Shenacs Work at Home | Page 6

she had
promised her mother she would not go.
But the lads had something else to do than to look for flowers for Flora.
Down the creek, which was broad 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