myself
as leader? or have you not fixed upon the person who is to hold an
office at least as perilous as it is honourable?"

"Address yourself to me, Sir Duncan Campbell," said Montrose, stepping
forward.

"To you!" said Sir Duncan Campbell, with some scorn.

"Yes,--to me," repeated Montrose,--"to the Earl of Montrose, if you have
forgot him."

"I should now, at least," said Sir Duncan Campbell, "have had some
difficulty in recognising him in the disguise of a groom.--and yet I
might have guessed that no evil influence inferior to your lordship's,
distinguished as one who troubles Israel, could have collected together
this rash assembly of misguided persons."

"I will answer unto you," said Montrose, "in the manner of your own
Puritans. I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house.
But let us leave an altercation, which is of little consequence but
to ourselves, and hear the tidings you have brought from your Chief of
Argyle; for I must conclude that it is in his name that you have come to
this meeting."

"It is in the name of the Marquis of Argyle," said Sir Duncan
Campbell,--"in the name of the Scottish Convention of Estates, that
I demand to know the meaning of this singular convocation. If it is
designed to disturb the peace of the country, it were but acting like
neighbours, and men of honour, to give us some intimation to stand upon
our guard."

"It is a singular, and new state of affairs in Scotland," said Montrose,
turning from Sir Duncan Campbell to the assembly, "when Scottish men of
rank and family cannot meet in the house of a common friend without an
inquisitorial visit and demand, on the part of our rulers, to know the
subject of our conference. Methinks our ancestors were accustomed to
hold Highland huntings, or other purposes of meeting, without asking
the leave either of the great M'Callum More himself, or any of his
emissaries or dependents."

"The times have been such in Scotland," answered one of the Western
Chiefs, "and such they will again be, when the intruders on our
ancient possessions are again reduced to be Lairds of Lochow instead of
overspreading us like a band of devouring locusts."

"Am I to understand, then," said Sir Duncan, "that it is against my name
alone that these preparations are directed? or are the race of Diarmid
only to be sufferers in common with the whole of the peaceful and
orderly inhabitants of Scotland?"

"I would ask," said a wild-looking Chi