THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAT , TUXE 9 , 1S05. ID 'I CHAI'TKH XXI. TUB WATERS OP TUB WELL OF BETH LEHEM THAT IS I1ESIDE THE OATE. With that a klnA of madness cainu over mo and took possession ot my body. I cannot account for It or excuse It , save that the Run had stricken tnc unawares and moldcred my head. I remember saying over and over to myself these words that I had often heard my father r ad as ho took the Hook : " 0 , that one would glvo mo to drink of the welt of Ilethclehcm that Is beside the gate. " So I rose out of the lair where I was , took off my shoes and stockings , and went down to the water side. Ken Water Is very low at that season , and looking over I could see the flsh lying In the Mack pools with their noses up stream , waiting for a spate to run Into tha shallows of the'hums. I declare that had not my mind been set on the well house I should have stripped there and then for a plunge after them. So 1 waded the river , wading to my middle In the clear warm pop ! . I think It was surely the only time that man over waded Ken to get a drink ot water. When -reached the further side the nearer to my mother I lay .for a long time on the bank overcome with the water and the nun. I was plainly to ho seen from the house , and , had the sentinel so much at looked my way , I could not have escaped his notice. Uut no one came near me or stirred me In any way. Then I'aroused my self and betook mo through the thick woods that llo on the side toward the Clachan ol St. John. The wood he-re Is composed ol great oaks , the finest , as all allow , In Gal loway , of which that lu which my brother Sandy was afterward often concealed , Is but one. Underneath was a thick growth of hazel and birch. The whole makes covet of the densest , through which no troopei could ride and no eye pierce. So I was hero up on well-kenned ground Every tree stem I know by touch of hand and I Jiad crecpoJ. Into every hldlo hole thai Vv'I . Times without nunv bcr had Sandy and I playeJ at hlde-and-scel In these woods. And there , at the back o : ono of the great trees , was where wo hai fought because that ho had called mo "punj crowl. " Whereat I bit him In the thuml till It bled grievously to teach him not t ( call names , and also more generally for th < good of Ills soul. Now all this came back to mo , and I scorned that Sandy anJ I were again playlnf at hiding. Nearly had I rrled out the seek Ing signal ; aye , and would have done It , too but for the little rattle of arms when tin sentry turned sharp at the corner of tin house , with a click of his .heels and a jlngli of lilf spurs. The house of UarUtoun stand very near the water edge , with nothlni ahMit It save the green hawthorn studdec lorpft on the ono hand anil the thick wood 01 the other. I lay a long while watching the house , t ( see If I could discover any ono at' the windows dews , but not oven a lounging soldier cotiU I see anywhere , except 'the clinking loot who kept the guard , llut once Joan Ham llton , Sandy's wife , came to the window , am once her little daughter , Alison , flhook i tablecloth oxer the sash a sight whlcl cheered mo greatly , for by It I know tha there were Btlll folk that ate a meal of mca within the towers of EarUtoun. Hut more and more the desire tor thi sweet well water of the gateway tower cam > to mo as I lay , parched with thirst and tin yearning for linmo things. It seemed thane no wine of sunny Franco , no gold-en Julco o Zeros , could over be one-half so sweet a. the water of that Karlstoun well , "that I bosldo the Bate. " Aye , and I declare I had grappled with th ; sentry for It , but that I had the remnants o seine soiu'0 left about me , which told mo tha go I should only bring destruction upon my self and on others that were even mor dear to me. Presently I hoard the voice of a servlni lass Calling from within the court yard , am at the sound the sentry listened and waited lie looked this way and that round the cor tiers. He stood In tha shade of the archway and wiped lib brow. Then ho leaned hi musket agalntt the wall and went within , thought to myself , "It Is now or never , fo t he has gone to the kitchen for a bite ani Vv sup , and will be out again In a moment , les his captain should return and find that h lins left his post. " So with thai I made a rush swiftly rouni the corner and entered the well house. Fen n moment only , as I ran , was I bathed In th hot sunshine , then drenched again In th cool darkness of the tower. There is bucket and chain which arc used to wrap u the great dipper over the windlass. There I b < "Lonll Sum * fulk tak' a insr. as thtjr tak' farm by the cre. " also a Iltlla dipper wblch on ? may let dow by a rope when only a drink or a llttl household water Is needed , and ther Is n servitor at hand to turn the handle. Thi last I let down , nnd In a moment after I wa draining nectar from the cup. for which had rlrked so much. And all I could d when I got It was only to sip a little and k the rest run back again Into the well , whllt llkB the rt'fraln of a weary OIIR , over an over the words ran lu my mind. "O that on would Rlvu mo ot the walor ot the wtll c llethlahem that li benlde the sale. " Then , llko the far-away vftlce that call ono out of a drccm , I hcnn ) the ceiitry r < turning to hU post. Quite clearly I dli cental htm lifting his muxkeu shifting I from ouo sldo to the other , and co rosumln hla trump. I heard everything , Indew wltu a kind ot actltrnens beyond th * naturo. Vet alt the whllo I was wholly without nens ot danger. I thought hotr excellent a Ju It would bo tu shout out suddenly when b came near , to sno him lump ; and hut to for the rcmr > mbranr ot my nr.'tlier , 1 j.r ; teat 1 had done It , too. nut ttero I laon the margin of the wcl lust an at tha lint I hn'l flung myself dow : Without ao in'ich na troubling thoroughly t ibttt ( tie floor. 1 am iuro that from wtior tatght mot liccl every tlmo had he but peeped round the corner. Dut he had been st ittcu within the well house during hi : Imo on guard that he never once glancoi ny way. Also , ho was evidently elevatec > yi what ho had gotten within the hous < rom the serving maid , whatever that mlghi lave been. U was strange to hoar his step waxln ; and waning as ho came and went. He pacet "rom the well house to the great gate , ant 'rom ' thence to the corner of the tower lack again he came to and fro , like thi > endulum of a clock. Once ho took th < ititt of his musket and gave the door , wlthlt which I lay , a sharp fling to. Luckily ii opened from without , so that the hasi caught as It came , 'and I was shut within. So there I lay , without power to move , al hat day , and no one came near me till lati n the gloaming. Per It was the custon of the Karlstoun to draw the water for tin lay In the early morning , and that for thi light uses after the hordes wore supperei at bedtime , My head sceincJ to swell to si great a slzo that It filled the well house , am vas presped against the roof. Anon It grev vlzened and small , \vaxlng and waning as sickened and the shoots of pain ran aroum ny brows. At last I heard a foot como slowly dowi ho turrcnt stair and out at the door Through the courtyard I heard It como to ward mo , and something sang In my heart : hcugh I could liavc given no great reasoi therefor. Softly the door of the wellhouse openci and one came In , giving a little cry at si icarly stumbling over me. Ilut no powe lad I to move nor ppcak , even though I lad been Clavershlnreelf who came. M ; visitor gently and lightly shut the door am knelt at my licnd. William ! " said a voice , and I seemed I my phantasy to be runnng about among th flowers as a child , again. I opened my eyea , and lo ! It was Malsle c the Duchrae she that had been so kind t mo , and the wonder of seeing her In m own house of Karlstoun , where the garrltx ) was abiding , was n better Incitement , tha brandy of France. Hut thcro waa no tlmo for speech , so , pull Ing mo further within , she bent and whl : percd : William , I will go and bring your mothe The soldiers may not be long away ! " So she rose to go out , with her pail fu of water , for which ehc had come. Yet , ere she wenl , she laid her hand upo my brow , and murmured very low , lest th sentry should hear : "My poor lad ! " Only that , hut It was a thing which wa mightily aweet to me. Nor was she long gone before she returne with my mother. They had called the sentr In to his meal and supplied him with semi what to drink. They had had the garrlso long enough with them to teach them th : all soldiers are great trenchermen and ca right nobly "claw a bicker" and "toon stoup" with any man. ' CHAPTER XXII. THE WELL HOUSE OF EAULSTOUN. So as soon as he was snugly housed wit the servant lass the two women came to m whore I sat at the back of the door of tli well house. Chiefly I wanted to hear win It might bo that brought Malsle of the Di chraa so far from home at the house ot th Earlstoun. It seemed to betoken some 1 befallen my good friends by the Qrcnoc waterside. But my mother stooped down an put her arms about me. She would hav taken me up to the west garret under tli rigging , where , she said , none of the soldlei had ever been , but there I would In nowls go , for well I knew that so soon as she ha mo there , and a dozen soldiers between m nnd a dash for liberty , she would forthwit want mo out again. Then our next Idea was that I should p to the wattled platform on the oak , to whlc Sandy resorted , but I bad fallen Into a vlolei horror of shaking and hot flushes alternate with deadly cold , so that to bldo night an day In the covert ot a tree looked like m dtath. At last Malalo Lennox , who had a fine ej for places ot concealment In the old da ) when we two used to play at "I3ogle-abou the-stacks" at the Duchrae , cast an eye up i the roof of the well house. "I declare. I' ' think there Is a chamber there , " she said , and Mood a moment coi sldcrlng. "Glvo mo an case up , " she said quietly i my mother. Shodid everything quietly. "How can thero\bo such a placs and I m know It ? " said niy.-mother. "Have I not bee about the place'this thirty years ? " Ilut Malulo thought otherwise of It , ar wthout more hdp she set her little feet I the nicks of the ' 'stones , which were roug set , like a chlmnoy. Then putting bcr palm flat pbove. her si pushed an Iron-ringed trap door open , llftf herself level with It , and so dlsappean from our view. We could hear her grouplr above us , and somotlmes , little stones fo .tinkling Into the well. So we remained b henth , waiting for her report , and I hope that It must not bo long , for I feel that soc I must He down and dlo , so terrible wa th * tightness about my head. "There Is a chamber here. " shf cried i last. "It Is low In the rigging and part < the roof Is broken toward the trees , but th Ivy hides It , aud the hole cannot bo see from the housel' * ? "The very place ! . Well done , young lassl said my mother , much pleased , though st had not found It herself. Malslo looked over the edge. "Glvo mo your hand , " she said. Now there Is this curious thing aboi this lass ever since she waa In short coat that she not only knew her own mind I every circumstance , but also compelled tli minds of everyone clso. At that niomei It seemed as natural that I should obey be and also for my mother to assist her , i It she had been a queen commanding obi dlence. Yet she hardly ever spoke aboi her breath , and always rather as If si were venturing a suggestion. This Is m what any ono can over learn. It Is a na nral gift. Now there Is my brother Sand ; He has a commanding way with him ce talnly. He gets himself obeyed. Ilut i what an expenditure ot breath. You ca hear him at Ilarskcoch telling the lass I put on tha porridge pot , and ho cannot KI his feet wet and nwd a change of stooklni without the Ardock folk over the bill hea Ing all about It. Hut I am telling of the wtll house. "Give me your baud , " said the lass Mais down from the trap door. It U n strant thing that I never dreamrtl of disobeying , I put out my hand , aud In a trlco I was u benhlo her. My mother followed us and wo looks about. It Tras a little room and had lor been given over to the birds. I tuarvcllt that In our venturous youth Sandy and had not lighted upon It , but I knew tl reason to bo that we had an unwholttson detail of the well , having been told a stoi about a little boy who tumbled Into It I the act ot disobedience , and so was drownc We heard also what had become ot lit RfUrwurd , which discouraged us from tl task of exploration. I think no one had been In the pi see ttm the jclncra left It , for the chiving ! yeti \ In the corner , among -all that the birds ar th * wild bees had brought to it slcce. My mother stayed Vtd ! me while Mais went to brlnt me a hot drink , for tbe hu during grew upon me. and I began to hi' Ccrco pains In my hack and legi. My moth' ' toll mo that tha toldltra had boea a w < avvay over In the direction ot MUmyhlve. i mt a ncrgcant's guard that were left to ( cep the castle. Today all these men , except (10 ( sentry , were down drinking In the change ioue In the Clachan , and not till about nldnlght would' they come roaring home. She also told me what I much yearned to ( now , that the duchrae had at Hast been timed out , and old Anton had betaken hlm- elf to the hills. Malsle , his daughter , had oma to the neighborhood with Margaret Wll- on of Glcnvernock , the bright little lass rom the Shlrcslde that I had seen during ny sojourn In Ilalmaghte. Maragarot Wilson tad friends over ut the farm of llogue on the Garplesldc. Very good to the hill folk they v < > re , though In good enough repute with the government up till this present time. From hcra Malslo Lennox had come up to Earlstoun 0 tell my mother all that she knew ot my- elf and my cousin Wat. Then , because the .wo women loved to talk the one to the other , at the Earlstoun she had abode ever since , and there I found her. So In the well house I remained day by lay In safety. The chamber over the well wa.i a line ilace for prayer and mediation. At first I : hought that each turn of the sentry would surely bring him up to the trapdoor with 1 word and musket pointed at me , and I had Ittle comfort In my lodging. Uut gradually jy my falling to the praying and by the gradual action of time and use , I minded : he coming and going of the soldiers no moro .han these of the doves that came in to see ma at the broken part ot the roof , and went out again with a wild flutter of their wings. I minded me that I had heard Mr. Pcdcn say at the Conventicle that "the prayers of the saints are llko to a tire which at first Klves off only smoke and heat , but ere all be done breakcth out Into a clear light and comfortable home. " These were times of great peace , when the soldiers and the young lairds that rode with them for the horsemanship part of It went off 3n their excursions and came not back till late nt eventide , with many of the Qlonkens wives' chukles swinging , head down , at their saddle bows. The well house was n strait place , but my mother had gotten ono of our. retainers to place thcro a little truckle bedstead and bed ding , so that I was none so evilly bestowed. This man whom she had perforce to trust was not one of our ancients , but only a man you suffer not with , the saints , and yet come to your end as a man of wrath ! " Now this I thought to bo an Ill-timed sayIng - Ing when I had ridden at Alrsmoss while Sandy was braw and snug In the lowlands ot Holland , disputing In Master Ilrackel's chamber ber- with Hob Hamilton , her brother , con cerning declarations and protests. "As for me , " she went on , liking the sound of her own voice , "that Is , for my corps , 1 care not ? ln It were cast up to the heaven and kepplt upon Iron gratps , so that my soul had peace ! " "I think that I would oven be content to lie at the bottom ot this well It I might have peace ! " sa.d I , for the spirit within me was jangled and easily set on edga w.lh her corncrake , crying , "William. Wllllpm1 he said , "I fear greatly you are yet In the bond of Iniquity ! I do but waste , my tlmf ) , wlth you ! " Siylng which , aho let .herself down on the well edge , lifted her TiallS.and was gone. In a little came Malafe Lennox with other two buckets. The A-mlttol , If he thought at all , must linvo tot tij down for wonlrous cluan folk about Karlstonn during these days ; but all passed eft easily , and no notlco was taken. ' Then , when Malsle cahie , , It was a quiet joy to greet her , for slip , was a friend yw , as David to Jonathan exceeding pleasant to me. As I have said , I am not a man to take the eyes at women , I tn11 never looked to beloved loved by a woman ' 'rithir than my mother. Ilut for all that I llkei'no think about love , and to picture what manner of man ho should bo to whom Masle Lennox would let all her heart to go. t < , Kvery night she came 'In ' briskly , laughing at having to pull herself up Into the well chamber , and ever with some other story ot cheer to tell me. "Ken yo what little Jock said this day ? " she askei ere she was well over. I told her that I knew not , but was eager to hear , for that I ever counted Jock the best bairn In all the coup ? . "It was at dinner , " she cald , taking a great dish from under her apron , "and I minded that when you were with us al the Duchrao you kepi a great crying for burn- trout. These being served for a flrst course , I watched for a tlmo when the servants were taken up at the chamber end with tholr serv- "SOFTLY THE DOOR OF THE WELL HOUSE OPENED. " ethat had but recently come Into the country e and taken service with us. Ho had been a soldier , and had even served In her majesty's guards , but , being a Covenanter at heart , had left the service at the peril of his life and come north. His name was Patrick Lalng , and he came of decent folk over about Nlthsdale. He was In high favor with the garrison because of his feats of strength , but he had to keep carefully out of the sight of Tom Dalzyell , Orler of Lag. and the old officers , who remembered him In the days when ho was a sergeant with the king's colors. Also he was the only man who could keep sleeks with John Scarlet at the sword play , and I longed to see him try a bout with Wat of Lochlnvar himself. Oiten at night I had converse with him , when the soldiers were not returned and It was safe for him to come and see me. Hera I lay long with the low fever or ague that had taken me after Alrsmoss , but because I was within my own country , and within cry of my mother and Malslo Lennox , 1 minded not so much as one might think. My mother came .not often , for she wan closely watched , lu her Incomings and out goings , but every eventide Malsle Lennox brought me what she could lay her hands upon for my support. As I grow whole we had much merriment when she told me of the straits she was often In to get away without betraying s The two eldest of my brother Sandy'n bairns were a boy and a girl of 7 and 8 , and In a house where the soldiers took the most and the best there was sometimes but scant fare for the younger 'folk ' , Now , none of the serving folk , or even of the family , knew that I was In the neighbor , hood , saving only my mother , Malsle of the Duchrae and Patrick Lalng. To tell moro was to risk a discovery , which meant not less than a tow rope for my neck , and that speedily. Of all Sandy's bairns little Jock was the worst , and of him Malilo had many stories to tell me , making merry when she brought mo my piece In the twilight. "I was getting a terrible name for a great cater , " she said. "It was but this day at dinner that Jock cried out , 'Whatna funny chuckle hen ! It's gotten twa wings , but only ae leg ! ' for I had hidden the other on my lap for you. That caused much merriment , for wo all laughed to think of a chuckle hop ping and standing upon but one leg. Hut be cause Cornet Qllchrlst was there we had all to laugh somewhat carefully , and pasi thb matter off with a Jest. " "On another occasion , " said Malste , "when half a dozen cgggs could not bo found , little Jock cried out'The ae-legged chuckled wull bo clock I u' them ! ' And this caused more m r- rlment. " Such tales a those Malsle Lennox told me In th quiet of the gloaming when I urai still In the well house chamber , and only the drip , drip of th ; water at the bottom came to us. U was strange for me to lie there and hear her kind voice tolling me liumorsome tales of whit had befallen that day , Jean. Hamilton , Sandy's wife , came but once to see me , and gave me much religious advice. She was ever a great woman for experience * , and was one of those who de sired that all should b exactly ot her pattern - tern , which I aw no hope ot nor yet greatly jotlrod. "My lite U all iln , " she would say , "It It were but to pail the bark oft a kail castock and cat , I sin In the doing of It ! " "That would ihow a great want of stnte at any gate , fjln yo could get better meat to eat ! " I replied , for th woman's yatter , yat- ter easily vexed me , being weak. Also. I wished greatly for her to be gone , and for Mslila or my mother to come to me. And again she tald ( for she was a good \nman , but of the troublesome kind that da rucro lit than good , at least when one ls tired and cannot Aicapo tbem ) . "William , 1 fear you have nerer had the grip o' the fundamentals that Bandy hath. Take care Ing , and the bairnstwere busy with their noses In their plate ? . - , "Then , when none observed , I whipped the most part of your dainty platterful ot fish underneath my apron .and sat very still and Innocent , picking at my plate. "Soon little Jock looked up. O , mlther , mlthcr , ' he cried , 'wull ye please to look at Auntie Malsle , she has eaten the hale kane of trootses , while we were suppln' our broth. ' "At that there was great wonderment , and all the children came about , expecting to see me come to some hurt by so mighty a meal. " 'Tell me , ' cried Jock , being ever the fore most , 'how far doou the platter has gotten. Arc ye sure It Is not sticking somewhere by the road ? ' "All the time I sat with the score of burn- trout on my lap , covered by my aprou , and \t \ was only by pretending that I had burned myself that I got them at last out of the room. " With such talcs she pleased me , winning my heart all the white , and causing me to forget my weakness , and to think not long the night when I lay awake listening to the plets and the hoolets crying about me In the ancient woods of Earlstoun. CHAPTER XXIII. THB DULL OF KAULSTOUN'S HOME COMING. It was about this tlmo that Sandy came home. H may seem from this history that we agreed not over well together. Dut after all It was as brothers may disagree among themselves , though they are banded stoutly enough Against all the world beside. It made us love one another more that we were mostly separate ; and so when Sandy came home this time and took up hit old lodging In the tree , it was certainly much heartsornor at the Earlstoun. For among other things our mother mostly went to carry him his meals ot meat , taking with her Jean Hamilton Sandy's wife , thus leaving only Malsle Len nox to bring me my portion to the well- house. Dut often In the gloaming Sandy hlmsell came climbing up by the Ivy on the outside of the well tower and lot his great body down through the narrow broken lattice in the tiles , and In that narrow chamber we cheered one another with talk. This I liked well enough so long as he spoke ot Gronln- gen and the Low countries , but not so well when he began to deafen me with his bick erings about the United Societies how inure was one Patrick Lalng , a man of fierce am : determined nature , that could nol company with other than himself how Mr. Llnnlng wrestled with the malcontents , and how he hlmsell was of so great honor and consideration among them that they had put off ven so great a thing as a general meeting that he might have time to come from Edinburgh to attend It. And bow , at the peril of his life , he did It. One night , while 'tie ' was In the midst ot his recital , the mighty , vplce. . of him sounding out upon the i Ight brought the sentry froir his corner , who listened-but could not under stand whence came th sounds. Presently the soldier called his comrade , and the pair ot them stole to tbe ( < ] oor of the well house , where I had lain no > } ou In safety. Sandy was In the heat ot iik discourse and 1 fit ting against the chamber wall in my knee breeches and with a blald about me , listen ing at my ease. For eec Immunity had made us both carelesjs. , . "At Darmead , that well-keuned place , we bad U , " Sandy was 'saying , his great limbs extended half way acrGal , the floor as ho lay on the bare boards , aaoj told his story ; "II was a great day of glorious witnessing and contesting. No two ot ua thought tha same thing. Each had his own say-away and his own reasons , and nearer' ' a minister to over ride us. Indeed , slncu Ritchie lay down at length on Alramots tcr rest him , there U no minister that could , Dut I hear of a young man , Itenwlck , that la now with Mr. Dracke of Leewardcn , that will scare some ot t > < Ill-conditioned when he comes across the water " Even an ho spoke thus , and blattered with , the broad of his great hand on his knee , the trap door In the floor slowly lifted up , and through the aperture came the head of a soldier , even that of the sentry ot the night , with whose footfalls I had grown so familiar that I minded them no more than the ticking of the watch In your pocket or thn beating of your heart In the daytime. The man seemed even more surprised than WP were , and for a long moment he abode still , looking at Sandy reclining on the floor. And Sandy looked Kick nt him with his jaw dropped and his mouth open. 1 could have laughed at another time , for they were doth great red men with beards , and their faces were very near one another , like these of yokels that grin at each other emulously out of the horse1 collars on the turbulent day at the Clachan fair which Is on the eve ot St. John , In the time ot mid summer. Then suddenly Sandy snatched an unlighted - lighted lantern and brought It down on the soldier's head , which went down through the trap door like Jack-out-of-the-box being shut down again. "Tak the skylight for It. William , " Sandy cried. "I'll e'en gang doou an' sea what this loon wants ! " So , snatching a sword that lay upon the boards by his side , Sandy went head first down the trap after his man. I hoard him fall mightily upon the two soldiers who had the keeping of the liouso that night , which was a great blessing for him and for mo. In that narrow place ho gripped them both with the first clauc-ht of his great arms , and dadded their heads together , exhorting them all the time to repent and think on their evil ways. . "Wad ye , then , vermin. " ho cried as ono and another tried to got at him with their weapons 'round the narrow cdgo of the well curb ; and I heard one after another of their tools clatter down the masonry of the well , and plump Into the water at the bottom. The men were In their heavy marching gear , being ready at all times for the coming of Clavers , who was a great man for discipline , and very particular that the soldiers should always be properly equipped whenever It should please him to arrive. And because ho was n great man for night marches and sudden surprises , the men took great pains with their accoutre ments. "Can I help you , Sandy ? " I cried down thrcugh the hole. "Hide ye whaur ye are , man. I can man age the bullions fine ! AVad ye , then ? Stan * up there back to back , or I'll gle ye anlther daub on the kerb that may leave some o' your barns stlckln * to It. Noo' I'll put the rope roon ye , an' case yo doon to 'a braw and caller spot ! " I looked down the trap and saw Sandy roving ing the spare cell ot well rope round and round his two prisoners. He had their hand } close to their sides , and whenever one of them opened his mouth Sandy gave his head a knock with his open hand that drove him silent again , clapping his teeth together Ike castlnets from Spain. As soon as he had this completed to his satisfaction he lifted the bucket from the look and began to lower the men down the shaft , slinging them by the bcllyband of his najesty's regimental breeches to the rope. The men cried out to ask him If ho meant to drown them. "Na , na , droon nane , " said Sandy. "There's but three feet o' water In thp well , ilut ye'll be fine and caller doon there a'nlcht , an' gin ye as muckle as ory afore the mor row's sunrise weel , ye hae heard o' Sandy Gordon o' the Earlstoun ! " And this. Indeed , feared the men greatly , Tor ho was celebrated for his strength and daring all athwart the country , and es pecially among the soldiers and common people ple , who , as Is well known , are talking cf 'eats never done of strength. This being completed , lie brought me down from my loft and took me In the house to : > ld the women folk farewell. They cried out with fear when he told them what he had done as a noble jest , and how he bad bound tha soldiers and put them In the well bottom. Uut my mother cried out , "It Is the begin ning of the erd , 0. Sandy. Why could you not liave been content with scarln' them ? " "It was our lives or theirs , mlther , " said Sandy. "Had thsy gotten room to put steel Into me your first born son wan ha ? ben at the well bottcm. wl * his held doon an * hla mouth open , and your second dangling In a hempen collar In the grass market. The eggs are all In one basket now , mltber ! " "Haste ye , away ! " cried she. "lest they break lowsa and come and find ye here ! " "They hae somewhat better cense than to break lowse this nlcht , " said Sandy. "I'm gaun nane to tak the heather wlthoot my suppsr. " So he sat him down on the settle like a man at case and well content. "Jean , fetch the plates , " he said to his wl/e ; "It's graund to bs hungry and ken o' meat ! " Malsie Lennox stood quietly by , but I coula see that she liked not the turn of affairs , nor the way that Sandy had of driving all things before him. "Haste ye. ynung lass , " he said to her , and at the word she went quietly to help.Jean Hamilton. " " mother said to "Whither gang ye ? our us , as we made ready to flee. "Mind and be canna * wl' that laddie , Sandy , for he has been 111 and needs care and 'tendance to this day. " And It pleased me to see that Malsle Len nox looked pale and anxious when she came near me. Dut no word spoke she. "Na , mlther , I'll na tell ye whaur we gang for ye mlcht be put to the question , and thcc yo can say ye dlnna ken wl' a guld coil' science. " I got a word with Malsie at the flair foot as she went up to bring some plaid or ker chief down that our mother Insisted I shouK tako. with me. "Malsle , " I said , "ye'll no forget me , wll ye ? " Dut she would glvo no great satisfaction "There are so many gay things In my life to gar me forget a friend ! " was all she said but she looked down and pulled at lici apron. "Nay , but tell me , my lassie , will y < think every day o' the lad ye nursed in tin wellhoose chamber ? " "Your mother Is crying on me , " she said "let mo go , William" ( though Indeed , I wai not touching her ) . I was turning away disappointed with ni word moro , but she { matched my hand tha had fallen to my side , pressed It a memento to her breast , and then fled upstairs like i young roe. So , laden with wrappings , Sandy and : took our way over the moor , making througl our own oak wood , which Is the largos In Galloway , and out by Dlawquhalrn am Gordonstoun upon the moor of Dogue i wet and marshy place , save In 'the heigh of the dry season. Sandy was for maklni for a hold that ho had near the lonely , wind swept loch of Knockman , which lies at i burn head near the top of a hill of heathe and bent. Dut as we came to the breast o the Windy Drae I began to feel my weak ness , and a colJ sweat began to drip from fno "Sandy , " said I to my brother , taklni htm by the hand lest he should go too fas for me , "I fear I shall be a trouble to you Leave me , I pray you , at Gordlestoun to tak my chance , and hie you to the heather. H'l may bo no be a hanging matter wl' me , onj gate. " "Hear till him. " said Sandy , "leave him I'll leave the laddlo nane. Toe man doesm breathe that Sanquhar and Alrsmogs are m eneuch to draw the thrapplo o' , were It thi chancellor , hlmsel' ! " He bent and took me on hla back. "There na , Is that comfortable ? " he said , and awaj ho strode with me as though be had bcon i Slant , "Man , ye need a bow o' meal to youi ribs , " he cried , making light of the load "Yo are no heavier than a lamb In thi poko-neuk o' a plaid. " I think he was sorry for stirring me fron the well chamber , and the thought made mi like him better than I had manned to do fo some time. And Indeed my weight seemed no more ti him than that of a motherless suckling to i shepherd on the hill when he steps home ward at the close of the day. It Is a grea thing to be strong. If only Sandy had ha < the knack of gentleness with It he had beei a great man. Aa It was , he was only the but of Karlstoun We went In our flight .over tha benty fel toward Mllnmark , but holding more down ti the right toward the Carpel burn , when there are many dens and fastnesses , am where the covenant folk had often companlei together. 1 was afraid to thhik what should come ti my sickness when the cold shelves ot thi rock by tha Dais of the Holy Linn would b my bed Instead of the comfortable blanket ot the wellhouse. And , truth to tell , I wu not thanking my brother for his hetdleu necs In compelling tbe exchange , when I fa ! him atumbli down th * aleep bank ot thi Gurpel and stride across , the water dashing about his 'cga ' as he waded through , taking , as was his wont , no thought of an easy way or of keep'.iiR of himself dry , but jtut going on ramstam till he had won cleir. Then he brushed through a little wood of oak and hazel. I felt the rousli twigs In my 'nco. Climbing a steep brae , Sandy set me down at the end ot a house with some bits ot offices about It , and a pleasant , homely smell of cows , Dut , saving these , there were tone of the other sign ! ; of n farm town about t , but rather n brisk cleanliness and well- ordered neatness. Sandy went to the door and knocked , and n a little while one answered at the south- most ot the windows. Then a whispered word was given and taken. Th ? door was opened and wo went Into the dark house. A s\\oet-faccd old lady In the narrow pas sage , gowned even at this tlmo of night with some precision , took me by the arm. She held a candle alofl In her hand. "Come awa' , laddie , " she said. "Yo shanna try the unkindly dasses o' the Llnti yet awhile , nor yet 'Duncan's pantry , ' that lias small store of vltual In It , Dut ye shall hide his night wl' Jean Gordon o' the Shtrmcrs. hat has still some spunk In her yet , though folks say that she died o' love thirty years syne. Hoot , silly folk , Jean Gordon could no gotten a man ony time had she been wan tin' yln. " Wo were Indeed at Jean Gordon's famous cot by the sldo of the- bonny Garpel burn ; and It was not long till she had me cosey In jed , and Sandy , to whom alt weathers and leedlnge were alike , away to his hiding In the Cleuch beneath , where some ot his society men were that night holding a meeting for prayer. The cottage sat on the brink of a glen , and almost from my window began the steep and precipitous descent. So that If the alarm were suddenly given there was at least a chance of Hinging myself out of the window ind dropping Into the tangled sides of the Ijlnn of Garpel. The thought of the comfort In Jean's cot made mo the more willing to take the risk , for I knew well that If I had to venture the damps and chills of the glen without any shelter after my Illness It would fare but poorly with me. So all that night I listened to the murmur ot the water be neath , dashing about the great rocks In the channel. Dut there was none other sound , and to this sweet , sequestered spot came none to seek us. Here In the fastnesses of the Garprl Sandy and I abode many days , and though the glen was searched , and patrol parties more than once came our way , none of them approached near the fastness of thickets where In the daytime we were hidden. And at night. In all safety. I betook mo to the cottage of Jean Gordon. Her story had been n * ad one , but she made little of It now , though U was well tnown to all the country side. "Tho Lord has taken away the sting of pain out of my life , " she. said. "I was but a lass when I came to the Garpel , thinking ny heart broken. Once I loved a braw lad , jenny to look upon , and ho loved me , or I was the more deceived. Lindsay was his mine. Doubtless ye have heard the common tale. He sllchtcd my love rind left me with out a word. Waes mo , but the very lift timed black when I hear It , and I cried out en the liars. Dut belief cumc slowly to mo. The loch Is very near to the Shlrmers where then 1 dwelled , and the tower window looks lown Into the black deeps from unions the vy bushes on the wall. My thoughts dwelt on the short and easy road to peace. Dut praise Ills marvelous name , I saw another way. So I built me this bit house here , on .lie bonny blrk-grown sides o' the Garpel , and e'en came my ways here. " ' Ye'll sune get a man , for yc'ro bonny ! Never fash your thumb for Lindsay ! " said my kin , " 'I'll get nao man , I throcplt to thorn. What one schllchtet Khali never bo given to another. ' So forty year huvb 1 bidden here , -nd heard little but the mavln sing and the cushle complain. Think wccl o' yorael , Wll- Ic , lad , for yo are the first man body that ins ever bidden the nlcht within Jean's wa's. landy , great as , ho thinks himself , can take .ho Linn side for 'It. He Is seasoned like the red ted o' the hills , but ye arc shllplt and silly , boy William , to yo had best bide wl' auld Jean when ye can. There's few In Gallowa * daur meddle wl' pulr Jean , for she Is kin to John Graham of Clavcrhousc lilni- Eel' , and the erno's coukln Is no a canny bird to meddle wl' . " So again I had fallen on my feet , as has over been my fortune with women ; though alas , that I should confess It , chiefly be cause of my weakness , and with the elder sort of them. Hero after a day or two thcro came to Jean Gordon , my hostess of the night sea son , a letter from Sandy's wife , Jean Ham ilton , with sad news. H was Intended for my brother , but according 'to the custom of these days , It was not so addressed , for the transmission of such letters was too danger ous at that time. ' "Dear mistress , " so It fan , "your letter did yield great tat Infliction' ( o me , and now I have good words to toll you. The Lord Is doing great things for mo. Colvln and Clavors ( Cornel ) have put us out ot all we have , so that wo know not whcro to go , "I am at present In a cot house. Oh , blessed cottage ! As eon as my enemies began to roar against me , so quickly came my kind Lord to mo and did take my part , Ho made the enemies to favor mo , and He gave me kindly welcome to this cottage. "Well may I pay that his yoke Is easy and His burden light. "Dear Mistress Jean , praise God In m ) boliaU , and cause all that love Him tc pralxo Him on my behalf. I fear that 1 miscarry under His kind hand. "Colvln Is reigning here like a prince , got. ting 'his honor' at every word. Dut he ball not been rude to them. He gave mo luavi to take out all that I had. What mattcri suffering after all ! Dut , oil ! the sad falling ! away of some ! I cannot give a full uccouu of them. "I have nothing to write on but a stone b ] the waterside , and know not how soon thi ouemy may be upon mo. I entreat you ti send me your advice what to do. The enonij said to me that I should not get to stay li Galloway gin I wont not to their kirk. "They eald I should not even stay In Scot land , for they would pursue mo to the fa ; end of It , but I should bo forced to go ti their church. The persecution Is great There are many families that are going ti leave their houses and go out of the land Gin you have not sent my former letter , le It not now go , but send this as quickly a : you can. I fear our friends will be mucl concerned. I have written that ho may no venture to como home. I' entreat that yoi will write that to him and clot-e mine with ! ) yours. I have not backed his. Send me al your news. Remember mo to all friends I desire to bo minded to them. "I rest , in haste , your loving friend am flervant , JANET HAMILTON. " Now , I declare that this letter made mi think better than ever before of Sandy's wife for I am not gifted with appropriate rcflec tlons In the writing of letters myself , bu very greatly do I admire the accomplishment She was In tlmo of peace greatly closed u | within hertelf , but In the time ot extrusloi and suffering , her narrow heart came out Notwithstanding the writing desk of stone b ; the waterside , the letter was well written but the great number of word. ? which hai been blurred and corrected as to tliolr spolllm revealed the turmoil and anxiety of tin writer. I have kept It before mo as I writ this history , so that I rnlght glvo It ox actly. Thus we- learned that Sandy's sldo of thi house was safe ; but what of our motho and Malslo Lennox ? "Jean says nothing , " said Sandy , when told him. "Good news la no news ! " And truly this was an easy thing for hln to say , who had heard news about his own but Jean Gordon Kent to her sister's sou a Darscobe for word , but could hear nothing save that the Earlstoun ladles had been pu out of their house without Insult or In jury , and had gone away , no man knov whither. So with this In the meantime wi were obliged to rest as content as wi might. "Helghty. telshty. " said Jean Gordon o the Shlrmers , coming In to me with a plec < one morning as soon as phe heard that I wa awake. "The silly folks say that I cam1 awa her to dee for love. .Wccl , I hao Iceved fort : year In Jean's cot o' the Oarptil and I'm n dead yet , I wat nol I cam' hero to get oo o' the men's rood. Nee , there' * my UU ewer by at Damobe. She has been muckl the hotter o' a man , has she no ? Ni-vrr sur whether ha would como liamo sober ami wcc conditioned from k-rk - or market. In th fear o' her life every time that she heard th soond o' his voice roirln * In the yalrd , to k i what was cra trin' him. and in whit fettle th wee barn door Atmlchty wad be pleased t come ben the boose lot Wadim the llku o that be a bonny exchang * lor the peace an ( | tialtne o' tha CUrpleslde ? " And the old Udy shook th * while trim mcg ! ot her cup , wutcb was daintily an fairly Toffcrel nt the cJgcs. "N , ns , " ha ( aid , "ylnct ? bitten , twice Hiy. I hae pneuch o' man ncstjtaucy , Ill-flavored charactor. % wl' halt A nc.'o on ye , yo can tell ns easy as Kin yln o' them bo In the hoosc ns glu ho had been n ted ! " "And am I not a man. Aunty Jean' " I nskt-d , for Indrod she had been very kind to me. "Hoot , n laddlo In no a man ; line beard like tirh'Sles , nao luntln' , stlnkln' pipes and a skin llku my lady's that's no a man , lly my Mlk boao niul shoo strings , gin I get as imu'kle as the wind o' yln ntwrt'n mo nnd the Doguu road , I sleek bnltn the Inner and the color doom to keep awu' the waff o' the brock. Foul fa1 them. " This nin.'c me laugh , Indeed , but nfter all It did not please me greatly to hear that I wat > taken tor UM * than a man. "Now , there's Sandy , " she went on. for she loved to talk , "he's n , great , senseless , Fttirdy o' n crnltur. Yd he could got a' the \vlvr-s he wants by Just coming doon like n ted aff the hill and takln' yln nblow his oxter. An * the pulr lilt , btoatln' hlxzlc wad think she llklt It. 1-ord , some folks tak' a man as they tak' a farm by the acre. Dut no me nu me. Na. Gin 1 waur thlnkln' o' men , the bonny tlcht lad , Is the lad for me : the lad \vl' the cockade Intlln his bonnet an * a leg weel shaplt ; neither bowed out llko pit props , nor yet bent In llko a cooper rldln1 on the rlggln' o' a barrel. " "Dut what for did yo no tak' yln ! " I said , speaking through the door of the spence na she moved about the house , ordering the par- rldgo making nnd keeping nn eye on tha hen's meat ns well. It eased my heavy thought to hear the heartsomo clip of her tongue , for nil the world llko a tailor's shears , brisker when It comes to the selvage. So when Jean Gordon got In sight ot tlio end of her sentence , she snipped out her words with u gllbness beyond any Gordon that over I heard of. For the Gordons arc , according to proverb , slow poo. plo with tholr tongues , save as tltey say by two and two nt the canny hour of o'on. Dut not our aunt Jean of Jean's Wa's by the Gnrpel burn. "It's n strnngo thing , " she said , looking through the hall nnd door at me , "that you an' me can crack llko twa wives that hae gotten their men oot o' the hcarln' . My hid , I fear ye arc yln In the bin' that creep Into women's hearts because they are voxcd for ye. Yo hae sic Innocent ways. Oh , 1 doot na but It's the gtillc o' ye , but It was over sac. "Mony a mowlln' , petilcrln' body has had success wl' the wceman folk. They think t's a pcety thnt he should bo so Innocent , an' they tak' hand o' the crnltur , Just to keep off tha deslgnln' wceman. Oh , I'm far frae Ifiiyln' that wo nro a pack o1 s.lly crulturs. V'thlng that wears wlllycoata ; no yln muckll o bettor anlthcr ! " "Dut , aboot yoiirsol' , Aunty Jean , " I von- ured. In order to stir her to reckless npucch , vhlch was like fox hunting to me. "Wha ? Mo ? Cortes ! I got the steer oot ) ' mo o'cn braw an" early. I got It by bo- lines , as the lairds Ink * their murnln' o' 'rench brandy. When Tnm Lindsay gaod ofl vl * his flccln' ( lagarle u' a mucklc-tochcrod Crawford lass , I vowed that 1 wad line dune vl' men. An * so I had ! "Whenever n loon cam' here In tils besl ireeks , and n hlngln' look in the o'u o' tha craltur that meant courtln' , faith. 1 Julst sot ho dowgs on the scullion. I keep It a fear- ionio tylto on purpose , wl' n Jaw ontlll him Ike Jonah's whale. Aye , nye , inony's the raw lad that has gano doon that brae wl' \nld Null ruggln' an' roevln' nt the hinder- anda o' him bonny to see ! " "Did yo think , as yo watched them gang , hat It was Lindsay , Aunty Jean ? " 1 asked , 01' , Indeed , luir well going talk onsol my icart In too midst of r.u many troubles. For declare theto thirty yearp In Scotland , and especially In Glcnkcns , folk had almost orgottcn the way to laugh. "Na , na , callant , " so she would say to ms n return. " 1 never blamed him salr ava' . Tnm Lindsay was never salr fashed wl' sense . ' the dayp o' his life at least no to hurt ilin. ono man nor yor el' as yln mlcht eay. t was the Crawford woman and her weel oathered neat that led him awa' llko a bit cuddio wl' a carrot afore his nose. Hub I'll lever deny the randy that she was clover , for she took the crctur'a size at tha first look as neat as If she had been moapurin' him for a suit o' claes. She did what I never did , or ny name had been Jean Lindsay this day. The Lord In His mercy ho thnnklt continually .hat It Is what It Is , and that 1 hao nao auld dotnrd grumphln' and snortln' at the chimney uf , ' . She cultled Tnm Lindsay an' flnlrded iltn nn1 spak' him fair , till the poor fathom i1 pump water thocht hlmsel' the brawest la.l n braid Scotland , Faith , I wadna sao bo- HC411 mo to got the king oot o' Whitehall wha they tell mo Is no that 111 to get , gin yln had the chance and In mucklo the ramo way ns Tarn Lindsay. O , what n tct o' blind , brainless , ( landless , guld-for-nacthlngs are men ! " i "U was with that yo began , Aunty Joan , " I said. "Ayo , an' I shall end wl' It nee , " she an swered. "I'm no theology learned , but It looks terribly llko as If the rib story were O-o near the truth , for the poorest o' wcemen can mail' a great muckle oot o' a very little , an' the best o * men are ealr troubled wl' a salr want. I mlsdoot that Aydam maun hae missed malr nor the rib when ho waukcnod. " ( To bo Continued. ) WASTING DISEASES WEAKEN WONDER. * ' lully bccmuo they weaken you slowly , gradu ally. Do not allow tills \vuatu of Lotly to make you npoor , Hubby , Immature man.lI'Mltli , strength ml visor ! for you whether you bo rich or poor. The Urcnt Huilynn h tobelmil only from tlio JIuiI- ion aicdlcuUnitltute. TliU wonderful discovery win nimtntiy the npeclnllnti of the old famous Ilud * on MfJIcil Institute. U U the Btrnngest and rnont powerful vltnllzrr made. 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