A Daughter of Raasay

emselves forward drearily, found the situation one of utter cheerlessness. For myself, misery spoke in every motio

d corries, clambered up craggy mountainsides all slippery with the wet heather, weariness tugging at our leaden feet

eath. Indeed, 'twas little we cared, for at last exhaustion had touched the limit of endurance. Not a word had

ge. Scarce a half mile from us a shieling w

O'Sullivan and the Prince put

turkeycock. Since Culloden the word h

urst out the Scotch Captain. "Gin it had no

n's hot tem

cdonalds, sir," he

anded the gentleman of that ilk, looki

answer with an insole

for there will presently be a dead Irishman to stain the snow with hiss blood," h

the gods. At the worst it leaves one less

he steel-at the least I am thinking so," said Captain Roy, standing

will serve to keep my head at all events whatefer," c

his sword fro

t will make eas

therto I had found no time to interfere, but n

sword, Tony. Back, Macdonald, or on m

fend for (look out for) himself," shoute

and let me have a

er nearly gone, a whimsical smil

mpeach the courage of Captai

I never saw a man more keen t

d at Culloden.

dryly, some imp of mischief stirr

I suppose you do not doubt the valour of

ion as to their courage at all, at all. For sheer daring I never saw the beat of the Highlan

me to have done. "Are you satisfied, Captain, that

. "I wass thinking I hear

me, Captain Macdonald, sure 'tis not worth our while doing the work of the re

an it yourself with a fling at the Irish. Make up, ma

a handsome letter of recommendation. Donald's face c

said anything offensive I eat

livan, Captain Macdonald. Ecod, he may g

oo; 'fore God, the

the bothy, gentlemen. I'm fain niddered [perishing] with the cold. This Highland mis

our bannocks and brose we lay in the shine of the flame and revelled in the blessed heat, listening to the splash of the rain outs

flask. I give you the restora

is this night," I said af

of the rare voices that carry the heart to laughter and to sobs. The singer's song, all pathos and tenderness, played on the chords of our emotion like a harp. My eyes began to smart. Creagh muttered somethin

at are by ri

a lanely

d he's pres

hand by

e evil day! The evil day! Wae's m

him safe from all enemies and

and well fed this bitter night

ell against the door, and we started to our

" cried th

ie in the Macdonald tartan and a young woman of most engaging appearance, who was supported in the arms of Clanranald and his henchman. The exhausted lady proved to be no other than th

Tony Creagh plumped down beside him. My eyes went to the face of the gillie and encountered the winsome smile of the Young Chevalier. Desperately white and weary as he was, and dressed in an outcast's rags, he still looked every inch the son of kings. To

Culloden, was to be in waiting with a boat to convey the party of the Prince across the sound. It will be believed that we discussed with much care and anxiety the best disposition to be made of ourselves in running the lines of the enemy. The final decision was that the Pri

s of respect were shown her for her devotion to the cause. Though he expected to join her again shortly, the Prince made her his warmest acknowledgments of thanks in a spirit of pleasantry which covered much tender feeling. They had been under fire together and had shared p

eaded hard to be allowed to join the party of the Prince, but had been overruled on the ground that he was the only one of us with the exception of Malcolm that could act as a guide. Moreover h

ll Dhiu." (All things must

a sodden sky and the noise of falling waters from mountain burns in spate (flood). Hour after hour while we played blindly follow-my-leader the clouds were a sieve over our devoted he

mist and rain, but when that lifted he could not promise that we would not be close on the campfires of the dragoons. His fine face was a picture of misery, and bitterly he reproached him

f to keep us in spirits, now whistling a spring of Clanranald's march, now retailing to us the story of how he had walked through the redcoats as Mis

was a sorry laggard ready to die of exhaustion. When the mist sank we began to go more cautiously, for the valley whence we had just emerged was dotted at intervals with the campfires of the soldiers. Cautiously we now edged our way along the slippery incline, keeping in the shadow of great rocks and broom wherever it was possibl

rcock whirred from my very feet and brought my heart to my mouth. Presently we topped the bluff and disappeared over its crest. Another hour of stea

breath of relief. "I played the gomeral brawly, but in the

ons will have to wait another day for their thirty thousand pounds. Eh, Montagu?" he asked

m around my waist. I resisted feebly, but he would have none of

only one of the family that had not been "out" with our army. He had been kept away f

and I are already as black as we can be, but you were to keep clean of the Prince's affairs. It wad be

rang to come. He'll maybe get his craig raxed (nec

. Raasay serves his Prince though it cost both the e

r roy (red soldiers) fall in with us. In the woody cleughs yonder t

t we were hard put to it to keep from sinking. The three brothers were quite used to making the trip in foul weather, but on the Prince's account were now much distressed. To show his contempt for danger, t

agh joined us, Macdonald having stayed on Skye to keep watch on any suspicious activity of the clan militia or the dragoons. Raasay's clansmen, ostensibly engaged in fishing, dotted the shore of the little island t

thers were as anxious as the proverbial hen with the one chick. Doubtless they felt that should he be captured while on the island the reputation of the house would be forever blasted. And this is the most remarkable fact of Charles Edward Stuart's romantic history; that in all the mo

my love; eight months of battle, of hairbreadth escapes, and of hardships scarce to be conceived. She too had endured much in that time. Scarce a house in Raasay but had been razed by the

wait my turn with composure, content to watch with long-starved eyes the delicacy and beauty of this sweet wild rose I coveted. Sure, hers was a charm that custom staled not nor longer acquaintance made less alluring. Every mood had its own characteristic fascination, and are not the humours

he pulse in the soft-throated neck beat to a recognition of my presence. I found time to again admire the light poise o

h to her voice, a fine light to her eyes. "It iss the good tale that my brothers have been telling me of Kenneth Montagu's brave devotion to

ds make much of nothing. Their fine courage reads

. It would be Donald who went back to Drumm

friend

mo

My plain duty!" I said, shrugging,

laughing at my discomposure, in a half

le you escape: 'Pooh! 'Twas nothing whatever. Gin it rain to-morro

opening l

" I said. "I have to keep watch outside. D

ghing. "And are all English

t that moment, she refe

milingly. "'Fraid I'm out of court.

one at the least?" A

n at me, a twinkle in

ey're good sportsmen. They follow

but the point of her wit to

in such cavalier fashion, what shall we s

ble maidens of the North," he answered, kis

our Irish blarney. The English ladie

u toast a score of times the beauties of Londo

a finer city-not so dirty and, pink me, a vas

e subject under discussion-the pink and white beauties of London are b

nt knight," cried Aileen, her b

ld 'tis not to numbers but to beauty. Is my confession

ular! 'Twill be th

ady before another, Tony Creagh's scalp dangles at the be

r n

e Westerleigh, Lond

her hands in

you ever

y rule to propose every second ti

she

he would not marry me till I had been killed in the wars to prov

love he

ette's eyes; when she f

r whims and

rong. 'Tis her right to laugh and

at me. It seemed to question whether her l

er? There iss no ot

e, there is no other

es gli

, sir," she

e touched him lightly on t

bold, be loyal, be fortunate. Arise, Sir A

needless to say, our daffing had not been so free. Now Malcolm joined

s! More Minotaurs to slay!

e these labours

mong the clan militia and the redcoats on Skye. A brig landed me

very plain, Major Macle

callants (lads) that are jinking (hiding) in the hill birken (scrub). But here is

in which he had been lazying. "The devil'

Gaelic, Creagh. You're barre

n such an errand of danger, Malco

if he volunteers. 'Tis in the service of the Prince.

ince, Raasay, and Miss Flora. To me as a focus

r is not to be compared with

ight to the lassies, for you'll need be wide awake the morn twa-three hours ere sun-up. Don't

; but, my word for it, I have not, played hide-and-go-seek six mon

pected no less of your father's son." Then he added with a smile: "And when Ulysses rests safe f

the room I cast a last look back over my shoulder and methought that the l