It was the old familiar picture that had charmed the imagination of Sheila’s first and only lover, when as yet she was to him as some fair and wonderful princess living in a lonely island and clothed around about with the glamor of old legends and stories of the sea. Was she any longer this strange sea-princess, with dreams in her eyes and the mystery of the night and the stars written in her beautiful face? Or was she to him now, what all the world long ago perceived her to be, a tender wife, a faithful companion and a true and loyal-hearted woman? Sheila walked quietly into the house; there was something there for her friends to see, and, with a great pride and gentleness and gladness, Scarlett was despatched on a particular errand. The old King of Borva was still down at the yacht, looking after the landing of certain small articles of luggage. Duncan had come forward to Ingram and said, “And are you ferry well, sir?” and Mairi, come down from Mackenzie’s house, had done the same. Then there was a wild squeal of the pipes in the long apartment where supper was laid, the unearthly gathering cry of a clan, until Sheila’s husband dashed into the place and threatened to throw John into the sea if he did not hold his peace. John was offended, and would probably have gone up the hillside and, in revenge, played “Mackrimmon shall no more return,” only that he knew the irate old King of Borva would, in such a case, literally fulfill the threat that had been lightly uttered by his son-in-law. In another room, where two or three women were together, one of them suddenly took both of Sheila’s hands in hers and said, with a great look of kindness in her eyes, “My dear, I can believe now what you told me that night at Oban.”
THE END.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] “My black-haired girl, my pretty girl, my black-haired girl, don’t leave me.” “Nighean dubh” is pronounced “Nyean du.”
[2] Literally, “Gearaidh-na’k-Aimhne,” the cutting of the river.
[3] Another name given by the islanders to these stones, is “Fir-bhreige,” false men. Both names, False Men and the Mourners, should be of some interest to antiquarians, for they will suit pretty nearly any theory.
[4] Pronounced Argyud-chark; literally, “hen money.”
| Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: |
|---|
| will Miss Shelia do for that=> will Miss Sheila do for that {pg 5} |
| the western sea seemed already=> the western sea seemed seemed already {pg 6} |
| which Sheila thought=> which Shiela thought {pg 59} |
| It was Shelia who told=> It was Sheila who told {pg 66} |
| powerful little grisle=> powerful little grilse {pg 69} |
| the acquaintence of a young man=> the acquaintance of a young man {pg 77} |
| aud drown for a while=> and drown for a while {pg 90} |
| hundreds and hundreds of peogle=> hundreds and hundreds of people {pg 99} |
| what is the use of marryung=> what is the use of marrying {pg 118} |
| cry of a drownning=> cry of a drowning {pg 121} |
| put upon the admissson=> put upon the admission {pg 127} |
| then boldy asked=> then boldly asked {pg 127} |
| had phophesied in the way=> had prophesied in the way {pg 138} |
| the Scotch pronunication=> the Scotch pronunciation {pg 140} |
| the sort of custume=> the sort of costume {pg 152} |
| not kept here for taht purpose=> not kept here for that purpose {pg 165} |
| whan she was startled=> when she was startled {pg 174} |
| Is is a silly thing altogether=> It is a silly thing altogether {pg 189} |
| she went up into the vestible=> she went up into the vestibule {pg 200} |
| fear of being implicacated=> fear of being implicated {pg 207} |
| that he expeeted to see=> that he expected to see {pg 216} |
| Shiela said she was very tired=> Sheila said she was very tired {pg 227} |
| they doubtless know that=> they doubtless knew that {pg 229} |
| her old pronounciation=> her old pronunciation {pg 239} |
| notion of Shiela’s position=> notion of Sheila’s position {pg 243} |
| Shiela’s waiting-maid=> Sheila’s waiting-maid {pg 244} |
| his sympathy with Shiela=> his sympathy with Sheila {pg 244} |
| play and sing a litile=> play and sing a little {pg 260} |
| decended from the clouds=> descended from the clouds {pg 261} |
| Muss ich verkünden mein susses Weh!=> Muss ich verkünden mein süsses Weh! {pg 262} |
| Dir schlagt dies Herz.=> Dir schlägt dies Herz. {pg 262} |
| with some suddeness=> with some suddenness {pg 263} |
| the same thing occured=> the same thing occurred {pg 269} |
| Is is really too bad=> It is really too bad {pg 274} |
| whan he suddenly found=> when he suddenly found {pg 287} |
| in the afterneon=> in the afternoon {pg 296} |
| may be in impostor to you=> may be an impostor to you {pg 330} |
| rest if youv’e got rheumatism=> rest if you’ve got rheumatism {pg 335} |
| to see to whom see could go=> to see to whom she could go {pg 339} |
| only for five minutess=> only for five minutes {pg 348} |
| thruogh the furze=> through the furze {pg 357} |
| Ahn as for sa sweerin=> And as for sa sweerin {pg 361} |
| steering almost mechancally=> steering almost mechanically {pg 362} |
| money given to Shelia=> money given to Sheila {pg 376} |
| will hef a litttle more whushky=> will hef a little more whushky {pg 381} |
| disappearing altogether every second second=> disappearing altogether every second {pg 386} |
| her daugher in London=> her daughter in London {pg 392} |
| leave the the thing open=> leave the thing open {pg 419} |
| been very lucky, Mr. Mackenze=> been very lucky, Mr. Mackenzie {pg 445} |
| There was no embarassment=> There was no embarrassment {pg 457} |