ent we were content
to make the most of our unusual comfort.

"Here's a drammoch left in the flask. I give you the restoration,
gentlemen," cried Donald.

"I wonder where the Prince is this night," I said after we had drunk the
toast.

We fell to a meditative sombre silence, and presently Captain Roy began to
sing softly one of those touching Jacobite melodies that go to the source
of tears like rain to the roots of flowers. Donald had one of the rare
voices that carry the heart to laughter and to sobs. The singer's song,
all pathos and tenderness, played on the chords of our emotion like a
harp. My eyes began to smart. Creagh muttered something about the
peat-smoke affecting his, and I'm fain to admit that I rolled over with my
face from the fire to hide the tell-tale tears. The haunting pathetic
wistfulness of the third stanza shook me with sobs.

"On hills that are by right his ain,
He roams a lanely stranger;
On ilka hand he's pressed by want,
On ilka hand by danger."

"Ohon! Ohon!" groaned Donald. "The evil day! The evil day! Wae's me for
our bonnie Hieland laddie!"

"May the Blessed Mother keep him safe from all enemies and dangers!" said
Creagh softly.

"And God grant that he be warm and well fed this bitter night wherever he
may be," I murmured.

Something heavy like the butt of a musket fell against the door, and we
started to our feet in an instant. Out flashed our swords.

"Who goes?" cried the Macdonald.

We threw open the door, and in came a party of four, rain dripping from
their soaked plaids. I recognized at once Young Clanranald and Major
Macleod. The other two were a tattered gillie in the Macdonald tartan and
a young woman of most engaging appearance, who was supported in the arms
of Clanranald and his henchman. The exhausted lady proved to be no other
than the celebrated Miss Flora Macdonald, whose gallant and generous
devotion, for a protracted period, as we afterwards learned, had
undoubtedly saved the life of the Prince from his enemies.

Donald no sooner beheld his kinswoman than he dropped on his knee and with
the wildest demonstrations of joy kissed the hand of the ragged kerne who
supported her. I stared at Captain Roy in amazement, and while I was yet
wondering at his strange behaviour Tony Creagh plumped down beside him. My
eyes went to the face of the gillie and encountered the winsome smile of
the Yo