IN KILT AND PLAID

Evening Star, Issue 11891, 20 May 1903, Page 2

IN KILT AND PLAID

[All Right. Benmd.]

• -—— ! (A Romance of th£ Gordon Highlander*), . ,i;.sf CHAPTER XVn. ,?iC,!;'--' NO ANSWER. Some iseven weeks after the departure of the Rutherfords from Edinburgh a solitary soldier wearing the fatigue dress of the Highland Brigade might have been seen reclining on the river face of a low sandbank overlooking the Nile near, Cairo. He lay resting upon his elbow, one* hand BU PP°rting his head, and his helmet was tilted forward ao as almost completely to hide his face; but that he was not asleep was evidenced by an occasional clenching of his disengaged hand, as well as the impatient stirring of his sinewy figure. Reflections, and those of no pleasant nature, were plainly occupying his mind to the exdelusion of all else. » Yet the surrounding scene had in it sufficient to merit more than momentary attention from western beholders. The . sun was setting, and as his red radiance fell on the mighty river its darkly rolling waters seemed to become belted, splashed, i and pierced with trails and blots and lances of shifting, many-colored fire. Upon the long, low, sand islands that fretted the more inshore current groups And rows of sad-hued pelicans were resting, with hero and there the snowy gleam of an ibis among them! Behind the bank with its recumbeut figure, and distant several hundred yards, etretched in long regular lines the white tents of the British forces, while, almost parallel with them, but at a vastly greater distance, rose the towers and minarets of the Egyptian capital. In the steely glint of the unclouded sky, the liquid transparency of the atmosphere, untouched by haze in spite of the heat, in the glare of the sandy river-levels, arid most ot all the aspect pf the Oriental city, there were all those elements of the novel that combine to weave that subtle charm which thq East holds for us, the children of the grey, cloudy, rain-swept North. The notes of a bugle came ringing down from the camp, and as he heard them the moody soldier raised himself to listen The action dislodged his helmet, which, rolling on the sand at his side, revealed its owner to be no other than Murray. He was greatly changed. Brief as was the period that had elapsed since he stood by Harry's bed in the hospital at Tel-el-. Kebir, it had been more than sufficient to tifl'ect in him an alteration pronounced fneugh to bo startling. He looked worn i.ncl ill, the old cynical expression had retur::el to his lace, and in his eyes the stormy light never quite absent from them was now blended with a look of feverish

anxiety. There was cause for it aIL After the capture of Arabi and submission of the various garrisons throughout Egypt, his regiment had been sent to Cairo to form part of the British army of occupation. Here, owing to the hideously insanitary condition of the barracks, the troops were located under canvass on the banks of the river, pending thq, improvement and repair of the buddings it was intended that they should occupy. The officers, for the moat part, had secured quarters in and about the city, so escaping in a large measure the discomforts of the camp. Such of tho wounded as had only slight injuries had accompanied their several regiments, while the others, as soon as it had been possible to move them, had been conveyed to Alexandria. This of necessity had separated Harry from his regiment, and Murray was now in complete ignorance regarding his friend's condition aud prospects. All he knew for certain was that Harry was not dead ; had it been otherwise the fact of his decease would have been published in regimental orders. This in itself was a sufficiently, grave ■ source of anxiety, but there existed for him another and graver still in the total absence of letters from May. He had written regularly every week since the' battlebutwithout receiving anythingin the shape of an answer. Her silence was absaluti!, and what at first had been in bim impatieneo had gradually deepened into the keenest anxiety and alarm, feelings not unmingled at times with dim stirrings and suggestions of doubt as to whether he had acted wisely in telling Ogilvie that Harry was May's brother! He could not have assigned" shy clear reason for it, but he had a feeling, in strength amounting almost to a conviction, that Ogilvie was somehow connected with May's continual silence. So much was this the case that he would, at all hazards, have broached the subject of the nonarrival of letters to the lieutenant had he been able to approach the latter. But Ogilvie mora than a month before had gone down to Alexandria, taking Hicks with him, and until he returned nothing could be done—save wait and bear the misery of suspense as best be could. Staring absently at the rushing current of the river, he suddenly heard his name called, and turning beheld Gordon approaching. "Anything unusual turned up?' he asked, noting the look of concern on the new-comer's face. " Weel, in a kin' o' a way there has," replied Gordon, as he seated himself beside his questioner. " I'm to hae a fortnicht's trip doon to Alexandria." " Indeed 1 For what ?' asked Murray •-Vijerlv. "As orderly to Captain Dick. He's gaun on somo Brigade Office business or ither." " That's capital You'll be able te see Harry, and ascertain how he is getting on." "Just what I thocht He maun be mendin', though, or we wad hae heard o't afore noo." " We would have known all about him long ago if Hicks had fulfilled his promise to write. When do you start ?' "The morn's mornin'. But dinna be owre hard on Hicks; he ne'er was much o' a scholar, ye ken, an' as it happens, he has written." "He has?' " Ay. Here's his letter. Wad ye like to read it ?' * "Above all things." " Aweel, here it is ; but afore ye begin, Murray, let me caution ye that ye'll find some things in't that ye'll maybe no' like." Murray gave the speaker a startled look, then extended bis hand for the letter. It was written in characters that could have been read yards away, and the orthography. was such as at any other tame would have caused Murray to smile. Wow, however, his interest was too intense to admit of noticing trifles of that kind. It was as follows: " Dear Gordon,—l rite these few lines to let you kno that the bos and me are quite well, hopeing this will find you all the same. I did not rite to Murray becos I want you to tell him what I have wrote by degrease, instead of having bim read it all at once. Harry is getting on by degrease. He has gone sort of of his nob, but the doctors says he will pull throo if he is took care of. He is not in the osspital now. His foke—his father, and mother, and sister, and one old woman called Elspeth, and another called Flinthave all come out here. The last one came out a week after, the other lot They live in a small house near the town, and seem to be swell fokee I always thot that Harry, like Murray himself, was one of that kind. Their'name's Rutherford, and the young lady is the one that Murray was friends with at home, They have took Harryjw 8^ with them, and I hear that they gjpg to buy hiru out. I wish Murray was" here, becos the: bos is taiffiij sweet on the young Jady. He. is

never out of the house. The bos will not' let me go neer the house, but if Murray wants a letter sent to the young lady I'll try to ficks it for him without the bos knowing. With no mor at present from yours trooly, John Hicks." Twice, thrice Murray read this rude ■ epistle from end toend, then letting his hand ; fill to his side sat staring out over the darkening river like a man stunned. May in Egypt, and for so long, without letting him know the fact! What did it mean ? What under heaven did it mean ? For some minutes the shock of the discovery so confused his faculties that he was unable to think coherently. Then his natural vigor of mind asserted itself, and he proceeded to review the position with characteristic rapidity and clearness of perception, finding the key to the Euzzle in two facts stated by Hioks— Larry's temporary aberration of mind, and the presence of Rutherford. In his delirium the young man bad revealed the secret of May's engagoment to him, Murray. That known, Rutherford would have no insuperable difficulty in intercepting any letters that might bo sent by May to himself, or by him to her. The presence of the female spy Flint added sufiicient force to this reading of the riddle to convince him that it was the correct one. Well, he would meet them on their own ground. That question sottled, two others, scarcely less important, rose for answer. How had Rutherford been induced to come to Egypt at all 1 Aud had Ogilvie any guilty knowledge or active participation in the execution of the plot, for plot there plainly was, now being carried out ? With regard to the first,. but slight thought was required to bring him to the coucfusiou that Rutherford had been worsted in a conflict with his wife and daughter. Only by the fear of precipitating a greater scandal could the tyrant of Drumhaugh have been iuduced to faco the minor one of letting Ogilvie—and, indeed, everybody else-r-know that Henry Rntherford, his son, was serviug in the ranks as a private soldier. It must have been a powerful force, too, that had compelled him to veil the hatred of his son out of which had risen the charge of robbery. Had he the fact that Ogilvie was heir to Auchinearn in his mind's eye, this model father, when he consented to come to Egypt ? Murray smiled grimly at the thought. As touching the second question, the difficulty was greater. Apart altogether from the fact that Ogilvie was by birth and breeding a gentleman, the strong military sense of honor, as he knew it, n" less than the chivalrous instincts of his own nature, rendered Murray averse to entertaiuing the thought that the lieutenant could atoop to action so mean and base. But, then, what was he to make of Ogilvie's presence in Alexandria, coinciding so closely with the arrival of the Rutherfords ? For although Hicks did not mention the date of their coming, be pbinly conveyed the impression that they had been in Egypt for some weeks. Nor did Murray forget the fact that of his writing to May was known to the lieutenant. The order, too, forbidding Hicks to go near the house occupied by the Rutherfords wore an ugly look, as only the fear that May might employ him as a messenger could possibly render such an order other than idiotic. If it should turn out so, again he could meet them on their own ground, ho told himself. Ho picked up the letter and turned to. Gordon, who, having lighted a stumpy black pipe, was quietly awaiting the conclusion of his friend's cogitations. "I think," he said slowly, "that Hicks is right in wishing that I were in Alexandria, Gordon. It seems to me that there is a nice little game afoot—and perhaps the ugliest thing about it is that I Ogilvie appears to bo one of the players.'' " That's no' an easy thing to believe," said Gordon gravely. "You are right"; it is not. But as matters are going, I do not see how such belief is tp be avoided. Are you at all acquainted with the facts?" "To some littlo extent I am, but " " Then listen, aud 1 will tell you." And forthwith he briefly but comprehensively laid the entire situation before his deeply interested hearer. When he ended Gordon sat silent for some minutes. Then he said: " I think, comrade, that your suspicions hae a gey braid foundation. But what are ye gaun to dae aboot it ? Ye canna let this gang on." " I don't intend to. What I will do, in the first instance at least, is this. I'll send down with you a letter, which you must see that Miss Rutherford receives without the knowledge of her friends. In that letter I shall enclose her photo, taken from Harry at Tel-el-Kebir. Its associations will render it priceless to her should Harry die, and valuable in any case. I will tell her that I have written seven—no, eight —letters, and received none. I will also tell her that although I cannot buy out just now owing to the threatening aspect of affairs in the Soudan, yet I will do so as soon as I can with honor. Lastly, I will tell her that as soon as I receive her answer, sent by you, I'll coutrive in some way to come to Alexandria. You understand ?' "Clearly." " Good. My reason for telling you all this is that I wish you to be able to answer any question which'she may ask. You know her—will not fail to recognise her, I mean ?' "That'B a' richt. Hers is a face no' easily forgotten." " Very well. Hicks, of course, will be able to aid you in overcoming any difficulties you may encounter. And, by the way, you must have money, and a good deal of it at that. You may need it." " It'll be as weel to hae't, in case." "That is so. Luckily, I have more than enough easily available in Cairo yonder. And now let us go back to the camp, for that musky smell tells that there is a crocodile somewhere near, and those brutes don't improve the atmosphere. Come on." Gordon left the camp on the following day, and Murray was yet trying to grasp the full significance of the new development of affairs when he was startled by the sudden appearance of Hicks. Afternoon parade had just been dismissed, and he was making for his tent, when a hand was laid on his shoulder and a voice exclaimed :

" 'Illo! Blimy; but old Norman's been a-takin' ov the sweat out'n you chaps." 'VHicks!" exclaimed Murray in astonishment " When did you arrive ?' "About 'alf an hour ago. I'm back to duty again in a day or two." " Have you and Ogilvie had a row f"No; but 'e's a-goin 'ome to Scotland on leave—' urgent private affairs,''e says it is. It's right enough, too, seein' as 'is old man is mortal bad." "The laird?'

"Yes. 'E didn't tell me much; only that 'is father was ill, an' that I'd better return to duty till 'e comes back. 'E expects to be away a month or six weeks." "Is he here? Did he come np with you?" "Yes. 'E's stayin' in the adjutant"* quarters. An', I say, 'e wants to see yon to-night" "Did he say for what?' "No."

There was a pause, tiuring which they reached tent. Then Hicks, speaking with visible hesitation, said : . " Say, Murray, there's somethin' I'd like to tell you, only I don't quite know 'ow to begin." "Does it concern Miss Rutherford?' asked Murray quietly. "Yes." "Well, wait till I put up my rifle and belt; then we can go out of the camp a bit."

Hicks agreed, and ten minutes later found them walking along the sand ridges by the river. " Now, go ahead," said Murray, "There isn't so very-u.uch to' tell, although I think as you should 'ear it," began Hicks. "It's just that the lieutenaut's about gone off 'is chump over Miss Rutherford ; an' wot's wopje, has found out 'ow it is between 'er an' you." "How do you know?" asked Murray through his set teeth. , , " Well, even a man with only one eye, an' that a bad un, could see as Vs dead gone on the lady. 'E was never out ov the OU3C, an' she couldn't show 'erself anywhere outside but wot 'e 'ad to turn up." " Yes ; but about the other matter—his kuowledge of " - " Oh, well, that I know cos I 'eard 'im an' old Rutherford g&ssin'one night in the 'otel. I 'eard the old bufler aay: «The thing is preposterous, sir, and I cannot understand how you can believe it. My daughter entangle herself with a private soldier 1 Absurd !' And then the lieutenant asked 'im 'ow 'e accounted for wot Harry said. The old bloke tried to wriggle out'n it, an' they 'ad a long chewin' , ov the rag. The last I 'eard 'im" say was somethin' about ' girlish infatuation.' But as they went away the old cove drew a letter out oy 'is pocket with Is handkerchief. It was in the outer room it 'appened, an' I picked it up. I was just a-goin' to go after them with it when I saw your name at the bottom. Then it came ovor me all at once that the old blaggard 'ad been sneakin' 'is daughter's letters. I just folded it up there an' then, an' stowed it away in my bag." " Have you it with you 1" asked Murray in a low, husky tone. " Yes; 'ere it is," replied Hicks, and produced from the breast of his tunic a packet tied up with a stout string. Opening it, Murray found his worst fears confirmed. It was one of the letters he had written to May. His face went grey as ashes, a strong shudder shook him from head to foot, and before the awful look in his eyes Hicks involuntarily recoiled. It was well for Rutherford, well for Ogilvie—well, iudeed, for them all, that neither of thoso two were near him during that first mad uprising of demoniacal fury. Then as the red fire filling eye and brain began to lessen in intensity, he heard Hicks speaking. " Don't take it like that, comrade," said the Englishman, hurriedly. "An' don't let them drive you into forgettin' ov yourself. You can get the whip 'and ov them another way, them." Murray leaned on the speaker's shoulder, breathing heavily. "Wait a minute," he said. "It isn't often the devil gets loose in this fashion. I'll be all right in a little." There was a pause of silence, during which he gradually fought down his rebellious passions. Then he spoke, and although his face was still white and his eye 3 burning, voice and tone had quite recovered their wonted calm. " You needn't be afraid, Hicks, that I'll do anything rash—now," he said. " What I might have done five minutes ago, had occasion served, is another matter. You've done me a good turn, comrade, and I'll remember it." " Don't see 'ow I could 'ave done anythin' else," was the answer. " I ain't 'ad much eddication, an' I didn't cjst my old folk much for champagne ; but I knows a clean thing from a dirty one. If you're a-goin' to make it 'ot for them skulkin' jackals, I'll stand by, no matter wot comes. AH I'm sorry for is that Ogilvie 'as anythin' to do with it. " Ay, it's poor enough work for an officer of the Highland Brigade to undertake. But I'm not going to do anything about it just now. When the time comes I'll remember your promise." " All right. An', I say> if this game's a-goin' to go on when Ogilvie comes back, 'e'll 'avo to get another servant, for 'ang rne'if I run the risk any longer." | "What risk?" " The risk of tellin' 'im as plain as one in the eye wot I think ov 'im." : " Much may happen before he returns," I replied Murray ; " and it may come about that neither of us will be tempted. Meanwhile I'll go up to the adjutant's quarters to-night, and see Ogilvie as requested. Did he fix any special time V "No; but if you come up about eight you're pretty sure to see 'im." With which understanding they parted. Punctually at the hour named, Murrav presented himself at Strachan's lodging, which was in the house of a Greek merchant, on the Gizeh road. He found Ogilvie awaiting him, and being announced by Hicks was at once shown into the room where the lieutenant sat. As he entered, it did not escape Murray's notice that Ogilvie eyed him with peculiar intentness—a look in which wonder, jealousy, and intense dislike were all present With the kuowledge which he had so recently acquired, it was not difficult for Murray to divine the drift of the other's thoughts, and a half smile passed over his face as his mind reverted to the letter in his pocket. " Have you seen Hicks, Murray f asked the lieutenant, abruptly. "Yes, sir." " Did he tell you that I am going home to Scotland ?" "Yes. He said that your intention was due to the fact that Mr Ogilvie, your father, is ill. May I ask if he is seriously so r * 3 " My letters tell me that he is seriously unwell, although not to an extent precluding hope of recovery." " I am glad to hear that, sir." " Thank you. And now I may tell you that I have sent for you to-night to ask a question." ~~ " What is it 7" " Have you any message to send to* mv father V " If one, sir." " Are you sure V " Quite. Before I left Edinburgh I saw the laird " " The what ?" "The laird of Auchinearn. 1 understand he is known in Lanarkshire by that title." " Go on." " I saw him, as I said, and in the course of the resulting conversation we came to an understanding. That understanding I I am disposed, nay, determined, in view of the turn events have taken, to observe in its entirety." "What was that understanding, or rather what was the nature of it ?' J' Briefly, it was that 1 was to retain my secret until the restoration of peace enabled me to purchase my discharge and return to Scotland." "Then you admit that you have a secret ?' " I have never denied it, sir." " Ah ! And why don't you set about buying your discharge at (Jhce 1 The war is over. " In Egypt, yes ; but there is trouble brewing in the Soudan." " Ah 1 And may I ask what you meant by referring a minute ago to the turn events have taken? Do I understand you to mean events connected with the regimeut?" , " No, sir ; to events now taking place in Alexandria." The slow deliberation with which he spoke the last two words seemed to sting Ogilvie into sudden anger. His face whitened, and there was distinct menace in his tone us he said : " If you are wise, my man, you will leave Alexandria, and those in it, severely alone." " I thank you for the advice, sir," with a scarcely veiled sneer; "but I am distinctly averse to acquiring wisdom—at second-hand." . - Qadlvia's brow erew black with wrath.

He rose sharply to his feet, and for some seconds they confronted each otherliving embodiments of roused passion and merciless determination. Then Ogilvie pointed to too door. " You may go," he said. "And remember that I have warned you, Elliot Murray," "Do not fear that I shall forget" was the answer, and, with a salute, the sneaker was gone. * " j After the departure of the lieutenant, which took place, two days later, Murray set himself to await with what patience he might the return of Gordon. He knew that Ogilvie would of a certainty visit the Rutherfords before he left Egypt,'but his faith in May was such as enabled him to regard that event with equanimity. What he was not prepared for, however, was the contents of a letter which he received from Gordon on the ?ery date of his expected return. The missive ran thus: "M* Dear Mubhat,—Have just time to write a line before the mail goes. For ! heaven's sake—if you can manage it at all j —come here at once. There's some devil's i draught brewing, and only you can upsetj the pat I succeeded in seeing the lady I while alone to-day, and tnay say that she is looking pitifully ill, I gave her the letter, telling her it was from you. She opened it, took out the photograph—and then tore up the letter without reading it, saying there was no answer. I was so utterly taken aback that I allowed her to go without even asking a question. There iS.somo horrible plot or mistake—and you must come if it is to be put right Ogilvie was here, but sailed for England yesterday. Harry is in pretty much the same condition as when Hioks wrote of him. I shall be here for another week yet, so that if you come at once I'll be on the ground to help you. When you arrive come to the Brigade Office.—Yours, shoulder to shoulder, " Heotor,Gordon." " P.S.—I gathered up the fragments of the letter. They may be useful.—H.G." When he had read the last words, Murray drew a long breath, and with a face hardening into stone, said aloud : " They will have it, then! Well, so be it." (To be continued.)