The Standard Bearer

ran, threading my way among the scattered boulders and whin bushes of the lower sl

ver her head and partly shaded her brow. A wooden pail had been placed carefully on the heather at her feet. Now, what with the perturbation of my spirits and my head being full

oked more closely I saw that she had been crying, for her face was

nearer. She seemed about seven or ei

?" I said to her, standing b

ued to sob. I went near to comfort her, bu

she said; "it is not for herd l

ightily offended dignity that on an

rself and dried her e

rdered, pointing imperiously with her finger as if I had

oatmeal with cheese and butter wrapped in green leaves. But

e said; "my father is the gre

reen highway with the can in my hand. She was daintily arranging the cloak about her

w," she said, with dignity;

wild fear seized me. One of the two men I had seen fleeing might be the little girl's

re behind this bush? There are wicked men upon th

on her upward way. "Besides, my mother told me to take the pail to the hill-top and stand there

ed?" I said a

tle ladies do not cry. I was only sorry out lou

s way by yourself; was not that c

"you do not know what you are saying. I cannot, indeed, tell you who my

oun, the most famous Covenanter in Scotland, and, next to my Lo

er?" I asked in astonishment, for the distance was at le

ts for me by the bushes yonder, so that I must make haste and return. We came in a{26}

peaty water of the moorland stream mingled

er is not a one to be kept waiting. He will be impatient and an

d, "for there are many bad men on the Benna

stopping and looking at me reproachf

untain in the line of flight by which the second fugitive had made good his escape. So I judged it might be as well to satisfy the lass

p I would be able to keep her wide of the{27}

d. And as I went I cast an eye to my flock. And it appeared strange to me that the lambs should still be feeding quietly and peacefull

hed the

must arrange my hair, little boy, for my father loves to see me well

father's delinquencies of toilette had p

father is a great man a

and looked under the sun th

I desired to{28} withdraw her gaze from the northern verge of the tableland, where, as I well knew, lay a poor ri

he said, more placably and in more d

alked between her and that which lay off upon

tioned brute, sat him down as a dog does when he bays the moon, and, stretching out his neck and head towards the sky, he gave vent to

found over there?" said the

are many of them about," I answer

p brown coats?" she as

to be seen. "My father has been here before me, and has cast his

ust, pardon me, considering the n

d we took our way to the northern edge