Gilian The Dreamer

for him the tenderest portions of the hen; she gave him most generously of cheese-not the plain skim-milk curd cheese of Ladyfield, the leaving

all, the conclusion of them all, was the greatness of her brothers. Ah! she was a strange little woman wit

out in the quarrelsome world but for a line in the Saturday Post or the Courier or maybe an old hint in the General Almanack itself. Perhaps when you become acquainted with the General and the Cornal you will wonder that they are never at any time jocular, and maybe you will think that they are soured at life and that all

the funeral?" asked Gilian, his intere

know them because they are not at all like the Captain. He was a soldier too, in a way, but they were

and the hanging swords, that now he knew the trade and story

e only one, and we gave it to a lady of the place who was chief with him before he went away, and dwined a great deal after his death. And that's his sword. When it came h

, quays, tumultuous towns, camps, and all the wonders or the shepherds' battle stories round the fire, and he was in a field, and it was the afternoon with a blood-red sky beyond the fir-trees, dense smoke floating across it and the cries of men cutting each other down. He saw-so it seemed as he stood in the middle of the floor of the little parlour with the crumbs of his dinner still upon his vest-the stiff figure of a fallen man in a high collar like the man portrayed upon the wall, and his hand was still in the hilt o

upon his shoulder, speaking the Gaelic that any mo

ust thinking of your brother who did not co

s of his cheek. "I think," said she, "I am going to like you very much. I might be telling my poor story of a sword

e, encouraged by a sympath

ou did,"

saw him

ham

it from the scabbard, and you cried out and ran an

s blade. That's my only grievance with those soldier brothers of mine. I said I did not think much of the soldiers; oh! boy, I love them all. I sometimes grieve that God made me a woman that I might not be putting on the red coat too, and following the drum. And still and on, I would have no son of mine a soldi

ght, the smells of things, the sounds of woods and the splash of waters, and the mists streaming along the ravines. He told her-or rather he made her understand, for his language was simple-how at sudden outer influences his whole being fired, and from so trivial a thing as a cast-off horseshoe on the highway he was compelled to picture the rider, and set him upon the saddle and go riding with him to the King of Erin's court that is in the story of the third son of Easadh Ruadh in the winter tale. How the joy of the swallow was his in its first darting

sat in her chair with her back to the window, her face in the shadow, leaning against the chair haffits with the aspect of weariness her brothers never had revealed to them, it seemed to Gilian the little figure and the ruddy face of a companion. She was silent for a moment after his confessions were completed, as if she had been wander

between her eyebrows. "You are far too white for a country boy; upon my word

ring to his fancy as he was himself. He turned to hide his disappointment. At once the lines disappeared.

n-grate and roasting-jack. It must be the old, darling, foolish Highlands in us, my dear, the old people and the old stupid stories they are telling for generations round the fire, and it must

ars, at least her eyes swam soft in moisture. It comforted h

think I do not love and reverence my brothers, mind you!" she added almost fiercely, rubbing with her lustre apron the table there was nothing to rub from save its polish. "Oh! they are big men and far-travelled men, and they have seen the wonderful sights. They used to get great thick letters franked from the Government with every post, and the Duke will be calling on them no

"because when I sit and look at people without saying anything I am readi

cious; theirs, poor dears, are full of things that have act

ough-other son of Lorn Campbell. The sun, westering, turned the clean rain-washed sand in the gutters of the street to gold, and there the children played and their calls and rhymes and laughter made so merry a world that the boy at the window, looking out upon it, felt a glow. He was now to be always with these fortunate children whom he knew so well ere ever he had changed words with them. He had a little dread of the magnitude and corners of this dwelling that was to be his in the future, and of the old men who sat in it all day saying nothing, but it was strange indeed (thought he) if with Miss Mary

nt of the boy, so that half his figure found the shelter of a wing. The two brothers between them filled the width of the lobby, and yet they were not wide. But they were broad at the shoulders and once, no doubt, they filled their funeral suits that of their own stiffness seemed to stand out in all their old amplitude. The

eye upon the boy, his voice as high as in a barrack yard. The General stood at

master when she broke in upon his vaunting. The lines dashed to her brow; when she spoke it

rom Ladyfield,"

nal with a touch of annoyance. "I cannot stand boys;

l in a high squeaking voice. "If I had my stick at some of you, tormenting a gallant old soldier!"

yed the Major; it is only the keelies from the low-country who do so. A

range, Dugald, that women must be aye bringing in useless weans off the street to make noise and annoyance for t

se you'll be going to give him something. It is give, give

e was nobody gave with a greater extravagance than yourself when you ha

t and let him go," sa

wl and as carefully putting it in again. And having done this quite unnecessary thing she slipped

s you grow older you grow stupider. Does she

it to torment us, just." He was tired by this

at rapidity explained the situation. The boy was the Lady

in a trance. There was a little silence when sh

going to make of t

said Miss Mary; "he

ornal with contempt. "Let me

he boy's chin; Gilian in the touch felt an abhorrence of the hard, clammy fingers that had made dead men, but his eyes never quailed as he looked up in the scarred face. He saw a mask; there was no getting to the sec

and with a twist made him wince, pushed him on the shoulders and

h. "What's this but a clerk? There's not the spirit in the boy

n's house and if he wants to keep the boy he'll do it. And I'm sure if you but took the trouble to think th

axed its sternness. He looked

d the General and I will have a crac

oftly pushed him in after her brother, shut the door