mething of the world during his visit to London,
and had not been entirely uninfluenced by the views of his wise
kinsman. But Lady Glenlivet was not the only foolish woman at that epoch
who forced a wiser judging husband, son, or brother into joining a
conspiracy which his better sense condemned; and Sir Alick, always
greatly under his mother's influence, at length consented to attend that
historic meeting at Braemar in the autumn of 1715, where, under pretence
of a hunting party, the Earl of Mar assembled the disaffected Scottish
nobility and gentry, and raised the Stuart standard, proclaiming King
James III. of England and VII. of Scotland.

The "fiery cross" was circulated through the Highlands, and Sir Alick
returned to his home to raise a troop of his own tenants and clansmen,
at whose head he proposed to join the Earl of Mar.

Maisie, ordinarily so gentle and retiring, was now roused to unwonted
and passionate protest. The scheme for the threatened "rising" was not
unknown in England; and Simon Glenlivet wrote to his quondam ward,
urging her most strongly to dissuade her husband from joining a rash
conspiracy which could only bring ruin upon all who were engaged in it.

"'Tis hopeless--and I thank Heaven that it is so--to think of
overturning the present condition of things," wrote the cautious London
Scot; "and they who take part in this mad conspiracy--of which the
English Government have fuller details than the conspirators wot
of--will but lose their lands, and it may be their heads to boot. I pray
thee, my pretty Molly, keep thy husband out of this snare."

But this command was not so easily followed. Since his visit to Braemar,
Alick himself had caught the war fever, and, for once, his wife's
entreaties, nay, even her tears and prayers, were disregarded by her
husband! Sir Alick was all love and tenderness, but join the glorious
expedition he must and would, encouraged in this resolve by mother,
sister, and kinsfolk; Maisie's being the only dissenting voice; and, as
Lady Glenlivet tauntingly remarked to her daughter-in-law, "it was not
for the child of a mere English pock-pudding to decide what was fitting
conduct for a Highland noble--Maisie should remember she had wedded into
an honourable house, and not strive to draw her husband aside from the
path of duty."

Unheeded by her husband, derided and taunted by his mother, Maisie could
but weep in silent despair.

And so the day of parting came, and Ali