more if I had known how nearly exact were Alan's predictions; indeed

it was but in one point that he exaggerated, there being but eleven

Campbells on the jury; though as the other four were equally in the

Duke's dependence, it mattered less than might appear. Still, I cried

out that he was unjust to the Duke of Argyle, who (for all he was a

Whig) was yet a wise and honest nobleman.

"Hoot!" said Alan, "the man's a Whig, nae doubt; but I would never deny

he was a good chieftain to his clan. And what would the clan think if

there was a Campbell shot, and naebody hanged, and their own chief

the Justice General? But I have often observed," says Alan, "that you

Low-country bodies have no clear idea of what's right and wrong."

At this I did at last laugh out aloud, when to my surprise, Alan joined

in, and laughed as merrily as myself.

"Na, na," said he, "we're in the Hielands, David; and when I tell ye

to run, take my word and run. Nae doubt it's a hard thing to skulk and

starve in the Heather, but it's harder yet to lie shackled in a red-coat

prison."

I asked him whither we should flee; and as he told me "to the Lowlands,"

I was a little better inclined to go with him; for, indeed, I was

growing impatient to get back and have the upper-hand of my uncle.

Besides, Alan made so sure there would be no question of justice in the

matter, that I began to be afraid he might be right. Of all deaths, I

would truly like least to die by the gallows; and the picture of that

uncanny instrument came into my head with extraordinary clearness (as I

had once seen it engraved at the top of a pedlar's ballad) and took away

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