Shenacs Work at Home | Page 6

and full because of the melting snow, a number of great cedar chips were floating. Past the foot-bridge, and past the eddy by the great rock, and over the pool into which the creek widened by the old ashery, the mimic fleet sailed safely; while the lads shouted and ran, and strove by the help of long sticks to pilot them all into the little cove by the willow where little Flora was sitting, till even the flower-loving little maiden forgot her treasures, and grew excited like the rest.
You would never have thought, looking at those bright faces, that heavy trouble had been in their home for months. Listening to their merry, voices, you would never have imagined that there were, in some hearts that loved them, grave doubts whether for the future they were to have a home together or no. But so it was.
Higher up the bank, where the old ashery used to stand, Shenac and Hamish were sitting. The triumphant shout with which the last and largest of the boats was landed, startled them out of the silence in which they had been musing, and the girl said sadly,--
"Children forget so soon!"
Hamish made no answer. He was not watching the little sailors. His face was quite turned away from them, and looked gloomy and troubled enough. The girl watched a moment anxiously; and then turning her eyes where his had been for some time resting, she cried passionately,--
"I wish a fire would break out and burn it to ashes, every stick!"
"What would be the good of that? Angus Dhu would put it all up again," said Hamish bitterly. "He might save himself the trouble, though. He means to have all the land shortly."
They were watching the progress of a fence of great cedar rails which three or four men were building; and no wonder they watched it with vexation, for it went from line to line, dividing in two parts the land that had belonged to their father. He was dead now, and their brother Allister was far away, they knew not where, in search of gold; and there was no one now, besides themselves, except their mother, and the little ones who were so thoughtless, making merry with the great cedar chips which Angus Dhu sent, floating down the stream.
"Nobody but you and me to do anything; and what can we do?" continued the lad with a desponding gesture. "And my mother scarcely seems to care to try."
"Whisht, Hamish dear; there's no wonder," said Shenac in a low voice. "But about the land. Angus Dhu can never get it surely!"
"He has gotten the half of it already. Who is to hinder his getting the rest?" said Hamish. "And he might as well have it. What can we do with it?"
"Was it wrong for him to take it, do you think, Hamish?" asked Shenac gravely.
"Not in law. Angus Dhu would never do what is unlawful. But he was hard on my father, and he says--"
Hamish paused to ask himself whether it was worth while to vex Shenac with the unkind words of Angus Dhu. But Shenac would not be denied the knowledge.
"What was it, Hamish? He would never dare to say a light word of our father. Did you not then and there show him the door?"
Shenac's blue eye flashed. She was quite capable of doing that and more to vindicate her father's memory.
"Whisht, Shenac," said Hamish. "Angus Dhu loved my father, though he was hard on him. There were tears in his eyes when he spoke to my mother about him. But he says that the half of the land is justly his, for money that my father borrowed at different times, and for the interest which he could not pay. And he wants to buy the other half; for he says we can never carry on the farm, and I am afraid he is right," added the lad despondingly.
"And what would become of us all?" asked Shenac, her cheeks growing pale in the pain and surprise of the moment.
"He would put out the money in such a way that it would bring an income to my mother, who could live here still, with Colin and little Flora. He says he will take Dan to keep till he is of age, and Elder McMillan will take Hugh. You are old enough to do for yourself, he says; and as for me--" He turned away, so that his sister might not see the working of his face. But Shenac was thinking of something else, and did not notice him.
"But, Hamish, we have written to Allister, and he will be sure to come home when he hears what has happened to us."
Hamish shook his head.
"Black Angus says Allister will never come back. He says he was an unsettled