94 



THE TRIBES ON MY FRONTIER. 



and run in the golden lightning of the sunken sun, or will 

 the muddy vesture of decay grossly drag them down to the 

 earth again ? 



But to what end am I asking questions, or what would 

 it profit if I answered them ? I know that I am only on 

 the threshold yet of all the sterling qualities of head and 

 heart which adorn my trusty allies ; but I will stop there, 

 for when I have passed on to their patience and perseve- 

 rance, when I have adorned my tale with Robert Bruce, 

 who extracted a moral from a spider and won his kingdom, 

 when I have quoted the great teacher who noticed that she 

 was little upon the earth but exceeding wise, when I have 

 said all that can be said on the subject and more, the voice 

 of humanity will be as it has ever been, 



" Weaving spiders, come not here, 



Hence, you long-legged spinners, hence ! " 



And, since candour is a jewel, I will confess that I would 

 say the same if I could complete the exorcism, and ban 

 " beetles black," and all the rest of the fraternity of vagrants 

 and uninvited squatters on my estates. Till I can do that 

 I have need of spiders also. Give me neither or both. 



