e free from
this most tawdry aspect of war, a community in good order, with the day
moving from dawn to dusk with douce steps, and no sharp agony at the
public breast.

But we had no excuse for lingering long over our entrance upon its blue
flagstone pavements; our first duty was to report ourselves in person to
our commander, whose return to Inneraora Castle we had been apprised of
at Cladich.

CHAPTER XXX.--ARGILE'S BEDROOM.

This need for waiting upon his lordship so soon after the great reverse
was a sour bite to swallow, for M'Iver as well as myself. M'Iver, had
he his own way of it, would have met his chief and cousin alone; and he
gave a hint delicately of that kind, affecting to be interested only in
sparing me the trouble and helping me home to Elrigmore, where my father
and his men had returned three days before. But I knew an officer's duty
too well for that, and insisted on accompanying him, certain (with some
mischievous humour in spoiling his fair speeches) that he dared scarcely
be so fair-faced and flattering to MacCailein before me as he would be
alone with him.

The castle had the stillness of the grave. Every guest had fled as
quickly as he could from this retreat of a naked and ashamed soul. Where
pipers played as a custom, and laughter rang, there was the melancholy
hush of a monastery. The servants went about a-tiptoe, speaking in
whispers lest their master should be irritated in his fever; the very
banner on the tower hung limp about its pole, hiding the black galley
of its blazon, now a lymphad of disgrace. As we went over the bridge
a little dog, his lordship's favourite, lying at the door, weary, no
doubt, of sullen looks and silence, came leaping and barking about us at
John's cheery invitation, in a joy, as it would appear, to meet any one
with a spark of life and friendliness.

Argile was in his bed-chamber and between blankets, in the hands of his
physician, who had been bleeding him. He had a minister for mind and
body, for Gordon was with him too, and stayed with him during our
visit, though the chirurgeon left the room with a word of caution to his
patient not to excite himself.

"Wise advice, is it not, gentlemen?" said the Marquis. "As if one
stirred up his own passions like a dame waiting on a drunken husband.
I am glad to see you back, more especially as Master Gordon was just
telling me of the surprise at Dalness, and the chance that you had been
cut down there by the