Foes

to the hall, wher

ut it is so white and thick and still it fair fri

m Edinbur

don as soon as he

logs deepened the gold in her hair, as the warmth made more vivid the rose of her cheek. She owned a warm and laughing heart,

im Alexander's come until they've given him something to eat." He came to the fire and stood

rown like own folk to him, and he to them. He looked very kindly at the young man, handsome, big, flushed with feeling. He di

s earth, and that now he mea

e laird's room. Mrs. Grizel wad have ye all c

r at night, and a great flowered chair. In this now sat Mrs. Grizel Kerr, a pleasant, elderly, comely body, noted for her housewifery and her garden of herbs. Behind her, out of a shadowy corner, gleamed the white mutch of Tibbie Ross, the best

er. The laird's eyes were closed. He had been given a stimulant and he now lay gathering his powers that were not far from this life's frontier. The curtains of the bed had been drawn quite

mined breath and opene

the

ting there, and yet not m

your will

't talk much. We'll talk at times and sit still

ather. Right he

ad to have your wanderings and yo

me. It is in my heart an

ad a pride in you, Alexander. Now you'll

goer about yet-within and without, my laddie, within and without! Do not forget, though, to hold the old place together tha

nothing that yo

nd old folk, and your brother and sister. I have your word, and so," said the laird,

, he put his arm around her, and with Jamie at his other hand the three we

or comes

thinks him a

to-night wit

e weary enough yourse

er supper, and come in about ten. So y

lf-moon. Under it lay wan hill and plain. The clouds were all of a size and vast in number, a herd of the upper air. The wind drove them, not like a shepherd, but like a wolf at their heels. The moon seemed the shepherd, labori

e fire, elbows upon knees and chin in hand, brooding over the red coals. Tibbie murmured a direction or two and showed wine and bread set in the deep window. Then with a courtesy and a breathed, "Gie ye gude night, sirs!" she was forth to her own rest. The door closed softly behind her.

. The Jardine fortune was not a great one, but there was enough for an heir who showed no inclination to live and to travel en prince, who in certain ways was nearer the ascetic than the spendthrift.... Before Strickland's mind, strolling dreamily, came pictures of far back, of years ago, of long since. A by-wind had brought to the tutor then certain curious bits of knowledge. Alexander, a student in Edinburgh, had lived for some time upon half of his allowance in order to accommodate Ian Rullock with the other half, the latter being in a crisis of quarrel with his uncle, who, when he quarreled, used always, where he could, the money screw. Strickland had listened to his Edinburgh informant, but had never divulged the news given. No more had he told another bit, floated t

Very often Ian was with him, but sometimes and for months he would seem to have been alone. Glenfernie might receive letters from Germany, from Italy or Egypt, or from further yet to the east. He had been alone this year, for Ian was now the King's man and with his regiment, Strickland supposed, wherever that might be. Alexander had written from Buda-Pesth, from Erfurt, from Amsterdam, from London. Now he sat here at Glenfernie, looking into the fire. Strickland, who liked books of travel, wondere

oding. Strickland observed with some wonder its power of long, concentrated thinking. It sat there, not visibly tense, seemingly relaxed, yet as evidently loo

from the great b

e sick man's side. "You slept finely! And here we

e. Now I want to talk. Aye, I am strong enough. I feel stronger. I

is a wi

th Touris of Black Hill. I have no wish to make it up. He did me a wrong and is a sinner

happier to be recon

be. Anger is anger, and it's weakness to gainsay it! That is," said t

ere, f

When you see an adder set your heel upon it! When a wolf goes by take your firelock and after him! When a denier and a cheat is near you tell the world as much and help

gave him water and wine to drink, and would have had him, wh

e than any think! Where ye find your Grierso

, hurried in. "Gude with us! it's the end!" Mrs. Grizel came, wrapped in a great flowered bed-gown.