The House of Whispers

s Glencardine. Its situation is both picturesque and imposing, and the stern aspect of the two square baronial towers which face the south, perched on a sheer precipice t

lent monument of warlike days long since forgotten. There, within those walls, now overgrown with ivy and weeds, and where big trees grow in the centre

eason of a moat, an effective barrier against attack. To-day, however, the river has diminished into a mere burn meandering through a beautiful wooded glen three hundred feet below, a glen t

ry, with oak-panelled rooms, many quaint gables, stained glass, and long, echoing corridors-a residence well adapted for entertaining on a lavish sca

Henry Heyburn, himself a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, to purchase it from

ne, and the great castle was built by his son. They were indeed a noble race, as their biographer has explained. Ever fea

telling. In the year 1490 the all-powerful Abbot of Inchaffray issued an order for the collection of the teinds of the Killearns' lands possessed by

les to the south-west of Crieff, while a number of the clan M'Robbie, who lived beside the Loch of Balloch, marched up the south side of the hill, halting at the top to watch the progress of the combat. The fight began with great fury on both sides. The Glencardine men, however, began to get the upper hand and drive their opponents back, when the M'Robbies rushed down the hill to the succour of the Killearns. The tables were now turned. The Grahams were unable to maint

ave been in the church, only one young lad escaped, and this was effected by the help of one of the Killearns, who caught the boy in his arms as he leaped out of the flames. The Killearns did not go unpunished for their barbaro

llearn Eirinich" (or Ernoch), meaning Killearn of Ireland. The estate which he held, and which is situated near Comrie, still bears that name. The site of the Kirk of Monzievaird is now

me of the great Lord Glencardine, and of events, both in the original stronghold and in

away, visited Glencardine and spent several weeks in the pleasantest manner. Within those gaunt rui

oom! thy stre

rass o'er t

Care thou

round the

Gloom! on t

s now are

flits ama

rds there a

e woe! oh, m

il war t

Argyll, thy

the grea

chils brigh

eepin' wa

s light did

n' flames

irk was the

o'er thy

ike beauty

was so

ook the keenest possible interest. But, tragedy of it all, he had never seen the lovely old domain he had acquired! Only by Gabrielle's descri

modern mansion, and who was said to be the spectre of the young Lady Jane Glencardine, who in 1710 was foully drowned in the Earn by her

she declared to be the "deadly dullness" of her Perthshire home. That moment was no exception. There were half-a-dozen guests staying in the house, but neither Gabrielle nor her father took the slightest intere

her ladyship to old Colonel Burton at her side. "If she h

l responded from the farther end of the table.

us!" declared the Baronet's w

s knew too well that in the Glencardine household there had always been, and alwa

in the covered wagonette, the gay party drove away, while Gabr

to her father's den, where he usually smoked alone, and, taking his arm, led him out for a walk into the park ov

ges of the rushing Ruthven Water, or he could traverse the most intricate paths through the woods by means of certain landmarks which only he himself knew. He was ever fond of wandering about the estate alone, and often took solitary walks on

would be dawn before they returned. She loved her father, and was never happier than whe

of the night was broken only by the quick scurry of a rabbit into the ta

us, but broken walls of the ancient stronghold, where an owl hooted weirdly

nce," the old man was saying, her arm held withi

d; while I am quite happy with you," she r

in here with a man who is blind. Remember, you are youn

so much archaeology and so much about mediaeval seals that I believe I am qualified to

, if the Suffragettes are allo

d of questions asked by her father concerning some improvements being made in one of the

being relieved by Hill of the wraps, passed together into the library, where, from a locked cabinet in a c

ver them, "not business to-night, dear, but p

dad. Shall

on at Cambridge but he first sends it to me for examination before it is catalogued. He knows what pleasure it is t

tiquary knows, that you are the greatest living authority on the subject whic

t my affliction came, and now I can only feel the matrices and picture them in my mind. I see through your eyes, dear Gabrielle. To me, the

hree bronze seals-two oval, about two inches long, and the third round, about one inch in diameter, and each with a small kind of

over the surfaces quickly, an expressi

of the inscriptions," he said, at the same time carefully

rted, rose quickly from her

om the lawn by the open window, and stood there, with his finger upon his lips, indica

, and instinctively she placed her hand upon her

held in some mysterious thraldom, made excuse to the bli