Donald Ross of Heimra (Volume 2 of 3)

"I don't know what's going to happen; but if they try on any games, I've got a little friend in my pocket here that can bark – and bite."

Mary overheard, and turned on him at once.

"What is that?" said she. "Your revolver? Let me see it."

He looked round: there was no one by.

"Oh, it is an elegant little companion to have with you," he said, bringing forth the silver-mounted weapon from his pocket, and regarding it quite affectionately.

She took it from him – he thinking that she merely wished to look at it – and, without more ado, she pitched it over the low sea-wall: there was a splash in the clear green water, and a bubble or two of air.

"Things of that sort are not fit for children," she said – and she took no heed of the angry flush that at once rose to his forehead: anger more probably caused by the reference to his youth than to the loss of his revolver. However, he said nothing; and so they went on again; and eventually arrived at the church.

When they entered the little building and modestly took their places in the nearest of the pews, there ensued a rather awkward moment; for they had come early; and, on looking round, they found that the only other persons present were they who had summoned the meeting; so that the hostile camps had a good opportunity of contemplating each other. The pulpit (like the body of the church) was empty; but in the precentor's box was a serious-visaged, brown-bearded man, who was no doubt Mr. Fraser, of the Stratherrick Branch of the Highland Land League; while underneath him, in the square space partitioned off for the pews of the elders, sate the three persons who were to address the meeting. They were all gravely silent, as was fit and proper; but their eyes were alert; and it was as clear as daylight to Mary's friends that the strangers had recognised in her the lady of Lochgarra House, whom they had come to impeach as the representative in these parts of the iniquitous landlord interest. It was indeed an awkward moment; and Mr. Ogden's glances of scrutiny were furtive, until he turned away altogether; but the thin and feverish-faced Mlle. Ernestine took more confident survey; and her bold black eyes went from one to the other of the group, but were most frequently fixed on Mary Stanley. The lady from Connecticut, also, was obviously curious: most probably she had never beheld before any of those people whose malevolent turpitude had brought the Highlands to such a pass.

The time went slowly by, in this constrained silence. The vice-president of the Stratherrick Branch, from his seat in the precentor's box, began to look rather anxiously towards the door. Mr. Ogden glanced at his watch. Frank Meredyth did likewise – it was ten minutes after one. And yet there had been no sign of any human being – except for a small boy who had thrust his shock head in for a second, and gazed wonderingly around the empty church, and then withdrawn with a scared face. At length the chairman leaned over the edge of the precentor's box, and in an audible whisper said —

"Mr. Ogden, I'm thinking ye'd better go out and tell them?"

Mr. Ogden hesitated for a moment, and then made answer —

"Don't you think we should begin the proceedings? – that will be the best announcement."

"Very well," said Mr. Fraser; and he rose in his place with a heavy sigh of preparation. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "before coming to local matters, I will ask Mrs. Jackson Noyes to read a paper that she has prepared. Mrs. Noyes has recently completed a two days' trip round the West Highlands in the steamer Dunara Castle; and where she has been unable to land – for the steamer does not give ye much time at any place – she has used her eyes, or her opera-glass, impartially; and what she has seen she has put down. The title of the paper is; 'The Horrible Desolation of the Highlands, as Descried from the Deck of the Dunara.' Would ye get up on the bench, mem?"

This last murmured invitation was addressed to Mrs. Noyes, who rose to her feet, but seemed to shrink from taking up any more prominent position. Indeed, the poor woman looked dreadfully embarrassed; her face was all aflame; instead of proceeding with her paper, she kept glancing helplessly towards the door, whither Mr. Ogden had gone to reconnoitre; and it was clear she could not bring herself to begin without an audience, or, rather, with that small audience that was a hundred times worse than none. And presently Mr. Ogden came back – his face black as thunder. He went up to the precentor's box, and muttered something to the chairman. He returned to the elders' enclosure, and said something to the two ladies – who seemed entirely bewildered. The next moment the four of them had filed out of the church, without a word.

"Well, this is the most astounding thing!" Frank Meredyth exclaimed, when his party had also left their places, and got into the open air. "What is the matter with the people? Not a living soul has come near the place! No wonder the big Parliament-man was in a furious rage!"

But Mary had turned to Kate Glendinning, who had fallen a step or two behind.

"Käthchen," she said, in an undertone, "what is the meaning of all this? I can see perfectly well you know something about it."

For indeed Käthchen was all tremblingly triumphant, and joyous, and also inclined to tears – half-hysterical, in short.

"Mamie – Mamie," she said, between that laughing and crying, "I knew he could do it if he liked – and – and – I thought he would – for your sake – "

"What are you talking about?" said Mary: but a sudden self-conscious look showed that she had guessed.

"You needn't be angry, Mamie," said Käthchen, her wet eyes shining with a half-concealed pride and delight; "but – but I was terribly frightened about what might happen to you; and yesterday I sent Big Archie out to Heimra – I told him to go as soon as the people had got into church – and I gave him a note. For I knew he would answer the message at once – and that he would see you came to no harm – "

"Do you mean Donald Ross?" said Mary, rather breathlessly.

"Who else could have done it?" said Käthchen, with something of reproach. "And I knew he would do that – or anything – for your sake. Oh, do you think I can't see? – do you think I have no eyes?"

Mary did not answer: she walked on in silence for a little while. But by and by she said —

"Käthchen, don't you think I ought to see Mr. Ross – before he goes back to Heimra?"

END OF VOL. II

1

Forbye – besides.