The Bairn of Brianag

Mr. Collins stared at me for a moment, then looked at Kevin. Kevin grinned at him.

Mr. Collins shook his head.

"We have our armed escort," said Kevin, laughing. "We shall not be molested."

The clan knew that we were on our way; one of the Indians had gone ahead of us. I knew that they would meet us at Ft. Christopher; on our arrival there the next evening, I was greeted at the inn by Bobby and his boys. They all hugged me enthusiastically.

"Is Robbie yet alive?" I asked fervently.

"Yes, Jessie, he is alive!" said Bobby. "But wounded, and quite ill. He calls for you in his delirium. When we got your letter we went to the village; and it is so. He is there. We wanted to bring him home to Barraigh, but he is far too ill to travel."

"For how long has he been there?" I asked as we sat at the table for our supper.

"A week," said Bobby. "An Injun boy found him in the woods, holed up in a thicket, out of his head with fever. He must have been wandering about all that time; it's God's mercy that he did not freeze to death. The boy brought Old Creek Woman there, and they took him to the village where she could do her medicine on him."

I said, "Old Creek Woman?" the bell of memory ringing once again.

"Do you not remember?" said Bobby. "You know her, Jessie; she brought the medicine that saved you, when we all believed that you would die."

I shook my head.

"Never mind," said Bobby. "Let us pray that her medicine works as well for Robbie."

My throat was so thick I could not speak. Tears trickled down my face. "I must go to him at once," I said, and would have risen from my chair.

Bobby took my hand. "Jessie, lass; you have traveled hard these two days. You must rest. You are yet frail."

"I am not frail!" I cried. "I am strong. I am a Scot as well as you, Bobby McDonald!

And I will go to my husband!"

"Lass, lass," he said soothingly, "do not distress yourself so. We shall go early tomorrow. By sundown tomorrow you shall be with Robbie. All will be well."

I slumped a little, and wiped my tears. "Yes. Yes, of course. Forgive me. I am distraught."