two days, conscience would have
gotten the better of me; and although I could have got England and
Scotland for my Prince, I would not have allowed a hair of his head to
be hurt."[280]

After this separation, the Prince, accompanied by O'Neil, again returned
to traverse the mountainous districts of South Uist. He walked in the
direction of Benbecula, and about midnight entered a shealing, or hut,
which belonged to Angus Macdonald, the brother of his future deliverer.
The interview which shortly took place between them, was not, as it may
readily be conceived, unpremeditated.[281] Repeatedly, before the
meeting, had O'Neil asked Flora whether she would like to see the
Prince? She answered with emotion that she would. She had even expressed
an earnest desire to see him; and had said, if she could be of any use
in aiding him to escape from his enemies, she would do it.

O'Neil had had various opportunities of studying the real character of
Flora Macdonald. He must have had an extraordinary notion of her energy
when he first proposed to her, whilst they met in Clanranald's house,
to take the Prince with her to Skye, dressed up in woman's clothes. This
proposition appeared to Flora so "fantastical and dangerous," that she
positively declined it. "A Macdonald, a Macleod, a Campbell militia
were," she observed, "in South Uist in quest of the Prince: a guard was
posted at every ferry; every boat was seized; no person could leave Long
Island without a passport; and the channel between Uist and Skye was
covered with ships of war." Such was her resolution whilst she discussed
the subject with O'Neil at the house of her kinsman, Clanranald. Nor
does that sense of the dangers of her undertaking lessen the heroism of
the enterprise. But her woman's heart, however timid it might be at
Clanranald's castle, was touched, when she beheld the Prince; and
compassion, from which spring the noblest resolves, inspired her to
exertion.

As the Prince, attended by O'Neil, drew near to the hut belonging to
Angus Macdonald, the latter quitted Charles, and went aside, with a
design to inform himself whether the independent companies of militia
were to pass that way, or not, on the following day, as he had been
informed. Such, at least, was his pretext; but he had an appointment
with Flora Macdonald, who was awaiting him near the hut. To his
question, she answered that "they would not pass until the day after."
Then O'Neil ventured to tell the yo