OUR STORIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14360, 4 February 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

OUR STORIES.

#HUM GILrIOYi"

A ROMANCE OF THE ISLES.

Ifij James Graham, author of the •'llalmaison Rose," etc., etc. CHAPTER XX. RONALD WINS HIS LOVE.

Ronald had been up at the Home /arm seeing the progress that was bet, ing mado with the establishing of the new crofting settlement. It was a jonrce or satisfaction to him to note Vhat ho work was proceeding satisfac*orily, and although much remained to be done, sufficient progress bad been made to enable mtet of tho evicted tenants from Cratbiemore and Crathiebeg to have at all events protection ironi wind and rain. Tho interest ho took iu this work had the effect of diverting his mind from his own sombre troubles: bat as lie walked ihtwn from ;he Home Farm towards the main road he was reverting again to his former gloomy thoughts, when all at once he noticed a pony and trap coming at an itnwonted rate across tho hill road from tho other 6ido of tho island. Tho trap had just appeared over the shoulder of Benmore, and was. coming rapidly towards him. For a minute or two he speculated on who it could be, but while it was a good distance off he recognised that tho driver was Huna Gflror, and his heart gave a great leap and his puisj quickened. Along they came, the littlo fat pony's legs pattering en the read, and as Huna drew up oesido him, Ronald noticed at a glance j that the pony's sides were fleeted with foam, while " his heaving flanks and quick-drawn breathing told of the rate at which he had travolled. Ho also saw that though Huna'a eyes were bright with excitement , and two ruddy spots burned on each cheek, there was a look of trouble and perplexity on her face. "Is anything wrong. Miss Gilroy? to asked apprehensively as ho raised his car>.

"Xo, I suppose not," she repl.ed with just the faintest touch of_ bitterness in b,2r tones; "everything is right now. Dugald is innocent. It was Ilkley that killed Duncan, and all the shadow of tha island's suffering lies across the house- of Ailasaybeg." .

Then, noticing Ronald's questioning look, sna told h:m of Ilkley's suicide and of his confession.

" Something will hare to be done at once, and there is not fuch time before Thursday," she wont on with a ahudder. " And as there was no one at Ailasaybeg to bring you the news I came. You will tell his mother, won't von. and him released? I will go lock to Ailasaybeg now." " You must rest the pony first," said Ronald. "Poor little chap, you hare driven fast, and I don't think he's much used to violent exercise. Sugar and laziness and petting are more in. his line. You must come to 'Ailasay and put him up. Perhaps the best way would be to leave him, and I will drive you across to Ailasaybeg. ■I can send the ponv and trap across in the morning. Il'll have to go to Ailasaybeg and. see Galium Dhu and your father about getting poor Dugald's release. Indeed I ought to go to Edinburgh if I could reach Oban, but the 'Wednesday boat would not take me there until fate on Wednesday night, but I expect a telegram to Allan will keep tilings right." "Oh! father would send the Osprey to Oban with you to-night. He told me to say so," said Huua, -to whom the difficulty of communicating with the mainland had occurred when discussing the matter with her father while tlie pony was being harnessed.

"If only he would do that I should be grateful. Though I think a telegram to Allan would do, I would be more confident and contented if I was on the spot myself, and then I could bring Dugald Sack with me. If you would give me a lift along to Ailasay, and wait till I tell mother and put a few tilings in a bag, I will drive you back/' said Ronald, rapidly planning out bis movements.

"Won't you tell his mother first?" ■aid Hnna quickly. Ronald flushed! " I for£Ot that. I'm afraid I'm very seifish, Miss Gilroy, and you are so Thoughtful of others that I know you will have no toleration for selfish folk," he remarked, looking at Huna with admiration, and something else in his glance. Miss Gilroy was evidently conscious of the "something else," for she dropped her eyes as sho answered, "I know you are not selfish; but you go and tell his mother, and I will go on and tell yours, and wait for you, and you can drive me back as you sug£est."

So Ronald strcda away back to the Home Farm to break the good news to the piper's kith and kin, while Huna drove on to Ailasay House. Having carried out his mission, Ronald made his way home, where he found that Miss Gilroy had already related her story, and The great cloud had been lifted from off the Maclaine household. Ronald quickly got his bag packed, and in a very short time be and Huna were bowling along the road back to Ailasaybeg. Both were silent, for a strange feeling had fallen upon them, and the little gcd Cupid perched up on the seat between them chuckled to himself as he noticed the disconcerting effect his manoeuvring had caused. Here he had contrived to get two people—the man and the woman for each ether —out of all the world together, and they sat stiff and rigid, looking out in front of them like a pair of deaf mutes. Only she felt a tremor as she knew without looking that his arm brushed her shoulder, and his heart beat the most riotous time as a stray curl blew lose and flickered within an inch or two of his cheek. And stall Cupid smiled and waited, for he knew that his time would come. For the first part of the journey Ronald kept his attention riveted on his horse, as a- good driver should, and the silence was not overwhelmingly oppressive. But at last they cams.to the shoulder of Benmore, over which the road to Ailasaybeg lay, and up the steep gradient of the latter part of the ascent the horse had perforce to walk. It was then Ronald first took a long look at his fair companion, a look ■which she did not return, although her heightened colour told that she was conscious of it. Now, in fiction, declarations of lore are generally framed in elegantly-moulded phrases and care-fnliy-rounded periods of artistic and passionate elegance. But if this was true to life in most cases, which is more than doubtful, then ix.or Ronald must seem sadly remiss, for his declaration was not of that descriotion. He looked at Huna for a full minute while she kept her gaze fixed on the splashboard in front of her and on the horse that walked calmly up the bill, the reins flapping on his back.

'•Miss Gilroy—Huiia," he said, and Ms voice was low and trembling. Huna raised her head for a second and looked at iim, as she said in *avoice that was almost inaudible, "Yes " Her eye 3 only met his for a second before she dropped them again, but itwas enough, for he saw in them a light that drew him on; tliafc light that never was on sea or land. "Huna," he said again. "Huna, I love you. I know it is not fair to speak now, but I nrest. Mav I hope? I hare no right, I know," but AiS ra», mm I ho.pe—that yon -jsn-

ever care for me?" His voice was. passionate in its !mr intensity, ami the hand that held the rums ihook. . "No" said Himu, and her whisper harelv 'reached him. but as he. heard her answer lie went white to the lips. Then in a gasp -"h- 8 wcut O 'J- "- S ", ; because becsuso one dots mil hope for what ono has," and she.raised her eve* again 10 his, ami in the magic of their meeting their two souls rushed together for ever. Tn a second he liiid Ids arms round her, and was pouring 'i trirrent oi' incoherent love into an car that thriilcd with ecstasy to hear it. •Huna, mine, Jluna mine," he said, and as the horse, having readied tho crest of the. hill, stood still, their lips met, and Ronald had won his love. The whispored secrets, the tender glances, ana tho loving pressures, are thev not sacred to these two and these two alone? It was the supreme moment in their lives, that moment which no one may share with them, and into which none may intrude.

; When Ronald and Huna, with the flush of their new-found happiness on their cheeks, arrived at Ailasaybeg Castle, Ronald was at once shown into the library, whero he- found Mr. Gilroy busy with the doctor and Callum Dim drawing up a report to be submitted to'the authorities. Mr. Gilroy had given instructions to the captain of his yacht, The Osprev, to have steam up in order that the report might bo taken to Oban at once, oven if Ronald did not. wish to go personally. On the lattcr's arrival, however, he promptly expressed his intention of going to Edinburgh. The police and medical reports having been adjusted, Callum Dim took his leave, and Mr Gilroy suggested a move to the drawing-room. " I should like a word witJi you, sir, first," said Ronald, and the doctor, with a look which was a comical mixture of surprise and understanding, and the remark that ho knew his own way upstairs. left. Then Ronald told the owner of Ailasaybeg how matters stood between himself and Huna. Ronald had expected Mr. Gilroy to bo astonished, and was much surprised to End that this was not tho case. Ronald had overlooked the fact that third parties see most of the game, and Mr Gilroy had had a shrewd suspicion for some time back that there was something in the wind between Captain Maclnino of Ailasay and his eldest daughter. The " result was that Ronald found himself met half-way, and in ten minutes' time the heads of the two houses that owned Ailasay Isle joined the others in the drawing-room, and congratulations wore showered on Ronald, and Huna. Rut Ronald had little time to spare, and soon he was walking down tho Ailasaybeg Avenue towards tho shore, where a boat from the Osprey was waiting to convey him on board the yaoht. Huna accompanied him to tho boatslip, and as tho Osprey steamed out of AUssaybeg Bay Ronald watched a slight figure standing on the shore, and caught tho wave of a dainty piece of-cambric. He waited on deck until the last speck of tho island had sunk into tho ocean, and then went below with the old song surging up in his heart with a new significance— Ailasay, Ailasay, this in thine ear, One in thy bosom dwells makes thee more dear; Crag and fell all around Hath a new glory ■When I with beating heart Whisper love's story. Ailasay Isle, my soul is with thee, Ailasay, Ailasay, gem of the sea. He occupied his time' while the Osprey bore him quickly along" by writing two letters to be <fcaken hack by the yacht. One was to his mother telling iie r of the great hapniness that had come to him, and the other to his love asking her to go to Ailasay House, and see his mother in her loneliness. There is no necessity for us to detail the various steps taken by Ronald and Allan Maclaine and Mr." Macneil to secure the release of Dugald Mhor, or to narrate the good-natured chaff tliat Ronald was subjected to by his brothers when he informed them of his engagement to "his enemy." It is sufficient to say that oil Thursday morning, instead of his last dread journey to the scaffold, Dugald accompanied his chief to the railway station and started on his homew-ard journey to his dear island homo a free man. If Dugald's departure had been made in tears and desolation, his homecoming was all joy and laughter, and amid deep-voiced and heartfelt rejoicing,' and accompanied by skirling pines, Dugald Mhor, the piper. Dugald Mlior, the lictblooded, but Dugald Mhor, the innocent, returned to Ailasav House, and at the door of the grey old mansion two gentle ladies, with tears in their eyes, welcomed him—tho widow of the late chief and the wife-to-be of the present chief.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE HOUSE OF REJOICING. Twelve months have passed away, and again it is June, and the whole population of the island of Ailasay, from both sides of the island, are gathered on Ailasay PieV. Tartans are waving, flags are flying, and an air of boisterous rejoicing pervades everyone. Time has laid its soothing hand on the sorrows and troubles of the island, and now all is peace aud happiness. Away up the Sound the Osprey is seen all bedecked with bunting, and the eyes of everyone are on 't' £T ** nrin 2s to their island home the Chief of Ailasay and his bride. All our friends are on the pier. There is Dugald Mhor, the piper, strutting about in all the pride of his position, and ready to blow such a pibroch as the isle has never heard before. There is Macdonald, ,tha dominie, subdued looking but happy, and, wonder of wonders, he is talking with everv show of friendliness to the Ailasaybeg factor. There is Allan and his finances—his cousin "Hoy," sweet Moira Cameron, chattering as if her tongue was driven, by electricity. There is Mrs. Maclaine talking to air. Gilroy, while a little distance off lan Maclaine and his cousin, young Ewan Cameron of Moidart, are laughing and joking with the bride's two sisters. Rumour has already coupled Ewan Cameron's name with Miss Jean Gilroy, and to judge by the glances between "them, "rumour 1 ' may not be such a "lying jade" as she 13 accused of being. But there is another couple walking about with a small boy between them. Thev are to be married in a mouth. They are Mrs Gilroy, the captain's widow, and Alistair Maclaine, the doctor. When they did their love-making no one seems to know, but that they have done it and are still doing it is" obvious to all.

At last the Osprey comes alongside the pier: the ropes are fastened, and amidst the cheers of his clansmen and the wild skirling of pipes, Ilouakl and his wife, looking radiantly beautiful in her hanr.iness, come down the gangway, and there is suck a kissing and handshaking as never was before on. Aihisay pier. Our tale is finished. Tie house of Ailasay is no longer a house of mourning, but a house of rejoicing,, and so wo close with the wish that no dark cloud may again fall on the fair island of "Ailasay, Ailasay, gem '-of. the 66a. ! ' (The End.)