The Standard Bearer

and for a moment I was disconcerted. I knew that she would doubtless throw a sharp light upon the water, and that from the shore th

and so disposed the leaves that from the shore they made at once a perfect shelter and a secure hiding-place for Mary, who sat

of June had beat upon it all the long day. A chill wind had sprung up within the last hour, and the wavelets broke on my back and upon the raft at my chin with a little jabble of s

e black Parton moors on the other side. But all the same she did us a mighty ill turn. For I kn

rom the land. There I held the raft so that the bran

against the shining beach, and his helmet sometimes flashed momentarily against the dark line of{54} the woods behind. So th

s resolve to catch his man. For it was but seldom that any of the red soldiers would consent to lie out at night, preferring instead to quarter

at like a statue under the green bough, and smiled at the dancing ripples. She looked very beautiful to see, aye,

like, for soon we were crossing the

m the hills. He hugged himself as if he had been a-cold. Yet he stood looking so long that I feared he might suspect something. But after all it was only that he was a contemplati

, he shouldered his piece and t

ing on my back I pushed the raf

her side, and I could carry the brave little maid asho

be some pet dog of her's. In time, however, I found that he was a certain g

leeping maid. She grew heavier and heavier every moment as I stumbled over the rough moor, so that my back was

der a bush of bog-myrtle, and swimming to the

my stomach that I had brought the maid to a house uninhabite

early at the do

returned, giving question for

ellow voic

answered thus," said the voice; "but since the

ured, I told very briefly fo

ithin coming slowly along a stone passage. Bolts withdrew, and th

lue frieze, stood there. She had a white nightcap on her head, fril

o me. Her faither and her mother are taken

n slain for aught I knew. I told her also the terrible thing I had been witness to on the top of

aid, and again, "p

ge way to speak of the martyrs, but it was

across to the loch's edge, and there, in the first ruddy glow of the rising sun, with colour on her lips and her lashes lying long and dark upo

ts boy, as rough and landward as Ashie or Gray, my questing collies. But certain it is that I stoo

tulant whimper she nestled her head deeper into my neck. My heart stirr

s Matt had his breakfast?" she said. An

the boat. Her aunt stepped in and took the

see to the child. You have done well by Sandy's bairn. Come and see her and

pon the water, one oily and broad where the keel stirred the peaty water, an

the edge of the blue hood of frieze, whe

grown laddie care for bairns?

f Mary Gordon for many and ma