Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / Nov. 15, 1908, edition 1 / Page 19
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1 A ' GRAY place, In toot)), Edinburgh town teemed '-' to me, fresh from rto tonihine and fay colon of franca;, and it was a blealc wind . that cim burtIig, up th iteep itreet.wheo ai-cam nnnung-up ine tieep sxreCT.wncn 1 f ;t rcacnea we corner ot-tne lanongaie.; xei my heart, was blithe-enoilgh, for was' I not back in- my .long drtin)ed-f native -hAiy tndfI my own master for the first time in twenty year "r ; i"t; ' 'C05& Irf St. Gcrtnains and ".Versaillev yoa may guess, a- )aid in the Geniarmtt Ecoisais, with bis mother's x urotper keeping guardian s watcn over nun ht wnae, . i . t .. . . . . .. ...... ' sips jof lflerty so little that. h starce knows the Uste " ' of tiport -tin tongue. 1, And further, if all I had beard - itiL'w 'm- nM. Ml.'Hk tit- tni .of limt;W;tre, Wf oblt -father wu bttkr Wee to giverme dottcely the hm, of my-youth once I got he-C 'neath 'those jamoky 's rafters of CraiemaHoch I dimly" - - recollected' from the hours of childhood, t ;' . Set this weelo which J allowed myself in Auld Reekie , '' - was etolenj as it were, from rightful authontyr aa by vthe gobd fortune' of a -marvellous; favorable i wind that, ran us-into' Leith hirbor so many. days, before our computation.'- ' ..... - ' .- " : , Nojwsayf.I to myself, shall f I break my f,ast ic ' - somd, merry tavern? and after- that-why, IH go with the windVsays I, Just as gust caught me." . ' .Even as I paused, a youth swans; by me. V He was followed at a little distance by a couple of serving men. "f The arrogant glance, the tilt of. the head, the pride t his carriage, the fashion in which, the youth eyed , ' " mr passing, as . if it yere ;my duty txTmake way for 1 him, spoke eloquently enough. I turned and stared ; - k after the three a moment or two and started m pur suit, down the. High Street Jwir,jVvi. My hid of (the rowan-sprig made straight course ( of it for a while, -Just before" reaching the Nether Bow, he suddenly veered down a vrynd on the right, . .with his retainers in full tramp behin4 fl drew ,np; , T close and; thought myself fortunate indeed when I saw ' thst 'the-, cellar-; entrance; into which they presently , plunged was that of, a tavern I the sign was painted over the door,VThe Pox and Grape." vrl-?.fsi;y ' I clattered down in my turn and swaggered into the . house with as Kood an imitation of my guide's eon , quering grace ' as t could ' muster in the r tuxertainty " "of my passage through unaccustomed gloom. A lusty . . wench, that brought back memories , of childhood and r my Highland nurse'recetved me. f She motioned me to ' a solitary table, and- then requested my wAL , . - '' - With the tail of my 7 on Master Rowan-sprig, I 1 ordered at. haia' Jhe messes, she suggested in her - 'pretty;insiiHsatin- Way.'iMeanwbiUrh, who.wa'rU. . dently Blaster; of -the establishment. burly, elderly, - man; '.attended.to the wanU of his more .important patron.;; But, I,' intent in watching, was flufck to appre hend that they conversed earnestly, together and that ' in the Gaelic, in which tongue I was not as proficient . . as my uncle CraigmaTloch would have wUheif Thus, -the drift of their speech 'escaped me .yet M .eonld not .t" - be vnistaken that both looked 'towards sne ever and ' ' anon, sharply, and , as though expectantly, i, Finally v ; loudly; andjn English, the host saidif "'P '-'H i ' "And J have not forgotten, your, honor's .liking," and caught up from 7 cupboard, a flagon,' darkly to-.- crusted and cobwebbed. - : v ::- h" ' A nun cannot hare too good wine for. good toast crie4iMaslef ! Rowan-sprig. .His- voice had brighti'lnipertjtu ridg .that echoed gratefully 'in iny ear. ; Again hi, flung a, Jook at snei wntcn r.Teturnea ' ' as braved and. jM io8"y I mightt Irwas burn: fag to have tny kneea onder the same board, and clink a stais with one who had taken mr youthful fancy as : freshly as W.wg'wtoo,,. "And what 'wine will your honor, wlshn y a soft voice of the girl fa my 9tf?&r?;$&i'-P?MK& r v "TH .! Siv.". said L. utartinsT -round tO her. OOttW . from the same bin; as yonder gentleman.' w -4., .- Her paht leyes grew, round. VShe;besiUUd;lpoiv almost frightenedi-ri s;:. a . nfiabld "chTT-:? -tt.SW'vl! i ww not : mV lover and with 'the eotnef of my j: i... Mn mv hrrn. who sat his band encirclinsr aS brimming' glass," fixing-me now very steadily. rVy?,t"; I. ran but of the black room, up the steps, into the not if vine be measured here by toasts, shall not iny r lane, and down into its deeper shadows. 1 fled at first glass berotthe bestf..-. !t V-'-v-y'" 4 ' "blindly, like the' mere instinct of concealment ' 1 benve,"-sajd hctbe old clary is growing scarce. After a 'while however, : an: extraordinary, lucidity And, indeed, when heads' should be clear, .'tis better f Succeeded stupid; panic- I baited a second ;and de-i to-shatia a bottle than to drain it , alone however , liberately took my bearings ( then I doubUd round the ood-htoastl,v.:-:V" opening, traversed a net work of lanes, emerged JTaaswer- w4-"'artoordeoU-t made Urn into aTemTty court. Here -1 caught sight -pi a gap - m?lcJF& U rttrinkling my desire was sng doorway h a garden wall in wnich stood a wOmaa oShei I was stretching my legs under the same i with a tartan shawl flung ver her head, but not so IXahli arffiM hl swung his coatttoiery a. to hUe the powder Of ber.mased-.p akiUmerhafuen the free kiktt n r iitwnn hni ftremoiea wun- na ocio. bi. sis steady fingers. viaW fwmg chieftain,, -and give them their due filVbut no urgency m her gesture. I liesitated. Front htwadw-.ffonac , . s 'fc, -Lore! - And aT.fhi.; gentleman and;t evidentftr h? Uvrilderment.thi. day;wa.g e. She matters, to talk over F" pw yur empty hour, The instant we iJL'.t-i'v. MWi'mM fft M V - u. v i MM hm in nitnc! "From C. n.M,aln?M Sib taut in lharO whisper. i 't..,1, . " . - "From St Germain," I said, "to Holyrood." .L. ihaf u . nrintuhr . nercupon w.u, ."-t" T'L. V JTI v..u' ' hi hit bo vis tl race, vanisnea. x "lcw So may it be," he cried solemnly ana i reauzea wai , hit toast was no other than a proper, wyai one, upon i which, -none beinir more loyai mn mjw, m. myself bound 'to look mighty knowing, so eciwy may a pe. ' - . . ' ... - . . . ' V V fltUlHatti fie. "1 . 1 -Aye.. quoth I, with snortiflcation. thinking I mutf ndeed bear "foreigner stamped in ray hair. t ; - "You're befote time." he added,' drawing his watch. ; , Aye," said U speaking of the fair winds; "'tis all -- a piece of mighty luck."-- i r "-" : '-'i ' ' 'Lock r. echoed he, with a quick frown Twould te a dangerous comrade to trust i .1 marked you, Sir, ; froffl the first in the Lawnruarket C. ' ' ' -"And I you, sir," cried I. flattered out of my us-,. picions. 1 uttered a few words about the delay of my : meal at'whkh his temper seemed to rise., . Controlling hirwelf with an effort, he added: , ' .' "Yon axe right- to be cautious, no. doubt But surely-"-" Afpun he paiied, and leaned across to mev "Did alt go off well? Was ttie landing safer , . "Why, doubtless I laoghed, "since I am here. i: "And be r his lips were nearly on my ear. S r , echoed; ani Lsoax aheer ' vagueness, ; laughed again. .. r f-. , Hy the rood,' yon are jroonff to be to caution! he aid constrainedly.- "Let as exchange credentials be forc another w,ord pastes." - .' I deemed this a fair opening, at last, for the smooth ln. nf mttert ant twtwoon ; and m smile wss in- fratiitlng as i answered himi ,. x,.. :"Wniinglyy'dear slr, thtyoii',gratjfy me Arst .'with your credentials." ; - - t ; --f i This answer seemed to fill him with indignation; "Imoostorr'he shouted J "SdvP and- was, at my throat-f - .j. . v v v We had a silent death grapple ' and then I shook htm oft. He raised a second screech before .he was? v for me agam: , . j Y - .- ' " A ' Puncan I Robbie t . Here, lads l-AA spy I A - V . v ' s , t'. Whethef.it was the meanness of bis calling for aid , wfien he had only - one to deal withy or whether that tussle for sheer life had roused the fighting devil with . ' ..-' ,-' v have had it from me that my instincts are quicker than mi reason but here a rage such as I had but seldom before in tny lifetime. came upon me. L ua e?jr u nw uo ym an iwninu 'i never smew .now a cwsea wiui jura, out ine next . i .J ft. . j i . . with''';.Wtth a deep groaa he staggered. and then fell across the table. - - ' ' - - .. - rAwa,. - with yel" cried a-voKe;. It was -the'girrs; Shexlapped the door behind her, and held it with both hands. ; ; . , ncr bihuu ; k . 1UUIM' ',1T" "TCT 7. . WwoundTan.iis; , caught .my wrist wnn ner . iitue nne nanu.-; - . - ZZVtr JZJOma u. Mutril,.iM tnA .. r .... ... . ..ki.. ...1..1 . fu. i.J! j .k. 4r mnA h ! , .. v .v. s i :.k l.. k..t. t, o KtHe. : . L vrtt. : sii: . 7 , ".T . .. . :'?' 'ivLli'"JL:rI"i - . AS i gated stupidly neara.n romor grow "frf ..w ., wnitin nrt runninsr loot- . bevond us, then drt away agam laQ & distant hum, of the city. Still she stood ajf --.v, t,fw finirM- at her Brettr-moutii, Jac. snk, of her -g0W1 t.fluttering faintly with' rr niiw-Vl fcrHiu .i-' "Would God," I , exclaimed bitterry, "I.-had never, - set foot on this treacherous'lthore--n4 ay; own , land!" . HrVfe-i- - She gave a cry bice a hurt dove.'' ' ??- "? f- "Ah.. no. Sir, it breaks my heartl'Here yott are on loyal ground your own frround with ytmr own. On, , we must have failed somehow in forethought and prn- ,; denee, bat not in devotion f i-t-T ;:-X - "No fear of treachery here," she said, watk Virv ; nd. entet your house." -Thea under her breath vC. my'liejre!""she said. -! - '.;V ::: ' i ' "' "Madam!" I Tr?iniL h whole, conception, as - neon me "Madam. I cannot permit vou - - But freakiih fate willed it otherwise. There was - hout once srain in the street The old pspic sied me, . ' Bowing my head I set foot upon the tartan spread for the son of a kins, and entered spon that house of . loyalty. , , , ' . .:-. , j.-:rv :r absurd as it was dangerous and tragic," flashing at lastlest I should sleepr too deep, rose again and fell to r Conceive me, then, introduced into an apartment at the top of the mansion. The lady, mere girl as she . j was, seemed snistress of the establishment At the top x most passage, an old woman in a white cap met us and flung out her band with a quavering gesture of inquiry. ,- '". - - Aye Meenie," said my guide, "the visitor has come." -Wnereupoa the other dropped in obeisance: (! Glory be to God. Miss Rachel I" she cried, y i 1 Together, they brought me into the guest chamber. with, a . delicate , reverence that shames me even 1 now to think on,- and there they left me. I let' " myself drop into the great carved oak chair, with its high back and- blasoned tapestry, glad ot the somuae, '-frying vj uiuik iu juw, uitic was uui one tum m v left ooen to Bie,;-s.i:i-; , : ' -' i snau . make . ciean oreast oi the whole stonar ! said I to mvself.-VShelwill forgive me: mv name' will be warrant for-mi; none of my house were ever j .doubted..';'-f"--'.-.j.'.v, ; v .: - , . . - , .She scratched' at the door, like a deliberate mouse, snd came in, followed by old Meenie who bora a tray, V. with wine and viands." ' " ' ' " f 4-"Ypu must forgive me," she said, "that neither, of brothers is here, to attend upon jroCJolsair is 4 abroad sat the harbor side, watchingand AUstair has vH J"?S"V jf ?. v - MMeeth clicked suddenh ' gamst. the glass. VCr Ijxdajnwd. a horrible suspicion falhng like cloud upon my brain. V "r. . " 1 ' 1 1 : th?A 4: v trfed to murder hfml' The have huflirouirht him m . . : . . ' 7 i . . r l. . . - - w . j t-i1 . v;::.7"v ''.jl. bat-: reach-' hkn n -Atf v-; ,4V f-. ? 4 - Ann fhA vi i ii art mt u-nr . n trairnr iml nmia T Mt s.-4 t -.tb. t mnA :A y:t a. - ' .Li. .u. t.: -j .l. '.- j'filiAMB-.mi,, mnrmnred Pachd thn to , - r t. a . .ki. m,. ..h " J. T " -"ilr". Z"T. 2LTvrrri - - Trauoie, m sot can imp wimooi a uioukuw vj rs nrenj for-to-morrow's great day. Kjod is aDove ,; us, - tne cause is just, we are your true servant,- , it . inen sne eouneaiea aeep oeiore me, ana, -as sne she courtesied, kissed the hand that , had abed her brother's , biooow !-. - VThe room reeled with me. Confusedly,' Lsaw her withdraw backwards, sinking into a reverence, ber silks ballooning around ber and next I was alone."" - j . .' r I took a taper from iU sconce and went to examine my countenance in the mirror.; I.Ourht to' have been flattered to pass so readily for one .whose good looks were a by-word. .rThe personage- fog whom I was here had hardly been seen in France these last years, but every brown-eyed, falrskinried, well-knit slim lad must bear a family look, in a French wig. How heartily I wished myself swarthy and ill-favored 1 r I flncz jne down on the- huge bea then,-' tn a terror writintr snv confession for Rachel to read when I wa far awsv. T wrote a. dozen letters: and none oleased me. At length wearied brain, and sore heart dictated between them .an abrupt statement of facts, clear of -.1 ..1, . ife.. l .- either self-entenuatkm. or penitenee. . After some hesi UUon I scramied unuerncath : r "Would I L4 died ba- fore this!" I folded the sheet, sealed and addressed it; ! "For th hand of - s "MISS RACHEL DRVlildOND . . s this houti. My task accomplished, a new calm descended on my spirit The great bell of St Gilea was striking some hour thres said my watch. V "t It was a good hour for my escape. Tiptoe I crept 'about the room jmd extinguished the candles already sjunermg in ineir tocacis. rv bouiii mtw had been placed at the foot of the bed. I lit the wide; it burned with a small demure glow. I stole, to the door. On the very threshold my foot struck against a barrier. Had my step been less timid, I must have fallen across it -Instantly a figure reared itself into what seemed to me giant stature. I saw- a flushed boyish countenance looking down at me, blinking in the dim light, beneath a short crop of tousled vellow hair.- . W I 5 I! wrrs a map caoAN U STAOCSatT) A Kit TIXN fXXL ACaOSS THS TABUS i - t ..-; i trust your, sugnness wm torgtve, . ne saw in a - voKe which brought me, with a pang, back to the A Uvern, ri bad fallen asleep at my post." ;Truly," I -exclaimed. with a bitter laugh,- X am if-'-weB gvardad P. ! ' , - j ri f tAye," said -the gumt simply ."bad anyone sought - x..s v ivui iiigumn it cum mn mint imj uuuil Does your Hiehness reouire anvthina?" I stammered from fumu to iwim.1 T ara m(lML Had not been able to sleep. Had had a thoua-ht of ' seekins fresh air in the carder ; .-. . u .11 .....- IT- m Mtai,. j; - ... . ness. I answered faint somewhat tartlr that ' I had ;.vujii uij win. wiu noun aoov .au uunaa wu- . I - Jt j i j l .l: ..-il - . . , . ! - - woe. ,i-c-7;,:.' ; . n t . then. my. heart ; misgiving me at the t innocent, :' abashed look on his countenance, being conscious, too, r y that I was playing my part extremely ill, I added ' , hastily that I. would be grateful' for a glass of fair water, for I was f eyensh, . y. ,.v . . . 1 stood on the threshold as he tramped down too passaa e. hesiutinsr . vdoo1 a last mad hope; but the. thought of escape wuusekss for I was safely euarded. V ? H - The lad begRfd sne with great sinulWty" to reth to bed once agaia asstfring me of the thoroughness vi w vuen ana wgra. , 1 nnua ht pcmiacu m tarn hideous irony of it eli -. ... x i V 1 'C i - . Julian was in my bedchamber ' again at the first -streak of dawn. It seemed that t was to preside at , tome secret meeting of my loyal adherent a at this 3 early hoar. ' As ne . was sparse of -speech and I - ignorant of all 1 was supposed to know, it took much : guessing 00 my part to discover evert so much, r - k,t... .n Mn. l:nt.M... Mr brother bids me tell your Highness." said he. 'with bit deep duty, that it Is rievout t0 him not to- lkf. 1 . . VW! be present at the great meeting: .But h bids the add that this morning your Highness will at last know bis friends.' It was a long speech for the big lad and : he recited it something as a child his task. Then as ,. , Julian glanced at me with surprise, muttering that our time was short, I turned to follow him, and myeye ' caught sight of last night's letter, which I had clean '.forgotten.' - ' ' ' M --V1 ,.' "I pray you," said I, on Jhe impulse, to gte this letter to your sister, when I am gone or, ( I added, in a lets assured tone, "if aught should hsp to me. -Now comes that scene of my life which,- to look . back on is more like the confusion of a dream than aught that could ever have happened. t' I was conducted by Julian into a long room on the ground floor. Some dosen people were grouped at the end of it conversing in low tones. As J entered, . silence fell. All eyes were upon m. . 1 , I saw Julian meant for toe to advance: and I ad vanced. All I saw wore the sprig of the rowan-berry. . at their breasts. . . . . , i ' ;.:f The devil that had spoken for me befora spok tJp nowt .-"-. 'v. - - "Gentlemen,: said I, "I am glad to be here among yt. But it is given me to understand, that our. time is short, it woald be best that ye should speak first ; and tell me your plans, for I have come hither. I take , it to do your wilL" - , - - j There was no reply. - - - ' "Prey, gentlemen . I began again and the true Chevalier, could scarce have delivered himself .with . finer mixture of urbanity and command. ' . As upon my entrance a quick silence fell upon them, : and into this silence came a vole. Rachel's voice. Like ; the far lament of the pipe m the hills, it stole in pure sweetness to my earj yet before J heard its message 1 knew it spoke my doc i. ' . "Treachery!" it said And again t "Treachery V "We are betrayed, bestrayedl" v ' The cry came wailing towards us from the passage. Kow she stood on the threshold, her-delicate band ' on (he sleeve of a young man who went beside her in ' .. silence; , ' ? vl- , -. : .J-r--' . ' ": ; s -A second her eyes fixed upon me, as I sat and then, ,-ln her sweet siagsong she spoke again: . , ' - 1 "You are all betrayed, and it is my fault I That man - it was I brought htm into your miast fit is a spy. , "Here is our Prince I" - . , Qsmor sprang p - again deep murmurs. ,i Again , she controlled Jul: ''First we must secure his safety. -That man has our secret he must die. - "Prsy centlemen," said the Prince very quietly, "put np your swords.'; t do not, wish -to have blood spilt ; :;in my presence.-'' v '. f,-; 7- , fMr. Drnmmond," he added, then- addressing Julian, "will you give the favor of your attention for .a few moments apart?" , '''--'.'"'T r:'i y Only Rachel, clenching and unclenching her little i- hands, took yet a step nearer to me, and dropped her ' .weet .voiced hatred into-my earr ' ' "Ycm must die," oh, you must die! Don't think yovt tan escape death I" , ''"V" 'w . . I "I' see my brother'a blood upon your hands - I would like to have uttered the words. 'Kill me then, you," but I was stricken dumb by the rapid and , - constant succession of events when a gentleman en-. tered, causing much, surprise and confusion among the conspirators. im ,V! ; '.:' nH 'SrS . "Murray exclaimed the Chevalier, m tones of re , lief. vViVf--Vj. .r'V, s;v..' J-v'';.-,, The new-comer, a middle-aged man of extraordi-, nary masterful appearance, cast a flaming look, front face to face to end upon the Prince's. ' , ' - "Aye, ; Cbevalier,, h said in a low rapid voice, "you've ; done : me finely 4 this 1 time with , your secret ; voyage. ; Aye,- and done well for the cause too! ' .Wretched boobies r '.be turned back upon the boys,; -'spitting the. words in his rsge; "you'd be having your:, own Association; would yef That of your elders is; - too slow and too cautious, and you'd luro your Prince: , into thev. heart of danger in , spite of us? Death I ' You'd be setting up the throne again, such as you! And 'tis to the whipping block I'd send yep ; '- ' With a gesture of sudden warning, his countenance changing indescribably,, he lifted a thin voice: - -(. "By the Rood, I am too late. The mischiefs doner: 1 The echo -of a cry unnaturally: cut int dumbness: was in our ears, In the garden the shuffle of foot-? , steps and the repeated clicks of swords and firelocks could be heard and before the lapse of many minutes the cry of a command from without caused a death- -like stillness fat the room and the entrance of four uniformed men,' and a mass of soldier in the passage' behind thenlvf-'v.r:4'i:"(v - ' t , 'Twa then that the divine suggestion that was to .redeem ma sprang into my mind, - I saw, now, as in , ''..' a flash, how out of my .very baseness, I could play the - hero; pass for ray Liege in earnest and take 1 hiaf danger to myself. Rising, I called out commandingryit : "Surely, gentlemen, is not God with us? Draw, my, t friends and let-your Prince lead youl" ' So saying, I drew with a flourish, and hurled my-, . : self upon th foremost officer.' - .' ' " ' - Before my point could reach him, I felt aa if g rock' had been cast against my breast, dashing me. as it ' were, down some sudden yawning precipice, And asi I fell, 1 beard the crash as of a world exploding, intof , s the reverberating echoes ot wnicn rang ine worasr - THis blood is. n hia own head," - .1 ' It was many weeks hter that . I myself hsd the' last words of that circumstantial enigma. Then I ; learned how, chafing in weary reaction- month after, 4 month, ,at GrtreliDet i consequence of the failure ; of Romiefeuille's expedition agatast England the J young Prince had allowed himself to be tempted by -k the enthnsiastie pledges of a band of hot-beaded High- -. lasd youths, and had come over to lend, hi personal . . sanction to a new loyalist movement ' - ' T - But, be it at It may, had it not been for me whom 5 you may weD, in truth, style' the Young Pretender of that day there would have been 00 Preston Pans, no .. .. Hobrood and no CuHoden,.ri ..;-ivi-.;f '-i ' All attention wa a turned to the . question "-of the Chevalier's immediate safety, and not a creature, ( save one thought of seeing ? whether ' breath re- " . tnained in him . who : had proved himself the best " loyalist of them iS'tit,'t-i , But she, Rachel roe heart, whether in bate or in .' . love cew like a bird to my, side. 1 have dim visions of the days that followed,' In . tpit&oftl . . jjer ' rJ,quisi i the preck snita of the pain and fever thev are sweet r tender face comes between me and the void ; her site hand alone holds me back: and fate aives me that once demanded my death now bid" ma again and agahtto live. .' . . t,i ,fl. nT, t?-K,i th.t would have pierced my heart only the blade resisted -her. "I would have nluneed it in1 your V heart r she woon. , -. ;yf. i -- . : Then I teU her the had already reached my heart more surely; and I watch the trembling f, her grave, wistful lip and ara deeply happy.. -t - -.. ',. i ; .'V In ber mystic; way she will have It that it wa' wr'f-. -ten in heaven that her house should ave the Frin- at this moment of i-S deadly peril. Therefore was it destined for Ahstair to mstnVe me for bis mes rrr, j Therefore, above all, was I held fei silence when I oucht to hav spoken. ' , . - - -,-. It would ill become me. would it not. to quarrel 1 with so pious and cooforticg conciicn? , CQTYUGBT 19 A f-t- 'it. -V . . "1 V ' ft-'-
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Nov. 15, 1908, edition 1
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