CHAPTER II.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 190, 1 March 1878, Page 3

CHAPTER 11.

When the Lady Jeannie recovered her sensibility, it, was some time before she could recollect. w.hat had happened. Looking around, and seeing herself among the green fields, and her horse quieely led by a stranger, she felt dazed and confused j but, as her, ; mind began to recover its tone, memory returned, arid the' whole scene of the "frightened horse and the rescue flashed on her brain.

Looking fixedly at her preserver, her eye was attracted by his open, handsome countenance, while- her prejudices were soothed by his. gentleman-like dress and bearing. He lobked up, and as their eyes met he took off his bonnet and said ...„„.,,.

' Pardon me, . lady,, but I hopejou are better now?' '. '■ " " "

' You should rather pardon me, sir,' said , she, : smiling ; / « for T: fear I ihaVe ibeen the cause, of .much trouble to you. But how , .were ypu able,,, to -stop: my •palfrey, and you, on foot ? ' 4 1 was |in jthe procession, lady, when I saw your hprse, take fright with the others,., and J. immedjately „seizgd....an animaT that' stood' : beside nic, and galloped after you. : . There will be some noise about it, 1 fear- for T had to kill the beast before I could save ypu. ' , We left Jt- lying where,'! caught -up, witb'; -you.' .., ,- ..-■• - ■.--•■.•:...■;;'

| * How can I ever thank ypu ! for.l; feel you have saved my life. As for the horse, .my brother ' the Earl of Jluntly; has plenty, and he will protect. youl' ■'..;.'.' ." /.:!,"..":. ; y .;..' . .-"." '.: ,- 'y-y

J Lady,' said Malcolm^ drawing himsplf up .ipi'pudly, 11 ;'* Marcpl.m' Ogilvie of , ilnverquharity. needs *.no. man's proitection. t /The Ogil vies of Angus' can iprotect themsel ves, r ,and queens: ere, -now ;haye begged their assistance,. and if r „I ;am,-n6t' misjtake'n will'^.sS^ • ! K^.Alas-K poor Queen, I ; she acW;indesidJ-' peed^the^assiSjtanp^ |m,an. inithese r dark, days ,that ihaveicome upon Scotland." ;!: He^ic^;ptotr^n^.|th9'! 'co^cipnb|e^ killing:', 1 Sfi e(, bo tl j gsi and t d es^^ jtroyingythei.property.i of , true;-beiieversj :; 'desecratirig.^oiir alt Srs, and ? iiisul tine: r pur clergy. 0 that I were a niany-tp, be able: toibuckle -'' on armour for Queen pnj-3^ Hbiy^G^ch^ , .^ But.^ did; (/ npt mean „to.. insult '--you,^sir. -K. X-can riever forget hbwAmnch.ljfo we ?yoi_l' A/i xX4^dAW couldf always do sp.;,„ IvTtoo, will fipl %yHbly: Mu.rchtaa^

I . . | rjace ; have- "ever-dbneiAoßut 'here are houses, and we will get assistance.' "--—- --j On the 'banks 'of the -Srdt'_ibck r at St. Vigeans stood theariill belonging to the Monks of Aberbrothock, and close by j stood 'tbelmiller's blouse. AAs .Malcolm;, «' leading the lady's palfrey, halted at the* dobr, it" slowly opened*/ and' a girl lobked out.;: »Seeing : herAvisitprs were not.of ! the ordinary, class, and evidently. not in want ot meal, she said —

j •••* Hecb, sirs, thereis, riaebody**at hame ■ 4— they're a' awa' at the toon seem' the, Queen come, .an' they w;adn^ tak' me wi' them, anT wanted 'sae'mucklP tae see her. Is she as bonnie astliis leddy V I ' Have you a ropm; where this lady can rest awee ? She is sadly' tif rid. __To/-' my lass;; thereis noj Queen in this world so beautiful this lady.' : ** Aye, "come in this way— this is the naaistpr's airjt room. , Gin ye' re .hungry. I can gie ! ye'St.'Vigea ; hs ale, a kebbpckj o' cheese, an' a bit cauld, beef ; but .I'm f! tbinkin' that „t he, leddy needs rest m'air.'"' '' '"•' ' '' :f ' v -'' u -" -'--<"■•" ■■-'■' ■ • ■ Chattering in- this way, the -girli showed them: into, a lowrroqfed^coarsly-/. furnished ropm. In one end stood, an old-fafehibhed box-bed with sliding lid's, 1 in the middle of the room was a roughr fisytable, while, ;round,r the . walls; were ranged some heavy, fir.. chairs. , -, Malcolm hastily placed two chairs together close to the wall; 'tlleh "seizing a large covering that lay ; oh* the ' bed, he carefujly,spread .it oyer Jihem, .forming by no means an uncomfortable, lounge. After the Lady Jeannie was 'seated, he asked her respectfully" if she was better, and if she* would ,like ariy refreshment. *0, fyes !' said -she; 'I have got over my fright , now, and J think it I had some water I should feel quite well.' Malcolm and the girl, both anxious to serve the beautiful lady, hurried out of the room ; to get the water. Ihe girl dipped a wooden dish in a large bucket, and was for -running into the room with that, when Malcolm stopped her. , f No, ho, thy lass,'' said' he, : 'that is not the way to serre a lady. Have you got a. si Iyer, cup.?' "Deed, sir, the maister has ane in his kist, but I widna like tae middle wi' it.' * Show me where it is,' said Malcolm, ' and we will make free to use it.' ! She led the way • into another room, behind the door of which r stood an enormous box, which evidently contained the spare clothing of the' family. Lifting the lid, a,nd burrowing for some distance among blankets and other things, Malcolm „ came upon an old si I ver icupof good worknianShip, capable of. holding. a pint.i A ', -A f. , ,•-.,..* 4 Now, show me the well, my lass, and I will show you how a lady should 1 be served.' „."'.','" ... She Jed the; way out of the house down to the ; burn-side, and ; jalrnost on the brink of the running water lay a crystal spring of'the'-purest kind. To this day that well is famed throughout the country side, and often 'w-hen the world was young and everything was fair/ the writer has walked from Arbroath, own ; romantic ,towp,' ,tp drink of its contents. .-•/"?; *'Div ye see that ; muckle holein; the middle o' , the, burn ? That's whar, Father John, ane o' the monks, fell in' last; week, .when ' the' smith '■ chased; him ' wit he hefc aim.' . .., * And what did the smith mean by phasing his reverence with ;ahet ; iron V said Malcolm. ** Weel, ye. see,, sir, Father John . hed been confessing the smith's wife, whan the smith gaed 'in an' batched tbem. : The* first thing he saw was: his reverences rinnin' doon the brae tae cross the burn,; and the smith after- him r an' he slippit his fit .ah* fell' in, an' oor Jack, ran and fffted him. opt, an'; keepit_the smith frae middlin' wi' - 'nr,' an' they say that the smith bas turn't a heritic,' ah' the maister threatened us a' Jf we. daured tae speak 0 t. JMalcplrn was a sincere iCatholic, ..but, in spite of his duty" to 'the Church, Jn ( spite. 1 of his loyalty to the Queea Regent^ in spitebf his fidelity to -his ' Clan, and and;the incipient love that, was. gather-' ing in, his breast for. the beautiful Lady Jeannie,' the first 'germ -of "doubt 'had ibeen planted in his mind. He had no reason Yo'doubt the truth of the story told by'the. chattering girl by his side:'- 'She evidently-was-uncon-scious, of any thing.being.wr.ong,* and he thoughtfullypassed from the spring to tho r house without. saying, .anything, farther.' " ;;,; ' : '" - rr; '<'- a- 1 " * r *■■•"---<'•.■ On reaching the ' kitbhen he pointed to a pewter plate. hanging .on the wall, and asked if there .was ; a» silver , one the j house like, that.,. ., : . ( „. . ; y ! "Deed, iib, sir, no* ane that I ken o' ; | ;but I'll gie ye ane i" o'~ thae if ye like. They- are-brawari' cle&n.' Ui ■•'*' " ; ; ' '-*- r j Jumping on tq^chaiiyshe tobk'dbwh; lone of the articles-wanted, and, after ru.jbb.mg it^ith r ,her r ,wpllen apron 'shone, she handed Jt: T to.Malcoiinl who set on m the silver cvp r full of water, and then proceeded' tb "tlie room where jthe Lady^JeaMie^s.T'Xßi:T-l<^ ot. \ ; -.She^^ f sat«iwith>?-herai/he_tderesting\pri; j|ber arm^ieyidentjy^tmusipg/iybut the*; i poise of his entrance evidently-disturbed ;her, and sbeilookejd up wis a smile. XT 1 He apologised for the length ot timer jhe had been, and~after she had drank jthe wafer^and^pra^ 'cfioliness,.ehe^eclareji-;% <Carung;in?the;gm^> they -both gave her jsubs/antiaF^ &eri,Vrie£ti pheir lA.feeti- when;? a loud, trampling of hp^^f^J^^^p_tf6^jß^?^ .CL-ro. • AMdcplmJiui^^tbyt

pa perceived ; -a ir ybung^en*trem6n,^ ao- 1 com pained b^ '. t wp [[jif^ the retainers of the Abbey.' The" young • geiitieman hurriedly accosted >him^- -

! * Can you tell mejf-t-he Lady Jeannie Oprdon is here jPsj H cry friendsaare ; yery much alarmed about her.' i ' Yes, her ladyship •is "here,' said Malcolm. *• She israther shaken, but cjuite safe. ''Will lisay-whd? is enquir r ing for her?' 'that Jbhh'Cafnegie; son ' of Sir John Carnegie, of I-Jorthesk, is .one of many parties out in search. of her, and tha l 1 he 'begs leave to pay : his 'respects. Her r f nendsy are, very anixious, about her, and the Queen is greatly agitated.' : , ' You had better come in: "Her lady- 1 ship was on the eve of .departing, jbeiqg completely recovered from her fright.' MalcolmJed the way,' and, bonnet in hand, introduced -ybung Northesk to Lady Jeannie. ; Then the Lady Jeannie introduced.JM[alcolm. as the : preserver of her life, and jwas,, proceeding to praise his intrepidity," wtlen 'Malcolm very modestly put in a disclaimer. - ■ '- o,^ your ladyship thinks two highly of my popr endeavours to be ; of service. : I attach more importance to what I ; would wish to do than anything I have done.' s -yy. ■.-■■: -.A. .-;,;: :-,- •;..' '; And what can be of more importance ;to poor me than saving my life V said* ; Lady Jeannie, ' laughing: •-• ; .* '.I .think^myjady,' said young Northesk, 'that the gentleman-has;gained ;an enviable'pbsitio'n'from being able to jrender you serviced Vol;; would give my life for such an opportunity.' ' I would rather,. gentlemen, that you would be careful of your lives.. The. Queen andbui-'hol}* religion require the services of , every ; .gallant man,j and the way to win the esteem of Jeannie Gordon is to Jabour enthusiastically in .the good ' Parish " ■' H eresy "is m akin g ' sad havoc in our poor country.' ' Duty weighs upon every gentleman,' said Malpolm,,,* Qan your lady ship tell us if her* High ness goes to the north, or back to. Keith .? We are' all, anxious to learn.' . . 1 *[ fancy that will be decided in the Council , at. the AAbbeyj but I think it most likely that, she "will go back. I fear the French troops would be bf little' service without her.'. ; -a. ' Surely , your, ladyship .will, not go back tb endure the horrors of a seige !' said young Northesk. ! f lt .cannot be necessary that r you should go tp witness scbties that even men might be excused from wishing to see.' • "■■ >-'-.- J My place is beside my mistress,',6aid La:dy Jeannie, '-" arid I would be craven to hang back. The LadyviElizabeth and Tare not likely, to desert our posts so ! long as' tlie' Queen is in danger. But I.do.wish for. peace,. for I ; would like to retire. from the Court , to, spend my life at bonnie Castle Gordon.' , 'I; can < admire* your courage,' said Malcolni,. * but, lady, I doubt jour wisdom. * You were advising us to be careful of our lives,; might .we not return the advice,. especially; a life so valuable as' yours V l ' ' "' ' I '"' "' '""■ ••■*- Nbw> sir," if ;you begin : to flatter I shall get angry,' said ,her ladyship gaily ; * but is wrong for us to be trvflirig here ;ahd bur 'friends soi aniious about us. We will gp .gentlemen/ *• Your ladyship's pleasure is our law,' said?.' Malcolm', > as-;' helproceeded Jto the door, bonnet in hand, jwherp, he found one of the Abb% Smeh'hoiding her lady- j ship's palfreylih readiness;' * ?• « a-..,- a He had the pleasure of assisting her to mount, arid then he mounted a horse j himself- that .young, Northesk " ordered one of the Abbey mentp give up to him, and rode side by side with her. He did not: ask ; himself ; where ' this , was to end j he, did not ask whether it was likely that the Earl of Huntly, the King of the North;.* the i most powerful nobleman, of his time, ; wpujd ever cpnsent to give ' his ' sister to the soil of a simple country gentleman ', he did not ask if she was, well affected towards him...herself/or whether'she was ever likely to love him ; sufficient ifor, him to be in her presence, _tp-.be .permitted to serve h'ery to speak to ' her, to tie near her, to worship her? ashmen: in 'the olden time worshipped the. stars. >And yet he could not but see me glances 'that she shot at him from her beautiful eyes, nor theAflush, that* would ; mantle^hbr * 'face apd I( neck , , she „.caught. caught his .en-, raptured gaze, 1 lior yet the kindly smile on ; her 'beautiful mouth' 1 when : their ey ci happened to meet...;,- t1 ,,.,: ... ..,-:. -. n O those glances. from love-lit eyes, what hayocvdo they ; make on-suscep-tible human hearts, how .they tantalize the lpye-lbiri wigl-t ; thiE.t J is smitten by 1 their l&rice-hke thrusts I

On their w;ay f they ..met numbers of : the country people returning from the ■ town' to jhei^jipmbs, _and_it*_wasjeasyj;p ■ s§ e X-:_32^^^ and the animationjrftheir gestures that they.w^rje/ariy.thing^but unanimous, in their' opinions. 0 " IwQueen' ikegenfc and ; the object of her visit" to the Abbot, at j j a'tinjel when (bhe iwas^kriownl to be"|bei sieged in Leith, seemed^the sple subject ; discussed, 'arid ,f Jt ; Was %m'iri'(.uS > 'fbr ' ' the I cgn^nu.£|nce .ofxjtheiPapaljtpowjerJto no* j'tice the, bpldness, \yith which { the ]Eter | fprmers fJ enfbWe^ rt-j- --* r/ Malcolm could not r 'help (noticing all f tljis^.andj.t ja|i;edjwith ali.his/Jdeas, for jas yet ll^e^erk fe\y : hereof among ithe ßraes of? A.hgus.AA Young "Northesk |;he&i^^ i scorn*- - *-* i->>* v v"^'i'- *- *?\ -yA jaA j . ; ax - v---^-- *■• " r ~-■ -•» I TVfndonl^V Hil}^ andrfhere^4^e f f^£§;

J n *}[}& majesty and' grandeur^ the Abbey; ' of V^erb^^ stately It looked with its x lofty^towers, and noble coliimris/arid-Gothio windows, and beautiful. design, and faithful iworkmansliip. \ x Eyenf v no,w Jn- ruins ie towers above the modern town like Gulliver. acppng the Lilliputians. , ; Here the Earl of Huntly arid a band of bbrsemen in search of the Lady Jeannie met them,* arid Malcolm was' introduced byf her ladyship .to? her brother,, as thesaver of her life. '■ " .••■' 'i< :*■-,.. >,i , , The Earl, warmly, shopk : hands, with/? our hero, for he loved his beautiful sister well, arid said, 'that he would be ; for ipyer indebted to. him for. the gallant way that he had rescued his sister.' and invited him .-to' the Abbey to be in fro -° duced to the Queen tiegent;^ Malcoljm bowed assent, and the cavalcade swepton, and iha short time they all aligh*fced at the Abbey gates, a (To be continued.)