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diff --git a/43052-8.txt b/43052-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 37f6195..0000000 --- a/43052-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6007 +0,0 @@ - DONALD ROSS OF HEIMRA (VOLUME I) - - - - -This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at -http://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United -States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are -located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Donald Ross of Heimra (Volume I of 3) -Author: William Black -Release Date: June 28, 2013 [EBook #43052] -Language: English -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DONALD ROSS OF HEIMRA (VOLUME -I OF 3) *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - DONALD ROSS OF HEIMRA - - - BY - - WILLIAM BLACK - - - - _IN THREE VOLUMES._ - VOL. I. - - - - LONDON: - SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY - _LIMITED._ - St. Dunstan's House - FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, E.C. - 1891. - - (_All rights reserved._) - - - - - LONDON: - PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED. - STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. - - - - - CONTENTS OF VOL. I. - - -CHAPTER - - I. Godiva - II. Young Donald - III. The Cave of the Crowing Cock - IV. The Baintighearna - V. The Meall-na-Fearn Bog - VI. Gilleasbuig Mòr - VII. The Pirate's Lair - VIII. Face to Face - IX. The Battle of Ru-Minard - - - - - DONALD ROSS OF HEIMRA. - - - - CHAPTER I. - - GODIVA. - - -"Well, Mary, it is a pretty plaything to have given you--a Highland -estate!--and no doubt all your fine schemes will come right. But you -will have to change three things first." - -"Yes?" - -"And these are human nature and the soil and climate of Scotland." - -"Avaunt, Mephistopheles!--and go and give that porter a shilling." - -The two speakers were on the platform of Invershin station, on the -Highland line of railway. One of them was a tall young woman of -distinguished presence and somewhat imperious carriage, as you could -gather at a first glance; but the next second, if she happened to turn -her face towards you, you would have perceived that her expression meant -nothing but a bland gentleness and a prevailing and excellent -good-humour. Perhaps it was the dimple in her cheek that did it--a -dimple that came there readily whenever she regarded any one, and that -seemed to say she was very willing to be pleased and to please: at all -events, she found it easy, or had hitherto found it easy, to make -friends. For the rest, she was of an erect and elegant figure; her -complexion fair; her eyes grey-green, and full of light; her abundant -hair of a sunny brown; her features regular enough and fine enough for -all practical purposes. It was of this young woman that her friend and -now her travelling companion, Kate Glendinning, was in the habit of -saying-- - -"There's one thing I will confess about Mary Stanley: she's not quite -honest. She is too happy. She is so happy in herself that she wants -every one she meets to share in her content; and she is apt to say -clever and flattering little things that are not quite true. It is for -no selfish purpose; quite the reverse: still--you mustn't believe all -that Mary says to you." - -Thus Kate Glendinning of her dearest friend; but if any one else had -ventured to say similar things in her presence--then, and right swiftly, -there would have been pretty tempests and flashes of eye-lightning. - -And now there came up to Miss Stanley a short, stumpy, red-haired and -red-bearded man of extraordinary breadth of shoulder and bulk of frame. -He had a massive head despite his diminutive height; his mouth, drawn -heavily down at each end, betokened a determined will, not to say a -dogged obstinacy; and his small, clear, blue eyes, besides being sharp -and intelligent, had a curious kind of cold aggressiveness in them--that -is to say, when he was not talking to one whom it was his interest to -propitiate, for then he could assume a sort of clumsy humility, both in -manner and speech. This was Mr. David Purdie, solicitor, of Inverness. -_An Troich Bheag Dhearg_--that is to say, the Little Red Dwarf--the -people out at Lochgarra called him; but Mr. Purdie did not know that. - -"The carriage is quite ready, Miss Stanley," said he, in his slow, -deliberate, south-country accent; and therewithal the three of them -passed round to the back of the station and entered the waggonette, Mr. -Purdie modestly taking a seat by the driver. The two young ladies were -well wrapped up, for it was in the beginning of April, and they had -fifty miles before them, out to the Atlantic coast. Kate Glendinning, -in looking after her companion's abundant furs and rugs, rather affected -to play the part of maid; for this shrewd and sensible lass, who was in -rather poor circumstances, had consented to accept a salary from her -friend who was so much better off; and she performed her various -self-imposed duties with a tact and discretion beyond all praise. - -And as they drove away on this clear-shining afternoon, Mary Stanley's -face was something to study. She was all eagerness and impatience; the -colour mantled in her cheeks; her brain was so busy that she had -scarcely a word for her neighbour. For she had heard a good deal and -read much more, in Parliamentary debates and elsewhere, of the -sufferings of the crofters, of the iniquities that had been practised on -them by tyrannical landlords and factors, of the lamentations of the -poor homeless ones thrust forth from their native shores; and now, in -this little bit of the world that had so unexpectedly become hers, and -in as far as she was able, wrong was to be put right, amends were to be -made, and peace and amity, and comfort and prosperity were to be -established for ever and ever. Perhaps the transcendental vision of the -prophet Isaiah was hunting her: "The wilderness and the solitary place -shall be glad ... and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the -rose." And if she were to summon back the poor exiles who had been -banished--banished to the slums of Glasgow, perchance, or to the far -plains of Manitoba?... "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and -come to Zion with songs and ever-lasting joy upon their heads: they -shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." -To be sure, as they now drove along the wide and fertile valley that is -penetrated by the Kyle of Sutherland, she did not meet with much -evidence of the destitution she had been led to expect. She had heard -of bleak wastes and sterile altitudes, of ruined huts and dismantled -steadings; but here, under the softly-wooded hills, were long and level -stretches of arable land, the ploughmen busy at their work; the -occasional crofts were very far indeed from being hovels; and the people -whom they saw, in the bits of gardens, or tending the cattle, looked -well-clothed and well-fed. She ventured to hint something of this to -her companion; and Kate, glancing at her, began to giggle. - -"I really believe you are disappointed, Mary! Is there not enough misery -for you? But never fear. If it's misery you're in search of, you have -seldom far to go for it, in this world. Only I must tell you this--if -you're so eager to relieve distress--that there is more of wretchedness, -and crime, and squalor, and piteous human suffering in a single square -mile of the slums of London or New York than you'll find in the whole of -the Highlands of Scotland." - -"That may be," said Miss Stanley, in her calm and equable fashion. "But -you see, Käthchen, I have no call that way. I do not feel a direct -responsibility, as I do in this case-- - -"It is a responsibility you are making for yourself," her friend said. -"You know very well it was not for that your uncle left you the -property. It was merely to spite your father and your brothers." - -"There was a little more," was the good-natured reply (for she did not -seem to resent this reference to her amiable relative). "I think it was -to spite the people out there as well. My uncle and they never could -get on; and he was not a man who liked to be thwarted. And of course he -imagined that I, being a woman, would not interfere; that I would leave -the estate to be managed by Mr. Purdie, and simply receive the rents. -Well," she continued, and here she lowered her voice somewhat, and there -was a touch of colour in her face that was perhaps the expression of -some definite resolve, "I may allow Mr. Purdie to manage the estate, or -I may not. But if he does continues to manage the estate, it will be -under my direction." - -Käthchen looked at her, and laughed a little. - -"I don't think Mr. Purdie knows whom he has got to deal with," said she, -under her breath. - -They stopped that night at Oykel Bridge. Miss Stanley invited Mr. Purdie -to dine with them; but he declined on the ground that he had business in -the neighbourhood--an odd excuse, for the inn and its dependencies -constitute the remote little hamlet. The two young women passed the -evening by themselves, and talked: the one with generous ardour entering -into all her wonderful schemes, the other (who knew the country, and the -people) interposing now and again with a little modifying information. -But really Käthchen was not unsympathetic. Her eyes, which were the -attractive feature of her face, sometimes expressed a trifle of demure -amusement; but she was not a quarrelsome or argumentative creature; and -besides there is something about all fine humanitarian projects that one -would rather believe in and welcome. - -Next morning they resumed their drive, and very soon entered a much -wilder country than that of the preceding day. Wilder but nevertheless -beautiful--with its range upon range of russet hills, wine-stained here -and there with shadow; its woods of leafless birch of a soft dark -rose-lilac; its long undulations of waste moorland, yellow and brown; -with now and again the sudden blue scythe-sweep of the river. For now -they were traversing the lonely district of upper Strath-Oykel. Far -ahead of them rose the giant bulk of Ben More, Assynt, its higher -shoulders a solid mass of white. The sunlight around them was cheerful, -no doubt; and yet there was a strange sense of solitariness, of -voicelessness; and Mary, who was less concerned about the beauty of the -landscape than about certain problems haunting her mind, called out to -Mr. Purdie, who was again up beside the driver-- - -"Mr. Purdie, why are there no people living in this country?" - -"Because there's nothing for them to live on," was the laconic answer. -"It's fit for nothing but grazing sheep--and for grouse." - -"Yes--the hills, perhaps," said she. "But look along the valley--by the -side of the river." - -"Ay, it's fine land, that," said he, grimly,--"for a wheen pesewepes!" -And indeed the plovers were the only visible living things, jerking -about in the air, dipping suddenly to the ground and swiftly rising -again, with their curious squeaking call, and the soft velvet fluffing -of their wings. - -However, all that was nothing. By and by they had left the Oykel -strath, and had entered upon a far higher and bleaker region, the -desolation of which appalled her. There was not even the solitary -shepherd's cottage they had seen down in the other valley; here was -nothing but a wilderness of brown and ragged moorland, with deep black -clefts of peat, and an occasional small tarn, without a bush along its -shores, its waters driven a deep blue by the wind. Away in the west -they could make out the spectral shapes of the Assynt mountains--Coul -Beg, Coul More, and Suilven--remote and visionary through the universal -haze of the heather-burning; but here, all around them, were these -endless and featureless and melancholy undulations; and the silence was -now unbroken even by the curious bleating of the plovers: once, and once -only, they heard the hoarse and distant croak of a raven. - -"Käthchen," said Mary, in a sort of piteous dismay, as she looked abroad -over those sombre solitudes, "you have been all along the Ross and -Cromarty coast; is it like _that_?" - -"Plenty of it is worse," was the reply. - -"And--and--my place: is it like that?" - -"I have never been in to Lochgarra." - -"But--but if it is like that--what am I to do for my people?" - -"The best you can," said Käthchen, cheerfully. - -It seemed an interminable drive. And then, in the afternoon, a -premature darkness came slowly over; the mountains in the north -gradually receded out of sight; and heavy, steady rain began to fall. -The two girls sat huddled underneath one umbrella, listening to the -pattering footfalls of the horses and the grinding of the wheels on the -road; and when they ventured to peep forth from their shelter they -beheld but the same monotonous features in the landscape: masses of wet -rock and dark russet heather, black swamps, low and bare hills, and now -and again the grey glimmer of a stream or tarn. It was a cheerless -outlook; continually changing, and yet ever the same; and hour after -hour the rain came down wearily. There was hardly a word said between -those two: whither had fled Mary Stanley's dreams of a shining blue sea, -a sunny coastline, and a happy peasantry busy in their fields and -gardens, their white cottages radiant in the morning light? Käthchen, on -the other hand, was inclined to laugh ruefully. - -"Isn't it a good thing, Mary, that duty brought us here? If it had been -pleasure, we should be calling ourselves awful fools." - -But quite of a sudden this hopeless resignation vanished, and a wild -excitement took its place. - -"Miss Stanley," Mr. Purdie called to her, "we've come to the march." - -"The what?" - -"The march--the boundary of your estate." - -Instantly she had the carriage stopped, and nothing would do but that -she must get out and set foot on her own land: moreover, when Käthchen -took down the umbrella, they found that the rain had ceased, and that -the western skies were lightening somewhat. - -"That is the march," said Mr. Purdie, pointing to a low, irregular, -moss-grown wall--obviously a very ancient landmark; "and it goes right -over the hill and down again to the Garra." - -Leaving the highway, she stepped across the ditch, and stood on the -moist, soft peat land. - -"And this is mine!" she said to Käthchen, with an odd expression of -face. "This is absolutely mine. Nobody can dispute my possession of -it. This piece of the solid world actually belongs to me." - -"And I suppose your rights extend as deep as ever you like," said -Käthchen. "You might go all the way through, and have a walk in the -streets of Melbourne, and get dry, and come back." - -But Mary's quick eye had caught sight of what was to her the most -important feature of the surrounding landscape. It was a cottage -perched on a knoll above a burn--or, rather, it was the ruins of a -cottage, the gables standing roofless, the thatch long ago blown away by -the winds, the beams and fallen stones lying among the withered nettles, -altogether a melancholy sight. - -"Now, isn't it shameful!" she exclaimed, in hot indignation. "Look at -that! The very first thing I meet with! Do you wonder that people -should talk about the Highland landlords? Some poor wretch has been -driven away--perhaps at this very moment, in Canada or in Australia, he -is thinking of the old home, and forgetting all the rain and discomfort -there used to be, Mr. Purdie!" - -"Yes, ma'am?" said he, coming a bit nearer; and Käthchen looked on, -wondering if his doom was about to be pronounced. - -"Who lived in that house?" Miss Stanley demanded. - -"The schoolmaster," was the reply. - -"The schoolmaster? And where is he now?" - -"He's in his own house," the factor said. "We built him a new one and a -better one, to be nearer the school and the village; and when he moved -it was hardly worth while keeping the old one in repair." - -"Oh," said she, a little disconcerted. "Oh, really. Then no one was -sent away--from that cottage?" - -"No, no--not at all--not at all," said he; and he followed her to the -waggonette and politely shut the door after her--while Käthchen's face -maintained an admirable gravity. - -As the drove on again, the afternoon seemed inclined to clear; the skies -were banking up; and there were faint streaks of lemon-yellow among the -heavy purple clouds in the west. And very soon the road made a sweep to -the left, bringing them in sight of the Connan, a small but turbulent -tributary of the Garra. Here, also, they encountered the first signs of -the habitations of men--little clumps of buildings clustered together -just over a stretch of flat land that had clearly been recovered from -the river-bed. Crofts, no doubt: each slated cottage surrounded by its -huddled dependency of thatched barns and byres. - -As the waggonette drew near to the first of these rude little -settlements, the women disappeared into the outhouses, and the children -hid behind the peat-stack; but there remained standing at the door of -the cottage an elderly man, who regarded the strangers with a grave and -perhaps rather sullen curiosity. - -"Mr. Purdie," said Mary, in an undertone, "is that one of my tenants?" - -"Yes, certainly--that is James Macdonald." - -"I wish to make his acquaintance," said she; and she stopped the -carriage, and got out. - -There was no sort of fear, or unnecessary bashfulness, about this young -woman. She walked right up the bank to the door of the cottage. The -short thick-set man standing there had something of a Russian cast of -countenance, with a heavy grey beard, shaggy eyebrows, and small, -suspicious eyes. His clothes were weather-worn as to colour and much -mended; but they were not in the least squalid; and he had a red woollen -comforter round his neck. - -"Good evening!" said she, with a most winning smile. - -But the propitiating dimple, that had hitherto been all-conquering, was -of no avail here. He looked at her. He did not raise his cap. - -"_Cha 'n 'eil beurla agam_," said he, with a sort of affected -indifference. - -She was taken aback only for a moment. - -"What does he say?" she asked of Mr. Purdie, who had followed her. - -"He says he has no English," the factor answered; and then he added, -vindictively: "But he would have plenty of English if he wanted to tell -you of his grievances--oh, ay, plenty! Start him on that, and he'll -find plenty of English! He's one of the most ill-condeetioned men in -the whole place--and I suppose he has enough English to understand -that!" - -"Tell him who I am," said she, rather disappointedly; for she had set -out with the determination to get to know all the circumstances and -wants and wishes of her tenants, especially of the poorer ones, without -the intervention of any factor. - -Hereupon Mr. Purdie, in unnecessarily severe tones, as it seemed to her, -addressed a few sentences in Gaelic to the stubborn-looking old man, -who, in turn--and with no abatement of his hostile attitude--replied in -the same tongue. But to Mary's surprise, he suddenly added--fixing -morose eyes upon her-- - -"She--no my laird! Ross of Heimra--my laird. Young Donald--he my -laird. She no my laird at ahl!" - -"Oh, but that is absurd, you know," Mary said, eagerly, and with a quick -delight that she could enter into direct communication with him. "You -forget--you are mistaken--my uncle bought the estate from the late Mr. -Ross of Heimra. Surely you understand that? Surely you know that? The -whole place was bought in open market. Mr. Ross sold the land, and all -the rights belonging to it--yes, and the obligations, too; and my uncle -bought it. Don't you understand?" - -The man turned away his eyes, and sulkily muttered something in Gaelic. - -"What is it?" asked Mary, compelled to appeal once more to the factor. - -"Like the scoundrel's impertinence!" said the Little Red Dwarf, darting -an angry look at the crofter. "He says the Englishman--that is your -uncle, Miss Stanley--the Englishman bought the land but not the hearts -of the people." - -"And that is quite right!" Mary exclaimed. "That is quite right and -true. Tell him I quite agree with him. But tell him this--tell him -that if my uncle did not buy the hearts of the people, I mean to win -them----" - -"Oh, Mary," Käthchen struck in, rather shamefacedly, "don't talk like -that! They won't understand you. Be practical. Ask him what complaint -he has to make about his farm--ask him what he wants----" - -"I can tell ye that beforehand!" said Mr. Purdie, in his irascible -scorn. "He wants more arable land, and he wants more pasture; and both -for nothing. And no doubt he would like a steam plough thrown in, and -maybe a score or two o' black-faced wethers----" - -But Mary interrupted. She had formed for herself some idea, before she -came to this country, as to how she meant to proceed. - -"Mr. Purdie," said she, in her clear, firm way, "I wish you to ask this -man if he has anything to complain of; and I wish you to tell me -precisely what he says." - -The Troich Bheag Dhearg, being thus ordered, obeyed; but he scowled upon -the stubborn crofter--and it was apparent there was no love lost on the -other side either. At the end of their brief, and unwilling, -conversation, the factor made his report. - -"Well, there are many things he would like--who could doubt that?--but -in especial he wants the pasture of Meall-na-Cruagan divided amongst the -crofters of this district, and the tax for the dyke taken off the rent. -But Meall-na-Cruagan never did belong to the crofters at any time; and -it is part of Mr. Watson's sheep-farm--he has it under lease." - -"I will look into that afterwards," said she. "What is the tax you -mentioned?" - -"Well, when the dyke along there--the embankment," said the factor, "was -built to keep the river from flooding the land, the interest of the -money expended was added on to the rents of the crofts, as was -natural--and that's what they call a tax!" - -"How long have they been paying that tax?" she asked. - -"It is about thirty years since the dyke was built." - -"Thirty years!" she said. "Thirty years! These poor people have been -paying a tax all this time for an embankment built to improve the -property? Really, Mr. Purdie!----" - -"They get the value of it!" he said, as testily as he dared. "The land -is no longer flooded----" - -"Tell this man," said she, with some colour mounting to her face, "that -the tax for the dyke is abolished--here and now!" - -"Godiva!" said Käthchen, in an undertone, with a bit of a titter. - -And the factor would have protested from his own point of view. But -this young woman's heart was all aflame. She cared nothing for -ridicule, nor for any sort of more practical opposition. Here was some -definite wrong that she could put right. She did not want to hear from -Mr. Purdie, or from anybody else, what neighbouring landlords might -think, or what encouragement it might give the crofters to make other -and more impossible demands. - -"I don't care what other landlords may say!" said she with firm lips: -"You tell me that I improve my property--and then charge these poor -people with the cost! And for thirty years they have been paying? -Well, I wish you to say to this man that the tax no longer exists--from -this moment it no longer exists--it is not to be heard of again!" - -The factor made a brief communication: the taciturn crofter answered not -a word--not a word of recognition, much less of thanks. But Mary -Stanley was not to be daunted by this incivility: as she descended to -the waggonette, her face wore a proud look--right and justice should be -done, as far as she was able, in this her small sphere: the rest was -with the gods. - -And again they drove on; but now was there not some subtle softening of -the air, some moist odour as of the sea, some indication of the -neighbourhood of the Atlantic shores? Clearly they were getting down to -the coast. And unhappily, as they went on, the land around them seemed -to be getting worse and worse--if there could be a worse. A wilderness -of crags and knolls--of Hebridean gneiss mostly; patches of swamp, with -black gullies of peat; sterile hills that would have threatened a hoodie -crow with starvation: such appeared to be Miss Stanley's newly found -property. But a very curious incident now occurred to withdraw her -attention from these immediate surroundings--an incident the meaning of -which she was to learn subsequently. They had come in sight of a level -space that had evidently at one time been a lake, but was now a waste of -stones, with a touch of green slime and a few withered rushes here and -there; and in the middle of this space, on a mound that had apparently -been connected with the mainland, was a heap of scattered blocks that -looked like the tumbled-down ruins of some ancient fort. - -"What is that, Mr. Purdie?" she called out, still anxious for all -possible information. - -A malignant grim came over the face of the Little Red Dwarf. - -"That," said he, "was once Castle Heimra; and then it was Castle -Stanley; and now it is nothing!" - -He had scarcely uttered the words when the driver slashed at the neck of -one of the horses; and both animals sprung forward with a jerk--a jerk -so sudden and violent that Mr. Purdie was nearly pitched headlong from -his seat. He threw a savage glance at the driver; but he dared not say -anything--the two ladies were within hearing. Later on that evening -Mary recalled this little incident--and seemed to understand. - -Behold, at last, the sea!--a semi-circular bay sheltered by long black -headlands; beyond that the wide grey plain, white-tipped with flashing -and hurrying waves; and out towards the horizon a small but precipitous -island, a heavy surge springing high along its southern crags. But she -had time only for the briefest glance, for here was the village--her own -village!--with its smithy, its schoolroom, its inn, its grocery store -that was also a post-office, and thereafter a number of not very -picturesque cottages scattered about amid bits of poor garden, just -above the shore. Nay, at the same moment she caught sight of Lochgarra -House--her home that was to be: an odd-looking building that seemed half -a jail and half a baronial castle, but was prettily situated among some -larch-woods on a promontory on the other side of the bay. Of course -they had driven through the little township almost directly; and now she -could turn to the sea again--that looked strangely mournful and distant -in the wan twilight. - -"But where's the yacht?" she exclaimed. - -"What yacht?" her companion asked, with some surprise. - -"Why, the yacht I saw a minute ago--just before we came to the village: -it was out yonder--close to the island----" - -"Oh, nonsense, Mary!" said Kate Glendinning. "You may have seen a -fishing-smack, or a lobster-boat--but a yacht at this time of the -year!----" - -"I declare to you I saw a yacht--for I noticed how white the sails were, -even in the twilight," Mary insisted; and then she appealed to the -factor: "Mr. Purdie, didn't you see a yacht out there a minute or two -ago?" - -"No, I did not," he made answer; and then he in his turn addressed the -driver: "Did you, John?" - -"No," said the driver, looking straight ahead of him, and with a -curiously impassive expression of face--an expression of face that -convinced Mr. Purdie, who was prone to suspicion, that the man had lied. - -It was a kind of bewilderment to her, this taking possession: the going -up the wide stone steps, the gazing round the lofty oak hall, the -finding herself waited upon by those shy-eyed soft-spoken Highland -maids. But when she was in the retirement of her own room, whither she -had been accompanied by the faithful Kate, one thing stood out clear to -her mind from amid all the long day's doings. - -"Käthchen," said she--and she was pacing up and down the room--or going -from window to window without looking out--as was some-times her habit -when she was excited--"I mean to have my own way in this. It is not -enough that the tax should be abolished--it is not enough. No doubt -those poor people were saved from the risk of floods; but on the other -hand the property was permanently improved; and it is monstrous that -they should be expected to go on paying for ever. I tell you they have -paid too much already; and I mean to see things made right. What do I -care for Mr. Purdie, or the neighbouring landlords? If Mr. Purdie has -any business to talk of when he comes along this evening--well, my -little piece of business must take precedence. I am going to give Mr. -Purdie the first of his instructions." - -She paused for a second--and then she spoke with rather a proud and -determined air: "Fifteen years of that tax to be remitted and returned!" - -"Godiva!" said Käthchen, again; but there was not much sarcasm in her -smiling eyes. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - YOUNG DONALD. - - -"And if I am not the laird," said Miss Stanley, as the three of them -took their places at table--for Mr. Purdie had accepted an invitation, -and had come along from the inn to dine with the two young ladies--"if I -am not the laird, I want to know who is the laird: I mean, I want to -know all about my rival. What was it the stubborn old crofter called -him? Young Donald--Young Ross of Heimra--well, tell me all about him, -Mr. Purdie!" - -But to Mary's surprise, the Little Red Dwarf remained sternly mute. Yet -there was no one in the room besides themselves except the maid who was -waiting at table--a tall and good-looking Highland lass, whose pretty -way of speech, and gentle manner, and shy eyes had already made a -pleasant impression on her young mistress. All the same, the factor -remained silent until the girl had gone. - -"I would just advise ye, Miss Stanley," said he, rather moderating his -voice, which ordinarily was inclined to be aggressive and raucous, "I -would just advise ye to have a care what ye say before these people. -They're all in a pact; and they're sly and cunning--just beyond belief; -ay, and ready to do ye a mischief, the thrawn ill-willed creatures!" - -"Oh, Mr. Purdie!" Mary protested, in her good-humoured way, "you mustn't -try to prejudice me like that! I have already had a little talk with -Barbara; and I could not but think of what Dr. Johnson said--that every -Highland girl is a gentlewoman." - -"And not a word they utter is to be believed--no, not with a Bible in -their hands," the factor went on, in spite of her remonstrance. "Miss -Stanley, did ye hear me ask the driver as we came through the village if -he had seen the yacht out by Heimra island--the yacht that ye saw with -your own eyes? He said no--he had not seen it--and I knew by his face -he was lying to me." - -"But, Mr. Purdie," said Mary, again, "you did not see the yacht either. -And I may have been mistaken." - -"Ye were not mistaken," said the factor, with vicious emphasis. "For -well I know what that was. That was nothing else than young Ross coming -back from one of his smuggling expedeetions--the thieving, poaching -scoundrel!--and little thinking that I would be coming out to Lochgarra -this very afternoon. But I'll be even with my gentleman yet!--for it's -all done to thwart me--it's all done to thwart me----" - -The factor's small clear eyes sparkled with malice; but he had perforce -to cease speaking, for at this moment Barbara came into the room. When -she had gone again, he resumed: - -"I will just tell ye how I came to get on his track," Mr. Purdie said, -with something of a triumphant air. "And first of all ye must -understand, Miss Stanley, I take some little credit to myself for having -routed out the illicit stills in this country-side; ay, I'm thinking -they're pretty well cleared out now; indeed I'll undertake to say -there's not a hidden worm-tub or a mash tun within twenty miles around. -There was some trouble; oh, yes; for they're cunning creatures; and they -stand by one another in lying and concealment; but I managed to get some -information for the Preventive Staff all the same--from time to time, -that was--and then I had a good knowledge o' the place--ye see, Miss -Stanley, I was factor at Lochgarra before your uncle gave me back my -post again; and so, with keeping the gaugers busy, we got at one after -another of the black bothies, as they call them, until I doubt whether -there's a _bothan dubh_ between here and Strathcarron. Yes, I may admit -I take some credit for that. I've heard folk maintain that speerits are -a necessary of life in a bad climate like this; but what I say is, let -people pay their rent before comforting themselves wi' drams. My -business is with the rent. I'm not a doctor. Temperance, ay, and even -total abstinence, is a fine thing for everybody." - -"Won't you help yourself, Mr. Purdie?" said Kate Glendinning, with grave -eyes, and she pushed the sherry decanter towards him. Mr. Purdie filled -his glass--for the fifth time--and drained it off. Then he proceeded. - -"However, this is my story. One day I had finished wi' my business -here, and had set out to ride over to Ledmore, when the toothache came -into my head just terrible, and I was like to be driven mad. I was -passing Cruagan at the time--where ye spoke to James Macdonald, Miss -Stanley--indeed, it was at James's house I stopped, and tied up the -beast, and went in to see if I could get a drop of whiskey to put in the -side of my cheek, for the pain was just fearful. Well, there was nobody -in but James's old mother--an old, old woman--she could hardly move away -from the fire--and says I, 'For God's sake, woman, give me some whiskey -to drive away this pain.' Of course she declared and better declared -there was none in the house; but at last, seeing I was near out o' my -senses, she hobbled away and brought me--what do ye think?--a glass of -brandy--and fine brandy, too. 'Hallo!' says I to the old cailleach, -when the brandy had burned in my mouth for a while, and the pain was not -so bad, 'where did ye get this fine stuff?' Would ye believe it, she -declared and better declared that she found it! 'Find it, woman! Where -did ye find it?' But no; that was all; she had found it. And then I -began to think. Where was an old woman like that to get brandy? So says -I all of a sudden, 'This is smuggled stuff. Ye need not deny it; and -unless ye tell me instantly where ye got it, and how ye got it, the -Supervisor will be here to-morrow morning, and in twenty-four hours -ye'll be in Dingwall Jail!----'" - -"Mr. Purdie," said Käthchen, interrupting--and with rather a cold -manner--"was that your return for the old woman's kindness to you in -your trouble?" - -But he did not heed the taunt. He was exulting in his having trapped -his enemy. - -"She was frightened out of her wits, the wretched old creature. 'Donuil -Og,' she says--Young Donald--it was from young Ross that she had got it. -And now the case was clear enough! I had been suspecting something of -the kind. And here was a fine come-down for the Rosses of Heimra;--the -Rosses of Heimra, that in former days made such a flourish at the -English court--dancing at Almacks, and skelping about wi' the Prince -Regent; and now the last of the family come down to selling smuggled -brandy to old women and a parcel of crofters and cottars! A fine way of -earning a living! But it's all he's fit for--an idle ne'er-do-weel, -that never did a turn of work in his life beyond poaching and thieving -and stirring up ill-will behind one's back. But I'll be even with my -gentleman! I'll have the Supervisor of Excise on to him; his fine -little trips to the Channel Islands--I suppose it's the Channel Islands, -where you get brandy for next to nothing--we'll soon put a stop to them; -and when he finds himself before the Sheriff at Dingwall, he'll be -singing another tune!" - -A tap at the door--then Barbara entered; and the factor looked up -quickly and suspiciously. But if the tall Highland lass had been -listening her face said nothing. - -"And the young man you speak of," Mary asked, "does he live all by -himself--out on that island?" - -"It's fit that he should live by himself," said Mr. Purdie, with his -eyes beginning to twinkle fiercely again: for any reference to this -young man seemed to completely turn his head. "He's nothing but a -savage--brought up as a savage--amongst the rocks and crags--like a -wild-goat--from his earliest years. What else could ye expect? There -was his mother--a proud woman--proud and vindictive as ever was -born--and she hears how her husband is gallivanting from this capital to -that--throwing away his money on Italian countesses and -riff-raff--indeed there was the one public scandal, but I cannot give ye -particulars, Miss Stanley, the story is not for a young lady's ears at -all: but the mother, she determines to go away and live in that island, -and bring up her only child there; and there the two o' them live, like -two savages, the laddie growing up as a wild goat would, clambering -about the rocks and the shore and the hills. What could ye expect but -that he should turn out a poaching, thieving, smuggling rascal, -especially with every man, woman, and child in the place--on the -mainland here, I mean--ready to serve him and screen him? Truly it is a -debasing thing to think of--such supersteetion; but these poor ignorant -creatures--a name's enough for them--any Ross of Heimra, because he's a -Ross of Heimra, is a little God Almighty to them; I think they would -perjure their immortal souls for that impudent and brazen-faced young -scoundrel out there. Brandy? Oh, ay, brandy! And I dare say he gets -them tobacco, too; and makes a good profit on't; for what else can he -live on? Heimra island is the last of all their possessions; if you go -scattering your money among Italian countesses, you've got to cut up the -estate, and fling it into the market, bit by bit, until you come to the -final solid lump of it--which your uncle bought, Miss Stanley; and then -the deserted wife, left to herself on that island out there, can live on -whelks and mussels if she likes! Well, a fine lonely place to nurse -pride! Plenty of time to think! The great estate gone--her husband at -length dead and buried without ever having come near her--and this young -whelp to look after--a wild goat among the rocks! No more grandeur -now--though at times Lord This or Lord That, or even a Duke or Duchess, -would come in their steam-yacht, or send her presents of game in the -autumn--" - -"Poor woman!" said Mary. "Is she out there still?" - -"No, no--her troubles are over," said the factor, with some expression -of relief. "There's one the less for these ignorant, supersteetious -creatures hereabouts to fall down and worship, as if they were golden -images. She died near a year ago; and would ye believe it, this son o' -hers, instead of having her put into a Christian graveyard, had her -buried on the western coast of the island, up on the top of the cliff, -and there's a great white marble slab there, that ye might see for miles -off. A nice kind of thing, that! Refusing Christian burial for his own -mother! He's just a Pagan, neither more nor less--a wild -savage--fearing neither God nor man--getting drunk every night, I'll be -bound, on that smuggled brandy; and I'm no sure he would scruple to take -your life if he found ye in a convenient place. It's a terrible thing -to think of, a human being brought up like that, in a country of law and -order and releegion. But I've no pity for him, not one jot! He and his -have done me sufficient harm; but I'll be even with him yet--the -cheat-the-gallows!" - -Mary Stanley, though not much of a coward, seemed to shrink back a -little in unconscious dismay. She had never seen such venomous rage -working in any human creature's face; and it was rather an appalling -kind of thing. But presently Mr. Purdie seemed to recollect himself; -this exhibition of overmastering hate was not the best means of -propitiating his new mistress; and so, making a determined effort to -control himself (and helping himself to another glass of sherry at the -same time) he proceeded to talk of business, with a certain constrained, -matter-of-fact air. - -"You said before we came in to dinner, Miss Stanley," he began, in his -slow and deliberate way, "that you wished fifteen years' of the dyke tax -to be remitted and returned to the Cruagan crofters. Very well. -Whatever is your pleasure. But have you considered what the result will -be?" - -"No," said Mary, "I do not wish to consider. I wish to have the thing -done, because I think it is right." - -"For one matter," said he, "they will take it, and not thank you." - -"I do not care about that," she made answer. "We will see about the -thanks, or no thanks, later on." - -"But there's more," said the factor, rousing himself from his forced -restraint of manner. "They'll just begin to think that the time for the -universal getting of everything for nothing has come at last; and where -will there be an end to their outrageous demands? The ignorant -creatures!--they do not know what they want--they're like children -crying for the moon; and they're encouraged by a set of agitators more -ignorant than themselves--people in Parliament, and out of it, that -never saw a peat-moss, and don't know the difference between a hog and a -stirk----" - -"But wait a moment, Mr. Purdie," said she, with some touch of calm -authority. "I can hardly tell you yet what I intend to do; I have all -kinds of enquiries to make. But every one is well enough aware that, -whatever the cause or causes may be, there is great distress among the -crofters--great poverty--and, naturally, discontent; and when I hear of -them almost starving for want of land--and such immense tracts given -over to deer---I know that a great wrong is being done. And that is not -going to exist wherever I have a word to say." - -"It cannot exist on this estate, Miss Stanley," the factor said, with -confidence. "For we have not a single acre of forested land." - -"What did I hear my brother say, then, about eleven stags in one -season?" she demanded. "Why, he asked me to ask him up here this next -autumn for the very purpose of going stalking!" - -"Yes, yes, very likely," said the Little Red Dwarf, with the magnanimity -born of superior knowledge. "The fact is that when the deer begin to -get restless about the end of September and the beginning of October, a -few stags and hinds come wandering on to our ground, between the -Meall-na-Fearn and the Corrie-Bhreag mostly. But that is not forest; -that is all under sheep; that belongs to Mr. Watson's sheep-farm: the -stags the gentlemen get in the autumn are mere chance shots; we have not -a bit of forested land. Indeed, Miss Stanley, ye'll rarely hear the -crofters, in any part of the country, clamouring to have a deer forest -split up amongst them; they know well enough what wretched and hopeless -kind of stuff it is; they're wiser than the havering folk in Parliament. -No, no; it's slices off the big arable and pasture farms they want. And -I can tell ye this," he went on, in quite a reasonable way (for young -Ross of Heimra was off his mind now), "there's many a proprietor in the -Highlands would be willing and even glad to break up his big sheep-farms -into small holdings; but where is either landlord or tenant to find the -money to pay for the housing, and steading, and fencing; and where is -the new tenant to find stock? To change the crofters into small farmers -would be a fine thing, no doubt--an excellent thing, a great reform; and -it would pay the landlords well if it were practicable. But how is it -practicable? Before the scheme would work, the crofter would have to be -given land worth at least £20 a year; and where is the capital to come -from for stock and steading?" - -Mary listened, a little uneasily, but not much daunted; for this was -merely the professional view; this was an advocacy of the existing state -of things; and it was the existing state of things, in this small -possession of hers, that she hoped to amend, if it was within her power. -Nor could she argue with him, seeing she had no facts at her fingers' -ends as yet, or, at least, none that she could rely on; for it was -personal inquiry and observation that this young woman meant to trust. - -"If they can make the small crofts pay----" said she, vaguely. - -"But they cannot," said he, with south country bluntness. "The land is -too poor; and there are too many of them wanting to live on it. Over -there at Cruagan the crofters manage to earn a little money by serving -as gillies in the autumn, and hiring their ponies to the sportsmen; and -along the coast here they eke out a living with the fishing; but they -would fairly starve on the crofts, if that was all. And then, besides -the poor soil, I do believe they're the idlest and laziest creatures on -God's earth! I'll undertake to say there has not been a boat put off -from shore this last week past, though there must be plenty of stenlock -in the bay----" - -But here Käthchen struck in, a little indignantly. She had Highland -blood in her veins; and she did not like to hear her countrymen and -countrywomen traduced by an _Albannach_. - -"Stenlock? You mean big lythe?" said she. "But you know very well, Mr. -Purdie, there is no market for lythe. They're no use to send away. And -even if they were--even if there were a market for them--how could the -people get them sent? How often does the steamer call in here?" - -"Oh, well, not very often at this time of the year," he said. - -"But how often?" she persisted. - -"Once in three weeks," said the factor. - -And now it was Mary's turn to interpose, which she did eagerly and -gladly, for she was ever on the alert for some actual and definite thing -to tackle. - -"Oh, really, Mr. Purdie, that is too bad! How can you expect them to be -diligent with the fishing, if the steamer only calls in once in three -weeks? That must be put right, and at once!" said she, in her generous -ardour. "I will appeal to the Government. I will appeal to the -Treasury." - -"You'd better appeal to Mr. MacBrayne," said Käthchen, drily; and -therewithal that subject was laid aside for the moment. - -Unfortunately this reasonable mood on the part of the Little Red -Dwarf--if he could properly be called little whose great breadth of -frame caused him to look like a compressed giant--did not last very -long. His half-smothered hatred of the house of Heimra broke into flame -again; and it is possible that a glass of whiskey which he took at the -end of dinner, combined with the previous sherry, may have added fuel to -the fire. - -"I've warned ye, Miss Stanley, not to say a word about the Ross family, -or what I've told ye, or about any of your plans, before that lass -Barbara." - -"Why all this mystery and suspicion!" said Mary, with a touch of -impatience. "The girl seems a very obliging and good-natured girl -indeed." - -"She's a sister o' the head keeper," said the factor, with a watchful -glance towards the door; "and that scoundrel of a young Ross is just -hand-in-glove with every man-jack o' them. Do ye think they've got any -eyes in their head if my young gentleman is after a salmon on the Garra, -or lying in wait for a stag in the Corrie Bhreag? They would swear -themselves black in the face that they did not see him if he was -standing staring at them within twenty yards!" - -"Very well, then; if you cannot trust the keepers, why not get others in -their place?" she said, promptly. "Not that I care much about the game. -I propose to give the crofters, big and little, free right to trap, or -snare, or shoot all the hares and rabbits they can get hold of; I do not -wish their little bits of holdings to be plundered by useless beasts. -But grouse do no harm; and whether my own people come here next autumn, -or whether I let the shooting, all the same there will be the employment -of gillies' labour, and the hiring of the ponies." - -"Yes!" said the factor. "The only money that ever finds its way into -their pocket; and yet you'll find the idjuts declaring amongst -themselves that not a single stranger should be allowed to come into the -country!" - -"That is foolishness," said Mary, calmly. "That is the idle talk of -people who are poor and suffering, and do not know why they are poor and -suffering. And I, for one, mean to take no heed of it; though, to be -sure, it would be pleasanter to think I was a little more welcome. -However, about those keepers: if they do not attend to their duty, if -they allow poaching, why not get others in their place?" - -"That would be worse," said Mr. Purdie, emphatically. "The strange -keepers would be helpless; they would be outwitted at every turn. If ye -knew the folk about here better, their clannishness, their cunning----" - -"But are you sure this poaching goes on, Mr. Purdie," she interposed, -"or is it only guesswork on your part? I presume Mr. Ross calls himself -a gentleman." - -"A gentleman!" said the factor, with that malevolent look coming into -his eyes again. "A gentleman that earns his living by selling smuggled -brandy to a wheen crofters! A fine gentleman, that! I suppose when the -Duke's yacht sails into the bay out there, my gentleman makes haste to -hide away the bottles, and takes care to say nothing about the five -shillings a gallon profit! Ay, ay, a remarkable change for the great -family!--no playactoring about with the Prince Regent now, but selling -contraband speerits to a lot of old women! And snuff, maybe? And -tobacco? Penny packets!--a noble trade!" He laughed aloud, to conceal -the vehemence of his hatred. "A fine come-down for high birth and -ancient gentility--buried alive in an island, not daring to show his -head even in Edinburgh, let alone in London, his only companions a wheen -thieving gillies and scringe-net fishermen! But plenty of pride all the -same. Oh, yes; pride and concealment, they go together in the Highland -character: would ye believe it, when he denied his mother Christian -burial, and made the grave up there on the hill, would he put up a -respectable monument in the ordinary way, so that people could see it? -No, no; it's on the sea-ward side of the island. Pride again, ye -observe; a scorn of the common people; pride and concealment together." - -"I should think it was a great deal more likely," said Käthchen, with -some touch of anger, "that the mother chose where her own grave was to -be." But Mary, with thoughtful eyes, only said: "Poor woman!" - -"Ay, ay, pride enough," continued Mr. Purdie, in a more triumphant -strain. "But their pride had a famous fall before your uncle and myself -were done with them----" - -At this Mary started somewhat. - -"My uncle?" said she. "Why, what cause of offence could there have been -between him and them? What injury could they possibly have done him?" - -"Injury? Plenty of injury: in stirring up ill-will and rebellion among -the tenants. It's yourself, Miss Stanley, will find that out ere long; -oh, yes, wait till ye come to have dealings with these people, ye'll -find out what they are, I'm thinking! A stubborn and stiff-necked race; -and cunning as the very mischief; and revengeful and dark. But we broke -their obstinacy that time!" He laughed again: a malignant laugh. - -"I saw ye noticed it, Miss Stanley, as we came along this afternoon--the -dried-up place that was once a loch, and the pile of stones----" - -She remembered well enough; and also she recollected the vicious slash -the driver had made at his horses when the factor was grinningly -answering her question. - -"Yes, but I did not quite understand what it meant," said she. - -"I'll just tell ye." - -Mr. Purdie poured himself out a little drop of whiskey--a very little -drop--in an inadvertent way. There was quite a happy look on his face -when he began his tale. - -"Ay; it's a fine story when people of obstinate nature meet their match; -and your uncle, Miss Stanley, could hold his own--when there was proper -counsel behind his back, if I may say so. And what had Mrs. Ross and -her son to do with anything on the land? Heimra island out there had -been reserved for them all the way through, as the estate was going bit -by bit; and when Lochgarra went as well, there was still the island to -preserve the name of the family, as it were. And was not that enough? -What did they want--what could any one want--with Loch Heimra and Castle -Heimra, when they had been sold into other hands? If they wanted the -name kept in perpetuity, there was the island--which undoubtedly -belonged to the Rosses; but the loch and the castle on the mainland, -they were gone; they had been sold, given up, cut adrift. And so, says -your uncle, 'we'll cut adrift the name too. They have their Heimra -Island; that is sufficient: the loch and the castle are mine, and that -must be understood by all and sundry.' Natural, quite natural. Would -ye have people giving themselves a title from things not belonging to -them at all, but to you? And what was the castle but a heap of old -stones, with about six or seven hundred years of infamy, and bloodshed, -and cruelty attached to it? Ay; they could show ye a red patch on the -earthen floor of the dungeon that was never dry summer or winter. -Many's the queer thing took place in that stronghold in the old days. -'Well, well,' says your uncle, 'if they will call themselves "of -Heimra," let it be of Heimra Island. The loch and the castle are not -theirs, but mine; and, being mine, I am going to give my own name to -them. Loch Stanley--Castle Stanley--that's what they are to be. I'm -not going to have strangers calling themselves after my property. Let -them keep the island if they like----" - -"Why, what did it matter?" said Mary. "They did not claim either the -castle or the loch. It was merely the old association--the historical -association; and what harm did that do to any one? And an interesting -place like that, that has been in possession of the same family for -centuries----" - -"But, surely, a man has the right to do what he likes with his own?" -said the Troich Bheag Dhearg, with the corners of his mouth drawn down, -and his small eyes looking forth a challenge. "I can tell ye, Miss -Stanley, your uncle was a man not to thwarted----" - -"I dare say!" said Mary, coldly. - -"Castle Stanley--Loch Stanley--that was now established; let them take -their title from what belonged to them, which was the island. Ay; but do -ye think the people about here would follow the change?" Mr. Purdie -went on, with something more of vindictiveness coming into his tone. -"Would they? Not one o' them, the stubborn deevils! There was not an -old bedridden woman, there was not a laddie on his way to school, ye -could get to say 'Castle Stanley' or 'Loch Stanley'; it was Loch Heimra -and Castle Heimra from every one; and they held on to it as if it had -been the Westminster Confession of Faith--the dour and bigoted animals -they are! Even the very gamekeepers, that ye might think would be -afraid o' losing their situation, they were just like the rest, though -they had their plausible and cunning excuses. 'You see, Mr. Stanley,' -they would say, 'if we tell the gillies about Castle Stanley they will -think it is Lochgarra House we mean; and if we send them to Loch -Stanley, they will be going down to the seashore.' But well I know who -was at the back of all their stubbornness," the factor continued, with a -scowling face. "Well I know: it was that idling, mischievous, -thrawn-natured, impudent ne'er-do-weel, egging them on, and egging them -on, and keeping himself in the background all the time. The dignity of -his family! I suppose that was what he was after--the old castle and -the old name; so that strangers might think that his mother and he had -still property on the mainland! And I warned your uncle about it. I -warned him. I told him that as long as that graceless scoundrel was in -the neighbourhood there would be nothing but spite and opposition on the -part of the tenantry. 'Well, then,' said he, 'for spite there will be -spite, if it comes to that!' Miss Stanley, your uncle was not a man to -be defied." - -"I know," said Mary, with downcast face: she foresaw what was -coming--and did not at all share in the savage glee the factor was -beginning to betray. - -"'Give them time, Mr. Purdie,' says he. 'If I buy a dog, or a horse, or -a house, I can call it by what name I please; and so I can with a piece -of water and an old ruin. But not too much time, Mr. Purdie--not too -much time. If they have a will of their own, so have I. If there's to -be neither Loch Stanley nor Castle Stanley, I'll make pretty well sure -there will be neither Loch Heimra nor Castle Heimra. I'll put an end to -those Rosses calling themself after any part of my property. I'll soon -wipe out the last trace of them from the mainland, anyway; and they're -welcome to the island out there, for anything I mind. The seven -centuries of history can follow them across the water; I've no room for -such things on my estate.' And that's just how it came about, Miss -Stanley. Not one creature in the whole of the district but would stick -to the old name; crofter, cottar, shepherd, fisher-laddie, they were all -alike. There was no help for it; Your uncle was a determined man. -Anyone that contended with him was bound to get the worst of it; and -here he was dealing with his own. 'Very well,' said he, 'if there's to -be no Castle Stanley, I'll take care there shall be no Castle Heimra. -Mr. Purdie, get the loch drained of its last drop of water, and have -every stone of the useless old ruin hauled to the ground!' And that's -precisely what ye saw this afternoon, Miss Stanley!" - -Her reply somewhat astonished the vain-glorious factor, who had perhaps -been expecting approval. - -"It was shamelessly done!" said she--but as if she were not addressing -him at all. - -And then she rose, and Kate Glendinning rose also; so that Mr. Purdie -practically found himself dismissed--or rather he dismissed himself, -pleading that it was late. He made some appointment for the next -morning, and presently left: no doubt glad enough to get a chance of -lighting his pipe and having a comfortable smoke on his way home to the -inn. - -When the two girls went into the drawing-room--which was a large -hexagonal room in the tower, with windows looking north, west, and -south--they found that the lamps had not yet been brought in, and also -perceived, to their surprise, that the night outside had cleared and was -now brilliant with its thousands of throbbing stars. They went to one -of the windows. The heavily-moaning sea was hardly visible, but the -heavens were extraordinarily lustrous; they were even aware of a shimmer -of light on the grey stone terrace without: perhaps it was from the -gleaming belt of Orion that hung above a dark headland jutting out -towards the west; while there, also, was the still more fiery Sirius, -that burned and palpitated behind the black birch-woods in the south. -And then they turned to seek the island of Heimra--out there on the -mystic and sombre plain--under that far-trembling and shining canopy. - -"Well," said Käthchen, with some vehemence of indignation (for her -Highland blood had mounted to her head) "I know this, Mary: scapegrace -or no scapegrace, if I were the young fellow living out there, I know -what I should do--I would kill that factor! Isn't it perfectly clear it -was he who goaded your uncle into pulling down the old castle and -draining the loch?" - -Mary was silent for a second or two. Then she said, in an absent kind -of way-- - -"There are wrongs and injuries done that can never be undone. I can -never rebuild Castle Heimra." - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE CAVE OF THE CROWING COCK. - - -Mary Stanley's eyes had not deceived her; the boat of which she had -caught a momentary glimpse was a smart little yawl of twenty tons or so, -that was making in for Heimra Island; and there were three men on -deck--two redcaps forward, the master at the helm. This last was a -young fellow of about six and twenty, a little, not much, over middle -height, of somewhat pale complexion, and with singularly dark eyes and -hair. The curious thing was this: though you could not say that any of -his features were particularly fine (except, perhaps, his coal-black -eyes, which were clearly capable of flame, if the occasion demanded) the -general effect of them was striking; they seemed to convey an impression -of strength--of a certain lazy audacity of strength; while the forehead -revealed by the peaked cap being pushed carelessly backward denoted at -once intelligence and resolution. But indeed at this moment the young -man's attitude was one of merely quiescent indifference--though there -was an occasional quick scrutiny of the neighbouring coast; all the -graver perils of the voyage were over; they were running easily before a -steady wind; and they would get safely to their anchorage ere the light -had wholly died out of the western skies. - -"Down foresail!" he called to the men. For now they were passing a -headland that formed one of two arms encircling a sheltered little -bay--a strangely silent and solitary-looking place it seemed in this -mysterious light. Sterile, too; tumbled masses of rock with hardly a -scrap of vegetation on them; a few clumps of birches here and there; an -occasional dark green pine higher up the cliffs. But at all events it -was quiet and still; the water lapped clear and crisp along the shingle; -while the murmur of the outer sea was still everywhere around, and also, -on the northern side of the bay, there was a long out-jutting reef where -there was a continuous surge of white foam over the saw-toothed edge. - -"Down jib!" The sound of a human voice was so strange in this -solitude--far stranger than the mere rattle of blocks and tackle. - -"Main sheet!" - -The two men came aft: the steersman jammed down his helm; the vessel -slowly rounded into the wind--the boom being hauled in meanwhile--the -mainsail flapping and shivering in the light breeze. - -"Stand by to let go!" was the next order; and the hands went forward -again--the vessel gradually losing the way that was on her, until she -seemed absolutely motionless. - -"Let go!" - -There was a splash and a roar that sent a thousand shuddering echoes -through the silence. A heron uttered a hoarse croak and rose on heavy -and slow-moving wings to make for some distant shelter. A pair of -dunlins--unseen in the dusk--added their shrill piping cry. Then all was -still again, save for the continual moaning of the surge on the distant -reef. - -"Give a haul at the topping-lift, lads!" This was the final direction; -and then, with another keen look round the little bay, young Ross of -Heimra--or Donuil Og Vich Iain Vich Ruari, as some were proud to call -him--went down into the cabin to put a few things together before going -ashore. - -Of the two sailors now left on the deck one was a powerfully built man -of about thirty, with a close-clipped brown beard, bushy brown eyebrows, -and eyes of a clear Celtic grey. His name was Kenneth Macleod; but he -was more generally known as _Coinneach Breac_--that is to say, Kenneth -of the small-pox marks. His companion was younger than himself--a lad -of twenty or two-and-twenty; long and loutish of figure; but with a -pleasant expression of face. This was Malcolm, or rather, Calum, as they -called him. Probably he had some other name; but it was never heard of; -the long, lumpish, heavily-shouldered lad was simply known throughout -this neighbourhood as Calum, or Calum-a-bhata, Calum of the Boat. - -"It is I who will have a sound sleep this night," said he, in Gaelic, as -he stretched his hands above his head and yawned. - -"And I, too, when the work is over," said his neighbour, pulling out a -short black pipe. "And now you see what it is to have many friends. Oh, -I know you, Calum; you are a young lad: and you are strong: you think of -nothing but fighting, like the other young lads. But let me tell you -this, Calum; it is not a good thing, fighting and quarrelling, and -making enemies; it is easier to make enemies than to make friends: and -many times you will be sorry when it is too late, and when that has been -put wrong which you cannot put right. For you know what the wise man of -Islay said. Calum; he said--'_He who killed his mother a few moments -ago would fain have her alive now!_'" - -"But who was talking about fighting, Coinneach--tell me that?" said the -youth, angrily. - -"I was giving you advice, Calum, my son," said Coinneach--lighting his -pipe and pulling away, though there appeared to be very little tobacco -inside. "I was telling you that it was a good thing to have many -friends, as the master has. Oh, he is the one to make friends, and no -doubt about that! For look you at this, Calum; you know what is stowed -in the cabin; and here we come into the bay, without waiting for the -night at all, and just as if there was nothing on board but a few tins -of meat for our own use and a loaf or two. That is the wisdom of having -many friends, as I am telling you. Why, if there was any one after us, -if there was any one wishing to put trouble upon us, do you know what -would have happened this evening?--there would have been a bonfire on -every headland between Ru Gobhar and the Black Bay. And that is what I -tell you, Calum, that it is a very good thing to have plenty of friends -ashore, who are as your own kinspeople to you, and will come between you -and the stranger, and will see that the stranger does not harm you. The -master, he is the one to make friends with old and young; and believe me -as far as that goes, Calum. Ay, you are a young lad; and you do not -know what the world is; and you do not know what it is to go sailing -with a hard skipper; and if you are an apprentice, a bucket of water in -your bunk to wake you in the morning. But the master--oh, well, now, -look at this: if there is bad weather, and there is something difficult -to be done, and you do it smartly, why, then he calls out to you 'Fhir -mo chridhe!'[#] and that is a far more welcome thing to you than cursing -and swearing; it is a far more welcome thing, and a good thing to -comfort you." He shook the ashes out of his pipe, and put it in his -pocket. "Well, now, see to the tackle, Calum, and we'll get the boat -hoisted out, for the master will be going ashore." - - -[#] _Fhir mo chridhe!_--Man of my heart! - - -The boat--a twelve-footer or thereabouts--had been stowed on deck; but -they soon had her launched over the side, and everything put ship-shape -and in readiness. And presently the young man who had gone down into -the cabin re-appeared again; he threw some things into the boat, and -took his place in the stern-sheets; the men shoved off, and presently -they were well on their way to the beach, where there was a -rudely-formed slip. By this time the streaks of lemon-hued light that -had appeared in the west were dying away; darkness was coming over land -and sea; already, in the east, one or two stars were visible between the -thinning and breaking clouds. Young Ross landed at the slip, and made -his way up to a level plateau on which stood a long, rambling, -one-storeyed building mostly of timber: a sort of bungalow, with a -slated porch, and with some little pretence of a garden round it, though -at this time of the year nothing, of course, was visible in it but a few -leafless bushes. At the door stood an old woman neatly and smartly -dressed, whose eyes were still expressive enough to show how pleased she -was. - -"Good evening to you, Martha," said he in Gaelic, "and I hope you are -well." - -"Indeed I am all the better for seeing you back, sir," replied the old -woman, with many smiles. "The house is no house at all when you are -away." - -She followed him obsequiously into the narrow hall. He only glanced at -the newspapers and letters on the table. But there was something else -there--a brace of grouse. - -"Will I cook one of the birds for Mr. Ross's dinner?" she asked, her -Highland politeness causing her to address him in the third person. - -A quick frown came over his face. - -"Who brought these here?" he demanded. - -"Oh, well--they were left," said old Martha, evasively. - -"Yes, yes, left; but who left them?" he asked again. - -"Oh, well; maybe it was the Lochgarra keepers," said she. - -"The keepers? Nonsense!" he said angrily. "Do you tell me the keepers -would shoot grouse at this time of the year, when the birds have paired, -and soon will be nesting? It was Gillie Ciotach,[#] I'll be bound. Now -you will tell the Gillie Ciotach, Martha, that if he does not stop his -tricks I will have him sent across the land to go before the Sheriff at -Dingwall; and how will he like that?" - - -[#] _Gillie Ciotach_--the left-handed young man. - - -"Oh, well, indeed, sir," said Martha, in a deprecating way, "the poor -young lad meant no harm. He was coming over here anyway, because he -lost a dog, and he was wishing to find the dog." - -At this the young master burst out laughing. - -"The Gillie Ciotach is an excellent one for lies, and that is certain!" -said he. "His dog? And how could his dog swim across from Lochgarra to -Eilean Heimra? Tell Gillie Ciotach from me that when he comes over here -he may look after the lobsters, but he will be better not to tell lies -about a dog, and also he will do well to leave the Lochgarra grouse -alone. And now, Martha, if there is any dinner for me, let me have it -at once; for I am going back to the yacht by-and-bye." - -He went into the simply-furnished dining-room, where there was a lamp on -the table and likewise a magnificent peat-fire ablaze in the big iron -grate--a welcome change from the little stove in the cabin of the -_Sirène_. He had brought his letters with him in his hand. He drew in -a wickerwork lounging-chair towards the fireplace, and idly began to -tear the envelopes open: here were tidings, various hushed voices, as it -were, from the busy world that seemed so distant to him, living in these -remote solitudes. It is true he had been away for a time from Eilean -Heimra; but during that interval there had not been much of human -companionship for him; nay, there was for the most part a greater -loneliness than ever, especially when he took his watch on deck at -night, sending the two men below for much-needed rest. Indeed these -letters and newspapers seemed almost to make a stir and noise!--so used -had he been to silence and the abstraction of his own thoughts. - -Meanwhile Coinneach and Calum had returned to the yacht, had got some -supper, and were now up at the bow, contemplatively smoking, and -chatting to each other in their native tongue. Night had fallen; but -the skies were becoming clearer and more clear; the starlit heavens were -gradually revealing themselves. There was not a sound--since the rattle -of the anchor had disturbed the quietude of the little bay. - -"The work is not over yet," Coinneach was saying, in somewhat low tones, -"and it is the part of the work that I have no liking for. Anything else -I shrink not back from, when the master wishes; he is the one to follow, -and I will go with him wherever he desires; and that in safety, too--for -who knows the navigation like himself, yes, and speaking every language -that is known upon the earth? I will go with him wherever he wishes; I -will do whatever he wishes. But, Calum, I have no liking for the Uamh -coilich na glaodhaich."[#] - - -[#] _Uamh coilich na glaodhaich_--The Cave of the Crowing Cock. - - -"Nor I, Coinneach," said his companion. "Especially in the night-time." - -"Day-time or night-time: what is the difference in the Uamh coilich na -glaodhaich, when it is so dark that no man has ever been to the end of -it, or knows to what it leads? Nor is any man likely to try to -discover, since the one that went on and on, until he heard a cock -crowing. Oh, God, that must have been a terrible thing, to be so near -the edge of another world that you could hear a cock crowing there. And -if the people had caught him and kept him--they would have taken him -away to the place where the piper went when he played Cha till mi -tuilich;[#] and that is a tale that is told of many caves; and it may be -this, Calum, that all the great caves lead to that other world; but who -can tell about such fearful things? A cock crowing--that is -nothing--when you are in your own home, with the daylight around you; -but to hear the crowing of a cock after you have gone away into the -earth, then that tells you of wonderful things, for you know the saying, -'_Deep is the low of a cow upon strange pasture._' Well, well, what the -master says must be done; but many's the time I am wishing that when the -kegs have to be hidden, it was some other place we had for the hiding of -them than the Cave of the Crowing Cock." - - -[#] _Cha till mi tuilich_--I shall never more return. - - -"Coinneach," said the lad, and he also spoke in a hushed kind of way, -"how long ago is it since that one heard the cock crowing?" - -"How long? Who can answer such questions? Can you tell me when the -Macarthurs came into the world? For you have heard the saying, Calum: -'_The hills and the streams and the Macalpines came together; but who -can say when the Macarthurs came?_' It is a long time ago: it is not -any use asking. Ay, and there was something before all of these." He -paused for a second: then he said darkly--"That was--that was when the -Woman was in these islands." - -"What woman?" said Calum, with the eager curiosity of youth. - -But Coinneach seemed disinclined to answer. - -"Have you not heard?" said he. "But it is wise not to speak of such -things." - -"What woman was that, Coinneach?" his companion persisted, fixing his -eyes on Coinneach's face, that was full of a sombre meditation. - -"Did you never hear of her--the Woman that was here before there were -any people in these islands or in the mainland either? But it is not -prudent to speak." - -"Who was she, Coinneach?" said Calum. "Surely she cannot hurt you if she -was dead these many thousands of years?" - -"Do not say that," he responded rather gloomily. "Who can tell?--for -there are strange things. You know I am not a coward, Calum." - -"That is what I know well!" said Calum, confidently. "How many days is -it since you stood up against the French skipper, and he with four of -them at his back?" - -"Ay, but there are things that are more terrible than blows; and it is -of these that I am afraid. Or perhaps not quite afraid; but I think. -And that is the difference between one man and another man, Calum. -There is always ill-luck happening; but one man will suffer it and not -inquire, while the other man will ask what caused it or who it was that -did him the harm. And if it is not always prudent to speak of such -affairs, at least the truth is the safest: you know the saying '_Speak -the truth as if you were in the presence of kings_.' And now I will -tell you this, Calum, of a strange thing that happened to me when I was -a boy." - -He abated his voice, as if afraid of being overheard. Calum's eyes -'glowered' in the dusk. - -"I had been over to Ru-Gobhar, where I had a sister married then; and I -was returning home. It was a moonlight night; the sea very calm; there -was no wind. Well, when I was at the highest point of the road, above -the Black Bay, do you know what happened? But I will tell you what -happened. And this is what I saw: the sea began to move, although there -was not a breath of wind, and there was no noise either; only it moved -and heaved in a terrible way; and there was a line of white, but it was -more like white fire than white foam, all along the land, from Ru-Gobhar -in to Minard, and all round the headlands to where I was. For I was -standing looking, and very much afraid to see so strange a thing; and -then this is what happened: I got to know that there was someone behind -me; and then I got to know it was the Woman, and I durst not look round, -for I was shaking with terror. May you never have such an experience in -your life, Calum, as was mine that night. I knew that she had come -across the sea, from the islands, noticing that I was alone and no one -to help me; and now I knew that she was not only behind me, but in front -of me, and all around me, though I could not see anything, for I was in -such terror. She did not speak to me, nor touch me; but I felt myself -choking at the throat as if she had a grip of me; and I gave myself up -for dead--for I could not run away from her--and I knew it was the Woman -who had a grip of my throat. Well, well, I gave myself up for dead; but -all of a sudden it entered my mind that she would carry me away out to -the islands and bury me in one of the caves; and with that I made a -great effort, and cried out 'God on the cross, save me, save me!' That -was the last I knew of it; when I came to myself I was lying in the -road, cold as a stone; and the sea was quite smooth again. May you never -have an experience like my experience of that night, Calurn!" - -Calum was silent for a little while. Then he said, slowly-- - -"Coinneach, do you suppose the Woman came from the cave where the cock -was heard crowing?" - -"How can I tell?" was the answer. "Perhaps I have said too much. But -what I have said to you, that is the least part of what happened to me -that night, for it is not to be spoken of." And then he rose; and put -his pipe in his pocket. "Come, Calum, my son, we must take the boat -ashore now, for the master will be coming down to the slip. But do not -you speak of such things as I have told you; for it is not good to speak -of them." - -And to this Calum merely replied-- - -"What the master wishes is enough for you and me, Coinneach; but I would -rather not be going into the Uamh coilich na glaodhaich this night." - -They rowed the boat in to the shore--they could see their way well -enough, for now the heavens were quite clear, and a universe of white -worlds was shining down on them; and there they ran her bow into the -soft seaweed by the side of the slip. They had not long to wait. There -was a sound of footsteps on the gravel-path; then from out of the shadow -emerged a figure into the open space above the beach; they knew who this -was. Young Ross of Heimra seemed to be in no great hurry; his hands -were in his pockets; he came down towards the boat with long, lounging, -leisurely strides; and he was whistling a gay air that was unfamiliar to -them--for Coinneach and Calum could hardly be expected to recognise '_La -Noce de Jeanne_.' - -"It is the master who is not afraid of anything," said the elder of the -two men, under his breath. - -"Indeed you may say that," rejoined Calum, as he, too, put his pipe in -his pocket. "I think he would face old Donas[#] himself, and not ask -for any allowance." - - -[#] _Donas_--the Devil. - - -Young Ross came down the beach. - -"Lend a hand here, lads," he sung out, "and we'll take the other boat -with us. Maybe we'll be able to do it in one trip; and I'm sure it's a -good long sleep both of you will be wanting this night." - -They speedily had the second boat launched and shoved along to the slip; -then they attached the painter to the one in which they had come ashore; -and presently they were pulling both boats quietly out to the _Sirène_. -The gangway was open. Ross and the elder of the two men stepped on -board; and proceeded to remove the skylight of the chief cabin--Calum -securing the boats by the side of the yacht. And then began the final -business of the expedition--the hoisting up on deck and the transferring -to the boats alongside of a considerable number of kegs that were small -enough to be handled with comparative ease. Young Ross, who was down in -the cabin, worked just like the others: slim as his figure seemed, there -was plenty of strength about his arms and shoulders. There was no lamp -in the cabin, nor yet on deck; nor was there need of any; the black -figures labouring away there did very well with the faint illumination -shed by those thousands of tremulous stars. And in course of time the -operation was complete; the casks that had been skilfully stowed in the -main cabin of the _Sirène_ were now ranged as tightly as might be in the -boats alongside; then the men stepped in and took to the oars; while the -young master went to the tiller. Calum had been told to put a couple of -candles in his pocket; and he was not likely to forget that--for they -were going to the Cave of the Crowing Cock. - -It was a long and laborious pull--the boat astern acting as a heavy -drag; moreover, even with this clear starlight, they dared not go -anywhere near that saw-toothed reef that guarded the next small bay -whither they were bound. They could hear each successive thud of the -surge, and the long receding roar; and they could even descry in a kind -of way the line of white foam that boiled and churned incessantly along -the almost invisible rocks. But once they were round this dangerous -point--giving it a significantly wide berth--they found themselves in -smooth water again. Not a word was spoken. The two men toiled away at -the oars--most likely thinking of the welcome sleep awaiting them when -all was done. The land ahead seemed to grow darker as they approached, -even as the black precipitous cliffs appeared to soar higher and higher -into the clear starlit skies. Then there was a whispering of water: the -beach was near. Young Ross bade them pull more gently now: he was -trying to make out the most suitable landing-place--in amongst those -mysterious shadows. - -Eventually the two boats were grounded, and dragged up to be secure from -the tide; while the work of getting the kegs out began. - -"Calum," said the young master, "take the candles now and get them -lighted; and mind you do not light them until you are well inside the -cave." - -Calum appeared to receive this commission very unwillingly; at all -events he hesitated. - -"It is asking for your pardon I am, sir," said he; "but--I have brought -a pistol with me." - -"A pistol? And why so?" said Donald Ross. - -"It is the pistol that I would like to be firing into the cave," said -Calum, rather timidly, "before any of us went into it." - -"And what is your reason for that, Calum?" - -Calum rather hung his head; but he said all the same-- - -"If there would be wild beasts in the cave, it will scare them before we -go in." - -"Wild beasts? And what wild beasts are there in Eilean Heimra?" Then -the young man laughed. "Calum, is it a badger, or a wild cat, or an -otter that you fear? Or is it not rather the Dark Person you are afraid -of, who used to come every night to Lochgarra to ask Mr. Stanley if he -was not ready yet? Did you believe that story, Calum; and did you not -think the Dark Person very foolish to talk Gaelic to Mr. Stanley, when -he was not understanding a word of it?" - -Calum did not answer: he was shamefacedly awaiting permission to fire -into that dreaded place. - -"Well, well, Calum," young Ross said, good-naturedly, "you are not long -from your mother's apron-string: if you are afraid, give me the candles, -and keep the pistol in your pocket. Give me the candles--and lend -Coinneach here a hand with the kegs." - -But at this Calum raised his head. - -"Indeed that will I not do," said he, "for it is not Mr. Ross that must -go first into the cave, when I am here, or when Coinneach is here. If I -am not to fire the pistol, then I will not fire the pistol. But it's -myself that am going to light the candles in the cave." - -"And a lucifer-match, Calum," said the young master, turning away from -him, "will frighten wild beasts as well as any pistol--besides making a -great deal less noise." - -The Uamh coilich na glaodhaich was only a few yards distant; but the -entrance to it was concealed by a huge mass--a perpendicular -pinnacle--of rock; and when Calum had got behind this gigantic natural -screen, there were no more cheerful stars to guide him; he was -confronted by darkness and unknown terrors. And yet he scrupulously -obeyed his instructions. His trembling fingers, it is true, grasped the -pistol, but he kept it in his pocket nevertheless; while with his left -hand he groped his way well into the cave--dreading at every moment to -see two fiery eyes glaring on him--before he set to work to light the -candles. And how feeble and ineffectual were the small red flames in -this vast cavern! Their flickering hardly showed the roof at all; but -it was not the roof that Calum was regarding; it was the far-reaching -and black abyss in front of him, that led--whither? Perhaps the -inhabitants of that other world could see better than himself, and were -now regarding him?--that other world in which the dawn began in the -middle of the night, and where there were cocks crowing when all the -natural universe was asleep. He had to fasten each lighted candle into -the neck of a bottle that had been left there for the purpose; but all -the while he did so he was staring into that vague and awful space that -the feeble, dull red glow did not seem to penetrate at all--staring into -it as if he expected to find two white eyes and a ghastly countenance -suddenly become visible. And then again, when he had placed the bottles -on a shelf of rock that ran along one side of the cave, a few feet from -the ground, he did not instantly turn and go. He retreated -backward--cautiously, for the shelving shingle was loose and -slippery--keeping his face towards that hollow darkness, so that he -might guard himself against any strange thing, or be warned by hearing -any strange noise. Then a colder stirring of air told him that he was -outside; he made his way past the over-looming rock and into the clear -star-light again; and with a beating heart--but a thankful heart -withal--he went quickly along the beach and rejoined his companions. - -By this time the kegs had been all got out; so that in case of any -sudden danger, of which they appeared to have but little dread, the -three of them could have jumped into one of the boats and made off. -There remained, therefore, only the task of carrying along the casks and -stowing them in the cave; and this work young Ross left to the two men. -He remained on watch--if watch were needed--pacing up and down the -shingle, looking at the far resplendent heavens and the darker sea, and -listening to the continuous murmur of the distant surf. He had lit his -pipe, too; he did not seem to have much apprehension of being interfered -with. And indeed all went well; and in due course of time the two dark -figures came along the beach with the intelligence that all the kegs had -been safely stowed, and that they were now ready to row the master back -to his own home. - -"Coinneach," said Donald Ross, seated at the helm, when they were some -way out on the black and tumbling water, that glanced and quivered here -and there with the reflections of the stars, "they were telling me -before we left in the yacht that the lady was shortly coming to -Lochgarra House." - -"And indeed I heard the same thing myself," said Coinneach, "and they -were making ready at the big house for the coming of the -Englishwoman."[#] - - -[#] _Ban-sassunnach_ was the term he used. But young Ross had referred -to her as _Baintighearna_, or lady-proprietor--a much more respectful -appellation. - - -"And I have no doubt," the master continued, "that Purdie will come with -her, to show her the property, and introduce her to the people." - -"The Little Red Dwarf," said Coinneach; and then he muttered to himself: -"It is the lowermost floor of hell that I am wishing for him, and for -every one of his accursed house!" - -Young Ross of Heimra took no notice of this pious ejaculation. - -"Now listen," said he. "This is what I wish to say to you, Coinneach. -When Purdie comes to Lochgarra with the lady who is the new proprietor, -that would be a very good time indeed for widow Mac Vean to ask them to -give her a cow in place of the one that she lost in the Meall-na-Fearn -bog. Maybe they will give the poor woman a cow; and she will pay them -back bit by bit if they allow her time." - -"It is of no use asking the Little Red Dwarf for anything," said -Coinneach, sullenly. "There is no goodwill in his heart towards the -people. Nor is there any goodwill in their hearts towards him--God -forbid that there should be any such thing. Indeed, now, there is -something I could say about the Little Red Dwarf--But it does not serve -to talk." - -"What were you going to say, Coinneach?" the young master -demanded--knowing Coinneach's ways. - -"Oh, perhaps Mr. Ross would not like to hear," said Coinneach, -evasively. - -"Indeed, but I wish to hear. Now what is it you have to tell me about -the Troich Bheag Dhearg?" - -Coinneach was silent for a second or two. - -"Well," said he, slowly, "it was some of the young lads they were saying -that it only wanted a word from Mr. Ross. Yes; they were saying that. -It was just a word from Mr. Ross; and they would see that the Little Red -Devil did not trouble anyone any more, neither in this nor in any other -country." - -"Oh, indeed," said the master, placidly. "Then it is a murder the Gillie -Ciotach and the rest of them are for planning--is that what you have to -tell me?" - -"I would not give a thing a bad name," said Coinneach, as he laboured at -the oar. "No, no; they were not talking of a murder, or any bad thing -like that. But--but there might be an accident; and a very good thing, -too, if an accident happened to the Little Red Dwarf!" - -"And what kind of an accident?" - -"Oh well," said Coinneach, looking away out to the horizon as if the -suggestion might come from any quarter. "Maybe he would be riding home -on a dark night; and maybe there might be a wire stretched across the -road; and if he was to break his neck, who could help that? And it is I -who would laugh to hear that he had broken his neck; indeed I would -laugh!" said Coinneach, though there was little laughter in his sombre -tones. - -"And that is what you call an accident, Coinneach? It is an accident -that might end in your finding yourself with a hempen collar round your -neck. And what was it set the young men talking like that?" - -"Oh well, indeed, they were talking about the draining of the loch and -the pulling down of Castle Heimra; and they were saying that nowadays -the law was being altered by the people themselves, and that right and -justice could be done without waiting for the courts. They were saying -that. And they were saying that we have come into a new time, which is -the truth. They were speaking of the people over there in the Lews; and -the last that was heard was that the people would not wait any longer -for more pasture to be given them; they would not wait for the courts; -they were going to take the deer-forest to themselves, and hamstring -every one of the stags--them that they could not eat; and they had got -their tents and baggage ready, to go into the forest and take -possession. In former times they would not have dared to do so; but -times are different now; and people have not to wait for justice; it is -they themselves who must say what is right, whether about the Little Red -Dwarf, or anything else. They were telling me that. And who was to put -the crofters and cottars out of the deer-forest over there in the Lews? -Not all the policemen in the island: there are not enough. And if they -were to send soldiers, the Queen's soldiers dare not fire on the Queen's -subjects, or the officer would be hanged. That was what they were -telling me." - -"Coinneach," said the young master, "if the Gillie Ciotach and his -companions are talking like that, they will be getting themselves into -trouble one of these days. They'd better let the Little Red Dwarf -alone; for one thing, I dare say he is safe enough; the devil looks -after his own brats. But do not forget what I am telling you now--about -Mrs. Mac Vean. Old Martha will be wanting you to go over to the -mainland to-morrow; and when you are there, you can seek out Mrs. Mac -Vean, and bid her tell the factor how her cow was lost in the -Meall-na-Fearn bog. She can do no harm by asking." - -"It's very little she will get from the Troich Bheag Dhearg," said -Coinneach, gloomily, "whether by asking or any other way." - -At last the long pull was over; and the men, having landed the master at -the slip, set out again for the yacht. Young Ross of Heimra went up to -the house. But before going in, he paused at the porch, to have a final -look at the wonderful glories of that vast firmament--the throbbing -Sirius low down in the south, the gleaming belt and sword of Orion, the -powdered diamond-dust of the Pleiades, the jewelled head of Medusa, -Cassiopeia's silver throne. And perhaps he was not thinking so much of -those distant and shining worlds as of her who had first taught him -their various names--of the worse than widowed woman who had shut -herself up here in proud isolation, himself her only care. Well, she -was at peace now; her wrongs and sufferings and bitter memories all come -to an end; surely there was nothing but quiet and sweet slumber around -that white grave-stone, far up there on the top of the cliff, -overlooking the wide and lonely western seas. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE BAINTIGHEARNA. - - -Next morning Mary went eagerly and joyously to the window, for here -indeed was a welcome change: no more louring heavens and streaming -roads, but a vast expanse of wind-driven sea, blue as the very heart of -a sapphire, and yet with innumerable sudden flashes of white from the -crest of its swift-hurrying waves. The sky cloudless; the fresh breeze -blowing straight in from the Atlantic; the world all shining around her; -even those long spurs and headlands, sterile as they were, looked quite -cheerful in the prevailing sunlight. And out yonder, too, was the -island of Heimra, to which her eyes would go back again and again with a -curious interest. She thought of the lone mother, and of the boy -brought up like a wild goat among the rocks. And if he had turned out a -reckless and unscrupulous ne'er-do-well, an Ishmael with his hand -against every man, well, that was a deplorable thing, though perhaps not -to be wondered at; moreover it could matter little to her what such an -outcast might think of her or of her family; but, nevertheless, deep -down in her heart, there was an odd and ever-recurring feeling of -compunction. She wished to be able to say "I am sorry." Certainly it -was not she who had destroyed the last relic and monument of the ancient -name--who had drained the loch and levelled the old stronghold with the -ground; and he must know that; but she wished him to know more; she -wished him to know how indignant she had been when she first heard of -that monstrous and iniquitous act of vandalism. And then again (as she -still stood gazing at the island out there in the wide blue waters, with -the white foam springing high in the sunlight along its southern coasts) -it seemed to her that she rather feared meeting this man. Rude and -lawless and mannerless, might he not laugh at her stumbling apologies? -Or in his Highland pride he might scorn her southern birth, and -vouchsafe no word in reply? Well, being sorry was all that remained for -her; what was done could not be undone; it was not within her power to -bring back Castle Heimra from that waste of ruin. - -She had got up very early, but she did not care to waken Kate, who was -no doubt tired with the long drive of yesterday; she thought instead she -would quietly slip outside and have some little investigation of her -surroundings. So she quickly finished dressing; went down and through -the lofty oak hall; passed out upon the stone terrace, and from thence -descended into the garden, where she found herself quite alone. The air -was sweet and soft; there was a pleasant scent of newly-delved earth; -and everywhere there was abundant evidence that the Spring had already -come to this sheltered space--for there were masses of daffodils and -primroses and wallflower all aglow in the warm sunlight, and there were -bunches of blossom on the cherry-trees trained up the high stone wall. -She went away down to the end of the garden, opened a door she found -there, and, passing through, entered the wilder solitude of the woods. -And ever as she wandered idly and carelessly along, the sense that she -was the mistress and owner of all these beautiful things around her -seemed to grow on her and produce a certain not unnatural joy and pride. -For the moment she had forgotten all the problems in human nature and in -economics that lay ahead of her; here she had all the world to -herself--this picturesque world of silver-grey rock, and golden gorse, -and taller larch and spruce, all dappled with sun and shadow, while the -fresh odours of the Spring were everywhere around, and a stirring of the -new life of the year. And then, when she had fought her way through the -thick underwood to the summit of one of the westward-looking -cliffs--behold! the dark blue sea, and the sunny headlands, and Eilean -Heimra, with its thunder-shocks of foam. Heimra island again; it seemed -to be always confronting her; but however long she might gaze in that -direction, there was no sign of any white-winged yacht coming sailing -out into the blue. - -And then she scrambled down from this height to the water's edge; and -here she discovered a most sequestered little haven--a small, -semicircular bay sheltered from the land-winds by rocks and trees, while -the pellucid green sea broke in ripples of silver along the cream-white -and lilac pebbles. A most solitary spot--quiet, and sunny, and -peaceful: she began to think that whatever might be done with other -portions of her property, she would keep this little bit of picturesque -seclusion entirely for herself. This, surely, could be of no use to -anybody--the pebbly beach, the rocks purple-black with mussels or -olive-green with seaweed, the clear water whispering along the shore. -Political economy should not follow her hither; here would be her place -of rest--her place of dreaming--when she was done with studying the -wants of others, and wished to commune with her own soul. - -But all of a sudden she found she was not alone: an apparition had -become visible--a solitary figure that had quietly come round the rocky -point, and was now regarding her with dumb apprehension. This was a -girl of about five-and-twenty, who had something of an Irish cast of -face: fair-complexioned, freckled, a tilted nose, grey eyes wide-apart -and startled-looking, and curly light-brown hair that was mostly -concealed by the scarlet shawl she wore round her head and shoulders. -She regarded Miss Stanley with obvious fear, and did not advance; her -eyes, that had the timidity of a wild animal in them, had something more -than that; they seemed to say that the poor creature was but -half-witted. Nevertheless the young proprietress instantly concluded -that this was one of "her people," and that, therefore, she was bound to -make friends. - -"Good morning!" said Mary, and she brought her wonder-working smile and -dimple into play, as well she knew how. - -A quick light, of wonder and pleasure, sprang into the girl's eyes. She -came forward a little way, timidly. She smiled, in a pleading sort of -fashion. And then she ventured to hold out her hand, timidly. Mary -went forward at once. - -"I am very glad to make your acquaintance," she said, in her bland -tones, "and you must tell me who you are." - -But the girl, taking the hand that was offered to her, bent one knee and -made a humble and profound curtsy (where she could have learnt this -trick it is hard to say), and then she uplifted her smiling and -beseeching eyes to the great lady (who was considerably taller than -she), and still held her hand, and repeated several times something that -sounded like _Bentyurna veen--Bentyurna veen_.[#] - - -[#] _Baintighearna mhin_--the gentle lady. - - -"I am very sorry I don't know Gaelic," said Mary, rather disappointedly. -"Don't you know a little English?" - -The girl still held her hand, and patted it; and looked into her face -with pleased and wistful eyes; and again she was addressed as _Bentyurna -veen_. And then, in this unknown tongue, something more was said, of -which Mary could only make out the single word Heimra. - -"Oh, do you come from Heimra island?" she asked, quickly. - -But of the girl's further and rapid speech she could make nothing at -all. So she said-- - -"I am really very sorry; but I don't know any Gaelic. Come with me to -the house, and I will get some one to speak between us. Come with me, -to Lochgarra House, do you understand?" - -The girl smiled, as if in assent; and thereupon the two of them set out, -following a winding path through the woods that eventually brought them -to the garden gate. But here a curious incident occurred. Mary opened -the gate, and held it for her unknown friend to follow; but at the same -moment the girl caught sight of Mr. Purdie, who had come along for -instructions, and was now in the garden awaiting Miss Stanley's return. -The instant that this stranger girl beheld the Little Red Dwarf, she -uttered a quick cry of terror, and turned and fled; in a moment she was -out of sight in the thick underwood. Mary stood still, astounded. It -was no use her trying to follow. And so, after a second or two of -bewilderment, she turned and went on to the house, saying a few words to -Mr. Purdie in passing, but not with reference to this encounter. Some -instinct suggested that she ought to seek for information elsewhere. - -When she went into the dining-room she found that Käthchen had come -down, and also that Barbara was bringing in breakfast. - -"Barbara," said she, "do you know of a girl about here who seems to be -not quite in her right mind, poor thing? A fair-complexioned girl, who -wears a red shawl round her head and shoulders----" - -"Oh, that was just Anna Chlannach[#] that Miss Stanley would be seeing," -said Barbara, in her soft-spoken way. - - -[#] _Anna Chlannach_--Anne of the many curls. - - -"And does she come from Heimra Island?" was the next question. - -"Oh, no, she is not from Eilean Heimra," said Barbara. "Maybe she would -be speaking to Miss Stanley, and it is about her mother she would be -speaking. Her mother died about two years ago; but Anna thinks she has -been changed into one of the white sea-birds that fly about Eilean -Heimra, and that she is coming back, and so she goes along the shore and -watches for her. That is what she would be saying to Miss Stanley." - -"Barbara, can you tell me why the girl should be afraid of Mr. Purdie?" - -"Oh, well, indeed, ma'am, they were saying that Mr. Purdie was for -having her sent away to an asylum; and it is no doubt Anna would rather -be among her own people." - -"To an asylum?" Mary demanded sharply. "For what reason? She does no -harm?" - -"There is no harm about Anna Chlannach," said Barbara, simply and -seriously, as she busied herself with the table things. "There is no -harm at all about Anna Chlannach, poor girl. But when Mr. Purdie wishes -a thing to be done, then it has to be done." - -The hot blood mounted to Mary Stanley's face. - -"Oh, do you think so?" said she. "For I do not think so--not at all! -It is not Mr. Purdie who is to be the master here--when I am here. I -will let Mr. Purdie understand that he is not to--to interfere with my -people----" - -"Mary!" said Kate Glendinning, in an undertone. - -Mary was silent; she knew she had been indiscreet. But presently she -said-- - -"Well, Käthchen, I see I must learn Gaelic." - -"Gaelic," observed Kate, sententiously, "is a very intricate key; and -then when you've got it, and put it in the lock, and turned it, you find -the cupboard empty." - -"Perhaps so with regard to literature--I do not know; but I want to be -able to talk to the people here, without the intervention of an -interpreter. Barbara," said she, to the parlour-maid, who had come into -the room again, "do you know what _bentyurna veen_ is?" - -"_Baintighearna mhin_?" said Barbara, with a smile. "Oh, that is 'the -gentle lady,' And that is what Anna Chlannach would be calling Miss -Stanley, I have no doubt of that." - -"Well, now, Barbara," Mary continued, "you must tell me how to say this -in Gaelic--'_Am I welcome?_' What is that in Gaelic?" - -But here Barbara became very much embarrassed. - -"I am sure it is not necessary that Miss Stanley should say that--oh no, -indeed," she answered with averted eyes. - -"I am not so sure," said Mary, in her direct way. "I hope the time will -come when I shall not have to ask such a question in going into any -one's cottage; but at present I am a stranger, and I must make my way -gradually. Now, Barbara, what is the Gaelic for 'Am I welcome?" - -But still Barbara hesitated. - -"If you would ask Mr. Purdie, ma'am, he would give you the good Gaelic." - -"No, I will not," said the imperative young mistress. "I dare say your -Gaelic is quite as good as Mr. Purdie's." - -"And you would be saying 'Am I welcome?' in going into a house?" said -Barbara, slowly--for translation is a serious difficulty to the -untutored mind. "Oh, I think you would just say '_An e mo bheatha?_'; -but why would Miss Stanley be saying such a thing as that?" - -"'_An e mo bheatha?_'--is that right? Very well!" - -"And how will you understand their answer, Mamie?" Kate Glendinning -asked. - -"I will read that in their faces," was the reply. - -It was quite clear that the young proprietress had in no wise been -disheartened by that first interview with one of her tenants on the -previous evening. This fair-shining morning found her as full of ardent -enthusiasm, of generous aspirations, as ever; and here was the carriage -awaiting them; and here was Mr. Purdie, obsequious; and even Käthchen -looked forward with eagerness to getting a general view of the estate. -Then their setting forth was entirely cheerful; the Spring air was sweet -around them; the sunlight lay warm on the larches and on the tall and -thick-stemmed bushes of gorse that were all a blaze of gold. But it was -not of landscape that Mary Stanley was thinking; it was of human beings; -and the first human being she saw was a little old woman who was -patiently trudging along with a heavy creel of peats strapped on her -back. - -"The poor old woman!" she exclaimed, with an infinite compassion in her -eyes. "Doesn't it seem hard she should have to work at her time of -life?" - -"She's a good deal better off than if she were in Seven Dials or the -Bowery," said Käthchen. "But perhaps you would like to give her a seat -in the carriage?" - -"You may laugh if you like," said Mary, quite simply, "but it seems to -me it would be more becoming if that poor old woman were sitting here -and I were carrying the creel. However, I suppose we shall have to begin -with something more practicable." - -But was it more practicable?--that was the question she had speedily to -put to herself. For no sooner had they left the wooded 'policies' and -surroundings of Lochgarra House than they entered upon a stretch of -country the sterility of which might have appalled her if only she had -fully comprehended it. Land such as the poorest of Galway peasants -would have shunned--an Arabia Petræa--rocks, stones, and heather--wave -upon wave of Hebridean gneiss, the ruddy-grey knolls and dips and -heights showing hardly a trace of vegetation or of soil. And yet there -were human beings here, busy on their small patches; and there were -hovels, some of them thatched, others covered over with turf tied down -by ropes; while now and again there appeared a smarter cottage, with a -slated roof, and lozenge-panes of glass in the window. Moreover, they -had now come in sight of the sea again; yonder was a far-stretching bay -of silvery sand; and out at the margin of the water, which was at lowest -ebb, there were a number of people, mostly women and young lads and -girls, stooping at work; while an occasional small dark figure, with a -hump on its back, was seen to be crossing the expanse of white. - -"What are they doing, Mr. Purdie?" Mary asked. - -"They're cutting seaware for manure to put on their crofts," was the -answer. - -And at the same moment her attention was drawn to a man not far from the -roadside who, in his little bit of rocky ground, was making use of an -implement the like of which she had never seen or heard of. - -"What is that, Mr. Purdie? Is it some kind of spade?" - -"Oh, just a foot-plough--there's no other kind of plough would be of any -use in this district." - -And nothing would do but that she must descend and examine this novel -method of tillage. She went boldly up to the man: he was a tall, lean, -swarthy person, severe of aspect, who kept a pair of hawk-like eyes -fixed on the factor all the time he rather unwillingly answered her -questions. For Mary, to her great delight, discovered that this man -could speak English; and she wanted information at first hand; and -indeed she immediately showed a very definite knowledge of what she was -after. The man clearly did not like being cross-examined; again and -again he resumed his delving operations with that long-coultered -instrument that he worked with foot and arms; but she would take no heed -of his sullen humour. What stock had he?--two cows, two stirks, eight -sheep up on the common pasture, and a pony. What potatoes did he -raise?--well, he would plant about two barrels, and maybe get ten or -twelve barrels. Did he make any meal?--hardly any; the cows and stirks -did not let his crops come to the threshing. And so forth, until Mary -said-- - -"But I don't see where you get any capital to work the croft, or to -increase the stock if we could give you more land. You don't seem to be -getting any money." - -"No, no money at ahl," said the crofter. - -"Listen to him!" interposed Mr. Purdie, with an angry frown. "Let me -tell you this, Miss Stanley: that man gets twenty-five shillings a week, -gillie's wages, when the gentlemen are here for the shooting, and -besides that he hires his pony to them at twenty-three shillings a week; -and I suppose he's just the one to cry out that not a sportsman should -be allowed to come into the country." - -"Is it true that you get that money?" said Mary, calmly. - -"Ay, that is true," he admitted, in rather a sulky fashion; "but it is -not from the croft I get the money." - -"Well, I am only making enquiries at present," said Miss Stanley. "I -wish to know what improvements are possible--I wish to know what the -people want----" - -But here, to her surprise, she was interrupted. - -"A railway," said the tall, black-a-vised crofter. - -"A railway?" she repeated. - -"Ay--a railway to Bonar." - -"A railway to Bonar Bridge?" she said, staring at the man. "Why, what -good would that do you? Take your own case. You say you have nothing -to sell. Even if there were a railway to Bonar Bridge--and there -couldn't be, for the cost would be enormous, and there would be no -traffic to speak of--but supposing there were a railway, how would that -benefit you?" - -He made no reply; he merely worked away with the long and narrow -coulter, turning up the poor soil. So she saw it was no use arguing -with him; she bade him a cheerful "Good-morning!" and came away again. - -And with a right gallant courage did she continue her house-to-house -visitation, desperately trying to win friends for herself, and wondering -more and more that she was so ill received. She was not accustomed to -sour looks and sullen manners; and in casting about for some possible -reason for this strange behaviour she began to ask herself whether she -might not get on better with these people if Mr. Purdie were well away -back in his office in Inverness. One point struck her as being very -peculiar; not a single man or woman of them asked for a reduction of -rent. She thought that would have been the first thing for them to -demand, and the simplest for her to consider; but it was never -mentioned. They asked for all kinds of other things--when they would -speak at all. They wanted herring-nets from the Government; they wanted -more boats from the Government--and the instalments of repayment to be -made smaller; they wanted the steamer to call in thrice a week, during -the ling season; they wanted their arrears of debt to the curers to be -wiped off; they wanted more pasture land; they wanted more arable land. - -"As for pasture land," said Käthchen, in an undertone, as they were -leaving one of these poor steadings, "I don't know whether you will be -able to persuade Mr. Watson to give up a slice of his sheep-farm; but as -regards arable land, Mary, you should tell those people they have made a -mistake about you. You are not the Creator of the Universe: you can't -make arable land out of nothing." - -"Don't be profane," said Mary, severely. "And mind, I'm not going to -have any giggling disparagement of my work: I can tell you, it promises -to be very serious." - -Serious enough! When they got back to Lochgarra House in the afternoon, -her head was fairly in a whirl with conflicting statements and -conflicting demands. She knew not how or where to begin; the future -seemed all in a maze; while the personal reception accorded her (though -she tried to think nothing of that for the moment) had been distinctly -repellent. And yet, not satisfied with this long day's work, she would -go down to the village in the evening, to see what was expected of her -there. - -"I suppose I can interfere?" she said, to Mr. Purdie, who was having tea -with them. - -"Beg pardon?" - -"I suppose I can interfere? The village belongs to me, does it not?" -she demanded. - -"In a measure it does," said the factor. "Of course you are the -Superior; but where feus have been granted, they have the land in -perpetuity, while you have only the rent----" - -"Oh, I can't interfere, then?" said she, with some disappointment that -her sphere of activity seemed limited in that direction. - -"You can step in to see that the conditions of the leases have been -respected----" - -"But I can't do things? - -"They'll let you do whatever ye like--so long as it means spending money -on them," said Mr. Purdie, with grim sarcasm. - -"The inn, for example?" - -"The inn is different. We built the inn. The landlord is only a yearly -tenant." - -"We will go down and see him at once, if you please, Mr. Purdie," said -Mary, with promptitude. "I have a scheme in my head. Käthchen, are you -tired?" - -Kate laughed, and dragged herself from her chair. Indeed, she was dead -tired; but none the less she was determined to see this thing out. So -the three of them proceeded along to the village as far as the -inn--which was a plain little two-storeyed building, with not even a -sign hanging over the door; and there they went into the stuffy little -parlour, and sate down, Mr. Purdie ringing the bell and sending for the -landlord. - -"Aren't those things dreadful?" said Mary, glancing around at the -hideous stone and china ornaments on the mantelshelf and elsewhere--pink -greyhounds chasing a yellow hare; bronze stags that could only have been -designed in wild delirium; impossible white poodles on a ground of -cobalt blue, and the like; while on the walls were two gaudy -lithographs--German-looking nymphs with actual spangles in their hair -and bits of gold and crimson tinsel round their neck. "I must have all -this altered throughout the cottages----" - -"Oh, yes, Mamie," said Käthchen; "Broussa silks--Lindos plates--a series -of etchings----" - -But here was the landlord, a rather youngish and shortish man, who -seemed depressed and dismal, and also a little apprehensive. - -"Well, Peter," said Mr. Purdie, in his merry way, "what are ye -frightened for? Ye've got a face as if ye'd murdered somebody. We're -not going to raise your rent." - -"It would be little use that--for I could not pay it," said the -sad-looking young man with the cadaverous grey face and grey eyes. - -"Won't you take a seat?" said Miss Stanley, interposing. "I have a -proposal to make to you." - -Peter Grant did not answer: he remained standing, stolidly and in -silence. - -"It seems to me," she went on, "that something should be done to bring -visitors here in the spring, as well as the few that come through this -way in the autumn. It would be a benefit all round--to the inn, and to -the gillies who would be required, I mean for the salmon-fishing in the -Garra. Now I don't particularly want the salmon-fishing in the spring -months; and it seems to me if you were enterprising you would rent it -from me, and advertise it, and let it to two or three gentlemen, who -would come and live in your house, and give you a good profit. Do you -see?" - -He answered not a word; he kept his eyes mostly fixed on the carpet; so -she continued-- - -"Gentlemen will go very far for salmon-fishing now-a-days, so I am told; -and you might give them quiet quarters here, and make them comfortable, -and every year they would come back. And I should not be hard upon you -in fixing the rent. Indeed, I would rather the proposal came from you. -What do you think you could afford to give me for the spring fishing in -the Garra?" - -"Oh, as for that," said the young landlord, rather uncivilly, "I do not -see that there should be any rent. For the people about here were -saying that no one has a right to the salmon more than anyone else." - -"Now you know you're talking nonsense," said Mary, with decision. "For -if everyone had a right to the salmon, in a fortnight's time there would -not be a single fish left in the river. And besides, do you forget that -there is the law?" - -"Oh, yes, Peter knows there is the law," interposed Mr. Purdie, who -seemed to be in a most facetious mood. "Not more than two months ago -Peter found that out when the Sheriff at Dingwall fined him ten -shillings and ten shillings expenses for having carried and used a gun -without a license. There is quite sufficient of law in the land, as -Peter has just found out." - -The young man's eyes were filled with a sullen fire; but he said -nothing. - -"However," continued Miss Stanley, not heeding this interruption, "I -would not insist much on rent: I might even give you the spring fishing -for nothing, if you thought it would induce the gentlemen to come and -occupy the inn. It is an out-of-the-way place; but perhaps you would -not be charging them very much either--not very much--I don't quite know -what would be a fair rent to ask--" - -"I would charge them £30 a month," said he. - -She looked up, a trifle indignant. - -"Oh, I see. The fishing is worth nothing while I have it; but it's -worth £30 a month when you have it: is that how the matter stands? Do -you call that fair dealing? Well, I haven't given you the fishing -yet--not on those terms." She rose--rather proudly. "Come, Käthchen, I -think we might go and have a look at this fishing that seems to alter in -value so remarkably the moment it changes hands. We need not trouble -you, Mr. Purdie. Good evening!" This last salutation was addressed to -the landlord, who seemed to have no word of explanation to offer: then -the two girls went out from the inn, and walked off in the direction of -the river, which they had seen in passing on the previous evening. - -Mary was no doubt considerably hurt and offended; and there were still -further trials in store for her before the end of this arduous and -disappointing day. She had proposed this excursion to the river chiefly -in order to get rid of Mr. Purdie; but when she and Käthchen found -themselves by the side of the Garra, a vague curiosity drew them on, -until they had penetrated into solitudes where the stream for the most -part lay still and dark under the gloom of the steep overhanging banks. -There was something strangely impressive in the silence and in the dusk; -for while a distant range of hill flamed russet in the western light--an -unimaginable glory--the stealthily creeping river was here almost black -in shadow, under the thick birchwoods. And then suddenly she caught -Käthchen by the arm. Surely there was some one there--a figure out in -the stream--a faint grey ghost in the mysterious twilight? And then a -startling thing occurred. The figure moved; and instantly, on the black -and oily surface of the water there was a series of vivid blue-white -circles widening out and out, and slowly subsiding into the dark again. -Each time the grey ghost moved onward (and the two girls stood -motionless, watching this strange phenomenon) there was this sudden -gleam (the reflection of the clear-shining heavens overhead) that lasted -for a moment or two; then the vague obscurity once more encompassed the -unknown person, and he became but an almost imperceptible phantom. And -was there not some sound in the all-pervading stillness?--an occasional -silken 'swish' through the air? Mary understood what this was well -enough. - -"That man is poaching," said she, calmly--and she took no pains to -prevent herself being overheard. "And I suppose you and I, Käthchen, -have no means of arresting him, and finding out who he is." - -Her voice was clear, and no doubt carried a considerable distance in -this perfect silence. Immediately after she had spoken there were two or -three further series of those flashing rings--nearing the opposite bank: -then darkness again, and stillness; the spectral fisherman, whoever he -was, had vanished into the thick birchwood. - -But Mary Stanley made no doubt as to who this was. - -"Now I understand," she said, bitterly, as she and her companion set out -for home again, "why the salmon-fishing isn't worth £30 a month to -me--when it does not belong to me! And now I understand what Mr. Purdie -said about the poaching--and the connivance of everybody around. And -yet I suppose Mr. Ross of Heimra calls himself a gentleman? I suppose he -would not like to be called a thief? Well, I call him a thief! I call -poaching thieving--and nothing but thieving--whatever the people about -here may think. And I say it is not the conduct of a gentleman." - -She was very angry and indignant; and the moment she got back to -Lochgarra House she sent for the head-keeper. In a few minutes the tall -and bushy-bearded Hector presented himself at the door of the room, cap -in hand a handsome man he was, with a grave and serious face. - -"Is any one allowed to fish in that river who pleases?" she demanded. - -"I was not aware of any one fishing, ma'am," said the keeper, very -respectfully. - -"But is there no one watching?" she demanded, again. "Can any poacher -who chooses have the run of the stream? Does it belong to everybody? -Is it common property? Because--because I merely wish to know." - -She was somewhat perturbed and excited; she did not think she was being -dealt with justly; and she saw in the grave and reticent manner of the -head-keeper only an intention of screening the culprit whom she herself -had by accident detected a little while before. - -"The fishing in the Garra is not very good in the spring," said the -weather-browned Hector, "and we were not thinking it was much use to -have a water-bailiff whatever." - -"But surely it is your business to see that no poaching goes on, either -on the river or anywhere else? Surely that is your duty? And if there -were no fishing, would anyone fish?--you may trust a poacher to know! -I'm sure," she went on, with something of a hurt manner, "it is very -little I ask. I only want to be treated fairly. I am trying to do my -best for every one in the place--I wish to do what is right by every -one. But then I want to be treated fairly in return. And poaching is -not fair; nor do I think it fair that you, as a keeper, should make -excuses for it, or try to screen anyone, whoever he may be." - -The man's face became rather pale--even under the weather tan. - -"If Miss Stanley would be wanting to get another gamekeeper," he said, -slowly and respectfully, "I would not be asking to stay." - -"Oh, you would rather leave than interfere with Mr.----" She did not -complete the sentence. She turned away and walked to the window. The -fact is, it had been a long and harassing day; her nerves had got -unstrung; and all of a sudden a fit of helplessness and despair came -over her; it seemed impossible. she could ever struggle against this -misconstruction and opposition and dislike. - -Kate Glendinning turned to the keeper. - -"You need not wait, Hector," said she, in an undertone. - -Then she went to her friend. Mary had broken down completely--and was -sobbing bitterly. - -"Mamie!" - -"I--I am not used to it," she said, between her sobs. "All day long, it -has been nothing but hatred--and--and I am not used to being hated. -What have I done to deserve it? I wish to--to do what is right by every -one--and--and I tried my--my very hardest to make friends with every -one. It is not fair--" - -"No, it is not," said Käthchen, and she took her companion by the hand -and led her back into the room. "But you must not be disheartened all -at once. Give them time. They don't understand you yet. And I will -back you to win over people against any one I ever knew: the fact is, -Mary, you have always found it so easy, that when you meet with a little -trouble you are terribly disappointed. They don't hate you, those -people; they don't know you--that is all." - -And indeed the girl's naturally sunny temperament soon broke through -these bitter mortifications. - -"After all, Käthchen," she said, "I have not quite lost a day: I was -forgetting that I made one friend." There was an odd smile shining from -behind her tears. "It is true she is half-witted; but all the same I am -glad that Anna Chlannach seemed to approve of me." - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE MEALL-NA-FEARN BOG. - - -And once again a wild, clear, breezy morning; the sea a more brilliant -blue than ever; the heavy surge bursting like a bombshell on the rocks -of Eilean Heimra, and springing some sixty or seventy feet in the air. -Altogether a joyous and gladdening sight--from the several windows of -this spacious room in the tower; but nevertheless Kate, who was far from -being a foolish virgin, observed that the wind must have backed during -the night to the south, and therefore she began to talk about -waterproofs. For Mr. Purdie was leaving to-day; and the two girls, -thrown upon their own resources, had planned an excursion to those -portions of the estate they had not yet visited--the higher moorland -districts; and of course that had to be accomplished on foot. They did -not propose to take a guide with them; they would simply go along to the -'march' beyond the little hamlet of Cruagan, and follow the boundary -line across the hills. Sooner or later they would strike either the -Corrie Bhreag or Glen Orme, with the lower parts of which they were -acquainted. - -And so, with some snack of luncheon in their pocket and a leather -drinking-cup, and with their waterproofs over their arm, they set -out--the sunlight pleasant around them, an odour of seaweed in the air. -This was to be a little bit of a holiday: for this one day, at least, -there were to be no persistent and patient questions met by sullen -replies, no timid proffers of friendship answered by obdurate silence. -And yet as they neared the village, Mary was reminded of her -perplexities, and griefs, and disappointments; for here was the solitary -policeman of the place, standing outside the small building that served -him for both police-office and dwelling-house. John, as he was simply -called--or more generally, Iain--was not at all a terrible-looking -person; on the contrary he was quite a young man, very sleek and fat and -roseate, with rather a merry blue eye, and a general appearance of -good-nature: a stout, wholesome-complexioned, good-humoured young man, -who was evidently largely acquainted with the virtues of porridge and -fresh milk. When Mary saw him, she said,-- - -"Well, Käthchen, if they're all in league against me, even my own -gamekeepers, to screen the poaching that is going on, I will appeal to -the policeman. He is bound to put down thieving of every kind." - -"You'd better not, Mamie," was the instant rejoinder. "It would be very -awkward if a question were asked in the House of Commons--about a -Highland proprietor who had the shameless audacity to ask Her Majesty's -own representative to watch a salmon-river in place of the ordinary -keepers." - -However, this project came to nothing in the present case; for as they -drew near they found that the belted guardian of the peace was himself -in dire trouble. An elderly woman--no doubt his mother--had opened an -upper window in the small two-storeyed building; and she was haranguing -and scolding him with an unheard-of volubility. What it was all about, -neither Käthchen nor Mary had the least idea, for the old woman was -rating him in Gaelic; but John, seeing the young ladies approach, grew -more and more roseate and embarrassed. Of course he pretended not to -hear. He gazed out towards Heimra Island. Then with his stick he -prodded at the mass of seaweed by the roadside that was waiting there to -be carted away. And then he smiled in a tolerant manner, as if all this -tempest were rather amusing; and finally, not being able, in such -humiliating circumstances, to face the two ladies, the upholder of the -majesty of the law turned and beat a speedy retreat, hiding himself in -the lower floor of the house until they should pass. So that on this -occasion Mary had no chance of asking Iain whether he would catch -poachers for her. - -"I am sure," said she, as they were passing through the town, and over -the Garra bridge, and up into the country beyond, "I do not care to -preserve the game, if it were for myself alone. If I thought it would -be really for the good of the people here, I would have every head of -game on the estate destroyed, and every salmon netted out of the river. -But you hear what they say themselves--many of them would never see -money at all if it weren't for the gillies' wages, and the hiring of the -ponies, and so on, in the autumn. Then the few deer that stray on to -the ground, from the Glen Orme forest, they don't come near the -crofts--they do no harm whatever, except, perhaps, to Mr. Watson's -pasture, and he can easily get rid of them, if he likes, by saying a -word to his shepherds. So that the shooting and the fishing are nothing -but an advantage, and a very great advantage, to the people; and I tell -you this, Käthchen, that I mean to preserve them as well as ever I can. -And really it seems shameful that a gentleman in Mr. Ross's position -should have so little self-respect as to become a common poacher--" - -"You forget how he has been brought up--according to Mr. Purdie's -account," Käthchen put in. - -But Mary did not heed the interruption. She was very indignant on this -point. - -"It is quite excusable," said she, "for the poor, ignorant people about -here to believe that the Rosses of Heimra are still the rightful owners -of the land. They know nothing about the law courts and agent's offices -in London. They only know that as far back as they have heard of, and -down to their own day, the land has belonged to the Rosses; and their -Highland loyalty remains staunch and true; it is not to be bought over -by the stranger; and perhaps it is not even to be acquired by -kindness--but we'll see about that in time. However, what I say is -this, that I don't complain of these poor people having such mistaken -ideas; but Mr. Ross knows better; he knows well enough that he has not -the least shadow of right to anything belonging to the Lochgarra estate; -and that if he takes a grouse, or a hare, or a salmon, he is -constituting himself a common thief." - -But now, and for an instant, she was stricken dumb. They had come in -sight of the dried-up loch and the waste heap of stones that once was -Castle Heimra; and this sad spectacle seemed to put some strange fancies -into her head. - -"Käthchen," said she, "do you think he does it out of revenge?" - -Now Kate Glendinning herself was of Highland blood; and she made answer -boldly-- - -"I have told you already, Mary, that if I were young Ross of Heimra, and -such an injury had been done to me and mine--well, I should not like to -say what I should be inclined to do in return. A sentimental -grievance!--yes; but it is sentimental grievances that go deepest down -into the Highland nature, and that are longest remembered. But then on -the other hand it seems to me that shooting game or killing salmon is a -very paltry form of revenge. That is not how I should try to have it -out with Mr. Purdie--for who can doubt that it was Mr. Purdie destroyed -the loch and the castle?--I saw his air of triumph when he told the -story. No; poaching wouldn't be my revenge--" - -"There is more than that, Käthchen," Mary said, absently. "It isn't -merely defying the keepers, or being in league with them. There is more -than that. I wonder, now, if it is he who has set those people against -us, so that they will never regard us but as strangers and enemies? It -is not natural, their sullen refusal of kindness. There is something -hidden--something behind--that I don't understand." She was silent for -a second or two: then she said--"I wonder if he thinks he can drive me -out of the place by stirring up this bitter ill-will." - -"There is one way to get over the difficulty," said Käthchen, lightly. -"Ask him to Lochgarra House. He is a Highlander: if he has once sate -down at your table, he cannot be your enemy afterwards." - -A touch of colour rose to Mary's face. - -"You forget the character he bears," she said, somewhat proudly. - -And here they were at the Cruagan crofts; and the people were all busy -in the wide stretch of land enclosed by a dilapidated fence of posts and -wire. James Macdonald, the elderly crofter who had complained of the -dyke-tax, was ploughing drills for potatoes; two or three women and -girls were planting; and a white-haired old man was bringing out the -seed-potatoes in a pail. The plough was being drawn by two horses -wearing huge black collars--what these were for the two visitors could -not imagine. - -"Are you going to speak to him, Mary?" Kate asked in an undertone--as -the plough was coming towards the end of the field. - -"Yes, I am," said the young lady. "I want to see if the remission of -the tax has had no effect on him. Perhaps he will have a little more -English now." - -There was no time to be lost--the horses were turning. She stepped -across from the road. - -"May I interrupt you for a moment? I want to ask you--" - -Well, the grey-bearded man with the shaggy eyebrows did check the -horses--perhaps he had meant to give them a rest at the end of the -drill. - -"Oh, thank you," said Mary, in her most gracious and friendly way. "I -only wished to ask you whether Mr. Purdie had told you that there was to -be no more tax for the dyke, and that there was to be fifteen years' of -it given back." - -The Russian-looking crofter regarded the shafts of the plough without -removing his hands; and then he said-- - -"Yes--he was saying that." - -Not a word of thanks; but perhaps--she generously thought--his English -did not go so far. - -"It is good dry weather for ploughing, is it not?" she remarked at a -venture. - -There was no reply. - -"That very old man," she asked, "who is he--is he your father?" - -"Yes." - -"It seems a pity he should be working at his age," she went on, wishing -to show sympathy. "He ought to be sitting at the cottage door, smoking -his pipe." - -"Every one will have to work," said the elderly crofter, in a morose -sort of way; and then he looked at his horses. - -"Oh well," said Mary, blithely, "I hope to be able to make it a little -easier for you all. This land, now, how much do you pay for it? What is -your rent?" - -"It--thirty shillings an acre." - -"Thirty shillings an acre? That is too much," said she, without a -moment's hesitation. "Surely thirty shillings an acre is too much for -indifferent land like that!" - -The small, suspicious eyes glanced at her furtively. - -"I not saying it too mich," he made answer, slowly. - -"Oh, but I will consult Mr. Purdie about it," said she, in her -pleasantest way. "My own impression is that thirty shillings an acre is -only asked for good land. But I will inquire; and see what can be done. -Well, good morning!--I mustn't take up your time." - -She was coming away when he looked after her. - -"I not saying--it--too mich rent," said he; and then he turned to his -plough; and his laborious task was resumed. - -"Isn't that odd?" said Mary, as they were going along the highway again. -"None of them seem anxious to have their rents reduced. All day -yesterday--not a single complaint!" - -"Well, Mamie," said Käthchen, "I don't know; but I can guess at a -reason--perhaps they are afraid to complain." - -This set Mary thinking; and they went on in silence. She wished she -knew Gaelic. - -When they came within sight of the ancient boundary line, they left the -road, struck across a swampy piece of land where there were a few -straggling sheep, and then set to work to climb the bare and rocky -hill-side. It was an arduous climb; but both the young women were active -and lithe and agile; and they made very fair progress--stopping now and -again to recover their breath. Indeed, it was not the difficulty of the -ascent that was present to their mind; it was the terribly bleak and -lonely character of this domain they were entering. Higher and higher -as they got, they seemed to be leaving the living world behind them; and -then, when they reached a level plateau, and could look away across this -new world, there was nothing but an endless monotony of brown and purple -knolls and slopes, covered with heather and withered grass, and then a -series of hills along the horizon, with one or two lofty mountain-peaks, -dark and precipitous, and streaked here and there with snow. There was -no sign of life; nor any sound. As they advanced further and further -into this wilderness, a strange sense of intrusion came over them; it -was as if they had come into a land peopled by the dead--who yet might -be regarding them; they looked and listened, as if expecting something, -they knew not what. They did not speak the one to the other; indeed, -they were some little way apart--those two small figures in this vast -moorland solitude. Then they came to a tarn--the water black as -night--not a bush nor the stump of a tree along its melancholy shores. -Nor even here was there the call of a curlew, or the sudden whirr of a -wild-duck's wings. At this point the girls had come together again. - -"Who can wonder at the superstitions of the Highlanders?" said Käthchen, -half absently. - -Mary's answer was a curious one. She was looking at the black and oozy -soil around her, with its scattered knobs of yellow grass. - -"I suppose," she said, meditatively, "they send the sheep up here later -on? But it must be wretched pasture even at its best." - -All this time they had been shut out of sight of the sea by the higher -ranges on their right; but by and by, when they had surmounted the ridge -in front of them, they came in view of at least one new feature in the -landscape--the river Garra, lying far below them, in a wide and empty -valley. No hanging birch woods here, or deep pools sheltered by lofty -banks, as in the neighbourhood where they had surprised the ghostly -fisherman; but a treeless expanse of rather swampy-looking ground, with -the river for the most part rushing over stony shallows. - -"Did it occur to you, Käthchen, that we should have to cross that -stream?" Mary asked, as they were descending the hill. - -"Where is the difficulty?" said Käthchen, coolly. "We shall simply have -to do as the country girls do, take off our shoes and stockings, wade -over, and put them on again on the other side." - -However, this undertaking they postponed for the present; for it was now -mid-day; and they thought they might as well have luncheon when they got -down to the side of the Garra. They chose out a rock wide enough to -afford them seats; opened their small packages, and filled the leather -drinking-cups at the stream. Up in these altitudes the water was not at -all of a peaty-brown; it was quite clear, with something of a pale -greenish hue; it had come from rocky regions, and from melting snow. - -"It seems very odd to me," said Mary, as they contentedly munched their -biscuits and sliced hard-boiled eggs, "that I should find myself in a -place like this--a place that looks as if no human being had ever been -here before--and yet be the actual owner of it. I suppose there never -were any people living here?" - -"They must have been clever if they did," said Käthchen. "To tell you -the truth, Mary, the most part of the Lochgarra estate that I have seen -is only fit for one thing, and that is to make heather brooms for -sweeping kitchens." - -"Ah, but wait," said the young proprietress, confidently. "Wait a -little while, and you will see. Wait till you hear of all the -improvements----" - -"A railway to Bonar Bridge?" said Kate Glendinning, carefully lifting -the leather cup. - -"Now look here, Mephistopheles," said Mary, seriously. "I could murder -you, without the least trouble. I am stronger than you; I could kill -you, and hide you in a hole in the rocks, and you'd never be heard of -again. So you'd better have a little discretion in flouting at my -schemes. Ah, if you only knew! Why, listen to this, now: are you aware -that there is a far greater demand for the Harris homespun cloth than -the people can supply? I discovered that at Inverness. I was told that -half the home-spun sold in London is imitation, made in Manchester. -Well, I propose to let them have the real homespun--yes, and plenty of -it! And more than that; I'm going to have homespun druggets, and -homespun plaids; and blankets, and shawls, and patch-work quilts; and -all the carding and spinning and weaving, and all the knitting of the -stockings, to be done by my own people. And I'll have a sale-room in -London; and advertise in the papers--that they're the real things, and -not sham at all; and if I have any friends in the South, well, let them -show themselves my friends by coming forward and helping us! No -charity--far from it; they get value, and more than value, for their -money; why, where is there any such stuff as homespun for gentlemen's -shooting costumes, or for ladies ulsters; and where can you get such -warmth in winter from any other kind of stockings? I don't like to see -so many women working in the fields--especially the old women--and -carrying those heavy creels of seaweed; I'm going to get them lighter -work--that will pay them better; and when their sons or husbands are -away at the East Coast fishing, they will be earning almost as much at -home. What do you think of this now? For a good web of homespun I can -get 5*s.* a yard from the clothiers themselves; and they will do very -well when they get 1*s.* or 1*s.* 6*d.* a yard profit; but when I sell -in my own store at 6*s.* 6*d.* a yard, then that is all the more coming -back to us here at home. Oh, I tell you, you will soon hear plenty of -spinning-wheels going, and shuttles clacking, at Lochgarra!" - -It was a pretty enthusiasm; and Käthchen did not like to say anything. -Indeed it was Mary herself who paused in this dithyrambic forecast. She -had chanced to look at the gathering skies overhead. - -"Käthchen," said she, "it was a good thing we brought our waterproofs." - -Kate Glendinning followed the direction of her glance. - -"Yes," she answered, "and I think we'd better be getting on." - -Then here was the business of getting over the stream. Mary went down -to the edge of the river; pulled off her shoes and stockings covertly -(covertly, in this solitude, where there was not even a hawk poised on -wing!) and then put one foot cautiously into the swift-running water. -The consequence was a shrill shriek. - -"No," she said, "I can't do it. It's like ice, Käthchen! I'm going to -put my shoes and stockings on again; and find some stones or rocks -somewhere that I can get across." - -"You'll fall in, then," said the matter-of-fact Käthchen, who was by -this time over the ankles, and making good progress--with her teeth -clenched. - -But Mary did not fall in. She sought out shallows; and made zig-zag -experiments with the shingle and with bigger stones; and if she did get -her feet wet before reaching the other side, it was gradually. Very -soon it was not of wet feet they were thinking. - -For when they ascended the opposite hill--entering upon a still wilder -region than any they had as yet traversed--they became aware that all -the world had grown much darker; and when at length they beheld the far -line of the sea, it was of a curiously livid, or leaden, hue. The wind -was blowing hard up on these heights; now and again there was a sting of -moisture in it--the flying precursor of the rain. But the most ominous -thing that met their gaze was a series of sickly-looking, formless -clouds that seemed rising all along the western horizon; while the sea -underneath was growing unnaturally black. Rising and spreading those -clouds were, and swiftly; with a strange and alarming appearance--as if -the earth were about to be overwhelmed: they looked close and near, -moreover, though necessarily they must have been miles away. At first -the two girls did not mind very much; all their strength was needed to -withstand the buffetings of the wind; indeed, there was a kind of -joyance in driving forward against the ever-increasing gale, though it -told on their panting chests. They had to shout to each other, if they -wished to be heard. - -"Where is the 'march,' Mary?" - -"I haven't seen any trace of it ... this side of the Garra ... But of -course we're in the right direction ... We must get into the Corrie -Bhreag sooner or later." - -Then came the rain--at first in flying showers, but very soon in thin -gauze veils that swept along between them and the distant hills. -Waterproofs were donned now; but they proved to be of little use--they -were blown every kind of way, with an immensity of ballooning and -flapping and clapping; while they materially impeded progress. But -nevertheless the two wanderers struggled on bravely, hurling themselves, -as it were, against these rude shocks and gusts, until their wet hair -was flying all about their faces, and their eyes were smarting with the -rain. Sometimes they paused to take breath--and to laugh, in a rueful -way. - -"There's nothing so horrid as wet wrists!" Mary called to her companion, -on one of these occasions, as she shook her arms and hands. - -"It won't be wrists only, very soon," said Käthchen, in reply, as they -started on again. - -The gale increased in violence, so that on the higher slopes ahead of -them the heather was beaten and driven into long waves of motion; while -even through those whirling veils of rain they could see the torn shreds -and tatters of lurid cloud that crossed the greyer sky. The moaning of -the wind rose and fell in remote and plaintive cadence; and then again -it would mount up into a shrill and long-continued scream, that struck -terror to the heart. For there was no more laughter now. All their -dogged, half-blind struggle against the storm did not seem to lead them -any nearer to any practicable way of getting down to the coast; and they -were afraid to leave the line they had conceived to be the march--the -imaginary line which they had hoped would bring them to the Corrie -Bhreag, or, at furthest and worst, to some portion of Glen Orme. And if -the dusk were to come down and find them in these trackless solitudes? -During one of their pauses to recover breath, and to get their wet hair -out of their eyes and lips, Mary took off her waterproof, and her -companion followed her example; the worse than useless garments were -secured by a lump of rock, and left to be searched for by a shepherd on -the following day. Then forward again--with the wind moaning and -howling across these desert wastes--with the driving rain at once -blinding and stifling them--and a dim unspoken fear of the coming -darkness gradually taking possession of their mind. - -One odd thing was that though Mary Stanley was the taller and much the -more strongly built of the two, she could not hold on as well as her -smaller companion, who was in a measure familiar with the work of -getting over heather-tufts and across peat-hags. Mary complained that -the wind and the rain choked her--she could not breathe. And at last -she stopped, panting, breathless, entirely exhausted with the terrible -strain. - -"Käthchen," she said, in a despairing sort of way, "I'm done. But don't -mind me. I will stay here, until the storm goes over. If you think you -can push on until you find some valley to take you down to the coast, -then you will be able to get home----" - -"Mamie, what are you talking about!" said Käthchen, indignantly. "I am -going to keep by you, if both of us stay here all night. But we mustn't -do that. Come, have courage!! - -"Oh, I've a fearful amount of courage, but no strength," said Mary, with -a very dolorous sort of smile. "Whenever I begin, I get caught by the -throat. Well, here goes once more!" - -And again they set forth with a desperate resolution, forcing themselves -against the gale, though their own saturated clothes were dragging -heavily upon them. But they had not gone on thus for many minutes when -it somehow seemed as though this laborious stepping from one -heather-tuft to another was becoming easier. Surely the land was -trending down? - -"Käthchen," Mary called out, brushing away the rain from her eyelashes, -"here is a valley, and surely it must lead down to the sea. I don't -know which it is----" - -"Oh, never mind; we must take our chance," said Kate; "if we can get -down to the coast-line anywhere, we shall be all right." - -And so, notwithstanding their dire fatigue, they kept on now with -lighter hearts; their progress becoming more and more easy, being all -down hill. Not that this valley was anything in the nature of a chasm, -but rather a hollow plain gradually sloping down to the west. And then -again, the further they got away from the wild heights they had left -behind them, the violence of the storm seemed to diminish; they were -better able to breathe; and if the rain did continue to fall, they were -about as wet as they well could be, so that did not matter. - -Suddenly Kate Glendinning uttered a joyful cry. - -"Look! Look!" - -Far away down the wide valley, and through the mists of the rain, they -could make out a small cottage or hut; and there were signs of life, -too--wavering smoke that the wind blew level as it left the chimney. -This welcome sight put new animation into their exhausted frames; and -they pushed forward right cheerfully now, little thinking that they were -walking into a far more deadly peril than any they had encountered among -the hills. - -For when they got further down the valley, they found that there -intervened between them and the cottage a circular plain; and although -it certainly looked marshy, it never occurred to them that they ought to -go round by the side of it. How could their feet be wetter? So they -made straight across, Käthchen leading the way, and jumping from clump -to clump of heather, so as to avoid the little channels where the black -ooze and water might be deep. - -But by and by she was forced to go more cautiously; and had to hesitate -before choosing her course. For those oozy channels had grown broader; -and not only that, but the land she had reached was very far from being -solid--it trembled in a mysterious way. She still held on, -nevertheless, hoping to reach securer foundation; and now she was not -following any straight line whatever, but seeking anywhere and -everywhere for a safe resting-place for her foot. Matters speedily grew -worse and worse. She could not make the slightest movement without -seeing the earth vibrate for twenty yards around her--an appalling -phenomenon; and at last she dared hardly stir, for a sickening feeling -had come over her that a single step might plunge her into an -unfathomable abyss. - -"Käthchen," said Mary, in a low voice (she was close behind), "don't you -think we should try to go back?" - -But the girl seemed absolutely paralyzed with terror. She turned an -inch or two, and looked helplessly around. - -"I--I don't know the way we came," she said--and her eyeballs were -contracted as if with pain. "Will you try, Mary?" - -And then she made a strenuous effort to pull herself together. - -"No, no!--let me go first!" she said in a kind of desperation, "I am -lighter than you." - -"No," Mary made answer, quite calmly, "I will go first." - -Yes, outwardly she was quite calm; but dismay had possession of her too. -For the whole world underneath felt so strangely unstable; it shivered -even as she stood; and as for going back the way they came--why, it -seemed to her that the smallest movement in any one direction must -necessarily cause this quaking morass to open like the sea and engulf -them for ever. She had undertaken to go first; but whither was she to -go? When she put out a foot tentatively, the solid earth seemed to -slide away from her in billows. Again and again she tried; and again -and again she instinctively drew back--her whole frame trembling like -the trembling soil beneath her; until at last she stood speechless and -motionless, turning strange eyes towards Käthchen--eyes that asked a -question her white lips could not utter. And the dusk was now coming -over the world. - -But help was near. They were suddenly startled by a sound--a distant -cry--and at the same moment they caught sight of a man who had come -running from the direction of the cottage. As soon as he perceived he -was seen, he held up both arms: it was a signal to them not to move--as -if movement were possible to them in this prostration of fear! He came -along with an incredible rapidity, by the outskirts of the morass, until -he was opposite them, and then he ventured in a little distance. But he -did not attempt to approach them; with his hand he directed them which -way to go; and they--their heart in their mouth the while--obeyed him as -well as they could. By the time they got near to where he was waiting, -they found themselves with some firmer consistency under their feet; and -then, without a word, he turned and led the way off the morass, they -following. There he paused for a second, to give them a brief -direction. - -"You must keep along the side; it is very dangerous," he said, in a -somewhat cold manner. - -But in an instant Mary had divined who this was. The young man with the -pale, clear-cut features and coal-black eyes belonged to no shepherd's -hut. - -"I--I want to thank you, sir," she said, breathlessly (he had raised his -cap to them slightly, and was going away). "If it had not been for you, -what should we have done? It is a dreadful place--we were afraid to -move--" - -He glanced at her and her companion with some swift scrutiny. - -"You are wet," said he, in the same distant and reserved fashion. "You -will find a fire in the widow's cottage." - -"You might show us the way," said Käthchen, half-piteously. "We are -frightened." - -After that he could not well leave them; though, to be sure, the way to -the cottage was plain and easy enough, so long as they kept back from -the dangerous Meall-na-Fearn bog. He walked ahead of them, slowly; he -did not attempt to speak to them. His demeanour had not been -unfriendly; on the contrary, it had been courteous; but it was courtesy -of a curiously formal and reticent kind. Perhaps he had not known who -these strangers were when he came so quickly to their help. - -And in truth the two girls could hardly follow him; for now all the -enfeeblement of the terror they had suffered had come upon them; they -were no longer strung up by a shuddering apprehension of being entombed -in that hideous morass; and the previous fatigue, physical and nervous, -that they had fought against so heroically, was beginning to tell now, -especially upon Mary. At length she did stop; she said "Käthchen! -Käthchen!" in a low voice; her figure swayed, as if she would fall to -the earth; and then she sank to her knees, and burst into a wild fit of -hysterical weeping, covering her face with her hands. Their guide did -not happen to notice: he was going on: and it was becoming dark. - -"Stay a moment, sir!" said Käthchen, in tones of indignant remonstrance. -"My friend is tired out." - -He came back at once. - -"I beg your pardon," said he, gravely. "Tell her it is only a little way -further. I am going on to get something ready for you." - -And he did go on; so that it was left for Käthchen to encourage her -companion, and subdue this nervous agitation. - -"It is only the cold, Käthchen," said Mary, who was trembling from head -to foot. "I suppose you are wet through, too." - -But indeed the cottage was quite close by now; they made their way -slowly; when they reached it, the door was open; and here was the young -man, with his sailor's cap in his hand, giving a few further directions, -in Gaelic, to an old woman and a young girl of thirteen or fourteen who -appeared to be the sole occupants of the earthen-floored hut. There was -a peat-fire burning, and a pannikin slung over it. The old woman went -into the other apartment--the "ben" of the cottage--and returned with a -black bottle, and some sugar; and presently she had brewed a most potent -liquor which, in two tea-cups, she presented to the young ladies, and -insisted on their swallowing. They were seated on a rude bench by the -grateful warmth of the peat; they were made to finish this fiery -draught; and here were oat-cakes and milk besides. Life seemed slowly -to come back to them--to stir in their veins. But the young man who had -guided them hither? Well, he had disappeared. - -After some little time Käthchen happened to turn and look round. - -"Where has the gentleman gone?" she asked. - -It was the young girl with the jet-black hair and the wild, timid eyes -who made answer. - -"I was told to take the ladies to Lochgarra House," said she, in -excellent English, and with a very pretty pronunciation. - -"You? It is nearly dark!" Käthchen exclaimed. "Why did he leave us?" - -But here Mary interposed in her mild, suave fashion; and she regarded -the girl with kindly eyes. - -"Yes, I am sure you will be able to show us the way very well," said -she. "Only you must tell your mother--is she your mother?" - -"My grandmother, lady," was the answer. - -"Well, tell your grandmother that you must stay the night at Lochgarra -House; you cannot come back here so late. We will send you along in the -morning; or I will come with you myself." - -But the old grandmother knew a little English too. - -"Yes, yes, indeed, indeed," said she. "Whatever the ladies will be -pleased." - -And by and by they set out; the sure-footed young mountaineer acting as -their guide. Night had fallen now, and there were no stars; but after -they had gone on some time they could make out the sound of the sea--and -it was a welcome sound, for it told them they were nearing the road that -here runs all along the coast. And indeed it was not until they were -actually in the highway that it occurred to Kate Glendinning to ask how -far they had still to go before they got to Lochgarra. - -"It will be about seex miles, or more than five miles whatever," was the -answer. - -"Six miles!" said Käthchen, faintly. "I wish we had stayed at your -grandmother's cottage. Mamie, shall you ever be able to manage it?" - -"I hope so, Käthchen," Mary said, though not very joyfully. "I am a -little warmer now; and there is less wind blowing." - -And so they went on--the unseen sea thundering beneath them in the dark, -along the iron-bound coast--the wind sometimes rising into a mournful -moan, but bringing no rain with it now. It was a long and weary tramp; -but they were on a good road; and their brave little guide, whatever she -may have thought of the darkness, went forward unhesitatingly. - -Then of a sudden they beheld two points of fire away ahead of them; and -presently there was a sound of wheels. - -"I will give £20 for the loan of that carriage," said Mary, "whosesoever -it is!" - -"Why," said Käthchen joyfully, "in this neighbourhood, whose can it be -but your own?" - -And indeed it was. And not only that, but here was the gentle-spoken -Barbara, profuse of compassion and pretty speeches; and she had brought -with her an abundance of blankets--not shawls and wraps, or any feminine -knickknackery--but substantial and capacious blankets, along with many -smaller comforts and cordials. And when they had all four got into the -shut landau (for the girls would not allow their young guide to go on -the box) Mary said,-- - -"But who took the news to Lochgarra House, Barbara? Who told you to -bring the carriage?" - -"Oh, just the young master himself," said Barbara, with smiling eyes, as -she was busy with her ministrations. And then she corrected herself. -"It was just young Mr. Ross of Heimra. And did Miss Stanley not know -who he was?" - -But Miss Stanley had known very well. And Käthchen had guessed. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - GILLEASBUIG MÒR. - - -Käthchen was standing at the window, looking out upon the wild and -wayward sea, that was all brilliantly dappled with sun and cloud, while -Mary was at her dressing-table, preparing to go down to breakfast. It -was a blowy and blusterous morning, after the storm; but the welcome -sunlight was abroad again; and the heavens shone serene and fair. - -"Never no more," Käthchen was solemnly remarking, as she regarded the -wide plain of hurrying waves and the white sea-birds that dipped and -sailed and circled in the light, "never no more shall I have a word to -say against smuggled brandy. By rights, Mary, you and I ought both to -be in a raging fever this morning; and you look as well as ever you did -in your life, and I have only a little bit of a headache. Nor against -poaching: I have nothing to say against poaching--when it suddenly -produces somebody to get you out of a hideous and horrible morass, worse -than any quicksand that ever I heard of. Do you know, I hardly dared -put my foot to the floor this morning: I was afraid that frightful -sensation would come back, as if I were standing on nothing, and just -about to sink. Wasn't it terrible? I know I shall dream about it to my -dying day." And then she said: "I wonder what took young Ross of Heimra -up to that out-of-the-way place? Not poaching; for he had neither rod -nor gun." - -"More likely selling brandy to that old woman," said Mary; and then she -added, with a touch of scorn: "A pretty occupation for a Highland -gentleman!" - -"Well, Mary," said Käthchen, reflectively. "I confess that story does -not sound to me true. I should like to have some proof before believing -it. No doubt it is just possible he may have wanted to make up to these -poor people for Mr. Purdie having banished the illicit stills; and -perhaps he could not afford to get them spirits for nothing; and so he -may charge them what he himself has paid. But it is not like what a -Highland laird would do, however poor he might be--and in a kind of way -he still stands in the position of laird towards these people. No, it -does not sound probable; but anyhow I mean to find out--if we are going -along to-day to thank the old woman for her kindness of last night. And -whether it was poaching, or smuggling, or whatever it was, that took -young Mr. Ross up to that hut, it was a very lucky thing for us: we -should never have seen the morning if we had been left there." - -"That is true enough," Mary admitted; but then she went on to say, with -some asperity: "At the same time, a favour is twice a favour when it is -graciously conferred. He seemed to me a most ill-mannered young man. I -doubt whether he would have come near us at all if he had known who we -were." - -"Oh, I don't agree with you--not in the least!" said Käthchen, warmly. -"I thought he was most courteous, and--and respectful. Remember, we were -entirely strangers to him. And just think of his going all the way to -Lochgarra to get the carriage sent for us--and very quickly he must have -done it, too." - -But Mary had not a word in favour of this young man whom she suspected -of far worse offences (in her eyes) than killing salmon or bringing -smuggled brandy into the district: she suspected him, in truth, of -stirring up wrath and ill-will, and setting these people against her. - -"I suppose," she said, rather coldly, "we must thank him, if we should -see him." - -"I, for one, mean to do so, and very heartily," Käthchen said at once. -"I think he was most kind and considerate--if--if a little--a little -reserved. And not at all the wild savage I had expected--most -distinguished-looking, I should call him----" - -"Come away down to breakfast, Käthchen," said Mary, taking her friend by -the arm: she would hear no more on that subject. - -In the hall they encountered the little Highland lass who had been their -guide on the previous night; and she, looking up with timid eyes towards -this tall and beautiful lady whose smile was so gracious and winning, -said-- - -"Am I to be going home now?" - -"Home?" said Mary. "Have you had your breakfast?" - -"Oh, yes, indeed." - -"Very well, you need not go yet; you may as well wait and come with us -in the carriage--for we want to thank your grandmother for her kindness -to us. You can amuse yourself in the garden, if you like, until we are -ready." - -She was obediently going away, but Käthchen stopped her. - -"I don't think you ever told us your name." - -"Just Isabel," said the little maid, in her pretty fashion. - -"Of course you know Mr. Ross?" was the next question. - -"Oh, yes." - -"What was he doing up at your cottage last night?" - -"Käthchen!" said Mary; but the little girl did not notice the -interruption: she answered quite simply,-- - -"He came up to ask about the cow." - -"What cow?" - -But here Isabel did begin to look a little frightened; and she glanced -anxiously at Miss Stanley. - -"Perhaps the lady will be angry--" she said, with shrinking eyes. - -"Oh, no, she won't be angry," Käthchen interposed at once. "What about -the cow? Tell me about the cow." - -"It was my mother's cow that got into the bog and was drowned--' - -"The bog we strayed into?" Käthchen exclaimed. "Do you mean to say that -cattle have been swallowed up in that place?" - -"Ay, many and many a one," said the little girl. - -"I'll have it fenced round at once," said Mary, in her usual prompt and -emphatic way, "no matter what it costs!" - -"And the cow?" said Käthchen, encouragingly, to the little Highland -lass. "What did Mr. Ross want to know about the cow?" - -"Mr. Ross," continued Isabel, "he was sending a message that my mother -would ask Mr. Purdie and the lady for a cow in place of that one, and -the money to be paid back bit by bit as we could do it; yes, and Mr. -Purdie was to be asked for the cow; and Mr. Ross he came up last night -to see if we were to get the cow. But we were not hearing about it from -any one." - -Mary's face flushed with vexation. - -"Why was I not told about this?" she said, turning indignantly to -Käthchen. "What right had Mr. Purdie to decide--and go away without -saying a word? I suppose he refused?--and that was to be all of it!" - -But the little girl, hearing the lady talk in these altered tones, grew -frightened; and tears started to her eyes. - -"Please, I was not asking for the cow," she said, piteously; for she -knew not what terrible mischief she had done. "I was not intending to -make the lady angry----" - -Mary turned to the girl, and put her hand in a kindly way on the -raven-black hair. - -"Don't you be alarmed, Isabel," she said, with a reassuring smile. "You -have done no harm; you were quite right to tell me the story. And you -need not be afraid; your mother shall have the cow; perhaps even two of -them, if the byre is big enough. Now go into the garden and amuse -yourself, until you hear the carriage come round." - -However, it may here be said that in this instance Mr. Purdie was in no -wise culpable. It appeared that the widow MacVean had two days before -gone over to Cruagan, where she had a married daughter, in order to help -in the fields; and her only chance of presenting the petition was by -intercepting the factor on his way homeward. Whether she did or did not -present the petition was of no immediate consequence: Mary had resolved -upon offering up this cow, or perhaps even two cows, as a sort of -sacrificial thanksgiving for her deliverance from the Meall-na-Fearn -bog. - -After breakfast they set out, Isabel seated beside the driver. And once -again they came in sight of the Minard township, with its poor little -crofts on the rocky soil, and the long sweep of white sand where, the -tide being out, the people were busy with their sickles cutting the -seaweed from the rocks. - -"I wonder," said Mary, meditatively, "if I couldn't revive the -kelp-burning?" - -"Oh, no," said Käthchen (who did not quite understand how indefatigable -the young proprietress had been in qualifying herself for her new -position). "That is all over now. Those were the grand days for the -Highlands--for both the landlords and the people; but modern chemistry -has spoiled all that." - -"You don't know, then," said Mary, quietly, "that kelp-burning is -carried on in some places at this moment? It is, though. Over in South -Uist the crofters get from £2 10s. to £3 a ton for kelp. But perhaps -they need all the seaweed they can get here for their crofts, or perhaps -it isn't the right kind of tangle: I must find out about that." - -They drove as far as they could along the road; and they had to descend -from the carriage, to make the rest of their way on foot. And strange it -was that the moment the two girls left the highway, and found themselves -upon the yielding heather, they betrayed an unmistakeable alarm--looking -all around them as if they feared to be betrayed into some hidden -quagmire. But indeed at this point the land consisted chiefly of rocks -and peat and stones; and gradually they got accustomed to following -their sure-footed young guide who was going up the hill-side with the -lightest of steps. Long before they had climbed to the cottage, they -saw the old woman come out to scatter some remains of porridge to the -hens: a pleasant-looking old dame she was, with silvery-grey hair and a -rennet complexion; moreover (whether she had expected them or not) she -was very tidily dressed--a clean white "mutch," a short-skirted blue -gown, a white apron, and red stockings. When she saw the strangers, she -remained outside; and when they came toiling up she saluted them with a -grave and gentle "good moarning!" But beyond returning that salutation, -Mary did not enter into further talk just then. Her eyes were drawn -with a morbid fascination to the black morass that had so nearly proved -fatal to her and her companion. She seemed to feel herself once more -standing on that trembling soil, unable to move in any one direction, -the darkness coming down. And had the darkness fallen, what would the -morning have seen? The morning would have dawned upon that level waste -just as it was now--silent, empty, all its secrets sucked down and -buried for ever and ever. A hideous and lingering death: the slow -torture of the long and sombre hours, before utter exhaustion came, and -despair, and a swooning into the unknown. She shivered a little: then -she turned to the old grandmother, who was talking to Käthchen with such -English as she could muster. - -"Yes," she was saying, "my daughter, she over at Cruagan----" - -"And so perhaps she did not speak to Mr. Purdie about the cow?" Mary -interposed. "Very well. That's all right. Little Isabel was telling me -about the cow that was lost. Well, I will see that you have one in its -place." - -The old woman could not speak; the withered, weather-wrinkled face wore -a pained look, as if she were trying not to cry; and she furtively wiped -her hand on her apron and timidly held it out--it was by shaking hands -that she could best express her thanks. And here was an extraordinary -thing!--here was actual gratitude, the very first symptom of it that -Mary Stanley had encountered since she came to the place. But the next -moment she was saying to herself bitterly: - -"Why? Why is this old woman friendly? Because she saw that Mr. Ross of -Heimra condescended to be civil to me yesterday evening. If he throws a -word to me, then I am to be tolerated! But if I had come here by -myself, I might have offered to double the size of her byre, and give -her two cows instead of one, and there would have been nothing but -sullen looks and silence. Was I not warned the moment I set foot in the -place? It's Donald Ross of Heimra who is their laird. I am a stranger, -and an enemy." - -And now it was Kate Glendinning's turn to make a few discreet inquiries: -for the allegation that a Highland gentleman would condescend to sale -and barter was still rankling in her soul. - -"Well, Mrs. MacVean," said she pleasantly, "that was very excellent -brandy you gave us last night, and very welcome, too: I suppose we -should have died of the cold and wet if you had not given us the hot -drink. But where did you get brandy in an out-of-the-world place like -this?" - -An alarmed expression came into the old woman's face, though she -endeavoured to conceal it. She looked away down the hill-side, and said -vaguely: - -"It was--in the house. Oh, ay--in the house." - -"Yes; but where did you get it?" Kate asked. - -There was a moment of silence--and distress. - -"The brandy?--Mr. Ross--he ordering me to give it to you." - -"Oh, yes," said the young lady, in the same off-hand sort of way, "and -it was very thoughtful of him--and very kind of you. It seemed to bring -us back to life again. I don't know what we should have done without -it. I was only wondering where you got such good brandy in this part of -the Highlands." - -The old woman looked anxiously from the one to the other: were they -trying to entrap her?--even after their generous promise that she should -have the cow. - -"Oh, ay," she said, still clinging desperately to those evasive phrases, -"the brandy--it in the house--and--and Mr. Ross, he ordering me to give -it--and any one very pleased, whatever he wishes. And the ladies--very, -very wet and cold--and a long weh home to Lochgarra--" - -"Come, come, Mrs. MacVean," Käthchen said, "you ought to know that we -don't want to make any trouble--is it likely, just after Miss Stanley -has promised to give you the cow? I am asking only out of curiosity; -and I can keep a secret as well as any one. And of course we are quite -aware that it is Mr. Ross who brings the brandy into the -neighbourhood--and very properly, too, for good brandy is better than -bad whisky, and you must have something in the house in case of -sickness. Very well: tell me what he charges you for it." - -"Charges?" the old woman repeated, with a puzzled air. - -"Yes," said Käthchen, encouragingly. "I only want to know for--for -information; and I am not likely to tell any one. What do you pay him -for it?" - -Then the old grandmother understood; and though she did not say much, -there was something in her tone that showed how keenly she resented this -imputation. - -"Pay--Mr. Ross of Heimra--for the brandy?" said she, as if it was -herself who had been insulted; and she was turning angrily away. "You -think--the young master--tekkin money from the like of me?" - -"Then he gives you the brandy for nothing?" said Kate,--and this -question at once arrested the old dame, who made answer somewhat -sulkily-- - -"I not saying that--I not saying that at ahl." - -"Of course not," said Käthchen, with cheerful good humour. "It is not -necessary for you to say anything. But now I understand; and I am glad -of it; for I have Highland blood in my veins myself, and I did not like -to think of a Highland gentleman taking money for little kindnesses of -that sort. And indeed I did not believe it; and I am very pleased -indeed that you have made it possible for me to contradict such a -ridiculous story." - -Shortly thereafter--the old grandmother having been won into something -of a more conciliatory mood by reiterated expressions of thanks and a -circumstantial promise with regard to the cow--the two young women left; -and as they descended the hill, Kate Glendinning was most triumphant -about this refutation of what she considered a malignant slander. Mary, -on the other hand, was inclined to be coldly severe in her judgment -wherever young Ross of Heimra was concerned--though neither coldness nor -severity formed part of her ordinary temperament. - -"I don't see anything to be proud of, Käthchen," said she. "He is -cheating the revenue, for one thing." - -"Cheating the revenue," said Käthchen, in her matter-of-fact way, "is -not likely to trouble a Highlander's conscience much. But I dare say he -thinks the Government can get along well enough without taking any more -taxation from these poor people; and I have no doubt he says to himself -that if he pays for a bottle of good brandy for some poor woman with -ague or rheumatism in her old joints, the Government can afford to let -her have it without the duty. In a climate like this you must have -spirits of some kind; and as I was saying to Mrs. MacVean, good brandy -is better than bad whisky filled with fusel oil." - -"I know perfectly well what his object is," Mary said, proudly and -indignantly. "His object is simply to steal away the hearts of the -people--and to stir up ill-will between them and whoever happens to be -at Lochgarra House. They are all his friends--and my enemies. He can -shoot and fish wherever he pleases; he has the run of the whole estate; -he is welcome at every fireside; whilst I, when I want to lower the -rents, and better the condition of the people in every way, and be their -friend--well, I am kept outside at the door, and if I say 'Am I -welcome?' there is no answer. For him--everything: for me--nothing. -And I think it is hardly fair." - -She spoke in a proud and hurt way, and her lips trembled for an instant: -it was clear that she considered she had not deserved this ill-usage. - -"No, no, no, Mary," her friend protested. "You are unjust, as far as Mr. -Ross is concerned anyway. For one thing it is very likely that the poor -people about here were accustomed to look to his mother for little -comforts when they fell ill; and he may be trying to carry out the same -kind of thing, in the only way that would occur to a man." Then a -demure smile came into Käthchen's eyes. "But I will be honest with you, -Mary. I don't think it is done to spite you at all: although your -family have wrought him and his sufficient wrong. But if you were to -ask me if it wasn't done with a determination to spite Mr. Purdie--in -return for the destruction of the illicit stills--well, you see, people -may act from various motives, and I shouldn't be surprised if that had -something to do with it. As for stealing the hearts of the people--if -you knew the curious loyalty and devotion of the Highlanders towards the -old families, you would hardly think it necessary that Mr. Ross should -have to make use of any bribe----" - -"But why should they hate me?" Mary exclaimed--and Käthchen had no -answer. - -However, if Miss Stanley had on one or two occasions suspected that the -presence of the detested factor might have something to do with the -failure of her efforts to cultivate amicable relations with her tenants, -here was an opportunity of seeing what she could do by herself; for on -their way back they again came to the small township of Minard, where -the amphibious population were busy in the crofts and along the shore. -She dismissed the carriage; and proceeded to make a few friendly little -calls--guarding carefully against any appearance of intrusion, and, -indeed, almost humbly begging for something of consideration and -good-will. And she was resolved to take no heed of any surly manners or -uncivil speech; for she was of a large, bland, magnanimous nature; and -she had a considerable fund of patience, and gentleness, and sweetness, -to draw upon. Then she had to remember that her uncle had been -unpopular, and had no doubt amply earned his unpopularity. Moreover, a -factor who stands between a wilful and domineering landlord and a -tenantry not in the happiest condition, is most invidiously situated: he -is the universal scapegoat, and is bound to be hated as well as feared. -But here was she willing to make what atonement was possible; ready to -sacrifice her own interests for the general good; and above all things -anxious to make friends. With gifts in both hands, ought she not to -have been welcome at every door? Then she was pleasant to look upon; her -manner was gracious and winning; her eyes were kind. With the small -children she could get on well enough: they knew nothing of any -deep-slumbering feud. - -But her charm of manner, her wonder-working smile, her unfailing -good-humour, that had made life easy for her elsewhere, seemed to be of -no avail here--with the grown-up folk, at all events. Not that they -were rude: they were merely obdurate and silent. Of course, when she -got this one or that pinned by a direct question, he did not absolutely -refuse to reply; but their answers were so contradictory, and their -demands in most cases so impossible, that no practical enlightenment was -possible. One man wanted more boats from the Government; another said -that more boats were of no use unless the Government supplied nets as -well; a third said boats and nets were valueless unless they had a -steamer calling daily. There was also a demand that the Government -should build more harbours; and when Mary said, in reply to this, that -she understood the harbours they had got--Lochgarra, that is to say, and -Camus Bheag--to be about as excellent as any in the West Highlands, she -was answered that the harbours were perhaps good enough--if there was a -railway. Then there were some who did not seem to have any occupation -at all. - -"Don't you have anything to work at?" she said, to one tall and rather -good-looking young fellow, who was standing looking on at the women and -girls gathering the sea-tangle. - -"My father has a croft," he made answer, in a listless way. - -"But wouldn't you," she said, in a very gentle and hesitating manner, so -as not to seem impertinent, "wouldn't you rather go away and find some -work for yourself?" - -"Aw, well, I was at Glasgow, and I was getting twenty shillings a week -there." - -"And you did not stay?" - -"Well, I could not live there," he said, simply enough. "It is no use -getting twenty shillings a week if you cannot live in a place; and in a -few years I would be dead, if I was living in Glasgow. I am better to -be alive here than dead in Glasgow." - -"Then perhaps you go to the East Coast fishing?" she suggested. - -"No, I am not going there now. I was there one or two years, but it did -not pay me." - -"And don't you do anything?" she asked again. - -"Well, in January I am in the Naval Reserve." - -"And the rest of the year you don't do anything?" - -"Well, my father has a croft"--and that was about all the information -she could extract from him. - -As a final attempt she said to him, timidly-- - -"If I were to try to get you a boat and nets from the Government, would -it be of service to you?" - -"It would need eight of a crew," said he, with an obvious lack of -interest, "and I would not be knowing where to find them." - -However, a great surprise was in store for her: before getting back to -Lochgarra on this occasion she actually encountered a human being who -received her proffered friendliness and good-will with cheerful and -unhesitating gratitude, and responded with a frank comradeship that -quite won her heart. It is true the man was drunk; but at first she did -not perceive that; and indeed she was ready to make ample allowances in -her eager desire to establish pleasant relations with anybody, after the -disheartening coldness she had just experienced at Minard. This man -whom she and Käthchen overtook on their homeward way was a huge, -lumbering, heavy-shouldered giant, with a prodigious brown beard and -thick eyebrows, whose deep-set grey eyes (though a little bemused) -looked at once intelligent and amiable. On his shoulder he had hoisted -a rough wooden box; and as he trudged along he smoked a small black clay -pipe. - -"Good-day to you!" said Mary to the giant. - -"Aw, good-deh, good-deh, mem!" said he, with a broad grin of welcome, -and he instantly put the pipe in his pocket. - -"That is a heavy box you are carrying," said she; "I wish I were -driving, and I would take it along for you." - -"Aw, it's glad I am I hef something to carry," said he, in a strong -Argyllshire accent, "and I wass thinking that mebbe Miss Stanley herself -would be for tekkin a lobster or two from me, for the house. Aw, I'll -not be charging Miss Stanley mich for them--no, nor anything at ahl, if -Miss Stanley would be for tekkin a lobster or two from me----" - -"Oh, these are lobsters?" said she, with the most friendly interest. - -"Ay, chist that," said the giant. - -"And you will be sending them away by the mail-cart?" she asked. - -"Ay, chist that--it's to London I am sending them." - -"Oh, really," she said. "All the way to London? Well, now, I wonder if -you would think me inquisitive or impertinent if I asked you how much -you get for them?" - -"How much? Aw, chist two-and-sixpence the dissen," said he, in a -good-natured fashion, as if he hardly expected to get anything. - -But Mary was most indignant. - -"What?" she said. "Two-and-sixpence the dozen? It's monstrous! Why, -it's downright robbery! I will write to the London papers. -Two-and-sixpence a dozen?--and a single lobster selling in London for -eighteenpence or two shillings, and that a small one, too. Isn't it too -bad, Käthchen? I will write to the newspapers--I will not allow such -robbery." - -"It is a long weh of communigation," said the big, heavy-shouldered, -good-humoured-looking man; "and Mr. Corstorphine he paying ahl the -carriage, and sending me the boxes." - -"I will get you twice as much as that for the lobsters," said Mary, with -decision, "if I sell them among my own friends. I will guarantee you -twice as much as that, and I will pay the carriage, and get you the -boxes. What is your name?" - -"Archie MacNicol, mem," said he; but the whisky had made him talkative, -and he went on: "I am from Tarbert on Loch Fyne; I am not from among -these people here at ahl. These people, they are not proper -fishermen--aw, they are afraid of the sea--they will not go far out--I -hef seen the East Coast men coming along here and tekkin the herring -from under their very eyes. There is one of the Government boats that -they got; and it is not paid for yet; and it is lying half-covered with -sand at Achnacross, and no one using it at ahl. Ay, and the curers -willing to give elevenpence a piece for ling. Ay, and I wass into Loch -Hourn, and I got fifty crans of herring, and I wass curing them myself-- - -"But wait a moment," said Mary, to whom this information seemed a little -confused. "If you are not tired, won't you keep on your way to the -village, and we will walk with you? You see, I am anxious to get all the -information I can about this place; and the people here don't seem to be -very communicative--although it is altogether in their own interests -that I should like to make inquiries. But they appear to be afraid of -me--or there is some quarrely or ill-will, that I don't understand----" - -"A quarrel with Miss Stanley?" said the lobster-fisherman, -deprecatingly--for he was in a mellow and generous mood. "No, no--he -would be a foolish man that would be saying that!" - -"Very well," said Mary, as they were all three going on to the village, -"tell me about your own circumstances. I want to know how I can be of -help to the people about here. I have not come to Lochgarra to raise -rents, and collect money, and take it away and spend it in London. I -want to live here--if the people will let me; but I don't want to live -among continuous enmity and ill-will." - -"Aw, yes, yes, to be sure, to be sure now!" said Archie, in the most -amiable way, and Mary was entirely grateful to him for his sympathy--it -was so unexpected. - -"Tell me about your own circumstances," she went on. "Is there anything -I can do for you and the other lobster-fishermen?" - -"Aw, Cosh!" he cried (but it was the whisky that was responsible: Archie -himself meant to be most polite). "Would Miss Stanley be doing this for -us, now--would she be writing a letter for us to the Fishery Board?" - -"Oh, certainly," she answered with promptitude, "if that will be of any -service to you. What about?" - -And here Big Archie (Gilleasbuig Mòr, as they called him) in his -eagerness to tell his tale, stopped short, and deposited the lobster-box -in the road. - -"It's this way now--that there will be many a brokken head before long -if something is not done. For they are coming from ahl quarters to the -lobster-fishing--stranchers that hef no business here at ahl; and they -are building huts; and where there is a hut there will soon be a house; -and it does not require the wise man of Mull to tell any one the truth -of that. Yes, and they will be saying they hef the right from the -Fishery Board; but as I am thinking that is nothing but lies; for how -can the Fishery Board give stranchers the right to come here and build -huts on the crofts above the shore--ay, and going on, and paying no -rent, either to Miss Stanley, or the crofter, or to any one? And Gillie -Ciotach and me, ay, and two or three of the young lads, we were saying -we would tek sticks and stones, and drive them into the sea--ay, though -there might be a bluidy nawse here and there; and others would be saying -no, that it was dancherous to do anything against the Fishery Board. And -would Miss Stanley be for sending a letter to the Board, to ask if it is -lies those people are telling us, and whether they can come and build a -hut whenever they like?" - -"Certainly I will," said she. "Only, there is to be no fighting and -bloodshed, mind. Of course, the space occupied by a hut is a very -trifling matter: I suppose what you really object to is those strangers -coming to your lobster-ground?" - -"Ay, chist that!" said Big Archie, eagerly. - -"Very well. It seems to me quite absurd to think that the Fishery Board -should have given any one the right to build huts; however, I will -inquire; and then, if I get the answer I expect, you must go peaceably -and quietly to those people, and tell them they are mistaken, that they -have no right from the Fishery Board or from any one else, and that they -must leave----" - -"Evictions!" said Käthchen, under her breath: she saw trouble coming. - -"Quite peaceably and quietly, you understand," Mary continued; "there -must be no broken heads or anything of that kind; you must tell the -people what the Fishery Board says, and then they will see that they are -bound to go." - -"Ay, ay, chist whatever Miss Stanley pleases," said Big Archie; and -therewith he shouldered the heavy lobster-box again, and resumed his -patient trudge, while he proceeded to give Miss Stanley some further -information about those marauding fishermen and their evil ways. - -But when they were nearing Lochgarra, Mary, who had been rather silent -and abstracted for some little time back, said to him,-- - -"I suppose you have a boat, Mr. MacNicol?" - -"Aw, ay, and a fine boat too," said Archie. "And if Miss Stanley herself -would be wishing for a sail, I would bring the boat round from Camus -Bheag." - -"That is just what I have been thinking of," Mary said: they were now -come in sight of the sea, and she was absently looking out towards the -horizon. - -"Ay, chist any time that Miss Stanley pleases, and I will not be -charging anything," said the good-natured giant with the friendly (and -bemused) eyes. "Aw, naw, there would be no charge at ahl--but chist a -gless of whisky when we come ashore." - -"Oh, I must pay you for your time, of course," said she, briefly. "I -suppose you could bring your boat round this evening so that my friend -and myself might start pretty early to-morrow morning? We should be -ready by ten." - -Käthchen turned wondering eyes upon her. - -"But where are you going, Mamie?" - -"I am going out to Heimra Island," she said. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE PIRATE'S LAIR. - - -It was a bold undertaking; and Käthchen hardly concealed her dismay; but -Mary Stanley was resolute. - -"I must see my enemy face to face," she said. "I want to know what he -means. Why should he stir up enmity and malignity against me? If he -had any thought for those people who seem to regard him with such -devotion, he would be on my side, for I wish to do everything I can for -them. He ought to welcome me, instead of trying to drive me out of the -place. And if he fishes and shoots over the Lochgarra estate simply to -spite me, suppose I refuse to be spited? Suppose I present him with the -shooting and fishing, on condition that he allows me to be kind to these -people? How would that do, Käthchen? Wouldn't that be a fine revenge? -I think that ought to make his face burn, if he has anything of gentle -blood left in him!" - -There was a vibrant chord of indignation in her tone, as there generally -was when she spoke of this young man; for she did not think she was -being fairly treated. But Käthchen, ignoring the true sources of her -dismay, began to urge objections to this proposed visit, on the ground -of social observances. - -"I do really think, Mamie, it will look strange for two unmarried girls -to go away out and pay such a visit--and--to that lonely island. Now if -you would only wait until the Free Church Minister comes home, he might -go with us, and then it would be all right. Not that the Free Church -Minister is certain of a welcome--if the young man is what he is said to -be; but at all events he would be a chaperon for us." - -But Mary would not hear of waiting; she would challenge her secret -antagonist forthwith. - -"Very well, then," said Kate Glendinning, more seriously than was her -wont, "if we do go, we must have some excuse; and you must tell him you -have come to thank him for having got us out of that frightful bog." - -Nor did the uninviting look of the next morning cause Miss Stanley to -alter her resolve. It was hardly a day for a pleasure sail. The wind, -it is true, had abated during the night; and there was not much of a sea -on; but the skies were heavy and lowering; and dark and sombre were -those long headlands running out into the leaden-hued main. But there -was the lobster-boat lying at anchor, in charge of a young lad; and the -dinghy was drawn up on the beach; and a message had just come in that -Big Archie was waiting below to carry wraps and rugs. - -"Käthchen," said Mary, sitting hastily down to her writing-desk, "I have -discovered that the Fishery Board sits at Edinburgh; but I can't find -out who are the members. Do you think I should begin 'My Lords and -Gentlemen' or only 'Gentlemen'?" - -"I don't know," said Käthchen; "I should think 'Gentlemen' would be -safer." - -So, in happy singleness of purpose, Mary proceeded to write her letter -about the alien lobster-fishermen--little thinking to what that innocent -action was to lead; then she went and quickly got ready; and by and by -the two girls were on their way down to the beach, accompanied by the -gigantic and massive-shouldered Gilleasbuig Mòr. Big Archie, if the -truth must be told, was moodily silent this morning: the fact being that -on the previous evening he had wound up the day's promiscuous indulgence -by "drinking sore," as they say in those parts; and now his physical -conscience was troubling him. But if his conversation was limited to -monosyllables, and if he wore a sad and depressed look, he was, -nevertheless, most kind and assiduous in his attentions to the two -ladies; and when he had rowed them out in the dinghy, and got them -ensconced in the stern of the bigger boat, he did everything he could -for their comfort, considering the rudeness of their surroundings. And -presently, when the anchor was got up, Big Archie came aft to the -tiller; the young lad lay prone on the bit of deck forward, to keep a -look-out; and Mary and her companion knew they were now pledged to the -enterprise, whatever might come of it. - -Indeed the two girls were themselves rather inclined to silence. It was -a gloomy sort of morning; there was even a threatening of rain brooding -over the distant headlands; and the dark sea lapped mournfully around -them, with not a single swift-glancing flash of white. But the light -breeze was favourable, and they made steady progress, unfamiliar -features of the coast-line becoming visible on right hand and on left as -they made further and further out to sea. - -It seemed a long and weary time--given over to dreamings, and doubtings, -and somewhat anxious forecasts. But all of a sudden Mary was startled -by the voice of the skipper. - -"Will Miss Stanley be for going in to Heimra?" - -And then for the moment her courage failed her. - -"What do you say, Käthchen? Do you think--we should send a -message--before calling----?" - -"Oh, yes, certainly," said Käthchen, with eagerness. "That is certainly -what we ought to do." - -"Oh, very well, then," said Mary, turning to the steersman (but there -was a flush of self-conscious shame on her cheeks), "you need not take -us to the house--we will merely have a look at the island--and some -other day we will come out, when we have told Mr. Ross beforehand." - -"Very well, mem," said Big Archie, holding on the same course, which was -taking them by the south side of the island. - -It was an angry-looking coast--steep and sheer--a long, low, heavy surge -breaking monotonously along the black rocks. But when they got round -the westward-trending headland, they gradually came in sight of the -sheltered waters of the little bay, and of the sweep of silver beach, -and the solitary cottage perched on its small plateau. And of course -Käthchen's eyes were full of intensest interest, with something, too, of -apprehension; for this (according to Mr. Purdie) was the pirate's den; -this was the home of the outlaw whose deeds by night and day, by sea and -shore, had gained him so dark a renown. But Mary's attention had been -attracted elsewhither. She was regarding a white marble slab, placed -high on the top of the cliff, facing the western seas. - -"Look, Käthchen," she said, in rather a low voice. And then she turned -to the silent little bay before her. "Poor woman!" she said. "It was a -lonely place to live all those years." - -Presently Mary bethought her of the errand that had brought her so far; -and she repented of her irresolution. - -"Can you take us into the bay, Mr. MacNicol?" said she, without staying -to consult Käthchen. - -"Aw, yes, mem, zurely." - -"For it is a long way to have come--and--and I am anxious to see Mr. -Ross." - -"Aw, very well, mem," said Archie, at once altering his course. - -And then she said, looking all round the bay: - -"But where is the yacht?" - -"Is it Mr. Ross's yat, mem? It wass lying in Camus Bheag when I wass -coming aweh last evening." - -"And was Mr. Ross on board?" Käthchen asked, with a quick sense of -relief. - -"Indeed I am not zure of that," said Archie. "For mebbe he wass sending -the men over to the mainland, and himself staying on the island." - -"In any case, Käthchen, that need not matter to you," Mary interposed. -"You can remain where you are, and I will go up to the house by myself. -Why should you bother about my business affairs?" - -This was a view of the case that was not likely to commend itself to -Kate Glendinning, who could nerve herself on occasion. When the -lobster-boat had come to anchor, and they had gone ashore in the dinghy, -she proceeded to walk up to the house along with her friend just as if -nothing unusual was happening to her. She kept watch--furtively; but -her outward air was one of perfect self-possession. As for Mary, she was -too deeply engaged in thinking how her complaints and demands were to be -framed to heed anything else at this moment. - -They knocked at the door, and again knocked; after a little while the -old woman Martha appeared--the surprise in her face being obvious -testimony to the rarity of visitors to this remote island. - -"Is Mr. Ross at home?" Mary asked. - -It was a second or so before Martha recovered from her amazement--for -she had not seen the lobster-boat appear in the bay, nor yet the -strangers come ashore. - -"Oh, no--he is over on the mainland," said the trimly-dressed old woman. -"What a peety--what a peety!" - -Mary was rather taken aback; however, she said: - -"It is not of much consequence, for, if he is on the mainland--or if he -is in the neighbourhood--I daresay I shall be able to see him before he -returns to Heimra." - -And then she was about coming away when Martha interposed, with Highland -courtesy. - -"But would not the leddies come in and sit down for a little while--and -hef some tea, or a little milk, or something of that kind? Mr. Ross very -sorry when he knows--to be sure--and a great peety him not here--" - -"Oh, thank you," said Käthchen (whose face had lightened considerably -when she heard of Donald Ross being absent), "it is very kind of you; -and I am sure I shall be very glad to have a glass of milk, if you will -be so kind." - -Käthchen wanted no milk; but she suddenly saw before her a chance of -having her curiosity satisfied without risk: she would be allowed to see -what kind of lair this was in which the savage outlaw lived. And so the -unsuspecting Martha led the way; and the two young ladies followed her -into the passage, and into the first room leading therefrom, which was a -kind of morning-apartment and study combined. They seated themselves, -and she left to get them such refreshment as the out-of-the-world -cottage could afford. - -The two girls were silent; but their eyes were busy. The first thing -that attracted their notice was a portrait over the mantelpiece--the -portrait of a very beautiful woman, pale somewhat and dark, with refined -and impressive features, and of a simple yet dignified bearing. A sad -face, perhaps; but a face full of character and distinction: the first -glance told you this was no common person who looked at you so calmly. -Mary said nothing; Käthchen said nothing; but they knew who this -was--the likeness was too obvious. - -And as for the other contents of the room?--well, there were neither -guns, nor rods, nor splash-nets, nor anything else connected with -fishing or shooting, legal or illegal; but there was an abundance of -books in the shelves that lined three walls of the apartment. Moreover, -there was one volume lying on the table before them--beside a wooden -pipe. They regarded this for some little time; but it was Käthchen who -spoke first. - -"Mary, would it be very impertinent if I looked?" - -Mary Stanley laughed. - -"I don't know," she said. "Most people do pick up things when they are -left in a room. But we are in a peculiar position. We are here without -the consent of the owner." - -"Yes, that is so," said Käthchen, resignedly, and she remained still. - -But she continued looking towards the book in a wistful way. - -"It's only the title I should like to see," she began again. "What harm -can there be in that? If Mr. Ross were here himself, I would take up -the book in a minute--yes, I would! What do you say, Mary?" - -"Well," said Mary, frankly, "I really should like to know what kind of -literature commends itself to any one living in a strange place such as -this. But at the same time we are not his guests--we are intruders--or -if we are guests, we are the housekeeper's guests, and it is but fair to -her we shouldn't pry into secrets." - -Käthchen had risen and gone across to the table: perhaps it would not be -breaking the laws of hospitality if she could get a glimpse of the title -of the book without actually laying hands on it? But the back of it was -away from the light. In these desperate circumstances, Käthchen yielded -to temptation; she hastily snatched up the volume, glanced at the title, -and as quickly returned to her seat again. - -"Good gracious!" said she. "That is fine entertainment for a lonely -island--Joshua Williams's 'Real Property'!" - -"A law book?" said Mary, with her face becoming suddenly grave. "I hope -there is not going to be--any trouble--a lawsuit is such a dreadful -thing----" - -"Oh, no; I understand what that means," said Käthchen, "I know quite -well. That is one of the books my brother had when he was reading up -for the bar--I remember it because I spilt some ink over it, and he made -me buy him another. I wonder, now, if Mr. Ross is reading up for the -bar? Wouldn't that be a blessed dispensation of Providence for you, -Mamie--if he were to go away and shut himself up in the Temple, and -leave you Lochgarra entirely in your own hands, shooting, and fishing, -and everything? Only," she added, "I don't quite understand how such a -wild savage as Mr. Purdie described to us would be likely to get on with -the Judges. I am afraid there would be scenes in court. What do they -call dismissing a barrister?--not cashiering?--unfrocking?----" - -Käthchen had suddenly to cease; for here was the elderly Martha, -carrying a large tray amply provided with homely and wholesome -fare--oatmeal cake, soda scones, marmalade, strawberry jam, fresh -butter, and a jug of milk. And Mary did not pause before breaking bread -in the house of her enemy; for she saw that the old housekeeper was -anxious that her bounties should be appreciated; and besides, oat-cake -and marmalade and fresh milk ought to recommend themselves to any -healthily-constituted young woman. By and by, when Martha had left the -room, Miss Stanley said-- - -"What shall I give her as we are going away, Käthchen? -Half-a-sovereign?" - -"Oh, for goodness' sake, Mamie, don't think of such a thing!" Käthchen -exclaimed. "At any other time give her anything you like; but you must -not pay for food in this house; you cannot imagine how offended she -would be. She would take it as an insult offered to her master: she -represents Mr. Ross in his absence--it is Mr. Ross who is entertaining -us now----" - -"Oh, it is Mr. Ross who is entertaining us?--yes of course," said Mary, -thoughtfully; and--perhaps without noticing the coincidence--she put -down the piece of oat-cake she held in her hand, nor did she take it up -again. - -And furthermore, as they were going down to the boat--having made due -acknowledgments to Martha for her hospitality--Mary walked as one in a -dream; while Käthchen, rejoiced to have come through this dreaded ordeal -with such unexpected ease, was in the gayest of humours. She did not -notice her friend's reverie; she was chattering away about their -foolhardiness in entering the savage's lair--about her surprise in -finding no skulls and bones lying in corners--about the quiet and -studious aspect of the place being a pretty cover for all kinds of dark -and lawless deeds. Mary did not reply; once or twice she looked up to -the white grave on the hill--she was thinking of other things. - -But when they had all got into the larger boat again, and set out on -their return voyage, Käthchen found a companion more of her own mood. -The truth is that while the young ladies were being entertained in the -front part of the house, Big Archie had slipped up to the back, had paid -his respects to Martha, and had been presented, as is the custom in the -west, with his morning dram. This welcome mitigation of his -_Katzenjammer_ had made a new man of him; and he was now disposed to be -as talkative as hitherto he had been morose; so that, as he sate with -his arm on the tiller, he was cheerfully telling the young lady all -about himself, and his doings, and circumstances. And Käthchen, finding -him thus sociable, and friendly, affected much interest, and plied him -with appropriate questions. - -"Do you keep a cow, Mr. MacNicol?" said she. - -"Aw, now," said he, deprecatingly, "the young leddy will be mekkin me -ashamed. It's chist Archie they'll be calling me." - -"Very well, Archie--do you keep a cow?" - -"I starve one," said Archie, with ironical humour. - -"And a kitchen garden?" - -"Aw, is it a garden? And you will not know that I wass tekken the prize -for the garden, ay, more as three or four years? Well, well, now, there -is no longer a prize given for the best garden, and it's a peety, -too----" - -"But tell me," said Käthchen, with some astonishment, "why was the prize -stopped? It seems a very reasonable thing, a prize for the best kitchen -garden among the crofters and fishermen--I'm quite sure Miss Stanley -would give such a prize. Why was it stopped?" - -Big Archie hesitated for a second or two; then he said, with a grin of -confession-- - -"Well, now, I will tell you the God's truth, mem; for there's two ways -about every story; and there's my way of it, and there's Mr. Purdie's -way of it; and mebbe the one is true or the other. And this is my way -of it: I wass gettin the prize--oh, yes, I will not deny that--year by -year, and very proud I wass, too, of the cabbages, and the scarlet -beans, and the like of that, and the thirty shullins of the prize a very -good thing for me. And then kem the time the Minard crofters they were -for sending an appligation to Mr. Stanley for to have the rents revised, -and I put my name to the paper too; but Mr. Stanley he would do nothing -at ahl--he said 'Go to Mr. Purdie.' Then Mr. Purdie he sees my name on -the paper; and he says, 'Very well, there will be no more prize for the -garden, and you can do without your thirty shullins.' It wass a -punishment for me, that I wass putting my name on the paper. Now, mem, -that is my story about the prize----" - -"I think it was very shabby treatment!" Käthchen exclaimed. - -"And that is the way I see my side of it," continued Big Archie, -honestly; "but I am not denying there may be another way. Aw naw, mem, -I want to tell you fair; and Mr. Purdie he would hef another version for -you, if you were to believe it----" - -"Well, then, what is his version?" said Käthchen--for the time being -rather priding herself on playing Mary Stanley's part. - -"Well, I wass speaking to Mr. Pettigrew, the minister, and he wass -speaking to Mr. Purdie, about getting the prize back, and Mr. Purdie he -says to Mr. Pettigrew 'No, I will not give the prize back; for there was -not enough competition, and Archie MacNicol he wass always tekkin the -prize, and it wass the same as thirty shullins a year off his rent. The -prize,' he wass saying, 'wass to encourache ahl the people to attend to -their gardens, and not to give Archie MacNicol thirty shullins a year.' -And that's the God's truth, mem, and both ways of the story; but what I -will be thinking to myself is that there wass no talk of stopping the -prize till Mr. Purdie found my name on the paper. That's what I would be -thinking to myself sometimes." - -Käthchen glanced rather timidly at her friend. But Mary was still in -that curiously abstracted reverie--her eyes turned wistfully towards the -now receding Eilean Heimra--her thoughts remote. So Käthchen merely -said in an undertone-- - -"Very well, Archie, I will put both versions of the story before Miss -Stanley, and I have no doubt she will do what is right. For my own -part, I don't see why you should be deprived of the prize simply because -you keep a smarter garden than the other people." - -A great event happened this afternoon--nothing less than the arrival -from the South of Mr. Watson, the sheep-farmer, Miss Stanley's principal -tenant. The two girls had landed from the boat, walked along the shore, -and were just about turning off towards Lochgarra House, when they were -overtaken by some one riding a stout and serviceable little cob; and -Mary instantly guessed who this must be--for persons on horseback are -rare at Lochgarra. The stranger lifted his hat, but did not draw rein. - -"Mr. Watson," said she--looking towards him with a plain intimation that -she desired to speak with him. - -Mr. Watson immediately pulled up, dismounted, and came towards her, -leading the cob by the bridle. He was a middle-aged man with a fresh -complexion, grizzled hair, short whiskers, and shrewd blue eyes--looking -prosperous and well-satisfied with himself, and with some little turn -for jocosity about his firmly-set lips. - -"I beg your pardon," she said, with a little embarrassment, "but--I -wished to speak with you----" - -"Miss Stanley?--I am glad to make your acquaintance," said he, in a -marked south-country accent. And he bowed to Miss Stanley's companion. - -"Won't you come into the house for a moment or two?" said Mary, with a -vague notion that she ought to be polite to a tenant who paid her £1400 -a year: moreover, she had ulterior ends in view. Mr. Watson consented; -Mary went and called a gardener, who took charge of the cob; and then -the two young ladies and the farmer proceeded up the stone steps, and -through the hall, and into the wide hexagonal drawing-room in the tower. -Then she asked him to be seated, adding some vague suggestion about a -glass of wine and a biscuit after his ride. - -"No, I thank ye," said Mr. Watson. "I am a teetotaller--not an ordinary -thing in these parts. Ay, and a vegetarian. But I practise--I don't -preach," he explained, with a complacent smile; "so I do no harm to -other folk. Both things suit me; but I let other people alone. That's -the fair way in the world." - -"I wanted to ask you, Mr. Watson," said she, with a certain timidity, -"whether you would be disposed to give up the pasturage of -Meall-na-Cruagan?" - -In a second the shrewd and humorous blue eyes had become strictly -observant and business-like. - -"To give it up?" he said, slowly. - -"I mean," she interposed, "at a valuation. I know it is yours under the -lease; we cannot disturb you; nor should I wish to do so, except -entirely with your own goodwill." - -"Miss Stanley," said he, "I will ask ye a plain question: what for do ye -want me to give up the Meall-na-Cruagan?" - -"The crofters----" - -"Ay, ay, just that," said he, without much ceremony. "They've been at -ye, in the absence of Mr. Purdie. Well, let me tell ye this: I am -willing on my part to give up the Meall-na-Cruagan, at a fair valuation; -but I warn ye that if ye hand it over to the crofters, they'll be not -one penny the better off, and you'll be just so much the worse. Where -are they to get the stock to put on it? They've enough grazing for what -stock they've got." - -"Yes, but it is not wholly that," said Mary. "I want to have them -satisfied." - -"Ye'll never see them satisfied, though ye gave them the whole Lochgarra -estate for nothing," said this very plain-spoken person. "Surely ye are -aware that the agents of the Highland Land League have been here, as -they have been in every hole and corner of the Highlands; and while some -of them have been making reasonable enough demands, others of them have -been showing themselves nothing but irresponsible mischief-makers, -firing the brains of these poor creatures with revolutionary nonsense, -and trying to turn the whole place into another Ireland. Well, well, -it's not my business; it's not for me to speak; but I warn ye, Miss -Stanley, that giving up Meall-na-Cruagan will not satisfy them. What -many of them want--especially what the more ignorant among them want--is -for the landlords to quit the country altogether, and leave them the -entire stock, lock, and barrel of the estates--the land and all that -belongs to it." - -"I know," said Mary, quietly, "what the Land League have been doing; but -if there had not been widespread discontent and distress they could not -have done anything at all. And surely there was reason for the -discontent; look at the reductions the Crofters' Commission have -made--thirty and forty per cent. in some places. However, I am not -concerned with the economic question of the Highlands generally; I am -concerned merely with Lochgarra; and I want to do what is fair by the -tenants; I want to see them satisfied, and as well-to-do and comfortable -as the circumstances will allow. But what has been puzzling me since I -came here," she continued--for this seemed a frank and well-wishing kind -of man, and she was glad to have any sort of help or advice--"is that -when I have spoken about lowering the rent, they have had nothing to say -in reply. They seem rather to look to the Government for aid. Yet you -would imagine that the lowering of the rent would be the first and -all-important thing." - -Mr. Watson smiled, in a condescending way. - -"I think ye might understand why they would not complain to you about -the rent." - -"Why?" she demanded. - -He hesitated--and there was an odd look on his face. - -"I do not wish to say anything against friend Purdie," he observed. - -"But I want to know the truth," she insisted. "How am I to do anything -at all unless I know the exact and literal truth?" - -"Well, well, let us put it this way," said Mr. Watson, good-naturedly. -"There's some that would call Mr. Purdie a hard man; and there's some -that would call him an excellent factor, business-like, thoroughgoing, -and skilled in his work. It's not a nice position to be in at the best; -it's not possible to please everybody. And there's different ways of -dealing with people." - -All this sounded very enigmatic. Mary could not in the least understand -what he meant. - -"I wish you to speak plainly, Mr. Watson," said she. "You may be sure -it will be in absolute confidence." - -He considered for a moment. Then he said: - -"It's of little consequence to me. Friend Purdie and I get on very -well, considering; and besides I have my lease. But I'll just give ye -an instance of what has happened on this estate, and you'll judge for -yourself whether it's likely the tenants would come to you for a -reduction of rent, or ask ye to interfere in any way whatever. It was -about four years ago that one of the crofts over at Cruagan fell vacant. -Very well. Then Mr. Purdie would have it that the pasture of that croft -should be taken by the other Cruagan crofters, each one paying his share -of the rent; while the arable land of the croft should be added to the -Glen Sanna farm, which was also vacant just then. The Cruagan crofters -objected to that arrangement; Mr. Purdie insisted; and at last the -crofters sent a petition to Mr. Stanley, asking to have the arable land -of the croft as well, or else to be let alone. I am not saying anything -against your uncle, Miss Stanley." - -"But I want to get at the truth of the story, Mr. Watson," said Mary, -firmly. "That is the main point. What happened?" - -"I may explain that your uncle never interfered with Mr. Purdie," the -farmer continued, rather apologetically, "and that's no to be wondered -at. Many landlords make it a rule not to interfere with their factor, -for of course he's doing the best he can for the estate, and knows about -it better than they can know themselves. Then what happened, do ye say? -What happened was this--at the very next term every crofter that had -signed the petition was served with a notice to quit; and that was only -withdrawn when they undertook to pay, each man of them, £3 a year -additional rent--that is 15s. for their share of the added pasture, and -£2 5s. as a fine for having objected to Mr. Purdie's arrangements. -That's just what happened, Miss Stanley." - -Mary was silent for a second or so--looking towards Käthchen, her eyes -full of indignation. - -"Why, it is one of the most abominable pieces of tyranny I ever heard -of!" she exclaimed. And then she turned to Mr. Watson. "If people are -treated like that, can you wonder if the Land League should find it easy -to put revolutionary ideas into their head?" - -"At all events," said Mr. Watson, with a shrewd and cautious smile, "ye -will understand that they are not likely to apply to you for any -lowering of rent. They know the consequences." - -"Ah, do they?" said she quickly. "Well, I must show them that they are -mistaken. I must convince them they have nothing to fear. They must -learn that they can come to me, without dread of Mr. Purdie or anyone -else. But," she added, with a bit of a sigh, "I suppose it will take a -long time." - -Alter some little further conversation, of no great moment, but marked -by much civility on both sides, the farmer rose. - -"Any time ye're passing Craiglarig, Miss Stanley, I should be proud if -ye'd look in." - -"Indeed I will," said she, going with him to the door. "But I must tell -you now how deeply I am indebted to you. And of course what you have -said shall be kept in the strictest confidence." - -"I have told ye the truth," said he, "since ye asked for it. But just -mind this, Miss Stanley--good factors are no that common; and friend -Purdie understands his business. He drives a hard bargain; but it's on -your behalf." - -"Yes," said she, "and now I am beginning to see why it is the people -hate me." - -That same evening the two girls, who had been out for a long walk, were -coming down the Minard road towards Lochgarra. The twilight was -deepening; the solemn inland hills were growing slowly and slowly -darker, and losing their individual features; the softly lilac skies -overhead were waiting for the coming night. Silence had fallen over the -woods, where the birches showed their spectral arms in the dusk, and -where the russet bracken and withered grey grass were now almost -indistinguishable. It was a still and tranquil hour; sleep stealing -upon the tired world; a little while, and the far, wide, -mysteriously-moving sea would be alone with the stars. - -But for Mary Stanley there was no sense of soothing quiet, even amidst -this all-prevailing repose. On the contrary, her heart was full of -turmoil and perplexity; insomuch that at times her courage was like to -give way; and she was almost ready to abandon the task she had -undertaken, as something beyond her strength. And then again a voice -seemed to say to her "Patience--patience--hold on your way--dark as the -present hour may be, the day will dawn at last." And in Käthchen she -had an excellent counsellor; for Käthchen had an admirable habit of -making light of troubles--especially those that did not concern herself; -and she was practical, and matter-of-fact, neither over-sanguine nor -liable to fits of black despondency. On the present occasion this was -what she was saying, in her cool and self-possessed way: - -"You see, Mamie, I understand the Highland character better than you do. -All that sullenness and ill-will doesn't arise merely from high rent and -Mr. Purdie's tyranny--though that no doubt has something to do with it. -There are sentimental influences at work as well. There is the strong -attachment towards the old family--very unreasoning, perhaps, but there -it is; and there is resentment against those who have displaced them. -Then there may be anger about your uncle having destroyed the ancient -landmarks; and injuries of that kind are not easily forgotten or -forgiven. But every hour that I am in this place," continued Käthchen, -as they were making home through the strangely-silent dusk, "I am more -and more convinced that what Mr. Purdie said was perfectly correct--that -young Donald Ross of Heimra is just everybody and everything to those -people. He is all-powerful with them. Very well. I cannot believe -that he has stirred up ill-will against you, or even that he wishes it -to continue. He may do everything he can to thwart and madden Mr. -Purdie---why not?--I would do that myself, if I were in his place!--but -how can he have any wish to injure you? Then what I say is this: if you -really mean to go and see him, put entirely out of your mind what you -may have heard about his private character, and his poaching and -smuggling, and remember only that his influence over those people could -make everything quite pleasant to you. Don't go to him as you did this -morning, as an enemy to be challenged and reproached: no, what you have -to do is just to lower your pride a little, and tell him that you have -come to beg for a favour. In fact, I am convinced that a word from him -would entirely change the situation. Mamie, are you going to ask for -it?" - -Mary Stanley did not answer: she walked on in silence. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - FACE TO FACE. - - -She was out in the solitude of the woods, and she was alone. It was -early morning, clear, and calm, and still; the sun lay warm on the -silver-lichened boulders that were dappled with velvet-green moss; the -wandering air that stirred the pendulous branches of the birches brought -with it a resinous odour, from the innumerable millions of opening buds. -A profound silence prevailed, save for the hushed continuous murmur of -an unseen rivulet, and the occasional distant call of a curlew. - -A vague restlessness, and something even akin to despair, had brought -her hither. For of course like other young people of the day she had -coquetted with the modern doctrine that in times of trouble our great -and gentle Mother Nature is the true consoler and comforter; she had -read Wordsworth; and she had read Matthew Arnold upon Wordsworth: - - "He too upon a wintry clime - Had fallen--on this iron time - Of doubts, disputes, distractions, fears. - He found us when the age had bound - Our souls in its benumbing round-- - He spoke, and loosed our heart in tears. - He laid us as we lay at birth - On the cool flowery lap of earth; - Smiles broke from us and we had ease. - The hills were round us, and the breeze - Went o'er the sun-lit fields again; - Our foreheads felt the wind and rain. - Our youth return'd; for there was shed - On spirits that had long been dead, - Spirits dried up and closely furl'd, - The freshness of the early world." - -And now if she wished to forget the untowardness of human nature--if she -wished to escape from her bitter disappointment on beholding her large -and generous schemes met and checked on every hand by a sullen -ingratitude--surely here was a seclusion that should have brought balm -to her wounded heart. Moreover the morning light was cheerful; April as -it was, a quiet warmth prevailed; she tried to please herself by -recollecting that this fairy paradise actually belonged to her. And if -human beings were so hard and unapproachable, why, then, she could -interest herself in these harmless living creatures that were all so -busy around her, under the quickening influences of the spring. From -the dusty pathway in the opener glades the yellow-hammers were picking -up bits of withered grass for their nest-building; black-caps swung -back-downward from the sprays, to wrench the buds off with their bills; -she stopped here and there to watch a beautiful beetle--shining bronze, -or opaque green with a touch of scarlet on its legs; a tiny grey lizard, -with its small eye bright as a diamond, lay basking on a shelf of rock, -and remained absolutely motionless, hoping to be passed unnoticed. Then -she came upon a little tuft of primroses--so shining pale--so full of -dim suggestions--and of associations with the poets. Well, she looked -at the primroses. They were very pretty. But somehow she could not keep -thinking of them, nor of the fine things the poets had said of them. -The fact was, in her present straits her heart was craving for human -sympathy; she wanted to be of some use in the world; she wished to see -eyes brighten when she appeared at the door, however poor the cottage -might be. Primroses were pretty, no doubt--the firstlings of the year -awoke pleasant and tender memories--but--but why were those people so -obdurate? No, there was no solace for her; the sweet and soothing -influences of nature were intruded upon, were obliterated, by the harsh -facts and problems of human life. With those men and women almost -openly declared her enemies, and with all her grand schemes gone away, -what good could she get from primroses? And so, humiliating herself -with the conviction that she was nothing but another Peter Bell, she -passed on through the woods, and eventually got down to the sheltered -little bay where she had first met Anna Chlannach. - -And on this occasion also she was destined to make a new acquaintance. -She was idly walking up and down the lilac and cream-hued beach--and -trying to persuade herself that she had found a refuge from the -perplexities and mortifications that seemed to surround her in the -busier world she had left--when a sound she had distantly heard from -time to time now rose in tone until there could be no doubt about its -nature: it was a human voice, proceeding from the neighbouring bay. She -went as close as she could to the intervening promontory; then curiosity -led her stealthily to climb the heathery slope; she made her way between -rocks and under birches; and at last she paused and listened. It was a -man's voice, of an unnaturally high pitch, and curiously plaintive in -its monotonous sing-song. In the perfect silence she distinctly heard -these words-- - -"Oh, my brethren, I charge you--I charge you by all that you hold -dearest--that you keep the little children from the ruby wine!" - -What could this mean? She pushed her way a little further through the -thick underwood, and peered over. There was a small boat drawn up on -the shore. Pacing slowly backwards and forwards on the shingle was a -man of about twenty-eight or thirty, with a long and lugubrious face, a -shaggy brown beard, and deep set eyes. Sometimes his head was bent -down, as if in deep thought; and then again he would raise it, and -extend his arm, as if addressing the opposite side of the bay, or -perhaps Eilean Heimra out at sea; while ever and anon the curious -feminine falsetto came back to the admonition--"Oh, my brethren, keep -the little children from the ruby wine!" - -Mary began to guess. Was this the Minister? Had he returned home; and -had he seized the first opportunity to come away over to this solitary -place, to rehearse his sermon for the following Sabbath, with -appropriate intonation and gesture? She listened again: - -"'Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath -babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?' Ah, -my friends, now that I have addressed each section of the community, -each member of the family circle, now we come to the little babes--those -tender flowers--those blossoms along the rough roadway of life--smiling -upon us like the rainbows of the morning--and bedewing the earth with -their consecrated tears. When I behold those gems of purest ray -serene," continued the Minister, in his elevated chant, "my soul is -filled with misgivings and sad prognostications. I observe in my daily -walk the example that is set before them; the fathers in Israel are a -stumbling-block to their own children; nay, even of the wisest it has -been said, 'The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, -they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong -drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.' My friends, is it -not a terrible thing to think of these blessed babes--these innocent -tendrils sprouting up into glorious flowers, even as the Rose of Sharon -and the lily of the valley--to think of them babbling with red mouths -curses they cannot comprehend? Hold them back, I say! Snatch the fatal -goblet from them! Let pleasure wave her ambrosial locks when and where -she pleases--let mirth and joy prevail--but when the timbrel sounds and -the cymbal is heard in the hall--then, at all events let those innocent -ones be restrained from the deadly snare--keep, oh, keep the little -children from the ruby wine!" - -Unluckily this last appeal was addressed to Mary herself, or at least -she thought so in her fright when she found the Minister's eyes turned -towards her: instantly she bobbed her head down in the heather, and -remained hidden there until the sermon--or perhaps it was a temperance -lecture?--was ended. It did not last much longer. After the sonorous -sentences had ceased, there was a moment's silence; then a grating on -the beach; then a measured sound of oars: she concluded that the -Minister, his flowery harangue rehearsed, was now making for home again; -and she was free to get up from her concealment and return to Lochgarra -House. - -"Käthchen," she said, "the Minister has come back. I have seen -him--though I--I, didn't speak to him. Now don't you think we ought to -go along and make his acquaintance at once? He might help us: you say -yourself the Free Church Ministers have an enormous influence in the -Highlands." - -Kate Glendinning did not receive this proposal with any great -enthusiasm. - -"There is one thing he might do," said she, "as I told you before, -Mamie. It would be much easier for us to go and see Mr. Ross, if the -Minister would take us under his escort." - -"Mr. Ross!" said Mary, impatiently. "It is Mr. Ross, and Mr. Ross, with -you from morning till night, Käthchen! You would think he owned the -whole place!" - -"Yes," said Käthchen, demurely, "that is just what he seems to do." - -However, the interview to which both the young ladies had looked forward -with so much anxiety came about in the most natural way in the world; -and that without any intervention whatever. Mary and Käthchen, being -down in the village, had gone into the post-office to buy some packets -of sweets--bribes for the children, no doubt; and they were coming out -again from the little general store when, in broad and full daylight, -they met young Ross of Heimra face to face. There was no escape -possible on either side; he was going into the post-office; they were -coming out; and here they were, confronted. Well, it must be admitted -that at this crisis Mary Stanley's presence of mind entirely forsook -her. Ten hundred thousand things seemed to go through her brain at -once; she could not speak; confusion burned red in her cheeks and on her -forehead. And then he was so pale and calm and collected; for a second -he regarded them both--and with no furtive glance; he slightly raised -his peaked cap, and would have passed them without more ado. It was -Käthchen who made bold to detain him. - -"Oh, Mr. Ross," said she, breathlessly, "we have never had an -opportunity of thanking you--you left the cottage before we -knew--and--and it was so kind of you to send the carriage----" - -And here for a moment Käthchen also lost her head, for she had a -horrible consciousness that when a man has saved your life it is -ridiculous to thank him for sending a carriage. And then those -coal-black eyes were so calmly observant; they were not generously -sympathetic; they seemed merely to await what she had to say with a -respectful attention. But Käthchen bravely began again: "You--you must -not think us ungrateful--you see, you had left the cottage before we -knew--and when we went out to Heimra, we did not find you at home----" - -"I am sorry I was not there," he said. - -"And--and of course we knew quite well what a dreadful position we were -in--I mean that night when we wandered into the morass," continued -Käthchen. "But for you we never should have got out again--we dared not -move--and in the darkness what could we have done?" - -"It is a dangerous place," he said. - -"I--I am going to give Mrs. MacVean a cow in place of the one that was -lost," Mary now ventured to put in; and here was she--the bold, the -dauntless, the proud-spirited one!--here was she standing timidly there, -her face still suffused, her eyes downcast. And this little speech of -hers was like a plea for merciful consideration! He turned to her. - -"The MacVeans have had a bad time of it since the shepherd died," the -young man said, in a distant sort of way--but he was regarding her -curiously. - -Then all of a sudden it occurred to Mary that she ought not to stand -there as a suppliant. Some sense of her wrongs and her recent trials -came back to her; and here was the one whom she suspected of being -responsible--here was her secret enemy--the antagonist who had hitherto -concealed himself in the dark. - -"I hope the widow will condescend to accept it, but who can tell?" said -she, with greater spirit. "Really, they are the most extraordinary -people! They seem to resent your trying to do them a kindness. I have -been offering them all sorts of things they stand in need of; I am -willing to lower their rents; I am going to arrange for more pasture; I -propose to give prizes for the best homespun materials; and I would pay -for getting over some of the Harris people, if instruction were wanted -in dyeing or weaving--but they seem to suspect it is all for my own -interest. I make them these offers--they will hardly look at them!" - -"You may teach a dog to love you by feeding it," said young Donald Ross, -coldly; "but the Highlanders are not dogs." - -At this she fired up--and there was no more shamefaced girlish blushing -in her cheeks. Her eyes were as proud as his own. - -"They are human beings, I suppose," said she, "and a human being might -at least say 'Thank you.' But I do not know that I blame them," she -continued--to Käthchen's great anxiety. "It seems to me there must be -secret influences at work about here. It is not natural for people to -be so ungrateful. Self-interest would make them a little more--a little -more--amenable--if it were not for some evil instigation at work among -them. And what can any one gain by stirring up ill-will? What can be -the motive? At any rate, whatever the motive, and whoever he is, he -might consider this--he might consider the mischief he is doing these -poor people in making them blind to their own welfare. It seems a -strange thing that in order to gratify envy, or hatred, or revenge, he -should sacrifice the interests of a number of poor people who don't know -any better." - -Käthchen glanced apprehensively from the one to the other; but there was -no flash of anger in those dark eyes, nor any tinge of resentment in the -pale, olive-tinted face. The young man maintained a perfectly impassive -demeanour--respectful enough, but reserved and distant. - -"I wish them nothing but good," Mary went on, in the same indignant way, -"but how can I do anything if they turn away from me? Why do they not -come and tell me what they want?" - -"Come and tell you what they want?--when they daren't call their souls -their own!" he said. - -"Of whom are they afraid, then?" she demanded. - -"Of your agent, Miss Stanley," said he (and here indeed Käthchen did -notice something strange in his eyes--a gleam of dark fire in spite of -all his studied restraint). "What do they care about philanthropic -schemes, or how can you expect them to talk about their wants and -wishes, when what they actually know is that Purdie has the face of -every one of them at the grindstone?" He altered his tone. "I beg your -pardon. I have no right to interfere--and no wish to interfere. If you -should think of coming out again to Heimra, Miss Stanley, to have a look -over the island, I hope I may be at home. Good-morning!" - -He again raised his cap--and passed on into the office. Mary stood -undecided for a moment; then moved slowly away, accompanied by Käthchen. -Before them was the wide sweep of the bay, with Lochgarra House at the -point, and its background of larches. The sea was calm; the skies -clear; it was a peaceful-looking morning. - -Of a sudden Mary Stanley stopped--her eyes full of disappointment and -vexation. - -"Everything is at sixes and sevens--and worse than before!" she -exclaimed to her companion. "What did I say, Käthchen? What did he -say? Wasn't he very insolent?--well, not that, exactly--not exactly -insolent--but--well, I am not used to being treated with disdain. Why -did he break off like that--with everything unsettled? Wasn't he very -insolent?--or, at least, disdainful?--what did I say that he should -treat me like that?" - -"I know this," said the frivolous Käthchen, "that he has the most -splendid eyes I ever saw in a human creature. I call him just -distressingly handsome!" - -"There is nothing so contemptible as a beauty man," said Mary, -impatiently. "What has that got to do with it? I want to know why he -treated me like that!" - -"I thought he behaved with very great courtesy and self-respect," -Käthchen made answer, "considering that you plainly intimated to him -that it was he who stirred up all that ill-feeling against you." - -"Very well: he had nothing to say for himself!" Mary exclaimed. "He -made no defence. And then, you see, I--I wasn't quite prepared--I did -not expect to see him--and I forgot about the fishing and shooting, or -that might have made him a little ashamed of himself, and a little less -arrogant." She turned and looked towards the post-office. "I wonder -whether that was a map that he had rolled up in his hand or a chart? If -he is going on board his yacht again, he must pass this way. I cannot -have things left as they are--worse than ever!" - -"I don't see how you are to mend them at present," said Käthchen. "If -you had kept on as you began, in that friendly way, it might have been -all very well; but then you grew indignant, and almost charged him with -being the mischief-maker. And I must say I think he behaved with very -great consideration and courtesy." - -"Do you really think so?" said Mary, quickly--with her eyes still fixed -on the post-office. And then she hesitated. And then she said: "Come, -Käthchen, let us go back. I wish to make an apology to him----" - -"Mary!" her friend protested. "How can you think of such a thing!" - -"Oh, but you do not know. It is not about anything that has just -happened. It is about the lake and the old castle. I quite forgot. And -perhaps it is that that makes him so unforgiving. I must tell him that -I am sorry." - -But Käthchen shrank back. - -"Make an apology for that?" said she. "You don't seem to understand, -Mary. It is too serious for an apology. If you murder a man's father -or mother, you can't go to him and say 'I am very sorry.' - -"Will you go on to the house, then, Käthchen?" said Mary, simply. "I -must put myself right with him--and after that he can be as disdainful -as he chooses." - -Of course Käthchen refused to be released; she went back with her; and -just as they reached the little building, young Ross of Heimra came out. -He had neither chart nor map in his hand now; whichever it had been, he -had no doubt sent it away by post. - -He seemed a little surprised; but was just as attentive and respectful -as before. - -"There was something I forgot to say," she began, with obvious -embarrassment, "and--and it is difficult to say it. It was not till I -came here that I knew what my uncle had done--about--about Loch -Heimra--and Castle Heimra. Well, there are some injuries, my friend -here says, that can never be repaired. I suppose that is so. But at -least you will allow me to say that I am sorry--more deeply sorry than -you can imagine perhaps----" - -"And there are some things that are best not spoken of," he said, -calmly. - -"Yes, I daresay that is so," she made answer, with a hopeless feeling at -her heart that his tone and manner were alike implacable. "No doubt -that is so. And yet--yet some little consideration might be shown -towards any one who wishes to express regret. It was none of my doing; -it never would have been of my doing. And though you, of course, would -rather hear no apology--would rather not have the subject -mentioned--still, there is another thing. The people about here--if -they have any resentment against me because of the pulling down of -Castle Heimra--then that is not fair. And any one having influence with -them--well, it would be ill done of him to stir up anger against me on -that account. I had nothing to do with it--I am very sorry it ever -happened." - -"Miss Stanley," said he--for he plainly did not wish to speak of this -thing--"I think you are mistaken in supposing that any one is stirring -up ill-will against you; and even the most ignorant of the people must -know that you are not responsible for what happened before you came -here. As regards myself, I do not wish for any apology or expression of -regret; I wish for only one thing--forgetfulness. I think in such a case -silence is the only amends." - -So they parted for the second time; and when the two girls had gone some -way towards Lochgarra House, Mary said,-- - -"Yes; but all the same I told him I was sorry." - -And then again she turned and looked. Donald Ross had passed through the -village, and was now going up to the Free Church minister's cottage. - -"Käthchen," said she, rather absently, "there are a good many of them -about here who seem to hate me; but I know there is not one of them who -hates me as he does. And what had I to do with the pulling down of -Heimra Castle?" - -And that afternoon, as she stood at one of the windows in the tower, -looking away out to sea, she saw the little white-winged yawl making for -Heimra Island. She knew who was at the tiller--the man before whom she -had abased herself, craving, and craving in vain, for some word of -consideration and sympathy. - -"Proud and implacable," she said to herself; and her wounded spirit was -sore within her, and perhaps a trifle indignant, too; but she would make -no further utterance. He had asked for silence and forgetfulness; and -he had the right to say what was to be. - -Meanwhile the message that Mary had sent to the Fishery Board in -Edinburgh had been duly received and considered; and when, after two or -three days' interval, the answer came back to Lochgarra, it was to the -effect that the alien lobster fishermen had either been misinformed or -were making wilful mis-statements: the Fishery Board had not given them -the right to build huts, and, indeed, had no power to confer any such -right. At once Mary sent for Hector the head-keeper; and bade him seek -out Archie MacNicol, and convey to him this news. - -"And tell him from me," she said, "that all he has to do is to explain -to these men that they have no right to come here and build huts and use -the fishing-grounds that naturally belong to the crofters in possession; -and that they must go--and go peaceably." - -"Would Miss Stanley be for having a sheriff's-officer over from -Dingwall?" suggested the tall and handsome keeper, in his serious way. - -"No, no, not at all!" she said. "The men must go, when they learn they -have no right to be here. And if they refuse to go, haven't we got our -own policeman?" - -"Very well, mem," said Hector, and he left. - -It was towards the dusk of evening, and raining heavily; but all the -same Hector found Big Archie at work in his little bit of a garden. When -Archie heard the news, he struck his spade in the ground, and stood -upright. - -"Aw, that's the fine news!" he exclaimed, joyfully, in Gaelic. "And we -will soon be putting an end to the squatters now, Hector! Was I not -saying it myself that they had no right to come here?--but now there is -the message from the Fishery Board; and we will soon have the devils -away from the lobster-ground. And when there is good news coming, you -will be for taking a dram with me, Hector?" - -Well, it is said there was once a Highland keeper who refused a glass of -whiskey; but his name and neighbourhood are not known now. Hector -followed Big Archie into the cottage, and there a black bottle was -produced. Thereafter, the two men, having lit their pipes, set out -through the dark and wet again, for Hector was returning to his own -home, and Archie was going a certain distance with him in search of the -Gillie Ciotach. - -The stiff glass of whiskey had warmed Big Archie's heart; and as he -strode along, the huge and heavy-shouldered giant grew garrulous. - -"The young lady that has come here," said he, in his native tongue, "you -know as well as I do, Hector, she means very well, but it is not the -place for her at all. I say it is not the place for her at all. What -can a young lady know about the price of sheep and the price of -lobsters? It is a foolish thing! The place for her, now, Hector, that -place is London, at the court of the Queen, among the great ladies, in -their fine clothes and jewels. You think I do not know about such -things; but I do know; for I myself have relations with London; and it -is from London I am hearing every fortnight, from Corstorphine. And the -other day, when she was in my boat, I was saying to myself 'There is a -fine and beautiful lady to be sitting in a coarse lobster-boat; and it -is at the court of the Queen she ought to be; and not going about asking -people to put in better chimneys, and the like of that. A woman--a -woman has no right to be at the head of an estate; and I am not sure -that the law allows it; maybe she is here only through Purdie, and he -the master of the estate. Just think of that, Hector--if it is only -Purdie that keeps out Young Donald from the estate: would not that be a -thing to be considered? Now you know I am not from this place myself; I -am from much farther south; but I am a Gael; I have no love for any -Albannach or Sassunnach coming into this country against the wishes of -the people; and if it is only Purdie, aw, God, it's myself that would -willingly give Purdie a crack on the head. And think of young Donald of -Heimra coming into the estates, would it not be a grand day that, -Hector?--ay, and many a gun fired off, and the bagpipes, and flags, and -taking the horses out of the carriage. Sure I am the Gillie Ciotach -would go mad that day." - -The mention of the Gillie Ciotach recalled the keeper to his own -immediate affairs. - -"If you see Gillie Ciotach, Archie," said he, "perhaps you will give him -a word of caution. The other evening I heard a shot up by the Crom-allt; -and I did not look. But the next time I hear a shot, I will look; and -if I catch Gillie Ciotach, I will break his gun over his head, yes, and -I will shoot his thief of a dog, too; for I am not going to get myself -into trouble on account of the Gillie Ciotach. This you know, Archie, -that when old Mr. Stanley was here, there was not much goodwill; and -perhaps some of us may have shut our eyes a little; but things are -different now; for here is my sister Barbara telling me again and again -that the Baintighearna is the kindest lady she has ever known in the -world, and that it is not at all what Purdie wishes to have done that -she means to have done. Well, well, that is not my business; but my -business is to look after myself; and I am not going to get into trouble -on account of Gillie Ciotach." - -At this point the two parted; and Big Archie went on to the inn. But he -did not enter by the front-door; he passed round by the stable-yard, and -made his way to a small lighted window that was partly open. He peeped -in and listened at the same time--with a grin of satisfaction on his -face, for he had found what he sought. - -There were three men in this little sanded parlour, which was a sort of -adjunct to the inn. They were seated round a table on which was an -oil-lamp; and in front of each man stood a small pewter measure and also -a glass. Two of the men were middle-aged, and of a sailor-like type; -the third was a young fellow of about four-and-twenty, whose bronzed -complexion, regular features, and short-cropped curly brown hair made -him rather good-looking, only that in regarding him one did not notice -these things so much as the dare-devil expression of both eye and mouth. -He also was dressed in something of sailor-like attire; while his broad -Balmoral bonnet, pushed far back on his brown curls, revealed the fact -that in his earlier youth he must have received a mighty slash along the -side of his forehead. This was the Gillie Ciotach; and the Gillie -Ciotach was singing--in high and nasal tones, while his two companions -listened solemnly. Yet this was not really a melancholy song, this _Linn -an aigh_, for it described the happy state of affairs that existed long -ago, when the heather yielded abundance of honey, and the pastures -abundance of milk, when there was no rent to pay, when any one could -fish or shoot wherever he pleased, and when there was neither hatred nor -fighting, nor thirst of wealth. Indeed, there was perhaps a touch of -sarcasm in the verses; for the refrain informed whosoever might wish to -know at what period of the world's history this golden age existed that -it was _An uair bha Gàilig aig na h-eòin_--that is to say, _When all the -birds in Gaelic sang_. However, whether the song was or was not intended -to be merry, the audience received it in precisely the same fashion: -when it ended, the one said 'Ay, ay' in a sad tone; the other sighed -deeply; and then each mechanically proceeded to pour out a glass of -whiskey. The Gillie Ciotach did likewise; by all three the whiskey was -drank in absolute silence; there was a pause of internal meditation--and -at this point Big Archie thought fit to open the door and enter, for he -had been long enough out in the rain. - -And no sooner had he told his story than the dare-devil leapt to his -feet, a wild delight in his eyes. - -"Aw, _Dyeea_, this is a fine thing!" he cried, sniffing the battle from -afar. "I tell you now we will make short work of it--we will drive the -squatters into the Minch, and if the devils can swim across the Minch, -let them swim across the Minch, and if they cannot swim across the -Minch, they can go down to their master below! Come away, boys, and -make the preparation; for there will be a gay dance to-morrow!" - -The big giant caught him by both shoulders, and threw him back into the -chair. - -"Did you hear me?" said he (but there was an ominous mirth in his eyes -too). "Peaceably, peaceably; the Baintighearna says peaceably--they are -to go peaceably." - -"Aw, is it peaceably?" the Gillie Ciotach cried, with a loud laugh. -"Well, if they will go peaceably, that is very good; but if they will -not go peaceably, then we will make them sing a little song -to-morrow--by God, Archie MacNicol, we will make them sing 'Farewell to -Fiunary,' and maybe it is on the wrong side of their mouth they will be -singing the 'Farewell to Fiunary!" - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE BATTLE OF RU-MINARD. - - -All that night there was marching and counter-marching, and whipping up -of recruits, and drinking of whiskey, and singing of _Gabhaidh sinn an -rathad mòr_.[#] Big Archie and his peaceful, or pseudo-peaceful, -counsels were no longer heeded; the movement had been taken up by the -younger fellows, headed by the mischievous Gillie Ciotach; and the -belief became general that orders had been received from the Fishery -Board in Edinburgh to the effect that the Ru-Minard squatters were -forthwith to be driven into the sea. And if the aliens should refuse to -be so driven--should stand up in defence of their little bits of -homesteads--what then? - - -[#] "We will take the highway." - - -"It is a lesson they will want," said the Gillie Ciotach, gaily, to his -comrades (they were having a friendly glass together, in a barn lit up -by a solitary candle), "not to come thieving on other people's -lobster-ground, and building huts wherever they like, and not a penny of -rent to the holder of the croft. It is a lesson they will want; and it -is a lesson they will get--to take back home with them, and keep the -others from coming here. Well, now, this is my opinion, that the best -thing for giving a man a rap over the head is a tiller. A tiller with a -handle to it--aw, that is a fine convenient thing!" - -"I am going to take an oar over my shoulder," said a brawny young -Hercules. - -"And the more fool you, then," said the Gillie Ciotach, who was a -blunt-spoken youth. "For I will tell you this, Feargus: if you strike at -a man with an oar, and he steps aside so that you miss him, then he has -you at his mercy--it does not need a wise man to show you that. Aw, God, -a tiller is a fine thing, when the wood is strong--it is a tiller that -will be my _orra-an-donais*[#] to-morrow." He broke into a loud laugh. -"We will teach them to be telling lies about the Fishery Board!--and it -is little they are thinking now that to-morrow they will be singing -*Farewell, farewell to Fiunary_!" - - -[#] _Orra-an-donais_--an amulet for sending one's enemy to perdition. -_Donas_ is Satan. - - -In the morning it was found that the rain had ceased; but worse than -rain was threatening; for all along the west the skies were of a heavy -and thunderous purple--a louring dark wall, as it were--while torn -shreds of grey cloud were being blown along in advance, the precursors -of a gale. Mary and Käthchen were both at the window, looking out at -the angry heavens and the livid sea beneath, when the maid Barbara came -quickly into the room. For the moment Barbara had lost her pretty -shyness of manner; she was breathless and excited; her eyes were full of -apprehension. - -"Oh, mem," she said, "do you know what is happening? They have gone -aweh up the road, a great many of the young lads, and others; and they -have sticks with them; and they are singing _Gabhaidh sinn an rathad -mòr_. Oh, I am sure there is harm coming of it! They were saying -something of the strange fishermen out at Ru-Minard--and there will be -fighting." - -A sudden dismay filled Mary's heart--dismay, and a curious sense of -helplessness. To whom could she turn for aid in such a crisis--and with -every moment a thing of value? - -"Barbara," she said quickly, "I must have some one to go with me. Is -Hector there?" - -"No, mem, he went up the hill this morning." - -"Or Hugh?" - -"No, mem, he was going over to Cruagan, to arrange about the -heather-burning, so I was hearing him say." - -Then Mary turned to her friend. - -"Käthchen, who is there? Shall we ask the Minister?" - -"Of course, he is the very person to ask--if you really mean to go, -Mamie. But do you think you should?" Käthchen asked, with serious eyes. -"It sounds like an open riot." - -"I don't care--I must try what I can do--for I fear I am responsible," -Mary said, in a kind of desperation; and then she turned to the young -Highland lass: "Barbara, we shall want the carriage at once--as soon as -ever the horses can be put to. Tell Sandy we are going over to find Mr. -Pettigrew; he can come along and meet us. Tell him not to lose a -second." - -And almost directly afterwards the two girls were out-of-doors, hurrying -along to the other side of the village, where was the Minister's -cottage. Käthchen was unmistakeably frightened; but all the same she -ventured to say-- - -"Well, Mamie, your friends in London have almost given up asking when -you are going to marry your cousin--you have kept him at arm's length so -long. But I think if Mr. Meredyth were here just now, he would have a -very good chance." - -"Why?" said Mary, with a certain coldness. - -"Because you want a man's assistance and advice," said Käthchen. "Isn't -it as clear as daylight? The moment this news comes, you look round for -some man to help you. Is the head keeper there? No. Or the -under-keeper? No. Then you think of the Minister--anybody so long as he -is a man. All quite natural, of course. Only I think if Mr. Frank -Meredyth were here--and you finding yourself in constant trouble and -perplexity--well, I think he would soon take up a very important -position. He might even persuade you to let him send in to Inverness -for a wedding-ring." - -"People don't get married in order to make peace among their tenantry!" -said Mary, a little proudly. - -"Is he coming here in August?" asked the shrewd Käthchen. - -"Fred wants me to ask him," Mary said, briefly; indeed, at such a time -she was not thinking of any suitor; she was thinking of what might even -now be going forward on the shores of Minard Bay. - -The Rev. Mr. Pettigrew received the intelligence of the rising with a -calm and gentle compassion. - -"Dear me, dear me!" he said, in his high-pitched, unnatural voice, and -he thoughtfully stroked his long and straggling beard. "What a sad -thing to think of, when brethren might be living together in peace and -ahmity! The heart of man is full of dangerous possibeelities--it is a -sad thing to think of--at this season of the year, when all nature seems -to know that the verdant spring is around us--when all is harmony and -peace--to think that angry passions should arise in the heart of man--" - -"Yes, but won't you come at once, Mr. Pettigrew?" said Mary, with -distress in her eyes. "We may be able to do something to prevent -bloodshed. The carriage will meet us--we may be able to overtake them." - -But the Minister paused to consider. - -"No doubt," said he, reflectively, "to prevent the shedding of blood is -an admirable thing, a commendable thing, and praiseworthy. But there -are times and seasons when even the wisest counsel is of no avail--when -the heart of man is as a fiery steed, untameable, not to be bridled; and -in these times and seasons, what is demanded of us is a judeecious -sympathy, a constant sympathy, a sympathy that does not take sides, but -longs for the return of peace and good will. Strange, indeed, that at -this time of the year--" - -"But won't you come with us at once, Mr. Pettigrew!" Mary said, in her -despair. "The carriage will meet us. We must try what we can do. You -see, I am in a measure responsible. I told them what the Fishery Board -had said--that the stranger fishermen had no right to build -huts--and--and I hoped they would go away quietly--but if there is to be -fighting, then surely it is the Minister who should come and try to make -peace." - -"Ah, the carriage?" said Mr. Pettigrew, thoughtfully, as he took down -his hat from a peg in the lobby. "That is well considered--well -considered. For if in their anger these misguided craytures should take -to throwing of stons, the carriage could be closed. Ay, ay, that is -very well now; and if their wrath should be intemperate--for who can -gauge the stubbornness of man?--then the carriage can be driven away at -any moment. But what a sad thing to think of--sad thing!--when all -might be dwelling in peace and ahmity--in peace and ahmity." - -However, it was no consideration of personal safety that was uppermost -in Mary Stanley's mind at this moment; indeed, so anxious was she to -overtake the rioters that she and her two companions had very nearly got -back to Lochgarra House before they met the carriage. Then the horses -were turned round; and on they drove--past the brawling stream--past the -larchwoods--and up to the height commanding a view of Minard Bay. And -here, at the top, they encountered the first human being of whom they -could ask the news. It was John the policeman. The plump, roseate, -good-natured Iain was calmly seated on a low wall by the roadside; and -he was unconcernedly regarding the wide stretch of white sand across -which some small black figures were now seen to be in motion. - -"What are you doing here, John?" said Mary, indignantly. - -"I was just looking," said Iain, with an amiable smile--and he glanced -in the direction of the people crossing the white sands. - -"Yes, but why are you waiting here?" said she. "Don't you know that -there is likely to be fighting? And it is your duty to prevent that!" - -"They will be telling me," said Iain, slowly and comfortably, "that the -strange fishermen have no right to be in the place. Very well, then. -And if they are to be put out of the place, it's not for me to -interfere. If they are wrong, let them go aweh; and if they will not go -aweh, they will have to be put aweh." - -This seemed a sound argument--to John. - -"But what did the Lochgarra people say to you as they went by?" Mary -demanded. "Didn't you see they were armed with sticks? Don't you know -there will be fighting and bloodshed?" - -"Aw, there may be a brokken head or two," said John, with a demure -smile. - -"Well, it is your duty to prevent that! These men have no right to take -the law into their own hand. If the strangers will not go peaceably, -they must be removed by the law--not by beating them with sticks. And -you are standing back here--and letting them do what they like!" - -"And if they tek to fighting," said John, "it's not me that can stop -them." - -This also seemed painfully true. - -"But you can do something," she insisted. "You can warn them. You can -take their names. You can threaten them with a prosecution. You can -tell them that--that--Mr. Pettigrew, who is it that prosecutes -here?--the Sheriff at Dingwall?" - -"Nay, but I am considering that there is much of reason in what John -says," observed the Minister, in his lofty sing-song; "and perhaps we -should do well to follow his example, and remain as spectators and -witnesses. I perceive that this carriage cannot be closed; and therefore -I do not think it would be prudent--rather would it be rashness, and -culpable rashness--to go forward amid a storm of angry passions. Surely -it would be more prudent for us to remain here, with the constituted -representative of law and order?" - -"But I am not going to remain here. John." she said, peremptorily, to -the young policeman. "get up in front. Sandy, drive on quickly; we may -get between those people yet, before the mischief has begun." - -And so the horses went forward again--rattling away down the stony hill -until they reached the soft and sandy road skirting the bay. The little -township of Minard was quite deserted, save for the women, who stood in -small groups in the fields or at the cottage-doors, watching what was -going forward out there towards the long headland. Not that they could -see very much, once the black figures had crossed the white breadth of -sand; for the morning was dull and sombre; and the rocks of Ru-Minard, -along which the crofters and fishermen were now making their way, were -dark. But this much was obvious, that at a certain point the crowd -stopped; while two of their number went forward--one of these being of -gigantic size. - -"This is Big Archie," said Mary, almost to herself, "and I warned him -that he must get them to go away peaceably." - -And no doubt it was as a deputation carrying peaceful proposals that Big -Archie and his companion were now going forward to certain huts -scattered just above the rocks, where also a number of dark figures -could be dimly descried. Peaceful or not peaceful, the negotiations at -all events involved delay; and this delay enabled the party in the -carriage to drive along the road as far as was practicable; then the -horses were stopped, and Mary got down to follow the rioters on foot. -It was in vain that the Minister sought to dissuade her with plaintive -remonstrances; she intimated to him that he could remain in the carriage -if he chose. Käthchen, on the other hand, though she was thoroughly -frightened, had but the one and sole idea--to remain by Mary Stanley's -side, whithersoever she went. As for the easy-going Iain, he was -distinctly inclined to hang back. - -"What can I do?" said he, with occult amusement in his eyes. "If they -will brek one another's heads, how can I prevent it? If it is right -that these men should go aweh, and if they will not go aweh, they cannot -complain if they get their heads brokken for not going aweh." - -But Iain's humorous indifference did not last very long. Mary, hurrying -forward, and with eyes anxiously straining, could make out that the two -men were now returning to their friends; presently the blustering wind -blowing in from the sea brought a sound of confused and prolonged -cheering; and she now perceived that the scattered assemblage was moving -on. At the same moment there was the sharp report of a gun; and then it -was that the policeman's face grew grave. - -"Is there going to be murder?" said he. - -She did not answer him; she was running now--and Käthchen by her side. - -"We must--go right into the middle of it," she said, panting for breath, -"and then--perhaps they will stop." - -At first the Lochgarra and Minard fishermen advanced but slowly and -cautiously upon the huts, not knowing where the enemy might mass -himself. The fact is the aliens had been taken unawares; for while they -were as determined as men could be to defend their homesteads, they had -no time to seek for arms, supposing they could have obtained any, while -up here on the rocky knolls there were no stones. They were running -hither and thither about the huts, picking up any bit of wood or any -broken oar they could find; but when they made a sort of group of -themselves, to await the onset of their antagonists, it was clear that -timber had failed them, and other weapons they seemed to have none. But -there they stood, dauntless, sullen, silent--the sea behind them--their -outnumbering foes in front. - -And now the invaders knew what was expected of them. It was a shrill -cry from the Gillie Ciotach that led the great hoarse volume of their -cheers; and then, with all kinds of minatory exclamations, they rushed -forward on the devoted band. Who could resist this whirling, -tempestuous, compacted shock? For two or three wild seconds there was -inextricable confusion; and snap here, snap there, cudgel met cudgel, or -descended on solid crown; but it was all over directly; and the next -phase of the battle was that the aliens, as if by one common impulse, -had turned and fled--fled pell-mell down the rocks and towards the -shore, their foes pursuing with fierce and joyous cries. And here it -was that Mary Stanley made her appearance--breathless, -dishevelled--trying to throw herself in the way of Big Archie, who was -leading the pursuit. - -"Archie!" she called to him. "How dare you! Let those men alone! I -command you!" - -But very little indeed did Big Archie care for her commands; it was -another consideration altogether that at this moment caused himself and -his companions to pause. For the fugitives, as soon as they gained the -beach, had taken refuge behind two boats drawn up there; and as the -boats, with their spars and sails astern, and their lobster-creels and -barrels at the bow, offered excellent shelter, while the beach afforded -unlimited ammunition, the battle was not yet over. In truth, the stones -that were now flying through the air decidedly checked the ardour of the -pursuers; and it was at this moment that Mary again got up to -Gilleasbuig Mòr. - -"Archie!" she said, indignantly. - -An accidental stone struck her on the shoulder. She did not mind. But -another and a sharper one struck her on the wrist; and inadvertently she -drew up her hand with a piteous little cry. She had been cut over the -bone; blood was flowing profusely; and at sight of that, Big Archie--his -eyes blazing with wrath--seemed to go mad altogether. - -"Aw, _Dyeea_!" he cried; and he ran forward and leapt into the boat, on -to the middle thwart; he sprang out on the other side; and began to lay -about him with his cudgel as with the hammer of Thor, smiting and -scattering his enemies in all directions. But she was after him in a -moment--nimbly getting round the stern of the boat--and before he had -wholly wreaked his vengeance, she had him by the arm. And here her -interposition did save bloodshed; for the men, finding her between Big -Archie and themselves, refused to throw the stones they had hastily -picked up; quietude was secured at least in this corner of the -battlefield. - -But indeed the general interest had already been attracted elsewhere. -When Mary turned to see what was going on landwards, she happened to -notice certain small wavering shreds of pink. It was a very pale pink; -on a clear day, it would hardly have been visible; but against the lurid -sky it was distinct enough. - -"What is that?" she said, with a sudden, conscious fear, to Big Archie. - -The huge, heavy-shouldered fisherman (who was keeping an eye on his -discomfited foes as he led the way round the stern of the boats) glanced -towards the rocky knolls that had been the scene of the first onslaught, -and said grimly,-- - -"It wass the Gillie Ciotaeh he wass bringing a can of petroleum with him -this morning, and lobster-creels will be easy to set on fire." - -"Do you mean to say they are burning down those poor men's huts?" she -demanded, in a perfect agony of helplessness. "Archie, what is to be -done? Why does not the policeman interfere?" - -"Aw, it is no use now," said Big Archie, with much composure. "They are -ahl on fire already--and a good job, too!--for we won the fight, and -that is a proper end to it." - -"And this is how you have kept your promise to me!" Mary said, in -accents of bitter reproach. - -"As sure as death, mem," said the big good-natured giant, "I wass doing -everything Miss Stanley said--peaceably, peaceably. When I went to them -this morning, I wass saying to them 'You hef no right here.' They said, -'We hef the right here.' I said 'It is no use telling lies; for Miss -Stanley she has written to the Fishery Board; and they hef given you no -right whatever.' And then I says 'It is a fine thing for you to come -here and tek what piece of land you want, and build your houses on it, -and you not paying a penny of rent to the man that has the croft.' Then -they said 'The land is not worth anything; it is only rock.' Then I -says 'That is not your business, as you know very well; and other people -hef to pay rent for it, whether it is rock or good land; and it is -impudent men you are to come and tek things for nothing. I am from -Tarbert on Loch Fyne,' says I, 'and it's stealing they would be calling -that down there.' Well, mem, they were not liking that--" - -"I should think not!" said Mary. "Is that what you call asking them to -go away civilly and quietly?" - -"But they would not go aweh at ahl, mem!" Archie protested, still -looking towards those pink shreds of flame (and alas! for the poor -discomfited aliens--they had emerged from their shelter, and gone a few -yards up the beach, and were also regarding, hopelessly enough, the -distant crowd and the work of destruction). "They were growing more and -more impudent, mem; and they said they would not go aweh; and I said we -would drive them aweh; and they said we could not do it. And then says I -to them 'Do you see the carriage yonder?--for if you can mek out the -people, it is the proprietor herself, and the Minister, and the -policeman, and they are come down to see that you go aweh from this -place ahltogether, and, by God, if you do not go aweh, we will drive you -into the sea, and set fire to your houses.' 'You cannot do it,' says -they--" - -"But how dared you tell them that we had come down for any such -purpose," said Mary, indignantly, "when we only came to prevent -violence?" - -"And how wass I knowing that, mem?" said he cunningly. "But I am sure -there wass only the one end to it in any case, when they began to pick -up the sticks. And we were not going to hef the land stolen, and the -lobster-ground tekken up, and be beaten as well; for a man cannot stand -everything, and we had sticks as well as they had sticks--" - -"And so you began to fight in spite of all I told you!" she said. "And -I do not know what harm has been done or how many have been hurt. You -yourself, you would have been murdered if I had not come round by the -boats and dragged you away." - -"Is it murdering, mem?" said Big Archie, with a grin. "Aw, Cosh, there -would hef been some murdering going before they murdered me!" - -And now they came upon Käthchen, who was standing as one paralyzed, -gazing upon the excited crowd who were collected round the burning huts, -and listening to their shouts and laughter. The moment she turned, she -caught sight of Mary's hand, and uttered a quick cry of alarm. - -"It is nothing, Käthchen," her friend said, "only I wish you'd tie this -handkerchief round my wrist--and pull it tight; it will hurt less then." - -"What made you go away down there, Mamie?" said Käthchen, in her -distress. "I--wanted to stay by your side--but--but I could not face the -stones. It was madness--" - -"They did not intend to strike me," said Mary (whose shoulder was aching -cruelly, as well as her wrist). "These poor men, they have nothing left -now but their boats." And then she demanded: "But where was that booby -of a policeman?--why did he not prevent them setting fire to the huts? -And where is the Minister?" - -Käthchen did not know; nor did she care much; all her interests were -engrossed by the strange scene being enacted up there among the rocky -knolls. For, despite the petroleum, and the heaping-on of -lobster-creels and float-barrels, the huts did not burn well; the rain -of the previous night had soddened the thatch, and perhaps the interiors -were none too dry at the best of times; so that the incendiaries had to -keep opening up draught-holes, or flinging on more petroleum, in order -to encourage the flames. And then again that proved too slow work for -their impatience. They got poles and broken oars to use as -battering-rams; they charged the ineffectual doors, and tore down the -smouldering roofs; and when the demolition of this or that rude dwelling -was complete, there were loud and triumphant cheers. Mary did not seek -to interpose. It was too late now. She looked on sadly, wondering what -the poor wretches down by the boats were thinking, and not without some -half-terrified consciousness that she was answerable for all this wreck -and ruin. - -"It is shameful!--it is shameful!" she said--almost to herself. - -"Well, mem," said Big Archie, who still remained with the two young -ladies, "I will ask you this--when you will find a wasps' nest in your -garden, what will you do? You will not be for going forward and telling -them they were right in tekkin up the place, and that you will not -disturb them; aw, no!--I think it is a bunch of straw you will be -carrying to the place, and setting a light to it, and putting the nest -on fire. Aw, Cosh, that is the sure weh to get rid of them--" - -"But these were not wasps--these were men like yourselves," said she, -sharply. "They have as much right to live as you--" - -"Ay," said Big Archie, scratching his head in assumed perplexity, "mebbe -they hef as much right to live as we hef--but _not there_. For it wass -Miss Stanley herself that would be saying that." - -Mary's face flushed. - -"I told you they were wrong in thinking they had any right to be there; -but I did not tell you to go and break out into lawlessness and set -houses on fire with petroleum. Do you think that can be allowed? Do -you think there is no government in this country? Do you think you can -do just as you please? I tell you, the Sheriff from Dingwall will have -to inquire into this matter." - -Gilleasbuig Mòr did not like the mention of Dingwall. - -"If it was brekkin the law," said he, rather gloomily, "it wass not us -that wass brekkin it first. It was them fishermen. And now they can go -aweh hom; and if they ever think of coming back here, they will remember -the day they sah their houses on fire at Ru-Minard." - -The work of demolition was now complete. Smouldering thatch and -blackened rafters strewed the ground; nothing remained erect but the -rude stone walls; the alien colony had lost its habitation. And then -the invaders formed once more into a sort of irregular procession; they -shouldered their staves and clubs; three ringing cheers were given--as a -significant message to their vanquished opponents, who still remained -down by the boats; and then the victors set out on their homeward march, -the Gillie Ciotach's shrill voice leading off with "_Gabhaidh sinn an -rathad mòr_"[#] while a rough and ready chorus was volunteered by the -straggling ranks. Mary Stanley and Käthchen, accompanied by Big Archie, -slowly followed, some distance intervening. In truth, Mary's heart was -as lead: all things seemed to be going so ill--in spite of her most -patient and unselfish endeavours. - - -[#] The chorus of this gay ditty has been thus Englished: - -"We will take the good old way, -We will take the good old way, -We will take the good old way, - The way that lies before us; -Climbing stiff the heathery ben, -Winding swiftly down the glen, -Should we meet with strangers then, - Their gear will serve to store us!" - - -And now they came upon Iain the policeman--bland, benign, complacent as -usual. Iain had remained some little way apart, to let the rioters go -by; his share in the day's proceedings had been limited to a discreet -and not unamiable observation. - -"What are you doing here?" said Mary. "Why did you not interfere before -they had set the huts on fire? Don't you see the mischief that has been -done?" - -There was a whimsical, demure smile in Iain's eyes. - -"I could not be tekkin up all them men," said he. - -"Then what are you put here for at all?" she demanded. "Why did they -send you to Lochgarra if you have no authority? What use are you in the -place?" - -Iain was far too smooth-tempered to take any umbrage. He did not even -claim to be of any use. - -"Aw, well," said he--and he lifted up a bit of dried seaweed and slowly -pulled it to pieces, "the people about Lochgarra, there is not much harm -in them." - -"Do you call that no harm--setting fire to houses?" - -Iain hesitated--for he wished to be very respectful. - -"But if the fishermen had no right to build the houses?" he ventured to -say, with down-cast eyes, and in the most propitiating tones. "And it -was Miss Stanley herself who was telling them that." - -"Did I tell them to set the houses on fire? Did I tell them to go and -fight with sticks and stones? I told them to go and try to get those -people away peaceably; and instead of that, here they break out into -open riot, and work all the mischief they can, and you stand by and look -on!" - -"Aw, well," said Iain, pulling away at the seaweed, "there is not much -harm done. There is not more than one or two has got a knock." - -The hoarse, triumphant chorus-- - - _"Gabhaidh sinn an rathad mòr_ - _Gabhaidh sinn an rathad mòr_ - _Gabhaidh sinn an rathad mòr_ - _Olc air mhath le càch e!"'_ - -was growing more distant now; the men were ascending the hill, towards -their own homes--or still more likely they were going on to the village, -to have a good, solid dram after this great exploit. And here was the -waggonette, and Mr. Pettigrew therein, apparently confining his -attention to certain slips of paper. When the two young ladies appeared -and got into the carriage, the Minister put away his MS.; and when the -horses had started for home, he lifted up his high and feminine voice, -and said-- - -"It is a sad sight we have seen to-day--a sad sight--angry passions -surmounting what should be the calm of the Christian soul--and among -those who might well be living in peace and ahmity. And it is well for -us who can keep apart, and view these things as a passing vision, and -comfort ourselves with pious thoats. 'For they that sleep sleep in the -night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, -who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and -love: and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.' As for those poor men -out at Ru-Minard, I fear they will be as the beasts of the field and the -birds of the air in the matter of habitation; but they must seek for -higher things; they must say to themselves 'For here have we no -continuing city, but we seek one to come!'" - -"You might have gone and tried to save their houses for them!" Mary -exclaimed, bitterly. - -But she would say no more. Indeed, she was silent all the way home. A -sense of helplessness, of failure, of despair weighed upon her; all her -fine courage and heroic spirit seemed to have fled. When they got to -the top of the hill at Minard, she turned and looked towards the long -promontory beyond the bay; and there was still a little smoke showing -here and there amongst the smouldering ruins. In spite of herself tears -rose to her eyes. This was the climax of all her splendid schemes. This -was what she had been able to do for the neighbourhood that had been -entrusted to her. Might it not be said of her-- - - 'The children born of thee are sword and fire, - Red ruin, and the breaking up of laws'? - -How long was it since she had come to Lochgarra?--and this was the end. - -But as they drove on, they came in sight of Lochgarra Bay; and out there -was Eilean Heimra. And no sooner had Mary Stanley's eyes lit on the -distant island than something seemed to stir her heart with a proud -indignation; and if she had spoken, as she dared not speak, she would -have said-- - -"Ah, it is you, it is you out there who are responsible. It is not I. -It is you alone who have control over these people; and yet you go and -shut yourself up in selfish isolation; and leave me, a woman, to -contend, and strive,--and break down!" - - - - - END OF VOL. I. - - - - - LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, - STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DONALD ROSS OF HEIMRA (VOLUME I -OF 3) *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43052 - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so -the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. -Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this -license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg(tm) -electronic works to protect the Project Gutenberg(tm) concept and -trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be -used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific -permission. 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