Part 3 (1/2)
”Yir the only man kens, Weelum, that I aince luved the n.o.blest wumman in the glen or onywhere, an' a' luve her still, but wi' anither luve noo.
”She had given her heart tae anither, or a've thocht a' micht hae won her, though nae man be worthy o' sic a gift. Ma hert turned tae bitterness, but that pa.s.sed awa beside the brier bush whar George Hoo lay yon sad simmer time. Some day a'll tell ye ma story, Weelum, for you an' me are auld freends, and will be till we dee.”
MacLure felt beneath the table for Drumsheugh's hand, but neither man looked at the other.
”Weel, a' we can dae noo, Weelum, gin we haena mickle brichtness in oor ain names, is tae keep the licht frae gaein' oot in anither hoose. Write the telegram, man, and Sandy 'ill send it aff frae Kildrummie this verra nicht, and ye 'ill hae yir man the morn.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”THE EAST HAD COME TO MEET THE WEST”]
”Yir the man a' c.o.o.nted ye, Drumsheugh, but ye 'ill grant me ae favor.
Ye 'ill lat me pay the half, bit by bit--a' ken yir wullin' tae dae't a'--but a' haena mony pleasures, an' a' wud like tae hae ma ain share in savin' Annie's life.”
Next morning a figure received Sir George on the Kildrummie platform, whom that famous surgeon took for a gillie, but who introduced himself as ”MacLure of Drumtochty.” It seemed as if the East had come to meet the West when these two stood together, the one in travelling furs, handsome and distinguished, with his strong, cultured face and carriage of authority, a characteristic type of his profession; and the other more marvellously dressed than ever, for Drumsheugh's topcoat had been forced upon him for the occasion, his face and neck one redness with the bitter cold; rough and ungainly, yet not without some signs of power in his eye and voice, the most heroic type of his n.o.ble profession. MacLure compa.s.sed the precious arrival with observances till he was securely seated in Drumsheugh's dog cart--a vehicle that lent itself to history--with two full-sized plaids added to his equipment--Drumsheugh and Hillocks had both been requisitioned--and MacLure wrapped another plaid round a leather case, which was placed below the seat with such reverence as might be given to the Queen's regalia. Peter attended their departure full of interest, and as soon as they were in the fir woods MacLure explained that it would be an eventful journey.
”It's a richt in here, for the wind disna get at the snaw, but the drifts are deep in the Glen, and th'ill be some engineerin' afore we get tae oor destination.”
Four times they left the road and took their way over fields, twice they forced a pa.s.sage through a slap in a d.y.k.e, thrice they used gaps in the paling which MacLure had made on his downward journey.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
”A' seleckit the road this mornin', an' a' ken the depth tae an inch; we 'ill get through this steadin' here tae the main road, but oor worst job 'ill be crossin' the Tochty.
”Ye see the bridge hes been shaken wi' this winter's flood, and we daurna venture on it, sae we hev tae ford, and the snaw's been melting up Urtach way. There's nae doot the water's gey big, and it's threatenin' tae rise, but we 'ill win through wi' a warstle.
”It micht be safer tae lift the instruments oot o' reach o' the water; wud ye mind haddin' them on yir knee till we're ower, an' keep firm in yir seat in case we come on a stane in the bed o' the river.”
By this time they had come to the edge, and it was not a cheering sight.
The Tochty had spread out over the meadows, and while they waited they could see it cover another two inches on the trunk of a tree. There are summer floods, when the water is brown and flecked with foam, but this was a winter flood, which is black and sullen, and runs in the centre with a strong, fierce, silent current. Upon the opposite side Hillocks stood to give directions by word and hand, as the ford was on his land, and none knew the Tochty better in all its ways.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”THEY Pa.s.sED THROUGH THE SHALLOW WATER WITHOUT MISHAP”]
They pa.s.sed through the shallow water without mishap, save when the wheel struck a hidden stone or fell suddenly into a rut; but when they neared the body of the river MacLure halted, to give Jess a minute's breathing.
”It 'ill tak ye a' yir time, la.s.s, an' a' wud raither be on yir back; but ye never failed me yet, and a wumman's life is hangin' on the crossin'.”
With the first plunge into the bed of the stream the water rose to the axles, and then it crept up to the shafts, so that the surgeon could feel it lapping in about his feet, while the dogcart began to quiver, and it seemed as if it were to be carried away. Sir George was as brave as most men, but he had never forded a Highland river in flood, and the ma.s.s of black water racing past beneath, before, behind him, affected his imagination and shook his nerves. He rose from his seat and ordered MacLure to turn back, declaring that he would be condemned utterly and eternally if he allowed himself to be drowned for any person.
”Sit doon,” thundered MacLure; ”condemned ye will be suner or later gin ye s.h.i.+rk yir duty, but through the water ye gang the day.”
Both men spoke much more strongly and shortly, but this is what they intended to say, and it was MacLure that prevailed.
Jess trailed her feet along the ground with cunning art, and held her shoulder against the stream; MacLure leant forward in his seat, a rein in each hand, and his eyes fixed on Hillocks, who was now standing up to the waist in the water, shouting directions and cheering on horse and driver.
”Haud tae the richt, doctor; there's a hole yonder. Keep oot o't for ony sake.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”A HEAP OF SPEECHLESS MISERY BY THE KITCHEN FIRE.”]
That's heap of speechless misery by the kitchen fire, and carried him off to the barn, and spread some corn on the thres.h.i.+ng floor and thrust a flail into his hands.
”Noo we've tae begin, an' we 'ill no be dune for an' oor, and ye've tae lay on withoot stoppin' till a' come for ye, an' a'll shut the door tae haud in the noise, an' keep yir dog beside ye, for there maunna be a cheep aboot the hoose for Annie's sake.”