*
20 THE OMAHA DATLY BEE : SUNDAY , MAT 19 , 1895.
CHAPTER XII.
DVER THE MUIR. AMANQ THE HEATHER
When I came to myself my cousin Walter
Gordon wai standing over me. He was dressed
In countryman's apparel , and seemed most
* like * a chapnfnri"Vlth a small pack of goods
uron his back for sale In the farm towns anJ
cottars' house. ! . It was gray day.
'Whero ' Is tlio beast ? " I asked , for I was
greatly bewildered by my wound.
; \Vliat beast ? There Is no boast , " he re
plied , thinking that 1 dreamed.
Then 1 told him of what I had seen ; but , as
I might have expected , he took little' hce.l ,
thinking that I did but dream In that un
couth place. And In the gray light he went
forward with a fair cloth In his hand where
with to wrap hla father's head for burial.
Hut when ho came to the corner of the vault ,
lol there was naught there , even as I had
laid ; and , saving that the earth teemed newly
stirred no trace of the horror I had seen ,
wlllch staggered him no lltlle. Yet mo it did
not DurprUe. for I knew what I had seen.
Yet In a little he said. "That Is all folly.
William ; you and your bcaits. Ye burled It
yourself In your sleep. How many times linve
you walked the ramparts of Earlstoun In your
sark ? "
This , Indeed , seemed likely , but I still
maintain that I saw the movdlewort.
Wat Oordon had warned my men as well
as his own. go at the outside of the town ,
toward the back of the lloroughmulr , Hugh
Kerr met us with the beasts. Here we took
horse and rode , having happily seen nothing
of the guard. It was Judged best that my
cousin and I should ride alone. This we
wished , because we know not whom to trust
In the strange case In which we found our-
lelves.
So we steadily rode southward toward Gal-
lowny , our own country , for there alone
could we look for some case from the long
nrm of the privy council. Not that Gallo
way was safe. The dragoons paraded up
nnd down It from end to end , and searched
every nook and crevice for the Intercom-
mlined fugutlves. Hut Galloway Is a wide ,
wild place , where the raw edges of creation
have not been rubbed down. And on one
hillside In the Dungeon of Duchnn there
wore as many lurking places as Robert
Grler of Lag has sins en his soul which Is
uaylirg no light thing , the Lord knows.
Once , as we went by night , we came upon
a company of mulrland msn , who kept their
conventicle In the hollows of the hills , and
when they heard us coming they scattered
nnd ran like hares. I cried out to them that
we were of thslr own folk ; yet they answered
not , but only ran the faster , for we might
have been Informers , and It was a common
custom of such like to claim to be of the hill
people. Even dragoons did so , and had been
received among them to the hurt of many.
' "Cousin Wttt , " I said to him , " 'tis a
strange sight to see your mother's son so
soon of the strict opinions. To be converted
t the instanc3 of her grace of Wellwood Is
no common thing. Wat , I tell thee , thou wilt
lead the psalm singing nt a conventicle yet ! "
Whereat he would break out on me , calling
mo "crop ear" and other names. But at this
word play I had , I think , as much the mas
tery as he at the play of sword blades.
"Rather It Is you who shall be the 'crop
head' of the same sort as his late majesty ! "
I said ; for It Is a strange thing that as soon
is men are at peril of their lives , If they be
together , they will b.gin to Jest about It
foung men , at least.
To get out of the country was now our
llm. It pleased Wat not at all to have him-
lelf numbered among the hill folk and be
eharged with religion. For me , I had often
i sore heart and a bad conscience that I had
made so little of all my home opportunities.
My rnlsspent Sabbaths stuck In my throat
ind I had no stomach for running and hiding
with the Intercommuncd. Perhaps If I had
loved my brother Sandy better It had not
been so hard a matter. But that. God for-
rlvo me , I never did , though I knew that he
was a good Covenant man and true to his
principles. Yet there Is no mistake but that
he gave us all a distaste at his way If think
ing.At
At last we came to the white house of
Gordonatoun , which stands-oil the hill above
Iho elachan of Saint John. It was a lodge of
my cousin's , and the keeper of It was a true
man , Matthew of the Dub by name. From
ilm wo learned that there were soldiers both
it Lochlnvar and at Earlstoun. Moreover ,
Ihe news had come that very day with the
riding post from Edinburgh of the wounding
f the duke of Wellwood , and that both of us
urere put to the horn and declared outlaw.
I do not think that this affected us much ,
for almost every man In Galloway , even
Ihose that trooped with Graham and Lag ,
half a dozen In all , had been time and again
it the horn. One might bo at the horn
this is , outlawed for forgetting to pay a
tess or tax , or for a private little tulzlo that
toitcerne'd nobo'dy , or for getting one's lum
Dn fire almost. It was told that once Lauder-
flale himself was put to the horn In the
matter of & > reckoning he had been slack in
paying , for Seekln' Johnnie was even better
it drawing In than paying out.
But to think of my mother being harassed
Kith a garrison , and to know that rough
l > InJfi3 ( Slavered Jn and out of our blen house
of Earlstoun , pleased me not at all. Yet it
wasMf , v outof my hap to help It. And I
comforted mo with the thought that It had
been as bad as It could be with us , even
before our affray with the Wellwood.
So there was nothing for It but to turn out
tur , Jjors.es a.t Qordonstoun and take to the
bills like the rest. Matthew of the Dub gave
tts to understand that he could put us Into a
la to hold if we would trust ourselves to him.
"But It is among the hill-folk o' Balm-
iRhte ! " he said , looking doubtfully at his
laird.
"Ah , Qordleston , " said Lochlnvar , making
a wry lace and speaking reproachfully ,
"noeds must when the devil drives ! liut
\vlnt for did you tlgn all the papers and take
all the oaths against Intercommunlng , and
yet all the tlnie bo having to do with the
rebels ? " For Matthew was a cunning man
andJjad taken all the king's oaths as they
came along , holding the parrltcU and feather
beds of Gordleston on the hill worth any
form of words which Indeed could be swal
lowed down like an apothecary's bolus , and
no more ado about U.
" 'Deed , your honor , " said Matthew of the
Dub , slowly , "It's a werih breakfast to streek
your neck In a tow , on' I hae smo' stammack
for the Whig's ride to the Grnssmarket. But
a man canna Julst turn Informer an' gi'e the
gang-by to a' his auld acquaintances.Vlia
In Qallowa1 wanU to ride an * melt wi' Clivers
an' the lads on the Grey Horses , save ilccan
loon * as red-wud Lag , roaring Baldoun , and
Lldderdale. the Hulllon o' the Isle ? "
"I would have you remember , Matthew , "
said my cousin , speaking In Scots , "that I
rode wo' them no lang syne mysel' . "
"Ou , ay , I ken , " said Independent Matthew ,
dourly , "there was my leddy to thank for
that. The women fowk are a' great gomerlli
when they meddle wl' the attain o' the state.
But a' the Glen Jaloosed that ye wad come
oot. llko the daddy o' ye , whan ye tired o'
leading-string , an' gang to the horn like an
honest man , e'en as ye hae dune the day. "
It was oho wintry-like morning In the
later spring when at last we got out of hid
ing In the house of Gordonstoun. During our
gtiy tbere I had often gone to sec my mother
just over the hill at Karlitoun , to give tier
what confort I could , and in especial to ad
vise about Sandy , who was then on hit trav
els In the Low Countries. That morning
Matthew of the Dub came with us , and we
took our legs to It , despising horses In our
new quality of hlllfolk. The wind blew bitter -
ter and inell from th wiU-nd May thi
bleakest of spring months , that ought to b <
the bonniest wa doing her worst t
strengthen the cold In proportion as sh
lengthened her unkindly days.
Matthew told us not whither wo were golnn
and as for me , I had no thought or suspicion
Yet the tear was In my eye as we saw tli
bonny woods of Earlstoun lying behind us
with the gray head of the oU tower setllrti
Its chin over the tree tops and looking wist
fully at us.
Hut we marched south along the Ken , b
New Galloway , and the scat of my Lord Ken
mulr , where there was now a garrison wit
Clavcra himself In hold. Wo saw the loci
far beneath us , for wo had to keep high o
the side of Bcnnan. It ruffled Its breast a
a dove's feathers arc blown awry by a sudde
gucty wind. It was a cheerless day , and th
gloom on our faces was of the deepest. Fo
wo were In the wlld-caaj of suffering for con
sclcnco sake , and with no great raft clthe
of conscience or of religion tti comfort us.
Not that our case was uncommon , for al
-\cro not saints who hated tyranny.
"Wat , " I ialJ , "tho tiling gangs In th
husk o' a hazel. I wear a particular mak
of glove chevron. It likes me well , but I ar
not deadly set on it. Comes the Baronballl
or my lord provost , nnd salth he : 'Ye sha !
not henceforth \vear that plovo of thine , bu
one of my color and of the fashion olllcial
Then tuy , I to the Baronballle : 'To the 1 !
thief wi' you and your pattern gauntlet ! " An
t tak' him naturally across the cheek with !
and out with my whinger '
"Even so , " said my cousin , who saw nc
whither I was leading him , "let no man driv
you as to the fashion of your gloves. Oi
with your whinger , and see whut might I
the color ofhls'blood ! "
"And what else are the covenant me
dolna ? " crle-I I , quick to take advantagi
"We were none so fond o1-the-kirk that I ke
of we that are the lairds o' Galloway , whe
we could please ourselves when and whei
wo would go. Was there one of us , sav
maybe your Tather and mine , that hal m
been sessloncd time and again ? Many an I
word eld we ti > eak o' the kirk , and many
glint did wo caat at the sandglass In the pu
pit as ; the precentor glcd her another tun
But after a' the kirk was oor aln inlthe
and what for thould the king misca' or u
turn her ? Gin s > ! io whummclt us and peyc
us soondly till we clawed where we werer
yeuky , wha'a business was that but oor air
But comes King Charlie , and says he , 'Pi
away your old mlther , that's overly sore c
you , an * tak' this braw easy step-mlnnle , th :
will never steer yo a hair or gar ye cla
yo.ur hlnJcrlamlsr What wad ye say , Wai
What say ye , Wat ? Wad yc gle your mlthi
up for the king's word ? "
"No , " said Wat , sullenly , for now he sa
where he was being taken , and liked It llttl
"I wadna. "
I thought I had him , and BO , logically ,
had. But he was nothing but a dour so
dler and valued good logic not a docken.
"Hear me , " he said , after a moment's s
leilce , "this Is my way of It. I am r
preacher , and but poor at the practlca. Bi
I learned , no matter where , to be true I
the king nnd , mind you , even now I stan
by Charles Stuart , though at the horn I b
Even now I have no quarrel with hln
though for the dirty sake of the duke i
Wellwood he has ono with me. "
"That's as may be , " I returned , "hi
mind where you are going. Ye will be ea
ing the bread of them that think differentl ;
and surely ye'll hae the sense and the mem
to keep a calm sough , au' your tongue fi
ben within your teeth. "
We were passing the ford of the Blac
water as I was speaking , and soon we can
to the steading of the little duchrao In U :
light of the morning. It was a long , lo
house , well thatched , like all the houses 1
the neighborhood , and sending up a heart !
some pew of wreck into the air that told <
the stir of breakfast. The tangel of tl
wood grew right up to the windows of tr
back , and Immediately behind the houi
there was a little morass with the grei
willow trees growing , and many hldln
places about it as well I kenned , for thei
Malslo Lennox and I had played the day t
the length.
Now "Auld Anton" of the duchrae was
kenned man all over the countryside. Tl
name Of Anthony Lennox of Duchrae wt
often on my father's lips , and not seldoi
ho would ride off to the south In the hlg
days of presbytery to have fellowship wll
him whenever he was low In the spirit , ar
also before our Dialed seasons of con
munion. Thither also I had often ridden I
later years on ' other errands , as has alreac
been said. „
Never had I been able to understand I
what extraordinary favor It was that Anther
Lennox had not only been able to escape i
far himself , but could afford a house of refui
to others In even more perilous plight. Upc
the cause of this Immunity there Is no ne <
'at present to condescend , but certain it la th :
the house of the Duchrae had b-en favon
above most , owing to an Influence at thi
time hidden from me. For Auld Anton wi
never the man to hide his thoughts' or to B <
a curb upon his actions.
With a light hand Matthew of the Di
knocked at the door. Which was carefully ur
Immediately opened. A woman of a wjtctif
and rather severe countenance presented he
self there a serving woman , but evident !
one accustomed to privilege and quality , i
was comon In Galloway In that day.
"Matthew Welsh. " she said , "what brlni
you so far from hame so early in tl
morning ? "
"I com wT thea twa callants young Go
don o' Earlstoun and a young man that
near kin to him. It may be better to gl
the particulars the go-by till I see you mo :
privately. Is the good nun about the doors'
For answer the woman went to the wlndo
at the back and cried thrice. Instantly v
saw " 9 little cloud of men disengage then
selves Irregularly frcm the bushes and con
toward the door. Then began a curious seen
The woman ran to various hiding place
under the eaves , behind dressers , In aumri <
and presses , and set a large number i
bowls of porridge on the deal table. Soc
the house was filled with the stir of men ar
the voices of folk In earnest conversation.
Among them all I was chiefly aware i
one young man of very striking appearanc
whose dark hair flowed back from a broa
brow , white as a la-ly's , and who looked 111
one born to command. On the faces of man
of the msn who entered and overflowed tl
little kitchen of the Duchrae was the hunte
look of them who look this way and that fi
a way of escape. But on the face of th
man was only a free Indifference to dange
as of one who had passed through many perl
arid come forth scathless.
Last of all the master of the house entere
with the familiarity of the well accustomei
He was alert and active , a man of grei
height , yet holding himself like a soldle
Three countries knew him by his long , gra
beard and bufhy eyebrows for Anthon
Lennox , one of the most famous leadei
of the original United Societies. 1
me he was but MaUle Lennox's fathei
and Indeed he never wasted many word
on a boy such as I seemed to him. ,
But now he came and took us by the hau
In token of welcome , and to me In especl :
he was full of warm feeling.
"You are welcome , young sir , " he saU
"Many an hour at the dyke-back have M
had , your father and I , praying for ou
bairns and for poor Scotland. Alack thi
I left htm on the way to Bothwell last yea
and rode forward to tulile wl' Robin Hanil
ton and now he lies In bis quiet , restln
grave , an * Auld Anton Is still here arnon
the contenders. "
WUU Walter also b * shook haadi tnd jv
ilm the welcome that one true man gives
o another. Lochlnvar sat silent and watch-
ul In the strange scene. For me I seemed
b be In a familiar place , for Earlstoun was
n every tongue. And It was not for a llttlo
hat 1 came to know that they meant my
irother Sandy , who was a great man among
tiem , greater than ever my father had been ,
hough he had "scaled his testimony with
ils blood , " as their phrase ran ,
I thought It best not to give my cousin's
ame , excusing myself In the meantime by
ouchlng that his father had suffered to the
death , even as mine had done , for the causa
t Scotland's covenant.
CHAPTER XIII.
Tim HOME OF MAIS1E LENNOX
'Anthony Lennox presently took me by the
land and led mo over to where the dark
oung man sat , whoso noble head and car
riage I had remarked.
" .Mr. Cameron , " he said , gravely , and with
respect , "this Is the eon of a brave man and
princely contender with his master , William
Gordon of Earlstoun , lately gone from us. "
And I gave my hand to Richard Cameron ,
vliom men called the Lion of the Covenant , a
; reat hill preacher , who , strangely enough ,
Iko some others of the prominent disaffected
0 the government , had been bre.l of the party
of prelacy.
As I looked upon him I saw that ho was
girt with a sword , and that he had a habit
of gripping the hilt when he spoke , as though
at the pinch ho had yet another argument
which all might understand. And being n
soldier's son I own that I liked him the bet
ter for It. Then I remembered what It was
reported he had said on the Helms of Kirk-
mahoo when he preachE-d there.
"I am no reed to bo shaken with the
wind , as Charles Stuart shall ono day know. "
And It was hero that I got my first wafl
of the new tongue which these hill folk spake
among themselves. I heard of "slngulai
Christians , " and concerning the evils of payIng -
Ing the "ce. s" or king's tax things of whlcl
1 hnd never heard in my father's house , the
necessity not having arisen before Bothwel !
to dlEcuss these questions.
When all the men wcro gathered Into the
wide house-place , some sitting , some stand'
Ing , the grave-faced woman knocked with hei
knucklc.3 gently on a door , which opened lnt (
an Inner room. Instantly Malsle Lennox am
two other maids came out bearing refresh
ments , which they handed round to all thai
wcro In the house. The carriage of one of the
three pjriirlscJ mo much , and I observed thai
my cousin Wat did not take his eyes fron :
he. ' .
"Who may these maids bo ? " ho whlsperei
In my ear.
"Nay , but I ken not them all , " I on
swered. "Bide , and wo .shall hear. " For , ln >
deed , I knew only one of them , but her verj
well.
well.And
And when they cam ? to us in our tun
Malsle Lennox nodded to me as to a frlem
of familiar discourse , to wham noth'ng nedi
to bo said , and she that was th ? tallest of the
maids handed Wat the well-curled oaten
cake on a trencher. Then ho rose and bowed
courteously to her wher.-at there was first a
silence and then a wonder among the men
In the house. But Anthony Lennox sthled
them , telling of the Introduction which he
had gotUn concerning Walter , and that our
fathers had nude a geed end for the faith ,
so that we were presently made wholly free
of the meeting.
We heard that there was to be a. field con
venticle near by , at which Mr. Cameron waste
to pr.ach. This was the re .son of so great
a gathering , many having come out of Ayr
shire , and even so far as Lishmahago In the
Upper Ward of Lanark , where there are very
many zealous for the truth.
Then they fell again to the talking , while
I noted how the maUs comforted themselves.
The eldest of them and the tallest was a lass
of mettle , with dark , bent brows. She li-U
her head high and seemed , by her attiring
and dignity , accustomed to other places than
this moorland farm town. Yet here she was ,
handing victual bforo a field-preaching. And
this I was icon to learn was a c-minon thing
In Galloway , where nearly the whole of the
gentry , and still more of their wives and
daughters , were on the side of the Csv.nint.
U was no uncommon th'ng for a King's mm ,
when he was disturbing a conventicle , "skjll-
ing a bees' byke , " as It was called , to come
on his wife's or his daughter's palfrey ,
tethered In waiting.
"Keep your black-tall coats closer In by ! "
raid Luke Rothes once to his lady , "or I
shall have to do some of them a hurt ! Ca'
your mcssins to your foot , else I'll bae to
kennel them fer ye ! "
TJicre was no such safe hiding as In some
of the greater hous's of the strict persecutors.
So In a little while , the mcst part of the
co-npany going out , this tall , dark-browed
maid was made known to us by Matthew of
the Dub as Mistress Kate McGhle , daughter
of th ? Laird of Balmaghte , within which
parish we were.
Then Malsle Lennox beckoned to the third
maid , and she came forward with shyness
and grace. She was younger than the other
two and seemed to bo a well-grown lass of
13 or 14.
"This , " said Maisle Lennox , "Is my cousin
Margaret of Glen Vernock. "
The maid whom she so named blushed
and spoke to us In the broader accent of
the shire , yet pleasantly and frankly as one
well reared. '
Piescntly there came to us the taller maid
she who was called Kate , the Laird's
daughter.
She held out her hand to me.
"Ah ! Will of Earlstoun , I have heard of
you ! "
I answered that I hoped It was for good.
"It was from Malslo here that I heard It.-
she said , which , Indeed , told me nothing.
But Kate McGhle shook her head at us ,
which tempted me to think her a flighty
maid. However , I remembered her words
often afterward when I was in hiding.
Thereupon I presented my cousin Wat to
her , and they bowed to one another with a
courtly grace , I declare It was pretty to
see them , and also most strange In a houto
where the hill-folk were gathered together.
But for the sake of my father and brother
we were never so much as questioned.
Presently there was one came to the door
and cried that the preaching was called and
about to begin. So we took our bonnets
and the malls their shawls about them , and
set forth. It was a gray , unkindly , day ,
and the clouds hung about the heights ,
There are many woods of pine and oak about
the Duchrao ; and we went through one of
them to an ancient moat hill or place of
defense , on a llllslde. with a ditch about U
or tkre et ( our jraydj wdenti8j { w&lcb over *
ooked the narrow pock ioad by the water's
edge.
As wo went Kate McGhlo walked by my
side , and we talked together. She told mo ,
hat she came ngolast her parents' will ,
though not without her father's knowledge , '
nnd that It was hcrt great love for Malsle
Lennox , who was her friend and gossip ,
which had first drawn her to a belief In the ;
faith of the hill-folk.
"But there Is one thing. " said she , "that
I cannot hold with them In , I am no rebel , j
and 1 care not to disown the authority of
the king ! "
- "Yet you look notllko a sufferer In si-
lencel" I said , smiling at1 her. "Are you a
maid of the Quaker folk ? "
At which she was fain to laugh and deny
It.
"But , " I said , "If you are a King's woman ,
you will surely find yourself In a strange
company today. Yet there Is one here of
even the same mind as yourself. "
Then she Intrc.Ued me to tell her who that
might be.
" 0 , not I , " I replied. "I have had enough
of Charles Stuart. I could eat with ease
all 1 llko of him , or his brother , eltherl It
Is my cousin of Lochlnvar who has been
lately put to the horn and outlawed , "
At ho name she seemed much surprised.
"It were well not to name him here , " she
said , "for the chief men know of his past
companylng with Clavcrhouso nnd other ma-
llgnants , nnd they might distrust his hon
esty. "
We hnd other pleasant talk by the way ,
and she told mo of all her house , of her
uncle that was nt Kirkcudbright with Cap
tain Wlndrarn and the garrison there , and
of her father that had forbidden her to go
to the field meetings.
"Which Is perhaps why I am here ! " she
said , glancng : at mo with her bold , black
eyes.
- As I went I could hear behind us the soft
words and low speech of Malsle Lennox , who
came with my cousin Wat and Margaret of
Glen Vernock. What was the matter of
their speech I could not hear , though i own
I was eager to learn. Rut they seemed to
ngreo well together , which seemed strange
to me , for I was a much older acquaintance
than he.
Now , especially when in the wilder places ,
wo came to walk all four together , it seemed
a very pleasant thing to me to go thus to
tha worship of God in company. And I began
from that hour to think kindlier of the field
folks' way of hearing a preacher In the open
country. This , ns I well know , says but
little for mo ; yet I will be plain and conceal
nothing of the way by which I was led from
being a careless and formal homekeeper , to
cast my lot with the remnant who abode In
the fields and were persecuted.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SWEET SINGERS OF THE DEER'S
SLUNK.
Now , father had drilled it Into me that
THEY BOWED TO ONE ANOTHER.
Anton Lennox , called the Covenanter , was i
good and tound-hcarted man , even as IK
was doubtless a manifest and notable Chrlj ,
tlan. But the tale that most Impressed im
and touched my spirit nearest , was the tali
of how he served Muckle John Gib and hii
crew , after godly Mr. Carglll had given then
over to Satan.
It was Sandy , my brother , that wan tin
eye-witness of the affair. He was ever of tin
extreme opinion as my mother used often t <
say : "Our Sandy was either In the moot
or the midden , " but In my Judgment , often
est In the latter.
Yet I will never deny that he has had i
great deal of experience , though I woulc
rather want than have some of It. Now a
this time , Sandy , perhaps by means of hi :
wife , Jean Hamilton ( who , like her brothel
Robert , was Just Inordinate for preaching !
and prophesylngs ) , was much inclined t <
kick over the traces , and betake himself ti
tbe wilder extremes that were much handlei
by our enemies for the purpose of brlnginf
discredit on the good iame at the Co ; e
nantcrs.
There was one great hulking sailor of Bor
rowstounncss that was specially afflicted will
these visions and maundering ; . Nothing bu
his own will In all things could satisfy him
He withdrew himself Into the waste with twi
or three men and a great qompany of feeble
minded women , and there they renounced al
authority and Issued proclamations of thi
wildest and maddeit kinds.
The godly and devout Mr. Donald Cargil
( as ho was called , for hla real name wai
Duncan ) was much exercised about the mat
ter , and , finding himself in the neighborhood
to which these people * bad betaken them
selves , he spared no pains , but with mucl
and sore foot travel * be * , found them. 13u
John Gib , who could Cbe upon occasion a face
able and plausible persoir ; persuaded him U
abide with them for * a night , which accord
Ingly ho did , but , baring wrestled with then
In prayer and communlngrhalf the night , am
making not anything bt them , he rose am
went out Into the flcldrf most unhappy. Si
after long wandering- came homeward
having falledi Iru his .mission. Then It wai
that he told old Anton Lennox , who hat
como from Gallowayto attend the great so-
cletles' meeting at Lcsmahagow. With hln
at the time was my brother Sandy , and hen
It Is that Sandy's story used to commence.
And of all Sandy'si/torlea it was the one ]
liked the best , because there was the leael
chance of his bavlng anything about hlmsell
to tell.
"I mind the day" so * he began "a greal
heartsome harvest day In mid-September. W <
had our crop In earlpithat year , and Anton
my father and I , hadtgqtten awa' to the so'
clettes' meeting at Lesmahagow. It was Ic
the earliest days of them , for ye maun mind
that I am one o' the few- surviving original
membjrs. We were a' titling at our dut )
When In there came Into th farm kitchen
where we abode Donald Carglll himself. He
was leaning upon his staff , and his head waf
hanging down. We desisted from our worshlf
and looked at him steadfastly , for we saw
that the hand of the Lord had been upon him
and that for grief. So we waited for the de
livery of his testimony.
" 'My heart Is heavy,1 ho said at long and
lut , 'for the people of -wilderness are de
livered over to the galnsayer , and that by
reason of John Gib , called Muckle John ,
sailor In Borrowstounness , and presently leadIng -
Ing the silly folk astray.1 Then he told them
how he had wrestled with the Glbbttet
mightily In the spirit , and been overthrown.
Whereat hewas notified that the hearts ol
all those that hated tbe Way would be lifted
up.
up."He also brought a copy of the foolish sheet
called the 'Proclamation of the Sweet Sing
ers,1 which wan much handed about among
all tbo geriecuUr * at thli Umet and made
\J
GET OUT OF BED !
COME TO THE
There's the busiest kind of a Clearance Sale in motion at
our store. We are getting rid of our big stock of Summer
Woolens before the real hot weather sets in. So don't sit on
life's curbstone thinking over'how you can make your last year's
clothes do you , We will give you a Suit , Overcoat or Pants to
order at practically your own prices , for this is the
Not an inch of the work on any garment we make during
this sale will be slighted , Inside and outside will be given the
same grace and tone as when we charged regular prices.
ED. HART , THE TAILOR
Y. M. C. A. Bldg. , 210 and 212 S. 16th St.
to bring terrible discredit on the s-b r an !
God-f arlng folk of the south and west , who
had nothing to do with the matter.
" 'Let me see it , ' sild Anton Lennox , hold
ing out his hand for it.
"Mr. Carglll gave It to him , saying sadly ,
'The Spirit will not always s r.v e with them ! '
" 'Na , ' said Auld Anton , 'but I'll e'en str \ \
wi' them mysel , ! Reek me doon Cllckie ! "
"He spoke of his great herd's stave that
had a shank of a yard and a half long , anJ
was as thick as my wrist.
" 'Come you. Sandy , ' he cried over his
shoulder as he strrd ? out , 'and ye will get
your bellyful of Sweet Singing this day ! '
"Now I did not want to move , for the
exercise was pleasant , but my father also
bide me go with Auld Anton , and , as "you
know , it Is not easy to say nay to my
father.
"It was over a wild moor that we took
our way silent because all the wild birds
had by with their nesting , and the place
where Mr. Carglll had left the company of
John Gib was In a very desert place where
two countries met. But Auld Anton went
stc-gglng * ov.r the hills till I was fair driven
cut of my breath. And ever as he went ho
drove hs ! staff deeper Into the sod.
"It was a long season before we arrived at
the place , but at last we came to the top of
a little brow face , and stood looking at the
strange company gathered beneath us.
"There was a kind of moss hag or dry
peat , wide and deep , yet level along the
bottom. Down upon the black coom was a
largo company of women , all standing close
together and Joining their hands. A little
way apart en * a little mound of peat In the
midst stood a great hulk of a fellow , with a
white gown upon him , like a woman's
sTock , of white linen , felled with purple at
the edges. But whenever It blew aside with
the wind one saw underneath the sailor's Jer
kin of rough cloth , with the bare tanned
skin of the neck showing through.
" 'Certes , Master Anson , ' said I , 'but yon
Is a braw chlel , htm wl' the broad hat and
the white cock ontll the bob o't ! '
"And Indeed a brave , braw , heartsome-
llke man he was , for all the trashery of his
attire. He kept good order among the men
and women that accompanied with htm In
the Deer Slunk. There were thirty of them
twenty-six of them being women many of
them very respectable of family , that had
been led away from their duty by the per
suading tongue of John Gib. But Auld Anton
looked very grim as he stood a moment on
the knowe-top and watched them , and he
took a shorter grip of the cudgel lie carried
In his hand. It was of black crab tree and
knotted , very grievous.
" 'John Gib ! ' cried Anton Lennox from tut
hilltop suddenly In a loud voice.
"The great sea slug of a man In the white
petticoat turned slowly round , and looked at
us standing on the parched brae-face with
no friendly eye.
" 'Begone yo are the children of the devil
begone to your father ! ' he cried back.
" 'Belike John Gib belike , but btdo a wee
I am coming down to have a word or two
with you as to that ! ' replied Auld Anton , and
his look had a smile In It that was sour as
the crab apples which his cudgel would have
borne bad It bidden In the hedge root.
" 'I have come , ' he said , slowly and tartly ,
'that I might converse seriously with you ,
John Gib , and that'concernlng the way that
you have treated Mr. Donald Cargill , an hon
ored servant of the Lord ! '
" 'Poof ! ' cried John Gib , standing up to
look at us , while the women drew themselves
together angrily to whisper together ; 'speak
not to us of ministers. We deny them every
one. We have had more comfort to our
souls since we had done with ministers and
elders , with week days and fast days , and
bibles and Sabbaths , and came our ways here
by ourselves to the deeps of the Deer's
Slunk ! ' , ,
" 'Nay , ' said Auld Anton , 'ministers , Indeed ,
are not all they might be , but without them
yo have proved yourself but a blind guide
leading the blind , John Gib ! Ye shall not
long continue sound In the faith or straight
In the way If ye want faithful guides ! But
chiefly for the fashion in which ye have used
Mr. Carglll am I coma to wrestle with you,1
cried Anton.
" 'He Is but an hireling , ' shouted Muckle
John Gib , making his white gown flutter.
" 'Yea , yea , and amenl' cried the women
that were at his back. But David Jamie ,
Walter Ker and John Young , the other three
men who were with him. looked very greatly
ashamed and turned : away their faces as. In
deed , they had great need.
" 'Stand up like men , David Jamie , Walter
Ker and John Young ! ' cried Anton to them ,
do ye bide to take pact with these silly
women and thta hulker from the bilboes , or
will ye return with me to good doctrine and
wholesome correction ? '
"But the three men answered not a word ,
looking llko men surprised In a shameful
thing and without their needful garments.
" 'Carglll mo no Cargllls ! ' said John Gib ;
'he is a traitor , a led captain , and a hireling.
He deserted the poor folk and went to an
other land. He came hither to us , yet neither
preached to us nor prayed with or for us. '
"John Younw looked about him as John Gib
said this as though he would have contra
dicted him If he dared. But he was silent
again and looked at the ground.
" 'Nor. ' said Auld Anton , 'that Is a lie ,
John Gib ; for I know that he offered to presch
to you , standing with his Bible betweeen his
open hands as his ordinary. But ye wanted
him to promise to confine his preaching to
you , which when he would not consent to
do ye were for thrusting him out. And lie
r yiilly w $ > IOB | sttgL .
came home , wet and weary , with the cold
easterly wet fog all night upon the mulr ,
very melancholy , with great grief for you all
upon his spirit ! '
"Then at this John Gib became suddenly
very furious and drew a pistol upon us. This
maik Anton Lennox laugh.
" ' down and wrestle with
'I shall come your
pistol In a wee , John Gib. But I have a
word to say to you all first. '
"He stood a while and looked at them with
contempt , as if th'y were the meanest
wretches under heaven , as , Indeed , they were.
" 'You , John G1U. that lay claim to being &
wizard , I have little to Bay to you. Ye have
drawn away these silly folk with your blas
phemous devices. Your name Is legion , for
there arc many devils within ynu. You are
the herd of swine after the devils had en
tered into them. Hath your master given you
any word to speak baforc I come down to
you ? '
" 'Ay , ' said John Gib , leaping up In the air
and clapping Ills hands together as If he
would again begin the dance , which accom
panied by a horrid yowling llko that of a
beaten dog , they called sweet singing.
" 'Ay , that I have ! Out upon you , Anton
Lennox , that sot you up for a man of God
and a reprover of others. I alone am pure ,
nnd God dwells in roe. I lift up my testi
mony again all the months of the year , for
their names are heathen. I alone testify
against January and February , against Sun
day , Monday and Tuesday ; against Martin
mas and holidays , against Lammas day ,
Whitsunday , Candelmas , Bsltan , stone crasser ,
saints' Images , Kclton Hill fair and Stony-
kirk sacrament. Against Yule and Christ
mas , old wife's fables , Palm Sunday , Carlln
Sunday , Pasch , Hallow and Hogmanay ;
against the cracking of nits and the singing
of sangs ; against all rdmanccs and story-
bulks ; against Handsel Monday , kirks , kirk-
yards and ministers , and especially against
the cockups In the front o' the Sabbath bon
net o' ministers' wives ; against registers , law
yers and all law books '
"He cried out this rigmarole at the top
of his voice , speaking trippingly by rote , as
one that says his lesson In school and has
learned It often and well. He rolled his
eyes as ho recited , and all the women clapped
their hands and made a kind of moaning
howl , like a dog when It bays the moon.
" 'Yea , yea , and amen ! ' they .cried after
him , like children singing the chorus.
" 'Peace , devil's brats all ! ' cried Anton
Lennox , llko a tower above them.
"And they hushed at his word , for ho
stood above them all , like one greater than
man , till even Muckle John Gib seemed puny
beside the old man.
" 'David Jamie , hearken to me , you that
has your hand on your bit enable , * Better
put up your feckless Iron uplt. It will do you
no good. You are a good scholar lost , and a
decent minister spoiled. I wonder at you a
lad of some lear companylng witli this hairy-
throated , tarry-fisted deceiver. '
"This David Jamlo was a young1 Umber
lad , that looked paler and more delicate than
the others. What brought him into the com
pany of mad men and misguided , women It Is
perhaps better only guessing.
"Ho looked sufficiently ashamed now at all
events.
" 'Walter Ker and John Young , hearken ye
to me ; I have moro hope of you. You ara
but thoughtless landward men , and the Lord
may bo pleased to reclaim you from this
dangerous and horrible delusion. '
"Anton Lennox looked about him. There
was a flre smouldering at no great distance
from him. Something black and square lay
upon it. Ho took three great strides to the
place. Lifting the dark , smouldering object
up from off tliu fire , he cried aloud in horror ,
and began rubbing with hU hands. U was a
fine , large-print bible , with more than half of
It burned away. There were also several
llttlo ones upon the fire underneath. I never
saw a man's anger flre up more quickly. For
me , I was both amazed and afraid at the
awful and unthinkable blasphemy.
" 'John Gib , ' cried Anton Lennox , 'stand
up before the Lord and answer who has
done this ? '
" 'I , that am the head of the sweet singers
and the Lord's annolnted ! ' said he. 'I have
done 111'
" 'Then , by the Lord's great name , I will
make you sing right sweetly for this ! ' crlel
Anton , taking a vow.
"Then one of the women took up the par
able.
" 'Wo heard a voice In the Frost Moss , '
she said , 'and a light shone about us there ;
and John Gib bade ua burn our bibles , for
that the Psalms In Metre , the chapter headIngs -
Ings , and the tables of contents were but
human Inventions. '
" 'And I did It out of despite against God ! '
cried John Gib.
"Then Anton Lennox said not a word more ,
but cast away his plaid , spat upon his cud
gel-palm , and called over his shoulder to
me :
" 'Come , Sandy , and help me to wrestle In
the Spirit with these Sweet Singers , '
"As he ran down the brae David Jamie , the
student youth , came at him with a little
spit-stick of a sword and cried that if he
came nearer he would run him through.
" The Lord forgle ye for leeln' , callant , '
cried Anton , catching the poor thin blade on
his great oak cudgel , for Anton was a great
player with the ilngte-stlcka , and as a lad
had been the cock of tbe countryside. The
steel , being spindle-thin , shivered Into twenty
pieces , and the poor lad stood gaping at the
sword hilt left In his hand , which had grown
suddenly light.
" 'Bide you there and wrestle with him ,
Sandy ! ' Auld Anton cried again over his
shoulder.
" 84 I took my ; knee and tripped David up ;
and so sat up upon him very comfortable , til )
his nose was pressed Into the moss , and all
his members sprawled and waggled beneath
me like a puddock under a stono.
"Then Auld Anton made straight for John
Gib himself , who stood back among his clrclo
of women , conspicuous In Ills white sark and
with a pistol In his hand. When he saw
Auld Anton coming so fiercely at him across
the peat hags , bo shot off his pistol and
turned to run. But his women caught hold
of him by the flying white robe , thinking
that ho was about to soar upward out of their
sight.
" 'Let me be , ' he cried , with a great sailor
oath , and tearing away from them he left
half the linen cloth In their hands , and be
took him to his heels.
"Anton Lennox went after him hot foot ,
and there they had It , llko coursing dogs ,
upon the level moon It was noble sport. 1
laughed till David Jamlo was nearly choked
In the moss with mo rocking to and fro
upon him. Anton Lennox was twice the age
of John Gib , but Mucklo John , being a salloi
man , accustomed only to the short deck , and
also having his running gear out of order ,
by his manner of life , did exceedingly pant
and blow. Yet for n time ho managed t
keep ahead of the pursuer. But ther wai
no ultimate city of refuge for him.
"Anton Lennox followed after him a HUM
stiffly , with a grim , determined countenancoi
and as ho ran I saw him shorten his cudgel
of orabtree In his hand. Presently ho cam *
up with the muckle man of Borrowstounncsst ,
The great stick whistled through the air ,
soughing like a willow wand. Once , twice ,
thrice It rose and fell.
"And the sound that ensued was like tu
beating of a sack of meal.
" 'I'll learn you to burn the bible1 ! cried
Anton , as ho still followed. His arm rosa
and fell , while John Gib continued to run ai
if the dogs were after him. The great liulh
cried out with the Intolerable pain of tha
blows.
" 'I'll mak' ye Sweet Singers a' , by my
faith ! I'll score Ilka point o' your paper
screed on your back , my man Sunday , Mon
day , Tuesday , Pasch , Beltan and Yulel'
"At the Yule sroko John Gib fell Into a
moss hole. We could not easily see what
followed then. But the grievous cudgel rosa
and fell llko the flail of a man that thrashes
corn In a barn , and a howling and roaring
that was aught but sweet singing came to ua
over the moor.
"Presently Anton returned , striding back to
where I sat upon David Jamie's back.
" 'Rlsel * ho said. And that was all ho
said.
said."But
"But he took his foot and turned him over ,
pulling him out of the moss with a cloop llko
the cork being drawn out of a brisk bottle
of ale.
" 'David , lad , do ye renounce John Gib and
all his ways ? '
"The Umber-limbed student looked doubt
ful , but the sight of the stick and the distant
sound of the sweet singing of Muckle John V'JJ
decided him , - -
ur
" 'Aye , ' he said , 'I am content to renounca
them and him.1
" 'See ye and stick to It then ! ' said Anton
and wena after Walter Ker and John Young ,
who stood together as though they had gotten
a stroke.
" 'Ye saw visions , did yo ? ' he said , 'See y
If this be a vision ? '
"And ho gave them certain dour strokes on
their bodies , for they were strong carles and
could bide the like not like the poor feckless
loon of a colleger.
" 'Did yc see a light shining In the moss late
yestreen ? ' he asked them.
" 'It was but glow worms,1 eald Walter Ker.
" 'It was , albllns , Wull-o'-the-WIsp ? ' said
John Young.
" 'Ay , that's malr like the thing , nee ! ' said
Auld Anton , with something like a smllo on
his face.
"So saying he drove all the women ( save
two or three that had scattered over the
moss ) before him , till we came to the place of
the ordinary societies' meeting at Lesinaha-
gow , from which we set out.
"Here wcro assembled sundry of the hus
bands of the women for the shame was that
the most part of them were wlvej and
mothers of families of an age when the faults
of youth were no longer cither temptation or
excuse.
"To them ho delivered up the women , each
to her own husband , with certain advice ,
" 'I have wrestled with the menhe said ,
'and overcome them. Wrestle yo with the
women , that are your own according to the
flesh. And If yo think that my oaken slave
la too sore , discharge your duly with a blrcu
rod of the thickness of your little finger for
It Is the law of the realm of Scotland , that
every husband be allowed to glvo lil wlfa \
reasonable correction therewith. But gin yo
need my staff , or gin your wives prefer It , It
is at your service.1
"So saying ho threw his plaid over his
shoulder and made for the door.
" 'Learn them a1 the sweet slngln.1 h
said. 'John Gib was grand at It. Ho sang
llko a mavis oot by tbere on the moor at tha
Deer's Slunk.1"
ii
This was the matter of Sandy's tale about
John Gib and Auld Anton Lennox.
And this cured Sandy of some part of hli
extretnci , though to my thinking , at times bo
had been none tbe worse of Auld Anton at his
elbow to give him a lesson or two In sweet
singing. I might not In that case have bad to
buy all over ugaln the bonny housu of Earl
stoun , and K > had more to spend upon '
which Is mine own dwlrable residence.
( To bo Continued , *
Bhort i