cDonald's from joining Montrose."

For some minutes I stood turning the thing over in my mind, being
by nature slow to take on any scheme of high emprise without some
scrupulous balancing of chances. Half-way up the closes, in the dusk,
and in their rooms, well back from the windows, or far up the street,
all aloof from his Majesty MacCailein Mor, the good curious people
of Inneraora watched us. They could little guess the pregnancy of our
affairs. For me, I thought how wearily I had looked for some rest from
wars, at home in Glen Shira after my years of foreign service. Now that
I was here, and my mother no more, my old father needed me on hill and
field, and Argile's quarrel was not my quarrel until Argile's enemies
were at the foot of Ben Bhuidhe or coming all boden in fier of war
up the pass of Shira Glen. I liked adventure, and a captaincy was a
captaincy, but----

"Is it boot and saddle at once, my lord?" I asked.

"It must be that or nothing. When a viper's head is coming out of
a hole, crunch it incontinent, or the tail may be more than you can
manage."

"Then, my lord," said I, "I must cry off. On this jaunt at least. It
would be my greatest pleasure to go with you and my friend M'lver,
not to mention all the good fellows I'm bound to know in rank in
your regiment, but for my duty to my father and one or two other
considerations that need not be named. But--if this be any use--I give
my word that should MacDonald or any other force come this side the
passes at Accurach Hill, or anywhere east Lochow, my time and steel are
yours."

MacCailein Mor looked a bit annoyed, and led us at a fast pace up to
the gate of the castle that stood, high towered and embrasured for heavy
pieces, stark and steeve above town Inneraora. A most curious, dour,
and moody man, with a mind roving from key to key. Every now and then
he would stop and think a little without a word, then on, and run his
fingers through his hair or fumble nervously at his leathern buttons,
paying small heed to the Splendid and I, who convoyed him, so we got
into a crack about the foreign field of war.

"Quite right, Elrigmore, quite right!" at last cried the Marquis,
pulling up short, and looked me plump in the eyes. "Bide at hame while
bide ye may. I would never go on this affair myself if by God's grace I
was not Marquis of Argile and son of a house with many bitter foes. But,
hark ye! a black day looms for these our home-lands if ever Montrose
and