Twelve months had passed by, lingeringly to the little lonely band on
Burnside Moor, and sunshine seemed to spring up afresh in every heart
when the first tiny green leaves and blue-eyed violets peeped through
the snow. “The spring is coming,” shouted the children, gleefully, “the
spring is coming, and Ally will soon be here.” The shadow passed off
from the mother’s thoughtful brow, and Donald looked happier than he had
yet since the parting, but Dugald grew more and more silent—as each
budding tree put forth its tiny sprouts and the verdure became brighter
and fresher on the hill-side, the flush paled on his cheek and his dark
eyes grew heavy with thought. Week after week glided on, and the
children wearied with watching turned with eager questions to their
elders, but mournfully, eyes dim with tears, met theirs—still Ally came
not.
The warm harvest days stole on—the grain was all gathered in—the cool
autumn winds blew chillingly—the snow flakes again robed the earth in
their pure mantle, and still Ally came not.
Bitter as was the disappointment, it fell not on unsubmissive hearts.
The children alone were clamorous in their expressions of regret, but
like the summer cloud, the sorrow passed from their memories and they
found in present amusements that forgetfulness which others sought in
vain.
“Sick with hope deferred,” they mourned unceasingly their lost one—yet
upheld by that faith in a Heavenly Guardian, to whose care they had
given her, and who would be faithful to the trust though all earth
should conspire against them.
And where was the object of this fond solicitude? What fate had been
hers since she tore herself away weeping, yet strong in hope and
confidence, fearless of the temptations, whose power she had yet to
learn? Was she indeed changed? Could not the shield of love and
innocence, so close about her, guard every avenue of that guileless
heart? Alas! no; Ally had been too trustful in her own strength, and so
insidious was the approach of the evil-spirit that she was unconscious
of danger until bitterly awakened to self-reproach, to feel that it was
too late!
As the Lady Adela Moreton, co-heiress with her cousin of their
grandfather’s broad lands, she was courted, caressed and flattered by
the noblest and most wealthy—her own rare loveliness adding new
attractions to her proud triumph, and though at first pained—then
disgusted—sad to tell—she at length learned to love the adulation that
followed her steps. Her cheek would flush and her eye brighten with
conscious pride—yet beautiful as she then was in the eyes of a gazing
world, Dugald would almost have failed to recognize in her his own
pure-hearted love.
Her aunt had been steadily pursuing a scheme which had been busy in her
brain since the first unlooked for recognition of her sister’s long lost
child, which was the union of her eldest son, Sir Frederic, to his
beautiful cousin, and thus preserve undivided the family estate. Poor
Ally little dreamed of the snares that were laid for her. The kindness
of her aunt won her gentle, affectionate heart to implicit obedience,
and her handsome cousin, possessed of every art of pleasing—beauty,
rank, wealth, grace, (few could resist their united influence,) moved
her by every loving device.
Was Ally happy? Those who saw her in the festive halls, brilliant and
animated, the centre to which all eyes, all hearts turned, might have
deemed her happy—but in the solitude of her chamber, when lights and
flattering tones had fled, pale, sorrowful faces would rise up, as if
upbraiding her; memories of the past would so flit before her, searing
her brain as it were fire, and remorseful tears would flow through the
long sleepless nights, stealing away the freshness from her fair cheek,
the brightness from her eyes. Was this happiness?
Yet the golden chains were close around her, and Ally asked not to break
their glittering links.
Donald—Margaret—Dugald—a fearful snare is weaving around your darling
one—a little longer and she may be lost to you forever—save her if yet
you may—God speed your efforts, for man is powerless now.
[Illustration]