Part 45 (1/2)

”Then it is come and gone--”

”Disappear as you appeared! None here wants your peril, and the griefs and evils were you taken.”

”I expected to go back. The brig _Seawing_ brought me. It sails in a week's time.”

”You must be upon it, then.”

”Yes, I suppose so.” He drew a long, impatient breath. ”Let us leave all that! Sufficient to the day--I wander and wander, and there are stones and thorns--and Circe, too!... You have the steady light, but I have not! The wind blows it--it flickers!”

”Ah, I know flickering, too!”

”Is there a great Senor Somebody? Sometimes I feel it--and then there is only the wild a.s.s in the desert! The dust blinds and the mire sticks.”

”Ah, Old Saracen--”

The other pushed the embers together. ”This cave--this glen.... Do you remember that time we were in Amsterdam and each dreamed one night the same dream?”

”I remember.”

The fire was sinking for the night. The moon was down in the western sky. Around and around the cave and the glen and the night the inner ear heard, as it were, a long, faint, wordless cry for help. Alexander brooded, brooded, his eyes upon the lessening flame. At last, with a sudden movement, he rose. ”I smell the morning air. Let us be going!”

The two covered the embers and left the cave. The moon stood above the western rim of the glen, the sound of the water was deep and full, frost hung in the air, the trees great and small stood quiet, in a winter dream. Ian and Alexander climbed the glen-side, avoiding Mother Binning's cot. Now they were in open country, moving toward Black Hill.

The walk was not a short one. Daybreak was just behind the east when they came to the long heath-grown hill that faced the house, the purple ridge where as boys they had met. They climbed it, and in the east was light. Beneath them, among the trees, Black Hill showed roof and chimney. Then up the path toward them came Peter Lindsay.

He seemed to come in haste and a kind of fear. When he saw the two he threw up his hands, then violently gestured to them to go back upon their path, drop beneath the hilltop. They obeyed, and he came to them himself, panting, sweat upon him for all the chill night. ”Mr.

Ian--Laird! Sogers at the house--”

”Ah!”

”Twelve of them. They rade in an hour syne. The lieutenant swears ye're there, Mr. Ian, and they search the house. Didna ye see the lights? Mrs. Alison tauld me to gae warn ye--”

CHAPTER x.x.xV

The soldiers, having fruitlessly searched Black Hill, for the present set up quarters there, and searched the neighborhood. They gave a wide cast to that word. It seemed to include all this part of Scotland.

Before long they appeared, not unforeseen, at Glenfernie.

The lieutenant was a wiry, wide-nostriled man, determined to please superiors and win promotion. He had now men at the Jardine Arms no less than men at Black Hill. Face to face with the laird of Glenfernie in the latter's hall, he explained his errand.

”Yes,” said Glenfernie. ”I saw you coming up the hill. Will you take wine?”

”To your health, sir!”

”To your health!”

The lieutenant set down the gla.s.s and wiped his lips. ”I have orders, Mr. Jardine, which I may not disobey.”

”Exactly so, Lieutenant.”