelve years ago. The shock, though +intense, was merely momentary. So strong was Penny's trust in her +husband that not even this manifest evidence, as it seemed, could shake +it. Another man might bear the same name--Arthur might have some +disreputable cousin or other relative. She would believe nothing against +the uprightness of her Arthur. + +"I do not believe," she said firmly, looking steadfastly at the other +woman, "that my husband could wrong any woman." + +"I declare to you before God," cried the stranger excitedly, "that +Sergeant Arthur Spence, whom you call your husband, married me on the day +set down here!" And she rapped with one hand on the paper she held in +the other. "But I have a stronger proof. Read that!" + +She had taken an envelope from her pocket as she spoke, and drawing from +it a paper she held it before Penny. + +With shaking hands the poor little wife took it. It was a letter--the +handwriting familiar to her. She turned to the signature; it was her +husband's own. + +"Read it through," persisted the woman. "See whether I am telling the +truth or lies." + +Penny's knees were shaking under her. She sank into a chair, and +clasping her baby more closely to her breast she read the letter. It was +dated a few days before she and Arthur were married. + +"Dear Clara," it ran. "This is the last time I shall write to you. +Unless you stick to the agreement we made, I shall stop sending you +money. Do not try to meet me, and do not mention again our unhappy +marriage--even to me--or I shall shake you off entirely. So use your +common-sense, and keep quiet. You will find that I shall do something +desperate if you keep on annoying me as you have done lately. I tell you +plainly: I will never see you again." + +What a moment of agony for the poor stricken wife! There could no longer +he room for doubt. She had indeed been fooled and deceived! Her innate +courage rose and sustained her under the weight of the trial. She would +leave that house--now, once and for all--before her betrayer could +return! Never, never would she look upon his smiling, treacherous face +again! + +Animated with fresh strength, she rose and hastily began her +preparations. She fetched the baby's warm wraps from the inner room and +began to dress the child. The other woman looked on in silence--dazed +for the moment by Penny's brisk movements. At last she found a voice. + +"What are you doing?" she cried. "Surely you will not take the child out +to-night!" + +Penny made no answer, but fetched her own outdoor clothes and dressed +hastily. + +"Where are you going, on such a night?" cried the other excitedly. + +"Anywhere," answered Penny, her lips white and her eyes flashing. +"Anywhere out of reach of that man." + +"No, no!" the woman expostulated. "Wait till morning! I'll see him then +and settle everything." + +"What can you settle that can make me stay?" asked Penny, in bitter +wrath. "Do you think that I would spend another night under this roof? +Wait here and see him, if you wish--you have the right to be here, not I! +He will never see me again." + +She ran back into her bedroom for the little purse. In it were a few +pounds she had saved up to buy the man an easy chair for his coming +birthday. How often she had pictured his pleasure when he would be able +to lean back comfortably in it on the opposite side of the fireplace and +smoke his evening pipe, his handsome face beaming love and admiration. +The vision filled her with fresh loathing. She scarcely bade the other +woman good-night, but clasping her babe hurried from the room. Swiftly +down the stairs she ran, heedless of the cries of the woman she had left +behind, and out into the wind and rain of the dreary street--fit emblem, +in its forlorn wretchedness, of the future which loomed hopeless before +her. + + * * * * * * + +Two things added to the poignancy of Penny's unavailing grief in after +years: the innocence of Arthur Spence of any deception (except silence +regarding his past), and the fact that she never knew this until he had +given his life in his country's service. It was then too late to reap +comfort in her supreme sorrow from the knowledge of his uprightness both +to herself and to the wretched woman who had caused her unreflecting +flight on that fatal night. + +For many months she had been hidden from all her former acquaintances in +the Convent of Mercy, whose Superior she had long been intimate with. +There she had nursed her baby through an illness which at last proved +fatal. Grief at the loss of her little one, added to her already heavy +burden of trouble, had told upon her own health, and for weeks she had +needed to be nursed herself. After her recovery, as she shrank from +returning home, the good Sisters obtained for her the post of nurse with +our family. + +Two years later Stephen Dale died suddenly. Penny had written to him and +to her mother more than once, but got no answer; the intimation of her +father's death was the first communication she had received since leaving +home. Later on a letter was forwarded to her, which had been found among +her father's papers. It was from Spence, and was dated the day following +her flight. In an agony of mind the man had searched for her everywhere, +and failing to discover any trace of her whereabouts, had written to her +under cover to her father. He, poor man, could not send it--even had he +been willing--having no idea of her address. + +The letter was a pitiful appeal to Penny to return, and contained a full +explanation of his conduct. The marriage with the woman Millar--never a +happy one--had proved invalid, owing to the survival of her former +husband to a later date. This, however, only became known to Spence +after the woman's intemperate habits had told upon her brain, and landed +her in an asylum. She had really believed that her husband--a worthless +fellow--had died on the day stated. It was characteristic of the +chivalrous nature of the man that Spence shrank from telling her, after +her recovery, of the error; content to send her an annual allowance on +condition that they should remain apart--as they had agreed to do long +before. Although the woman had no legal claim upon him, he had continued +this allowance even after his marriage with Penny, hoping to secure by +this means freedom from molestation. + +It was natural that Penny, knowing all the circumstances, should desire +to communicate with her husband and become reconciled. My dear old +father, to whom she had confided her trouble, at once inquired through +the War Office as to where Arthur Spence was then stationed. The answer +told of his death in action three months earlier. + +Penny--poor soul!--when giving me these details many years later, utterly +broke down, as she accused herself of having wronged--however +unwittingly--by her suspicions the brave and upright man whose loss she +still keenly deplored, and whose soul (I make no doubt) she will never +omit to recommend to God in her daily prayers as long as life is granted +to her. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UP IN ARDMUIRLAND*** + + +******* This file should be named 17453.txt or 17453.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/5/17453 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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