t. And Allister said nothing much then. But next day he came
striding up to the cottage, at dinner-time, with his claymore
(_gladius major_) at one side, his dirk at the other, and his little
skene dubh (_black knife_) in his stocking. And he was grand to
see--such a big strong gentleman I And he came striding up to the
cottage where the shepherd was sitting at his dinner.

"'Angus MacQueen,' says he, 'I understand the kelpie in the pot has
been rude to your Nellie. I am going to kill him.' 'How will you do
that, sir?' said Angus, quite short, for he was the girl's father.
'Here's a claymore I could put in a peck,' said Allister, meaning it
was such good steel that he could bend it round till the hilt met the
point without breaking; 'and here's a shield made out of the hide of
old Rasay's black bull; and here's a dirk made of a foot and a half of
an old Andrew Ferrara; and here's a skene dubh that I'll drive through
your door, Mr. Angus. And so we're fitted, I hope.' 'Not at all,' said
Angus, who as I told you was a wise man and a knowing; 'not one bit,'
said Angus. 'The kelpie's hide is thicker than three bull-hides, and
none of your weapons would do more than mark it.' 'What am I to do
then, Angus, for kill him I will somehow?' 'I'll tell you what to do;
but it needs a brave man to do that.' 'And do you think I'm not brave
enough for that, Angus?' 'I know one thing you are not brave enough
for.' 'And what's that?' said Allister, and his face grew red, only he
did not want to anger Nelly's father. 'You're not brave enough to
marry my girl in the face of the clan,' said Angus. 'But you shan't go
on this way. If my Nelly's good enough to talk to in the glen, she's
good enough to lead into the hall before the ladies and gentlemen.'

"Then Allister's face grew redder still, but not with anger, and he
held down his head before the old man, but only for a few moments.
When he lifted it again, it was pale, not with fear but with
resolution, for he had made up his mind like a gentleman. 'Mr. Angus
MacQueen,' he said, 'will you give me your daughter to be my wife?'
'If you kill the kelpie, I will,' answered Angus; for he knew that the
man who could do that would be worthy of his Nelly."

"But what if the kelpie ate him?" suggested Allister.

"Then he'd have to go without the girl," said Kirsty, coolly. "But,"
she resumed, "there's always some way of doing a difficult thing; and
Allister, the gentleman, had Angus, the shephe