CRIME AND MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 23

CRIME AND MYSTERY.

THE VASSAL'S REVENGE

rRAGEDY OF THE ISLE OF MULL—BOOMERANG PUNISHMENT OF THE MACLAINE.

(By DAVID GREWER.)

MacLaine of Lochbuie held high revelry in his ancestral abode in Mull. On such occasions some untoward Incident or fancied insult often turner , mirth and revelry into strife and bloodshed, but this evening passed in the greatest harmony, the c*Cefs retiring in expectancy of the good sport promised on the morrow. This anticipated sport was a great deer hunt. It was a bright sunny morning In the latter half of September when MacLaine and his guesje issued forth to enjoy the hunt. To grace the sport his lady also came out with her infant son in the arms of an attendant nurse. The whole arrangements had been carefully planned the day before, and the hunters now proceeded to take up their variously allotted ambushes. For these, MacLaine had selected a place where he thought the deer would break in a manner that would afford sport in a greater or less degree to all his guests. The Vassal's Post. Success seemed assured, for the*e was only one other alternative route the hunted animals could take. This was a steep, rocky gorge at the very edge of the sea. To ensure success, MacLaine deputed a staunch and trusty vassal to guard this pass. All were in their appointed places, and the lady with her child in position of safety where she could see the sport without being seen, ere the deer began to appear. First, a few alarmed animals appeared here and there. Gradually their numbers were augmented, herd after herd, hundred upon hundred came into view and halted. In one vast phalanx the terrified animals headed straight for the ambush, and already the hunters congratulated themselves upon their prospects of immediate slaughter. One big stag with horns like the branches of a pine tree, led the horde. Already with unfaltering step he was within two bow-shots of the ambush. Suddenly he stopped, threw his head in the air, sniffed for a few seconds, wheeled, and at a mad gallop headed straight for the pass at the coast. Every single deer—stag, hind, and calf—followed in bis wake. The guardian of the pass now realised only too well that he had his work cut out to turn the wild stampede. An expert forester, he tried every dodge known to the art of woodcraft. 'Twas useless, the vast horde heeded him not. A few yards above him a cliff shot itself boldly forward, and behind its protective cover he scrambled. There he lay until the deer poured through the gorge and gained the heights beyond, where for the present at least they were Immune from disturbance and danger. The hunt was over without a single shot having been discharged. MacLaine was furious. To the great gathering of friendly chiefs he had held forth prospects of fine sport, and had supplied none. At worst the misfortune was only one of the uncertainties of the grme, but he did not pause to consider tha... Someone must suffer for it, and who more appropriately than the guardian of the pass? An Example to Others. Proceeding to the shore, followed by the disappointed hunters, and also by the clansmen who formed the tlnkhell as they came up, MacLaine accused his unfortunate vassal. "Villain," he hoarsely exclaimed, "why did you neglect your duty, and allow the deer to pass?" "I did not neglect my duty," firmly but respectfully replied the man. "No one could have done more, and I barely escaped being trodden to death under their feet." "You were too much of a coward for that." "I am no coward," replied the vassal. "I fear not death if it is met in striving to attain some apparent purpose, but just now it would have been a vain sacrifice." "Ye shall not die in vain," replied the chief. "Ye shall die to show others how MacLaine rewards neglect of orders and duty." "Seize him," he said, addressing the clansmen, "and hang him from the top of that cliff," pointing to the overhanging rock at hand. The obedient clansmen seized their comrade and were dragging him towards the place of doom when an old, grey-bearded chief interposed. "Are you not too severe, MacLaine?" he said. "He is a stalwart knave and wields a good blade, I should imagine, lie may yet be of use to you, if a less severe punishment requited his offence." MacLaine considered for a few moments. "Stop," he then said, "let the caitiff be flogged before the clan as a warning to all who are unmindful of orders." The victim was now stripped and bound by a party of the clan, while others made a lash of knotted bowstrings. Preparations were soon over, and the punishment began. The man who wielded the lash knew that if he did not apply it with sufficient vigour his own back would soon feel its effects in no uncertain manner, so he struck hard. At the first blow livid weals appeared across the vassal's back; at the second, blood sprang. The punishment was continued until the flesh was a mass of pulp before the irate chief gave the signal to stop. The victim gave never a groan; with hard-set teeth he bore hi? suffering in absolute silence. Upon being unbound the vassal stood for a few minutes, dazed and stupefied, but gradually a recognition of his position returned. To be publicly whipped before the clan was regarded as the greatest degradaSbn that could be inflicted on one of its members. He had been unjustifiably disgrace, and his blood boiled within him. He would have sprung at the chief there and then, but he knew that a dozen dirks would be buried in his breast before he could reach him. Revenge: Yes, revenge, but he would have to wait for another day. With bent head he was turning away when his eye caught sight of the chiefs lady and the nurse and child seated a litUe way up the cliff. From the landward side ascent to the summit was not difficult, and Uiey had gone up a little to be out of the press of clansmen. So they, too. had witnessed his degradation; gone up there that they might the better behold his punishment, thought the vassal. A new idea seized him. He paused a moment; then, with the speed of a whirlwind, and before anyone of the astonished clan could stretch forth a hand to stop him, he dashed across the intervening few yards, scrambled up to the lady, snatched the infant from the nurse's arms, and, a few seconds later, stood on the very highest pinnacle of the cliff. '•My child! My child!" shrieked the distraught mother. "Do not hurt my child." Her scream seemed to break the spell that had bound the astonished spectators, and a move was made to the base of the cliff. "Back, back," shouted the vassal on its top. "The first man that attempts to ascend dooms tbe Infant to the sea."

All paused, but the frenzied mother, who j started to rush upwards. She was seizoil by the nurse and a struggle ensued. The grey-bearded chief advanced towards them, seized the lady in his arms, and bore her to the side of her husband. All the time the man on the top stood motionless, boldly silhouetted in the sunshine, watching what ; took place below. j The situation was remarkable. At the base of the cliff stood hundreds of armed men, some powerful chiefs among them. On its top stood g single individual—a j veritable slave—without weapon of nny kind. Yet this one man dominated the multitude below. The weak, puling infant was his sure buckler and shield. ! True, no doubt, he could be struck dead with an arrow, hut in that case he and his captive would topple headlong into the sea—the sea from which there could be no possible rescue. Staggering Oemand. I "Come down with the child and your offence shall be overlooked," cried Mac- j Lame. j "What offence?" rejoined the man. "Your threat to its life." j "Ah ! but there Is another score to settle. ' What satisfaction am I to receive for the unjust and undeserved punishment I have borne?" j "Anything you can reasonably ask; only j come down." ! The man paused for a moment and then replied : "Be it so. What I ask is that you suffer the same punishment you Inflicted upon mc." | The request staggered MacLaine. That his vassal would ask for other than per- ■ sonal advantage never crossed his mind. j "Such a proceeding can be of no benefit to you," he at last replied. "Ask money, land, promotion, something that will do you real and lasting good, and It shall be granted." I "No, no; undergo the lash or —you know j the alternative. Decide quickly." I MaeLaine's flesh shrank from the stinging scourge, but a glance at the weeping woman by his side decided him. i "Very well," he replied in subdued tones, "let it be as you desire." ! Preparations were at once made for inflicting the stipulated punishment. To the ' watcher on the top these seemed rather per- j functory. I "Bind him," came the master voice. I This was done and the flogging commenced. The man who applied the lash struck lightly. He had probably reasons of his own for doing so. ■ "Harder, harder," came the voice from : above. "Make the blood spurt, else I hurl the child Into the whirlpool." | "I fear you must do bo," said the chief to his castlgator. I Vain Punishments. The man did as directed. The knotted bowstrings hissed through the air ns Undescended on MaeLaine's bare back, the blood springing at every blow. Not until the vassal considered his chief had suffered to the same extent as he had done did he give the order to stop. Friendly hands unloosed MacLaine and soothing ointments were applied to his terrible sores. What his thoughts were none can tell. He had subdued his proud nature to endure the greatest indignity and excruciating agony to save the life of hia infant eon and heir— the apparent future chief of the clan. But • how did he regard the vassal that had con- j demned him to this. The man had made i no stipulation to ensure his future im- j munity. What had fate in store for him I at the hands of his chief? It was evident | that the other chieftains regarded Mac- j Lame's punishment in no favourable light. | Their lowering brows and the dark glances : they cast towards the top of the cliff boded , no good to the man on its top once the child I was safe and he defenceless. After the chief had somewhat regained composure the voice again sounded from the top of the cliff. "MacLaine," It said, "I was flogged because I could not turn the deer. 'Twas vain ; no human power could have done so. ! You have also been flogged to save the life i of your child. That also is in vain; no j human power can do so." Wheeling round the vassal, for an In-1 stant poised himself on the verge of the ] cliff, then sprang far out over the sea, the { child clasped firmly in his arms. The clansmen rushed to the top, but were only in time to see some vague indistinguishable | object disappear in the black spot at the ' bottom of the vortex. Man and child had j disappeared from human ken for ever.