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Updated: June 16, 2025
It may be so: the sayings of man are sometimes true. Whether or not the circumstances of Elspie and old McKay were at the worst is an open question; but there can be no doubt that they began to mend just about that time, for the girl had not quite got rid of her disconsolate feelings when the faint but merry tinkle of sleigh-bells was heard in the frosty air.
"Nurse," said the child, suddenly fixing on Elspie's face her large eyes, "was that my papa I saw?" "It was just himsel, my sweet wee pet," cried Elspie, trying to stop her with kisses; but Olive went on. "He is not like mamma he is great and tall, like you. But he did not take up and kiss me, as you said he would."
And Auntie Elspie had promised to do her best, but would give no assurance of success. When this was over, there was to be another patriotic song by the choirs, then the Piper could have a chance again, and every one was to climb back into their rigs, and they would all go back home and have such a supper as nobody would believe until they saw it!
"Does it cost too much money for Elspie?" "No, bairn, it's not too dear," said Katie, herself again. "The lilies were dearer. But ye'll have the heather an' welcome, if ye will; an' I doubt not it'll look all right in Donald's eyes when he sees it this time." It was indeed a good home that Donald made for his wife and her sister. He was better to do in worldly goods than they had supposed.
The two younger sisters were for going all the way with her over the hills, but Auntie Elspie, with her deeper insight, interfered. "Gavie'll go and carry the flowers for you, Christina," she said. "We'll have to be gettin' away back, girls."
And the sparkling Elspie threw herself on the floor by Katie, and flung her arms across her knees, looking up into her face with a wilful, loving smile. "No wonder Donald loves her so, the bonny thing!" thought Katie. "God knows I'd grudge ye nothing on earth, Elspie," she said, in a voice so earnest that Elspie looked wonderingly at her. "Is it a very dear flower, sister?" she said penitently.
She thought of her as in life, standing knitting by the nursery-window, walking slowly and sedately along the green lanes, carrying the basket of flowers and roots, collected in their rambles, or sitting in calm Sunday afternoons with her Bible on her knee. And then, passing from the memory of Elspie once on earth, Olive thought of Elspie now in heaven.
Next morning, however, he and Elspie were both saved the necessity of doing such violence to their feelings, by the arrival of two men from Fort Garry. They were members of a sort of police force that the Company had enrolled, and had come to arrest Duncan McKay junior, on the charge of murder!
Elspie did not realize the extent of it. A freer-spoken, more demonstrative lover would have found heartier response and more appreciation from her. But she was a loyal, loving, contented little wife, and there could not have been found in all Charlottetown a happier household, to the eye, than was Donald's for the first three months after his marriage. Then a cloud settled on it.
On the lawn slept the long shadows of the trees, for behind them was rising the round, red moon. And yet, within the house was death. She tried to realise the truth. She said to herself, time after time, "Elspie will die!" But even yet she could not believe it. How could the little birds sing and the sunset shine when Elspie was dying! At last the light faded, and then she believed it all.
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