A Daughter of Raasay

tabbed me, the while I stood there dogged yet grovelling, no word coming to my dry lips. What was there to be said? The tie that bound me to Aileen was indefinable, tenuous, not to be phrased;

rod I awaited my sentence, my heart a trip-ha

not be explained. In the night I lost her and went up and down through the shrubbery calling her to come forth, beating the currant and gooseberry bushes in search of her. A shadow flitted past me toward the ho

our--" I was beginning,

intrusion. In troth, Mr. Montagu, my interrup

e feel of being dren

let me expl

It will be none of my business who you are lov

s a madness of the blood.

ky) will not fall. Here iss a great to-do about nothi

ll not cast me off without a hearing. Someh

hink it clear enough already at all events.

e scorch of her eyes. My h

u let so small a thing put a period

that I am under obligations to you, sir,

ions; I never thought of them. Is the

break in the voice which she rode over roughshod-"I can very wel

too if one might judge by the breasts billowing with rising sobs. More slow I followed, quite dashed to earth. All that I had gained by month

ne night and I held my way sullenly to the house. Swift feet pattered down the path a

n," said Mistress A

e is no more mischief to your hand. Oh never fear!

eyes of the littl

enn. She'll never think t

orn. I have lost the only woman I could e

about women yet. She will think the mo

ur fashionables mig

zen it out. Cock your chin and whistle it off bravely. Faith, I know better men than you who would not look so doleful ove

to her chin was a sight

get I lo

e's not the only maid i' the wo

stubbornly, and then added dejecte

a word of comfort, which you don't deserve at all. For a week she will be a thunder-cloud, then the sun wil

the party at the inn that very evening, and Miss Westerleigh was of opinion that I and my charge would do well to take the road at once. I was of that mind myself. I

small voice, full of tear

e the less because I who had been

Montagu. Open t

moment's s

ng to see Mr. M

Miss Macleod, but there is a matter I

ht. I am desiring to be alone, sir,"

l chafed me. My eagerness was daunte

r time," I cried desperately, "but 'fore God! if you do not op

ng me, sir?" she a

tter is of life and death, not to be played with;" an

y sudden. Her affronted eyes might have belonged to

cannot be waiting? Perhaps Mr. Montagu mistak

her, that she meant to abide at the inn all night no matter who came; moreover, that when she did leave Hamish Gorm would be sufficient guard. I argued, cajoled, warned, threatened, but she was not to

to propose to her mistress a departure without my knowledge. The suggestion worked like a charm, and fifteen minutes later I had the pleasure of se

able. Within the hour they were away again, and I after to cover the rear. Late in the day the near wheeler fell very lame. The rest of the animals were dead beat, and I rode to the nearest hamlet to get another horse.

ntagu. They will be piling high as Ben Nevis," she said, but 'twould have

of our conversation, but the girl was ice to me. In the end I grew stiff as she. I would ride beside the coach all day with scarce a word, wearying for a reconciliation and yet

d strong, were headed for England, that they were burning and destroying as they advanced. Incredible reports of all kinds sprang out of the air, and the utmost alarm prevailed. The report of Cope's defeat was soon verif

ic from Hamish Gorm always served as a password for us. To make short, early in October we reached the Scottish capi

ine manly fellow of about three and thirty, lusty and well-proportioned, very tanned and ruddy. He had a quick lively eye and a firm good-humoured mouth. In brief, he was the very picture of a frank open-hearted Highland gentleman, and in the gay Macleod tar

onnets scrugged low on their heads, the hair hanging wild over their eyes and the matted beards covering their faces. For the most part they were very ragged, and tanned exceedingly wherever the flesh took a peep through their outworn plaids. They ran about the str

came Captain Donald

ye play

ddie, Highl

an, plaid, a brace of pistols, a dirk in his stocking, and claymore. At sight o

thinking you must have given us the go-by. Fegs, but it's a braw day and a sight guid for sair een to se

werena blate, to come w

n sic a strait, so e

ith you? I'se wad ye found the journey no'

his sister. They fell into a liking for each other at once. When the major was called aside by one

ride the water

acleod's aunt. Three shag-headed gillies in the tattered Cameron tartan dragged an innkeeper from his taproom and set him down squat on the cau

ange a progue for the Prince's guid," one of th

with much amusement, enjoying not a little the ridiculous figure cut by the

lad. It's as natural for a Hielander to despoil a Southron as for a goose to gang barefit. What would Lochiel think gin we fashed wi

e ringing clear as the echo of steel in frost, and when Donald lugged me into the talk she would fall mim as a schoolgirl under the eye of her governess. Faith, you would have thought me her dearest enemy, instead of the man that had risked life for her more than once. Here is a pretty gr

er we had left. "You maun hae made an awfu' bauchle of it. When last I saw the lady she hoiste

on of life and a varied experience with the sex that made him a valuable counsellor. The si

ettercap (madcap). Tony Creagh has been telling me abo

ttle stiffly, "but I think I di

oked at me dryly

dy that suited the speceefications." Then he began to chuckle: "I wad hae liked dooms weel to

ave kept the story to myself. I had come for advice, not to be laug

der she were the better I wad like it. Dinna you see that the lass rages because she likes you fine; and sin

him impatiently. "By your way of it so far as I can mak

t's the same to you we'll talk of something mair within your comprehension." And thereupon he diverted the conversation to the impending invasion of England by the Highland army. Presently I

rts by storm. Our Highland laddie is the bravest man I ever saw, not to be rash, and the most cautious,

yet I had no invi

r O'Sullivan makes out the list. I

care a flip of my fingers what the doctrine was he preached; but I had adroitly wormed out of Miss MacBean that he was the pastor

on account of an interruption which prevented us from hearing it. During the long prayer I was comfortably watching the back of Aileen's head and the quarter profile of her face whe

easy on his head for lang. And for the young man that is come among us to seek an earthl

he tense rustle that swept over the church and drowned

ckled the Irishman by my side. "Faith, the Jacks are leaving the chu

poured out of the building to show their disapproval. 'Tis an ill wind that blows nobody good. Miss MacBean invited Creagh and me to join them in