tramp, every father's son out of his father's house, and out of the

place where he was bred and fed, and played when he was a callant. And

who are to succeed them? Bare-leggit beggars! King George is to whistle

for his rents; he maun dow with less; he can spread his butter thinner:

what cares Red Colin? If he can hurt Ardshiel, he has his wish; if he

can pluck the meat from my chieftain's table, and the bit toys out of

his children's hands, he will gang hame singing to Glenure!"

"Let me have a word," said I. "Be sure, if they take less rents, be

sure Government has a finger in the pie. It's not this Campbell's fault,

man--it's his orders. And if ye killed this Colin to-morrow, what better

would ye be? There would be another factor in his shoes, as fast as spur

can drive."

"Ye're a good lad in a fight," said Alan; "but, man! ye have Whig blood

in ye!"

He spoke kindly enough, but there was so much anger under his contempt

that I thought it was wise to change the conversation. I expressed my

wonder how, with the Highlands covered with troops, and guarded like

a city in a siege, a man in his situation could come and go without

arrest.

"It's easier than ye would think," said Alan. "A bare hillside (ye see)

is like all one road; if there's a sentry at one place, ye just go by

another. And then the heather's a great help. And everywhere there are

friends' houses and friends' byres and haystacks. And besides, when folk

talk of a country covered with troops, it's but a kind of a byword at

the best. A soldier covers nae mair of it than his boot-soles. I have

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