The Last of Their Race

y drew on a pair of shabby, old leather gloves with gauntlets which came well up her slender arms. Hers were small, fine, capable hands, in which at that moment, though

r there was a fine strength and courage, in

x-and-twenty years of life, for half of which, at least, she h

t her the heart of a child. It looked out from the clear eyes under the delicate lashes, it was in the slightly downw

the sun inclining it to ruddy gold. She wore a short skirt of Harris tweed, leather-bound, and a woollen coat of her own knitting, a

, three dogs came bounding from some region beyond the house, betrayin

u go to the stable. Janet, you silly old woman, at your time

y who rejoiced in the sober name of Janet, thus admonished, bounded before her down

t few steps hid all except the cold slate roof and the pinnacles of the little round

little "ill-convenient," as the country-folk had it. It was a large mansion of sorts, but totally unsuited to the needs of a

nt dimensions within its walls. It was full of legend, of tragic memories, and did not even lack th

rains of many a year had soddened and discoloured it, while, here and there, at

far and near to see it, and many artists had lingered enchanted over its picturesque detail. It stood on a small, green plateau facing south, sheltered at the back by the pine-c

, with shooting of some value, though it had been cut down to as narrow dimensions as the extravagance of

ed sun lay warm and kindly on the clear summit of Ben Voirlich, of which, at that point, an exquisite view could be obtained, though it was in the next few steps lost again. The ruddy glow was reflected in the clea

as, comprised her whole knowledge of the world outside her own glen. But beyond that she had neither asked nor desired anything else. The things she most passionately desired and prayed for--

ation--the Earn village; that is, if they did no

t not be wise to let her father see. In this simple act a great part of the tragedy of Achree may be apprehended. For even such

quickened her steps in order that she might reach it before he started out again, and might thus save him another stop on the steep ascent. T

fat pony had ambled off before she could stop him. Presently they met where a little

ite well. You had letters for Mrs. Macl

d come for the week-end maype," answered David, as if the matter were of moment to the whole glen.

shaft of the old cart, stroking the fat pony's yellow e

s most careful with them, and in all the years of his service he had neve

closed over the thick letter enclosed in its foreign envelope.

will pe good news from Maister Malcolm in f

to speak lightly, but her fingers were nervously closing ov

ew before she opened that letter, about a hundred yards lower down the road, that it contained bad news. It was too thi

ach, though there lived one of her best and most faithful friends in the whole glen--one Elspeth Mackay marrie

, not even smiling as the rich, fine smell of Elspeth's baking was borne out through the open door. Down the hill a little way she came to the

ll that half-hour by the Darrac

write airily and lightly, telling the miserable

I'm sorry I can't comply. I seem to have the devil's own luck here in this beastly count

ucking up to him you may as well give up the ghost, as far as any chance of promotion or even of fair play is concerned. Of course, no Mackinnon can suck up to anybody--we've got too m

e tribe, but the other chaps got their innings every time and nothing but the dirty work was left to me. We had such a lot of beastly, unnecessary fag on our marches that most of the chaps were on the verge of mutiny; but I was the only one with the courage to speak up. Whatever garbled version of the story may get home, you ma

nor won't cut up too rough. Try and get the worst over for me before I come, because naturally I'm raw enough about the whole bally thing, and couldn't stand much more. Fact is, it's all right in a crack regiment for the chaps who have b

and in Calcutta. I owe about two thousand pounds, and how it's to be paid is keeping me awake at night. Of course, it's been advanced on Achree, so hea

five years, and a perfect horde of pensioners have been kept off the poor old place. The half of them ought to be chucked; it's nothing

so bad as I'm painted, and if I had only half a chance I might prove it to you. I must try and get somebody to introduce me to

, and there's hardly anything in life worth worrying about, really. You have the be

'Jumna' that the easiest way out would be to drop quietly over the rail s

LCO

perienced both a mother's anxiety and a sister's shame for the ne'er-do-weel. The history of Malcolm Mackinnon's misdeeds in the glen, and out of it, would fill a book. B

and Isla had welcomed with abundant relief the news that his regiment was ordered to India. That was three years ago. And now the final blow

it all, he would smile his wicked and alluring smile and get off scot-free. This was the first time condign punishment had been meted out to him, and he took it lightly and

it and took away the last remnant of its girlish curve. She had a woman's work in front of her, and a man's combined, for the

he pride of her race crept back to sustain her, and her e

r scamper down the hill, reminded her of the passage of time. She pulled herself together, thrust the le

y with all whom she met, and even listened patiently to a tinker's tale, told with the persuasive guile of her tribe. She felt herself

ll again and so came to the gate of Darrach farm-ho

life. Then she had married honest Donald Maclure and had flitted to the house of Darrach, whose chief recommendation, in her eyes, was that i

Indian mail-day. As she came down the path, wiping the flour of her baking from her hands on the snow-whit

with a clear, rosy face and abundant black hair, a model wife an

ak, and that her face was wan and dark under the eyes. She took

ock last night when that thrawn prute of a cock wouldna stop his crawin'

e baby, in a queer little cage of Donald's making, was crowing in the middle of t

ever happened in Elspeth's experience, and it see

in repressing them too much. There had been but three in the family--the third being an elder sister who had married young and died in childbed. Her death was the

post hass a heap to answer for. In the old days the trouble had plown ower, whatefer, afore we got wind of it, especially when it happened in

ars was the very best thing which could have happened to her. Thus relieved, her heart quickly recovered its strength. She drew back,

would have had no difficulty in reading that big, sprawling, crude schoolboy writing. But again the shame of it overc

I've always said it wou

tell it quickly, Miss Isla, for I

" she added, referring to the second page of the letter, "and his ship, the 'Jumna,' wi

her hands worked nervou

e, Miss Isla, what are

e was! If he grasped the fact that Malcolm had been cashiered it would simply kill him. Now I shall be hard put to it, watching for other letters from India or from the War Office. Oh, Elspeth, I'm so tired of playing watch-

the one hope and salvation of Achre

hook h

t. My brother owes so much money, that, to get him clear, we ought to sell it. It

erstruck and horrified, star

, the laws made py men are not good laws. I'm only a plain woman, put this I see that, when a man iss like what Maister Malcolm iss, without the fear of God or

, far-away look on her face, "it