The Seaforth News, 1941-09-18, Page 6PAGE SIX
VIMMIIIIMEMBEINIERManallarilleamm
This was done with a view to pre mended the Corporal, looking up at
vent discussions and inquiries that his pretty companion, for the first
h
might embarrass our heroine:
she time with somethinglike
a smile on
determining to render her uncle, the itis hard countenance.
Corporal, and his men more cauti- "I have read a little of it, Corpor-
ous, by adopting a different course. al, but rve heard much more. The
Unfortunately, the British army lady who brought me up had Scott -
could not have furnished a worse ish blood in her veins and was fond
person for the particular duty that of the subject."
he was now required to discharge "I'11 warrant ye, the Sergeant no'
than Corporal M'Nar, the individual troubled himself to expatiate on the
who had been left in conmrand dur-
ing the absence of Sergeant Dun-
ham. On the one hand, he was reso-
lute, prompt, familiar with all the
details of a soldier's life. and used
to war; on the other, he was super-
eilious as regards the provincials,
opinionated on every subject con -
meted with the narrow limits of his
professional practice, much disposed
to fancy the British empire the cen-
tre of as that is excellent in the
world, and Scotland the focus of, at
least. ail moral excellence in that
empire. In short, he was an epitome.
though on a scale suited to his
rank, of those very qualities which
were so peculiar to the servants of
the Crown that were sent into the
eolonies, as these servants estimat-
ed themselves in comparison with the
native of the country; or, in other
words, he considered the American
as an animal inferior to the parent
stock, and viewed all his notions of
military service, in particular, as
undigested and absurd, A more im-
practicable subject, therefore, could
not well have offered for the pur-
pose of Mabel, and yet she felt ob-
liged to lose no time in putting her
plan in execution,
"My father has left you a re-
sponsible command, Corporal," she
said, as soon as he could catch M'-
Nar a little apart; "for should the
island fall into the hands of the
enemy, not only should we be cap-
ture$, but the party that is now out
would in all probability become
their prisoners also."
"It needs no journey from Scot-
land to ;his place to know the facts
renown of the country where his reg
iment was raised?"
"My father has other things to
think of, and the little I know was
got from the lady I have mentioned."
"She'll no' be forgetting to tall ye
o' Wallace?"
"0f him I've read a good deal"
-And o' Melee. and the affair of
Bannockburn?"
"Of that, too, as well as of Cullo-
den Moor."
The last Of these battles was then
a recent event, it having actually
been fought within the recollection of
our heroine, whose notions of it,
however, were so confused that sbe
scarcely appreciated the effect of her
allusion might produce on her com-
panion. She knew it had been a vic-
tory, and bad often heard the guests
of her patroness mention it with tri-
umph; and she fancied their feelings
would find a sympathetic chord in
those of every British soldier, Un-
fortunately McNay had fought in the
luckless battle on the side of the
Pretender, and a deep scar that gar-
nished his face had been left there
by the sabre of a German soldier in
the service of the House of Hanover,
He fancied that his wound bled fresh
at Mabel's allusion, and it is certain
that the blood rushed to his face in a
torrent, as if it would pour out of his
skin at the cicatrix,
"Hoot! hoot awa'!" he fairly
shouted, "with your Culloden and
Sherriff muirs. young woman; ye'll
no' be understanding the subject at
all, and will manifest not only wis-
dom to ne o' that war of ;bink_ ciom but modesty in epeaking o' your
int," returned 3T'\ar, drily. aiu country and it many failings"
I do not doubt your understand- Mabel was surprised at the Corpor•-
it as well as myself, Mr. N'Nar, al s heat. for she had not the smell-
ing
but I' n fearful that you veterans, est idea where the shoe pinched, but
acustomed its you are to dangers Ahe was determined not to give up
and battles, are a little apt to over- the paint.
look ;;one of the precautions that "I have always heard that the.,
may be necessary in a situation as Scotch had rico of the good qualities
peculiar as ours," of soldiers,' she said, "courage and
"They say Scotland is no conquer- circumspection; and I feel persuad-
ed eountry, young woman, but. I em ed that Corporal MeNar will sustain
thinking there must be some reistak' the national renown."
in the matter, as we, her children.
are sc drowsy -headed and apt to be
c'ertaken when we least expect it."
"Nay. my good friend, you mistake
my meaning. In the first place, I'm
not thinking of Scotland at all, but
of this island; and then I am far
front doubting your vigilance when
you think it necessary to practise it;
but my great fear is that there may
be danger to which your courage will
make you indifferent."
"My courage. Mistress Dunham. is
doubtless of a very poor quality, be-
ing nothing but Scottish courage;
your father's is Yankee, and were he
here amang us we should see differ-
ent preparations. beyond a doubt.
Well, times are getting wrang, when
foreigners hold commissions and
carry halberds in Scottish corps; and
3 no wonder that battles are lost and
campaigns go wrang end foremost."
Mabe] was almost in despair; but
the quiet warning of June was still
too vividly impressed on her mind to
allow her to yield the matter. She
changed her mode of getting the
whole party within the blockhouse,
without being compelled to betray
the eource when she obtained her
melees of the necessity of vigilance,
"I daresay you are right, Corporal
MeNar," she observed; "for I've often
heard of the heroes of your country
who have been among the first of the
civilized world, if what they tell me
of them is true."
"Have you read the history of
Scotland, Mistress Dunham?" de -
"Ask yer own father, Mistress Dun-
ham; he is acquaint' with Corporal
McNay and will no' be backward to
point nut his demerits. We have been
in battle together and he is my sup-
erior officer, and has a sort of offi-
cial right to give the characters of
his subordinates."
"My father thinks well of you, Mc-
Nar, or he would not have left you
in charge of this island and all it
contain;, his own daughter included.
Among other things, I well know,
that he calculates largely on your
prudence. He expects the blockhouse
in particular to be attended to."
"If he wishes to defend the honor
of the 556th behind logs, Ire ought to
have remained in command himsel';
for, to speak frankly, it goes against
a Scotchman's bluid and opinions to
be beaten out of the field where he
is attacked. We are broadsword men
and love to stand foot to foot 'with
the foe, This American made of
fighting that is getting into so much
favor will destroy the reputation of
His Majesty's army, if it no' destroy
its spirit,"
"No true soldier despises caution.
Even Major Duncan himself, than
whom there is none braver, is cele-
brated for his care of his men."
"Lundie has his weakness, and is
fast forgetting the broadsword and
open heaths in his tree and rifle prac-
tice. But, Mistress Dunham, tak' the
word of an old soldier, who has seen
his fifty-fifth year, when be tails ye
that there is no surer method to en -
THE SEAFORTH NEWS
courage your enemy than to seem
fear him and that there is no Bang
in this Indian warfare that the f
cies and imaginations of your Ame
cans have not enlarged upon unt
they see a savage in every Mush,
Scots come from a naked region an
have no need and less relish for c
vers, and so yell be seeing, Mistres
Dunham—"
The Corporal gave a spring int
the air, fell forward on his face, an
rolled over on his back, the who]
passing so suddenly that Mabel lea
scarcely heard the sharp crack o
the rifle that had sent the buil
through his body. Our heroine did n0
shriek—did not even tremble; for th
occurrence was too sudden, too awfu
end ton unexpected for that exilib
tion of weakness; on the contrnr
site stepped hastily forward with
natural impulse to aid her compo
ion, There was just enough of lif
left in McNay to betray his entir
consciousness of all that had passed
His countenance had the wild len
of one who had been overtaken b
death by surprise; and Mabel, in he
cooler moments, fancied that it shoe
ed the tardy repentance of a wilfu
and obstinate sinner.
"Yell be getting into the block
house as fast as possible," MeN
whispered, as Mabel leaned over him
to catch his dying words,
Then came over our heroine the
full consciousness of her situation
to
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and of the necessity of exertion. She
cast a rapid glance at the body at her
feet, saw that it had ceased to
breathe, and fled. It was but a few
minutes' run to the blockhouse, the
door of which Mabel had barely gain-
ed when it was closed violently in her
fare by Jennie, the soldier's wife who
in blind terror thought only of her
own safety. The reports of five or six
Hiles were heard while Mabel was
calling out for admittance, and the
additional terror they produced pre-
vented the woman within from un-
doing the very fastenings she' had
been so expert in applying. After a
minute's delay. however, Mabel found
the door reluctantly yielding to her
constant pressure, and she forced her
slender body through the opening the
instant it was large enough to allow
of its passage. By this time Mabel's
heart ceased to beat tumultously and
she gained sufficient self -command to
act collectedly. Instead of yielding to
the almost convulsive efforts of her
companion to close the door again,
she held it open long enough to as-
certain that none of her own party
was in sight, or likely on the instant
to gain admission: then she allowed
the opening to be shut. Her orders
and proceedings now became more
calm and rational. But a single bar
was crossed, and Jennie was directed
to stand in readiness to remove even
that at any application from a friend.
She then ascended the ladder to the
room above where by means of a
loophole she was enabled to get as
good a view of the island as the sur-
rounding busbes would allow. Ad-
monishing her associate below to be
firm and steady she made as careful
an examination of the environs as
her situation permitted.
To her great surprise, Mabel could
Frenchman nor Indian was visible,
though a small straggling white cloud
that tN;as floating before the wind
told her in which quarter she ought
to look for them, The rifles had been
discharged from the direction of the
island whence June had come, though
whether the enemy were on that is-
land, or tad actually landed on her
own, Mabel could not say. Going to
the loop that commanded a view of
the spot where McNar lay, her blood
curdled at perceiving all three of his
soldiers lying apparently lifeless at
his side. These men had rushed to a
common centre at the first alarm,
and had been shot clown almost sim-
ultaneously by the invisible foe whom
the (!nrporal had affected 10 despise.
Neither Cap nor Lieutenant Muir
was to be seen, With a beating heart.
Mabel examined every opening iu the
trees, and ascended even to the upper
story or garret of the blockhouse,
where she got a full view of the
whole island, SO far as Its COVerS
would allow, but with no better suc-
cess. She lied expected to see the
body of her uncle lying on the grass
like those of the soldiers, but it was
nowhere visible. Turning towards the
spot where the boat lay, Mabel saw
that it was still fastened to the
shore, and then she supposed that
by some accident Muir had been pre-
vented from effecting his retreat in
that quarter. In short, the island lay
in the quiet of the grave, the bodies
of the soldiers rendering the scene
as fearful as it was extraordinary,
"For God's holy sake, Mistress
Mabel," called out the woman from
below; for, though her fear had be-
come too ungovernable to allow her
to keep silence, our heroine's sup-
erior refinement, more than the regi-
mental station of her lathes', still con-
trolled her mode of address,—"Mis-
tress Mabel, tell me if any of our
friends are living! I think I hear
groans that grow fainter and fainter,
and fear that they will all be toma-
hawked!"
Mabel now remembered that one of
the soldiers was this woman's hus-
band, and she trembled at what might
be the immediate effect of her sor-
row, should his death become sud-
denly known to her, The groans, too,
gave a little hope, though she feared
they might come from her uncle, who
lay out of view,
"We are in His holy keeping, Jen-
nie," she answered, "We must trust
in Providence, while we neglect noire
of its benevolent means of protecting.
ourselves. Be careful with the door;
on no account open it without my di-
rections."
"Oh, tell me, Mistress Mabel, if
you can anywhere see Sandy! If I
could only let him know that I'm in
safety, the guid man would be easier
in his mind whether free or pris-
oner,"
Sandy was Jennie's husband and he
lay dead in plain view of the loop
from which our heroine was then
looking.
"You no' tell me if you're seeing of
Sandy," the woman repeated from
below, impatient at Mabel's silence,
"There are some of our people ga-
thered about the body of McNay,"
was the answer; for it seemed sacri-
not at first see a living soul on the 1
island, friend or enemy, Neither u
THURSDAY, SEPT. 18, 1941
stances in which she was placed,
"Is Sandy amang them?" d
mended the woman, in a voice th
sounded appalling by its hoarsene
and energy.
"He may be certainly; for I s
one, two, three, four, and all in
scarlet coats of the regiment."
"Sandy!" called out the wom
frantically; "why d'ye no' care f
yoursal', Sandy? Conte hither t
instant, ratan, and share your wife
fortunes in weal or woe. It's no'
moment for your silly discipline
vain -glorious notions of honour!"
Mabel heard the bar turn and tit
the door creaked on its hinges.
pee.tation, not. to say terror, held h
>in suspense at the loop. and she so
beheld Jennie rushing through t
Bushes in the direction of the dust
of the dead. It took the woman b
an instant to reach the fatal spo
So sudden and unexpected bad be
the blow, that she in her terror d
not appear to comprehend its weigh
Some wild and half -frantic notion
a deception troubled her fancy, v
she imagined that the men were tri
Mg with her fears. She took her hu
band's hand, and it was still war
while she thought a covert smile w
struggling on his lip.
"Why will ye fool life away, Sa
"Yell all be murdered by thesa
cursed Indians, and you no taki
the block like trusty soldiers! Awa
awa! and no' be losing the preeiot
moments."
In her desperate efforts, the w
man pulled the body of her husban
in a way to cause the head to tut
completely over, when the small hole
in the temple, caused by the entrance
of the rifle bullet, and a few drops
of blood trickling over the skin, re-
vealed the meaning of her husband's
silence. As the horrid truth flashed in
its furl extent on her mind, the wo-
man clasped her hands, gave a shriek
that pierced the glades of every is-
land near, and fell at length on the
dead body of the soldier. Thrilling,
heart -reaching, appalling as was that
shriek, it was melody to the cry that
followed it so quickly as to blend the
sounds. The terrific warwhoop arose
out of the covers of the island, and
some twenty savages, horrible in
their paint and other devices of In-
dian ingenuity, rushed forward, eager
to secure the coveted scalps. Arrow-
head was foremost, and it was his
tomahawk that brained the senseless
Jennie; and her reeking hair was
hanging at his girdle as a trophy in
less than two minutes after she had
quitted the blockhouse. His compare -
ions were equally active, and McNay
and his soldiers no longer presented
the quiet aspect of men who slumb-
ered. They were left in their gore,
unequivocally butchered corpses.
All this passed in much less time
than has been required to relate it,
and all this did Mabel witness, She
bad stood riveted to the spot, gazing
on the whole horrible scene, as if
enchained by some (alarm. nor did
the idea of self or of her own dan-
ger once obtrude itself on her
Thoughts. But no sooner did she per-
ceive the place where the Wren had
fallen covered with savages, exulting
in the success of their surprise, than
igious in her eyes to tell a direct it occurred to her that Jennie had
ntruth under the awful circum- left the blockhouse door unbarred.
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Her heart beat violently, for that de-
fence alone stood between her and
immediate death, and she sprang to-
ward the ladder with the intention
of descending to make sure of it. Her
foot had not yet reached the floor of
the second storey, however, when
she beard the door grating on its
hinges, and she gave herself up for
lost. Sinking on her knees, the terri-
fied but courageous girl endeavored
to prepare herself for death, and to.
raise her thoughts to God.
Lady — "I wish to select a pet
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mum?"
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"Then I would advise a grey-
hound, mum. No matter how much
you feeds greyhounds they allus
stays naivete"
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