'
'And do others beside your master shelter him?'
'My master? MY master is in Heaven,' answered Evan, haughtily; and then
immediately assuming his usual civility of manner, 'but you mean my
Chief;--no, he does not shelter Donald Bean Lean, nor any that are like
him; he only allows him (with a smile) wood and water.'
'No great boon, I should think, Evan, when both seem to be very plenty.'
'Ah! but ye dinna see through it. When I say wood and water, I mean the
loch and the land; and I fancy Donald would be put till 't if the Laird
were to look for him wi' threescore men in the wood of Kailychat yonder;
and if our boats, with a score or twa mair, were to come down the loch to
Uaimh an Ri, headed by mysell, or ony other pretty man.'
'But suppose a strong party came against him from the Low Country, would
not your Chief defend him?'
'Na, he would not ware the spark of a flint for him--if they came with
the law.'
'And what must Donald do, then?'
'He behoved to rid this country of himsell, and fall back, it may be,
over the mount upon Letter Scriven.'
'And if he were pursued to that place?'
'I'se warrant he would go to his cousin's at Rannoch.
Pages:
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339