WHITE HEATHER. 



Meenie Douglas, the former lover of Ronald 

 Strang, had received word from her friend in Glasgow, 

 whither the young Highlander had gone to pursue his 

 studies, that he was "drinking himself to death in the 

 lowest of low company." She is filled with anguish 

 and solicitude for the young man who had thus fallen 

 on evil ways, and desired to render him her friendly 

 help. 



"But what could she do? All the day she pon- 

 dered ; all the evening and through the long silent and 

 wakeful night. And when, at last, the gray of the 

 dawn showed in the small window, she had selected one 

 of these hundred bewildered plans and schemes; it 

 seemed a fantastic thing that she was about to do. She 

 would send him a piece of White Heather. He would 

 know it came from her he would recognize the post- 

 mark and also her handwriting. And if he took it as 

 a message and an appeal, as a token of good wishes 

 and friendliness, and the hope of better fortune? Or 

 if and here she fell a-trembling, for it was a little cold 

 in these early hours if he should take it as a confes- 

 sion, as an unmaidenly declaration? Oh, she did not 

 care. It was all she could think of doing; and do 

 something she must. And she remembered with a 

 timid and nervous joy her own acknowledged influence 

 over him had not Maggie talked of it a thousand 

 times? And if he were to recognize this message in 

 its true light, what then ? Ronald ! Ronald ! her heart 

 was still calling, with something of a tremulous hope 

 amid all its grief and pity. 



"She was out and abroad over the moorland long 

 before any one was astir, searching with an anxious 



165 



