tical rapture there comes to me,
The call of the Silver Sea!
As needle to pole is my heart to thee,
Pearl of the Silver Sea!
Pearl of the Pearl of the Silver Sea!
To some you are Margaret, but to me,
Always and ever, wherever I be,
You are Pearl of the Pearl of the Silver Sea!
J.C.G.
PART THE FIRST
I
NOTE.--_It would be impossible to depict the Sark of to-day
without using the names native to the Island. All such names
here employed, however, are used without any reference whatever
to any actual persons who may happen to bear similar names in
Sark. The characters are to be taken as types. The incidents are
in many cases fact._
If you want murders, mysteries, or mud--pass on! This is a simple,
straightforward love-story.
"Jock, my lad," said Lady Elspeth softly, nodding her head very many
times, in that very knowing way of hers which made her look like a
Lord Chief Justice and a Fairy Godmother all in one, "I've found you
out."
And when the shrewd old soul of her looked him gently through and
through in that fashion, he knew very much better than to attempt any
evasion.
"Ah!" he said meekly, "I was afraid someone would, sooner or later.
I've been living in constant dread of it. But it's happened before,
you know, between you and me. What is it this time, dear Lady
Elspeth?"
"Here have I been imputing grace to you for your kindly attentions to
a poor old woman whose race is nearly run, and setting you up above
the rest of them therefor, and lo, my idol----"
"Ah!" he said again, with a reproving wag of the head, for he knew now
what was coming,--"idols are perverse, camstairy things at best, you
know, and a bit out of date too. And, besides,"--with a touch of
remonstrance--"at your age and with your bringing-up----"
"Ay, ay, ye may be as insulting as ye choose, my laddie, and fling my
age and my upbringing in my face like a very man----"
"There isn't a face like it in all England, and as to----"
"I prefer ye to say Britain, as I've told ye before. Your bit England
is only a portion of the kingdom, and in very many respects the
poorest portion, notably in brains and manners and beauty. But ye
cannot draw me off like that, my laddie, whether it's meant for a
compliment or no. I was just about telling you you were a fraud----"
"You hadn't got quite that length, you know, but----"
"Will I prove it to you? Haven't you be
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