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Presently she fancied she saw something glitter, away in the darkness two things: they must be eyes! the eyes of an otter or of a polecat, in which creatures the caves along the shore abounded. Seized with sudden fright, she ran to the laird and laid her hand on his shoulder, crying, "Leuk, laird, leuk!" He started to his feet and gazed bewildered at the child, rubbing his eyes once and again.
'Ah, sire, cried she, 'I have come to beg of thee a boon. Nor ever since I came over the sea have I begged of thee until now. Give me, I beseech of thee, the life of the young Laird of Logie. 'Alas, May Margaret, cried the king, 'that cannot I do! An thou gavest to me all the gold that is in Scotland yet could I not save the lad.
They are worldly-wise to a proverb, and yet wildly susceptible to poetry and romance. The songs of such a people have necessarily a great variety: the color and the perfume of life are in them. Listen to the mocking, railing drollery of "There cam' a young man," the sly humor of the "Laird o' Cockpen," or "Hey, Johnnie Cope!" and you may understand one side of Scottish character.
"It should not require more than a hundred thousand dollars to educate a son of mine, and you must finish in four years. I would not care to think you dull or lazy." "Do you wish an accounting, father?" The Laird shook his head. "Keeping books was ever a sorry trade, my son. I'll read the accounting in your eye when you come back to Port Agnew." "Oh!" said young Donald.
One night the laird sat in the kitchen revolving in his mind the whole affair for the many hundredth time. Was it right to spend on his son's education what might go to the creditors? Was it not better for the world, for the creditors, and for all, that one of Cosmo's vigour should be educated? Was it not the best possible investment of any money he could lay hold of?
He then took tender leave of the girl and walked all the way home. His father had not retired when he reached The Dreamerie, and the sight of that stern yet kindly and wholly understandable person moved him to sit down beside The Laird on the divan and take the old man's hand in his childishly. "Dad, I'm in hell's own hole!" he blurted. "I'm so unhappy!" "Yes, son; I know you are.
Never had an adventure; never had a woman look at me like I was a god; married at twenty and never knew the Grand Passion." He threw up his arms. "Oh-h-h, God-d-d! If I could only be young again I'd be a devil! Praise be, I know one man with guts enough to tell 'em all to go to hell." With a peculiar little moving cry he started for the door. "Andrew," The Laird cried anxiously.
The laird said never a word, never looked behind him, while she, almost tumbling down his back as she cursed with outstretched arms, deafened him with her raging. He walked steadily down the path to the road, where he stepped into the midst of her goods and chattels. The sight of them diverted a little the current of her wrath. "Where are you going, Macruadh?" she cried, as he walked on.
Then I'll have that case screwed into the wall of the post-office lobby where all Port Agnew can see and understand " "Nellie," The Laird interrupted, "please stop fiddling with that baby and dress him. Daughter, get my other grandson ready, and you, Donald, run over to the mill office. My car is standing there.
"If you please, me laird, they say they maun see yer lairdship's sel' and the leddy," said the old man. "What the blazes do they want with us? Was ever anything so insolently persistent? Go and tell the fellows that I cannot and will not see them to-night! And if they are disappointed it will serve them right for coming out on such a night as this, They must have been mad!" "Verra weel, me laird.
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