'
Waverley, though confident that Fergus Mac-Ivor was incapable of such
treachery, was by no means equally sure of the forbearance of his
followers. He knew that, where the honour of the Chief or his family was
supposed to be touched, the happiest man would be he that could first
avenge the stigma; and he had often heard them quote a proverb, 'That the
best revenge was the most speedy and most safe.' Coupling this with the
hint of Evan, he judged it most prudent to set spurs to his horse and
ride briskly back to the squadron. Ere he reached the end of the long
avenue, however, a ball whistled past him, and the report of a pistol was
heard.
'It was that deevil's buckle, Callum Beg,' said Alick; 'I saw him whisk
away through amang the reises.'
Edward, justly incensed at this act of treachery, galloped out of the
avenue, and observed the battalion of Mac-Ivor at some distance moving
along the common in which it terminated. He also saw an individual
running very fast to join the party; this he concluded was the intended
assassin, who, by leaping an enclosure, might easily make a much shorter
path to the main body than he could find on horseback.
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