THE AWAKENING OF COLIN MACPHAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18553, 10 November 1923, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE AWAKENING OF COLIN MACPHAIL.

BY DAVID; LYALL.

(Copyright.)

> Most, men are asleep regarding the true verities of life until they are awakened by a drastic touch. Some few remain a.deep all their lives, and possibly are happier thus, not knowing what they have missed. Colin Macphail stayed asleep till he was 35. This is the brief record of.his awak-

ening. : * .', . ./■; He was a sheep farmer .away, up in the wilds of. the hill country, which lies between Inverness and . Moray Firth. It is a reign of surpassing oeauty, of , soft winds and melting mists, of wonderful sunsets and sunrises, of the mystery of the driven snow, which hushes the whole earfli into silence. The Macphails had farmed their own land in Wester Ballaig for several generations, and, had they been that way inclined, might have numbered themselves among the aristocracy of the tillers of the. soil. But they were a simple folk. God-fearing and straight-deal-ing, hard workers and keen somewhat dour of temper and difficult to live with.

Yet the race "persisted" as old Maccolm Macphail. father of Colin, described it. and nobody knew just how much they were worth, or how much they counted in the neighbourhood. Colin was an only son and he had the only child's remoteness and unapproachableness. He had been spoiled by his mother, but not by his father, who believed that he who spared the rod hated the child. It was a bad day for Ballaig when the kindly housemother died, and was carried in a sled over the icy waste of the little Loch of Bnllaig to the kirkyard of Slewan. The two men made no difference in their lives, but carried on, together in the desolate house with the help of the herd's wife, who gave them day service. But at night they were alone,* and. though it was sometimes hinted by kindly neighbours that Colin would do well now to take a. wife if only out of pity for his .own and his father's loneliness, he paid no heed. Convenience is a sorry basis Tor matrimony, anyway, and the wise eschew it, possibly aware that he who marries for aught save the right motive lays a rod in pickle for his, own back. If not exactly a womanhater, Colin Macphail was shy and gauche in the company of women, the sight of a strange petticoat filled him with a kind of unreasoning terror. He was a bighearted, simple chap. devo : d of personal vanity, and apparently wholly unaware of his attraction. He was a big chap, standing over 6ft., of enormous strength, with a rudy. open face, flashing grey-blue eyes, and a shock of fair hair which give him a queer look, like one of the seakings 01 which he had read in the schoolbooks. ■■■■ r -'■'•.•; ■A A

One night he came home from Inverness, whither he had gone to attend a great . agricultural show, a changed man. He had been away a day and a night, which rather surprised his father, who had expected one day to suffice. However, the elder man did not worry, merely surmising that there had been so much to see, that possibly Colin had foregathered with others of a "like kin"\ and done the :.'iow very thoroughly. But when they came to be talking over the affair, old Malcolm found his son more than usually uncommunicative. ; % "Did ve see nothing at all at all then, lad he inquired at last, with a slight touch of sarcasm in his usuallyjmild,"softvoice. Both the men had soft voices— is a- characteristic of 1 those who dwell in that . region, accompanied by a\ singular purity of speech. , :- ; ■_ "Oh. yes, I saw a few things, father,' answered Coliu, with the long, drawling emphasis oh the first syllable of : the* word. .' ■-, ' :<A :. : A';'lva, .- "Tell me about the polled Angus from Blair then, lad It's them I'm interested in, and did Shamus>Macnish do well, with him rams?". .-;- • ; ~ "I couldna he saying, father, for I never saw the man nor "the rams," was Colin's astounding reply. f # "Then what were ve likely to be seeing, I Colin?" •■■•:; • '■ '- "r "I've seen the woman 1 m to marry at Inverness, father, that's all." ?■'■ '« > "Merciful % goodness!" ; exclaimed Mai colm, with' a queer contortions of ; the features, which might have been meant for a facetious* smile, "but you're a birkie, Colin. / Tell me all about her." , ' ; ■ ir> ! With a queer simplicity, -.Colin replied: h A "She was' there, stopping at i the hotel where I was,' father. Ii had to go to ' the , Royal, for all the rest were filled up. She was there, with her folk, for the Northern meeting.; She's: far above the likes me, but, as I'm sitting here, I'll marry, her, or none other." '■ A ;,' j •. • ; "Merciful goodness!" said ..old:; Ala.colm. repeating the only oath he : knew. "Is she a leddv, then, one of them us«U.,s kind* Little use the likes o* her would be in Wester Ballaig, fillin' your mother s shoon." L ,'■- *'■'•■, / , -am She could never do that, father. Ail that I would he asking would be that she should fill her own," replied unconsciously uttering a great truth. ■ Old Malcolm shot k; himself as a dog might have done, disturbed in his ;rest. -A '! It's nonsense out of a book you re takin', lad, and ; the sooner; ye ; forget it the better.. .If ye will marry—and I m not savin' but it ;would^e>a;good ; thing seek"out a decent lass or your own,kind. Witiat ail:; ye at Moira Fraser? I've often wanted" to ask her. She's the one I that, would make the good mistress for [ Wester Biillaig." . . , v ' " I: have no use for her,' father. ;• She s too big and managing. That's not what a- man wants in his wife. I remember my mother's soft: ways. I'm • seeking another, like her." A .., A.• ' '' VYe ■ will never . find her. lad,";; said the old man, and his' bosom heaved. "Bui these j words caused the hardness to dip out of his eves, and his interest in the stranger maiden to quicken. , * -.!" I; came ( - home ;to tell you father, :or honestly( between ourselves, I ' would have bftp't in ; Inverness 'jet. But I'll: go back to .ibri-ow if you'll "give me your blessing," 'and as,k her to /come to Wester Ballaig. AA "Merciful goodness!", repeated old Malcolm, and added .; low • under : his brcat'h; " I'm afraid." . '. * U " Yd need not be, father, for she has the high heart. She's the sweetest .thing Cod ever made, and, for work, she has no fear of it. Not that. I'd let! her bo doin' the 5 rough work. She's not made, for that, and there's; no need;wi'j a' ? Chat sillee lyin' in the bank to your name an' mine. /But. what, she will ;do*is ,to make a home for .you, and mc, father. Give me your blessing.".. v';-:/!/ ; '■'..'"''/' i';;;,: ■■'' Old Malcolm did not withhold it, for indeed his six-foot son : had him in the hollow of -his hand,; 1; a -i A' A a Next' day, fortified, with his father's blessing; ■'shglii'y tempered "by good, cautious advice, -rjin ,* Macphail ' hied him back to the NcrtKtiri: capital on•'' the business of wooing. It was chockful of visitors/chiefly English, amusing themselves partly at "Scotland's expense, but leaving good 'money behind. A striking figure in his sporting garb, looking typical High* land laird in fact"; eager-eyed and full of hope, Colin arrived at the hotel about four in the, afternoon. Taking his courage in both hands he approached the desk and inquired for Miss .Norma Walton. She was out, they said, hut Lady Ketterick, her aunt, was .-..in the house. But Colin had no use as yet for Lady Ket'terick. Moving back he .sat down on :■§? hall seat to -tch the was Norma he was waiting for. 1 resciu v she came, laden with parcels, her; face softly flushed, a most daintv, attract.ve Sure She went white at the .sight of Sn Macphail, and the two girls at the See desk watched the little by-play breathlessly ,■ , a 7 V ' -jjA 1 »I thought you'd gone .nome, .- Mr. Macphail," a lo\* voice, said, faltering 011 his name. ■ ..;-'■ T , / -. ~ , - So I had, but I'm come back, ,-.< he answered 7 simply^; "Will you come out : wii'h me? " t '.' , . . ■ A ' She glanced at her parcels and seemed, doubtful.; "I must take these ; things to mv aunt first. She needs all these things. Then it"s tea-time." .- "But you might come for tea with me somewhere,"/ he suggested, ; love ever I ready to find a way. • Norma said, "Maybe," and iher diffident air in no < way proclaimed * her admiration fo his'' splendid' figure,tahd;i masterfulness of him. He was a man,: indeed, at whom most men A arid' all' women would look twice. Colin ; did not ' ,'. . -■■ ■■.-..■. '. -■;'■ '.A :.-;'■■■::;';..;.■.;■.:,.'>. HJ ;j'- : p ■,-■■% :■ ■ ' ■:.■:■,■,. :'; : ;'■'■,'• ■;.:,.■,';; A: ...:;.:,;■-; v.:; r.;.;:.;;., ■ ,-. ■~..■..■■..., ... ~.-■,. ' , ■■ , . ■;■;■■-.-. ■■ , ■ ... :. ■ ■ :.-: •■ •-.•-•■ '•■ . ■■ ;.-. i '^A--A:--.''::;AAA;'!::..;AA';: .-■:• • ■ -

~ sit down again:-when she A I but walked to lh# door and. stood thaw *■ ' "in/the crisp air, for his brum was,]«»*:.• whirl She «em*d to be goao » long time to Colin, m eternity the actual JSSge of time being esacUy e "V": down the sfairs, swinging her gloves downthefsfcirs, swinging tier gloves w ''. her hand. ■~■••• down. My opsins \ "My aunt ,w lying down My cousins ' have gone to * tea-party, *« d J ™ fo J?f t " : - i ten something, so { can go *«J*«; r . In due course they found themselves in a corner of a much-frequented tearoom which was not so full as usual. \ ' He directed the waitress t<i bring every- ; " thing she could think of,, then ) ho looked. - straight across ;at the girl's sweet face, : '■ his own shining with a strong■ -..* a "■Will you tell me more WK*& your- ; self, •if • vo"u : please, he 5 said \ simply. .1 I didn't like what you said/ about being » i Cinderella a minute ago. '; '■ > ~ "Well, you see, told you that xm a ' poor relation; : They're .quite kindto me, ah-, - ■ reallv, and I don't expect to get.all that s . going. /If it weren't-' for them Id be out ceding mv living among strangers, luhtn ,; and Mabel. my cousins, 5 are sometimes - 3 ' cats, but.'that's all in . the day s work- ;l 1 They want to get married, poor' things, y and "nobody asks them." - ' ■" I don't suppose, vou would be wanting,; ;-:■• :-r. to get married now,'" said Colin, in ■: that; (& boyish wav, which somehow, at the verv first, had 'touched the girl's heart. ,x' •- "I shouldn't mind; if the right man : 5 I came along. But my they'd marry <■ ;; anything suitable, just for the sake of gel-, .;•=. ting married. • • . ■ " ;v" -- ' She talked*quickly, with a little catch;;; ,;-.j,;,, in her voice, for she was beginning to be J ..] conscious of an undercurrent ; where this r ; ; : . man was concerned. Their -casual< ac- /; , quaintance, the result of a simp!? acci- ..Anv dent the dav before, had develop;! -into r ;■; a kind of understanding friendship, but. v though not conventional, Norma was well •- . aware that her presence there alone with > him was a little unusual, and, would prob- A/ ably not be approved by her aunt, Lady ,* ; _. Ketterick. A "■'■-. .... ;,-, ". ■'.. - -'■•..'■■' .'"-- "But it's the happiest life. Sly lather ,; and mother now, none could have -been',;■.:;"*>. happier, and he's a lonely old man now •'. without her, at Wester Ballaig." , '-/-_;/'"/.c"Wester Ballaig." repeated Norma. I :v love these quaint, Highland names. My . mother was a Scot, you know.' _j .' " Was she? I'm not surprised. There *> nothing so very English about you." ■■> , She laughed at that, and smiled at the waitress who brought the tea. ' She made ; ; a pretty picture as she poured out for 1 . . him, asking about cream and sugar. He v was getting deeper and deeper into the , love which would V"? his making or his ;;A; marring. Neither made much of- a meal. When thev had finished a little silence .ell between them. They had sat so long that ' thev were practically alone m the room. I Quite' suddenly, - with her eyes eager, ~ I and his colour'high, Colin spoke across ■■-'.- the ' table irrevocable words; '■■ ,„" '••'''v ! "Norma, could you marry me? ' . She paled again and her mouth quivered.''-' :;" ; - .''' v '": '■■ ~ "■■ ■'■ "We've ohlv known; one > another a day," she answered equivocally, her■ eyes .. not meeting bis. ■;-■■■ ~:,.- ,' .^l'^.v " That's no answer. It's like that with some, mv dear. I've .never looked twice , at a woman till* I met you. And when I saw you) the day before yesterday, in the street by the "hotel door, I knew ; : that it had come," ,-, i "What had come?" she ;asked, merely ;• v : to gain time. ' - ;-; ,-' ,' i: ' " The love I've beard about, and which mv father; had for my : mother, and which I'm sure your father (had ior your s:,;;:;, We're well-to-do at Wester Ballaig. The _• V place is our own, and there's siller torbye»',,■■';, J Mv father gave me 'his blessing. Will -■ ,- vou come and bring; a bit of the sun to s , ; us over there at the head of the little }■ 10ch?"..-..: "■ ." .*'..' -■•;, , She : waited .only a minute or ; two, then ; ) ; strctVhed out her hand and permitted; his \ >•.'.-. ' to enfold it. ...,..-•'■" j - ' " It's the strangest thing in the whole world, and I > don't understand it now, nor shall I ever 'understand J it.: It >; be- ..•■.■.• .v ■ longs to the wonder, of life, that we never ■ get. to the. end of." '. ; . ",-; : - ; _'" ~. :: :^-:■•: %; ' "Is that mv answer, 1 lassie?" he said, a little - hoarsely. "You'll come!" ■";.,,; \ .-,;■'; " Go back and tell the; old.^man I m coming to. torment him, and you, and that; it h-'s been ordained since v the be- v',"... ■>;. ginning of time." , *■■■ * , i; , - ;,- Colin rose and his face was glowing. >. He seemed, to , have ;grown,, taller. His •;.:■ ' magnificent, head .was. proudly/held. . , ■ 'TCome then,, my; own lassie, j, and 111 ; be speaking to your folk." i, ' ! , V Lady Ketterick was not a bad-tempered , . •,• woman, only av worldly and ] selfish one. When her niece presented herself in her,' room about half-past fire she looked at her askance, v , ~ .'■ ! » 1.. ,-,,,., , ■:■ ■■■ "-.-■-•'Wherever have you been, child: sue -.-.•. a*k.-d, with a peeved note in her voice. -; '.I've been out to tea, Aunt | Hjjjjciia, .' '~? and I'm sorry I haven't got- the utmgs you scot mc for, but I can make shift. ? :,;.; That bit of Idee will do perfectly well for Maud's frock. I'll put it on before , dinner.' ... t ' "Out to 'tea "H With '+ : whom, .•;...may. ;-;.l f'^-ry-inquire?" ~.*., , "A man," answered the girl blithely. "He's waiting downstairs^to see you;'in; ■; the lounge, yes. ? He won't go away until he lias seen yon." *'■' "What db yon mean?; ;V\hat'than arc - von talking 'about?;; Somebody you "picked -up f How often have I warned vou!" ' , . , , • "1 didn't pick him up; he $ much too hi". His name is Colin Macphail.' He . ; is Laird of 'a I place called Wester. Bullaig on Loch Slewan, and' I'm going .to marry him." ~ ' ~ _ , , r ' : , Here wp*. av bomb indeed !* Lady Ket- '• terick:rose hastily "from her chair, regard- : . H, : her niece as if she thought , her de-'. ,- 1 merited: * She was struck by something. ■'-_, ' new and -.wonderful in the'girl's looks. • p There"' was a radiance, 'an : invincibility, '.;• • - " which nothing could daunt. 1 "I'll go down and see-this man, and '.. , send him about, his business. f^Hj: you are- t .; - ' ' playing anv trick on me. Nor ma.' it will. ~ bo the worse for you. I'll send you back ' e . to Southsca." - . -, ~ , ' "■■ "I'll never go! back any more. Aunt : r ;-;■;•;. r Honoria. ; You t- shouldn't v have brought I' mo. The moment I set foot. in Invernes ;.. c I'knew.: something woild happen. pi Wit J that I had come home." ;'■; ;•." X- , Lady K'etterick 'sailed down the' stairs A in' maj- ..ic mood to extinguish the bold -;; s suitor who had apparently- dropped from . ; the skies to J'take * away her most useful s - niece and appendage, Norma Walton. (> ? "She belongs* '!to •>me,: Lady Ketterick. _ ... ; 3 was all he said, but th-t way he said; it ; . ;u 0 Was prodigious. -"I will wait -oh, yes. : , - ; • a. reasonable time; provided you will bring ■* her; ont to Wester Ballaig to see ;my l ' father." J ~. . ~ . e The amazing man had his , w ».\ m • ; It: was a winter afternoon^''"'^ffl?;;■■',iA.: the new voung mistress ; came home. r ?»#.^#^S . ~■ • • had m taken - «*?^>sSSs^sSSi^J^-ii-v?-"^ s j-i-„r, Haifa niurneveo to i.oni««>M , condition. i-onn rm . , n<l ,,..: aM »„<,k '•- F week together in Paris just for appear- -, - '- ahceN sak* but both their t«rn«l ; ' 3 >sv ; home. When Norma saw the gr>> 5 SJ house standing sheer ;<m a green pla- v ,;; n oici on the foreground of the loch, an I ;.:: - : w-th Ue hill mm MC of firs behind. 1 Her eves filled with happy tears and -.ho ;; v 1 laid fa* hand on her young husbands 8 ""'"l've been here, before Colin- I've seen ' it in my dreams. It is the home of m/ • The old man. dressed in bis best, a kilt ; r of the Macphail tartan, and a green jac : ;.,; - 1 ket trimmed with silver buttons, the gala '' dress he'seldom donned now, stood' wait* ■ ing in tho porch, £, T orma got down quickly „ • and ran to him, tor there was that, in his :. ' face which at once wruntr and warned her ' heart. : .'; The coming of-• a'; bride to an old;;);;; ' house is a promise or a portent. .She saw 1 ' that his heart was stirred with memories, >;, and she > wished to dispel the »ad ones .; • with her love.'-arid her smile. " P .„. ¥i " •..-'. <.' I She approached him with i ; . matchless , grace, knelt to receive his blessing l as ; f ' f >. he had.been a patriarch v and then rose t to ki'..« his cheek. ' '. "I have no father," she said, simply, , I "but Colin has given. me yon." J ;So love, and the peace which h only; love , r v . and a woman's :mini?*rv can bring to'any, ■. house, descended on AVesteivßallaig, never ' ? to leave it again. It was. an idyll of.^'-g r- happiness seldom met with in this world. •.. ,;. .For.; these .two young creatures ' cari:i«;i to?^|K . gather in all ■■■ the freshness of their young . love which had neverjbeeii^'desecratedfoiF^^^ e dissipated on base or tririid '.bjects. lt.-,;^;. A is how,it' should be, and what would dos*Vpl|^ j divcrce'• court' doors forever/--■• i ''■'*'&ffi^4Ms^