brightest sun that ever shone upon Highland heather. The very truth
is, I come hither in extremity: my foes have the advantage of me, and
have laid things to my charge whereof I am incapable, even in thought.
Nevertheless, doom is like to go forth against me, and there is no
remedy but that I must up and fly, or remain and perish. I come to your
young chief, as one who had refuge with me in his distress--who ate of
my bread and drank of my cup. I ask of him refuge, which, as I trust, I
shall need but a short time."

"That makes a different case," replied the herdsman. "So different,
that, if you came at midnight to the gate of MacIan, having the King
of Scotland's head in your hand, and a thousand men in pursuit for the
avenging of his blood, I could not think it for his honour to refuse you
protection. And for your innocence or guilt, it concerns not the case;
or rather, he ought the more to shelter you if guilty, seeing your
necessity and his risk are both in that case the greater. I must
straightway to him, that no hasty tongue tell him of your arriving
hither without saying the cause."

"A pity of your trouble," said the glover; "but where lies the chief?"

"He is quartered about ten miles hence, busied with the affairs of the
funeral, and with preparations for the combat--the dead to the grave and
the living to battle."

"It is a long way, and will take you all night to go and come," said the
glover; "and I am very sure that Conachar when he knows it is I who--"

"Forget Conachar," said the herdsman, placing his finger on his lips.
"And as for the ten miles, they are but a Highland leap, when one bears
a message between his friend and his chief."

So saying, and committing the traveller to the charge of his eldest son
and his daughter, the active herdsman left his house two hours before
midnight, to which he returned long before sunrise. He did not disturb
his wearied guest, but when the old man had arisen in the morning he
acquainted him that the funeral of the late chieftain was to take place
the same day, and that, although Eachin MacIan could not invite a Saxon
to the funeral, he would be glad to receive him at the entertainment
which was to follow.

"His will must be obeyed," said the glover, half smiling at the change
of relation between himself and his late apprentice. "The man is
the master now, and I trust he will remember that, when matters were
otherwise between us, I did not use my authority ungr