Love And Loyalty.

! 5 " Nay , Seymour , nay , I prithee speak not so hastily to him , remarked Marslon , "Do not judge him too severely . His views coincide with mine . Nofc ( hafc 1 counsel a base abandonment of Ihe Prince . I intend to face the issue , although I fear thafc nought but disaster awaits me . My one regret , is Hint we should have tempted Wharton fo join so hazardous an enterprise . If ill befalls him ' twill break his sister ' s heart . "

"Iricnd Marston , interposed W haiion , with emotion , "Ihou ar-l a worthy fellow . Thy good heartbeats with nought bufc kindness and goodwill . " Ho then impressively added , " I know , and no one better , thegreat love that Constance has for her brother . To shield him from harm , to watch tenderly over him and to promote his happiness was hor dead mother ' s legacy . Hitherto , she has kept her promise faithfully . Marston , if 'twill comfort , thee , I fear no danger to my sister ' s brother . "

" Art thou a fatalist . ? " asked Marston , wondcringly , " I should have thought that thy head was too volatile to harbour snch a belief . Fatality- or such-sober like lore better becomes the old and studious than the young and thoughtless . " " Harold , our friend , spoke truly just , now , " remarked Seymour , whose anger against against Somerville had passed away . " 1 deeply

grieve that wo have enticed thee from thy home and from her who loves thee so dearly , to embark in a perilous undertaking . At present no harm has come to thee . I will seek an audience of the Prince . He noticed how bravely you fought at Falkirk Muir . I will tell him that in theo rests the happiness of thy only sister , and

thafc thou art the last of thy line . He is noble , chivalric and gentle . His heart already sorrows for flic loss of many good friends to his person , and he fears the worst . The departure of one man from his force cannot effect the issue , be it good or bad . lain sure that he will , not think ill of thee if thou scekesf to leave the army on lhe morrow . "

"Nay , Seymour-, I cannot consent to thy well meant oll ' ei , " said Wharton , proudly . " 'Tis my intention to remain . Thou art a a strange fellow . A few moments ago you took Sonierville severely fco task for presuming to look darkl y npon ( he situation . Wh y hast thou thus suddenly- become a pessimist ? This depression is an unhealthy sign in one of th y naturall y sanguine temperament . Thou Yorick of a later day , shake off thy gloom and cheer us with " your

gambols ; yonr songs ; yonr flashes of merriment ; that were wont to set thc table in a roar . " Why apprehend ruin lo lhe ' Cause' If the Prince carr reach his Highland fastnesses he may be able to hold out , till succour comes from France King Louis loves not , the House ol Hanover , rror its king . He has not forgot ten the lesson taught uf Dottingon , and if report speaks trul y burns to avenge the disaster that there befell his arms . "

Ere Seymour had time to reply , Marslon said , "Whar-lon , I admire your- confidence and courage , but , I think ( hat , 'twill be heifer for thee to fall in with Seymour ' s proposal . I spoke just now of fatalism , and bearing on the subject I have an adventure to relate . If Seymour' , Sorncrville , and yourself , care ( o hear it . 1 am at your service ?" Ready acquiescence having been given , he thus commenced :

"Some time ago when we were in the neighbourhood ol falkirk , I was laking a solitary walk . 'Twas gel ting dark . Presently , I saw advancing in my direction the tall figure of a woman somewhat fantasliel y attired . I glanced at her . and was passing on , when she ( ouched my arm . I stood still and asked her what she wanted .

"' Sir , may I crave a few words with thee , she said , m ( ones thai struck me as being singularl y refined . " ' Yon may , ' 1 returned . ' Pray proceed . ' " ' Dost thou believe in fate ? she strangely asked . '

"' I do not , with one reservation , ' I quickly replied . "' What is that reservation ? " she demanded , and her eyes glistened . "' The fate of all on whom the sun shines , the common htl of humanity—Death ! ' I said .

" ' Man , thou must not , trifle with me ! ' she loftily exclaimed . "' Woman , ' I warmly retorted , 'and wherefore nol ? Trille qiiof ha ? ' I ( hen banteringly added , ' Why ( his stage pose and diction ? Are you a descendant of one of those weird sisters whose presence on a

Scottish heath gave Macbeth a hi of the vapours ? Egad , the lad Mistress Nance Oldlield might have copied th y tragic manner with advantage . If not air actress , you arc perhaps an Egyptian , a weaver of destinies , a reader of the stars , a fori une Idler or , iu homely English , a gipsy ? '

'" Sir , t hon bast guessed truly , she returned m softer tones , 'I am of that ancient race . But think not that f am one of ( hose

ignorant and sordid fortune felling beldames who haunt ( he highways and byways of ( he hmd ' to entra p ( he unwary , nor am I of ( hal holder class of impostors who in ( owns and villages prey upon tin fears and superstition of foolish folk . ' " She then stood proudly creel , and ii appeared fo mc fhal hei

eyes had the dangerous , wandering look possessed by ( hose pool creatures lotlcring ou Ihe border Iii f insanity . It struck me . also , lhat i had fo deal with n women of no common order , an ciifliiisiasf , and one who lirndy believed in tier vaunted powers . I thought ' I would be as well lo humour her in order io discover hei

object in accosting inc . It was apparently not for a ineiceiiary mot i ve , as she had not asked me lo cross her hand eil her wit h gold or silver , after fhe manner of those jades who profess to read your destiny , and occasionally vary flic proceedings by empt ying your pockets , if the opportunity offers , at Bartholomew Fair und ( hi

Love And Loyalty.

like . These thoughts passed quickly- through my mind . 'M y good woman , ' I remarked . ' f doubt not thy skill . I told thec thai I believed nof in fale . The minds of men are not all constituted alike . I am not a fatalist . For instance , I scoff at the absurd theory that everything is predestined . However , these ideas of mine are of no moment and would uot interest a stranger . What is yonr will ? '

"'' Sir , ( he words that , ( hon hast- uttered arc as barren as yonder healher-laiid , ' she scornfully remarked . 'If ye listen , I can toll yo something thai will alter thy way of thinking . ' "' Proceed , my good creature . My patience like the li ght is on the wane , f with some impatience returned . The g ipsy ' s face assumed a stern expression , and her eyes gleamed vindictively .

" ' J-Mr , she said , ' Ihou hast a bold heart , but its boldness will be yonr ruin . Thou hast a dear friend and for whom afc the present moment thy mind is troubled , lie is engaged wifch ( lice and others in a perilous matter-. ' To those remarks I answered , " ' Thou hast not fold me much . I have many dear friends , and in whose future I anr greatl y concerned . What else ?'

" ' thou art nofc , speaking the truth , she boldl y retorted . ' These are but evasions . Among thy numerous friends , ' and here she spoke with emphasis , ' thou hast one dearer than all others . He is young , gallant , and of good family . Actuated by a feeling of romance , he hath joined you and others in a daring project . Is ifc not so ?'

The narrator paused for a moment , arrd turning to Wharton he said , " Harold , the gipsy had spoken truly . My mind that evening had been sorely troubled on your behalf , and , like Seymour , 1 regreffed lliafc you had risked yonr all to accompany ns upon what has proved to hc a Quixotic errand . However , I hasten to resume my story . 'A daring project , ' I repeated , ' may I enquire its nature ? ' ' ¦•'lo restore the weak , priest -governed grandson of Charles Stuart the Elder , lo the British throne '

" ' My bold gipsy , I warmly retorted , ' methinks thou Iiasfc a rude disloyal tongue . Men quarrel not with women , but I cannot allow flic name of the descendant of His Majesty , King Charles tho "_ Martyr , " to be treated with disrespect . ' " ' Sir , ' she spoke sneeringly , ' wc in whose veins flow the life stream of an ancient race of people , scorn to bow the knee in shallow homage to kings and princes whose history as compared with ours , is but of yesterday . '

" ' I still fail fo sec in what , manner th y presumed art presents itself , ' I scepticall y remarked . ' You know that all England afc the present moment is ringing with Prince Charles ' s gallant enterprise . To one of thy nomadic race ' tis no secret thafc his small army is ret real ing , and to-night is encamped some two miles off . You can judge by my appointments thai I am on military- duty , ami the white cockade proclaims my sympathies with the Stuart cause These fuels being common property , wherefore lies tlie mystery ?'

" •Enough , sir , I seek not , lo make thee a convert against thy will , ' quickly said the gipsy . "This I will ask ( bee , and I trust , that my appeal lo fliy heller feelings will not , be lightly disregarded . Thou hast a dear companion in Ihc camp yonder—' lis useless to deny it . I pray thee let him not cross the Spey , or ill will come of it . He is

all in all to one whose heart at . Ihe present time is sorely stricken . ' " ¦ Dost thou forseo danger lo the " Cause , " J asked . ' "' Yea , that 1 do , ' she rejoined . 'Not only danger , but I scent . ruin and death ! Ere long , the blood of thy party will How like water , and the carrion birds will hover o ' er ihe brave hearts that will li .. cold and still ! '

" The gipsy ' s impressive manner engendered si range feelings within me . Common sense forbade me lo believe in a spirit of prophecy , yet 'I was strange that ( lie woman ' s uf leranees and mv own misgivings were closely allied . Now comes an uncanny feature in my relation . " ¦ I know that ihou hast a heart in which the clement of fear has

no place , she continued . 'Am 1 not right ? "To a mail of modesty , this query was an embarassing ono to answer . 1 simply said , ' 1 can honestly say that I would notcowardly ( Ice from danger , but I am not so fired of existence as to throw my life rashly away . Men are the creatures of circumstances . A man need not be thought a coward because he hesitates to face a danger fhal might have a serious ending . Some one litis written

" For those that li y might light again , Which he can never do ( hat ' s slain , "—¦ and he reasoned frtily . Why do you ask such a question ? ' " '' Twas not an idle one , ' she replied . ' 1 know Ihou hast no fear * , and yet , 1 think that ihou will be unnerved if I unravel flic threads of th y destiny . '

"' Indulge not in metaphor ! 1 exclaimed , ' hut , speak plainly . You are dying , I can see to exercise your cunning . 1 will humour you , ( here is my hand , but mark me well—AVhatever you may say will not disturb my composure . ' "The gipsy laughed softly , and apparently took my remarks in good pari . I must say that she spared me the customary and

preliminary rodomontade of her calling . She keenly scrutinised my hand , and glanced searchiiigly at my face and eyes for at least five minutes , I curiousl y watched her proceedings , and I must admit that Ihere was a cerluin laseinafion about fche whole business , Presently the oracle spoke , and it struck mc that , the lor . es of her voice were hollow and weird .

'" Ye said thai nothing I could tell thee would disturb th y composure . Prepare , then , Io face an ordeal ! I sec before rue a man shadowed already b y ( be wings of Azracl ! Thy days are drawing lo an end ! Naught can save thee ! Hearken to my words ! '