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           ItoldhimasfarinmyaffairsasIjudgedwise;asfar,thatis,astheywerenoneofAlan’s;andgaveBalachulishastheplaceIwastravellingto,tomeetafriend;forIthoughtAucharn,orevenDuror,wouldbetooparticular,andmightputhimonthescent.

           Onhispart,hetoldmemuchofhisworkandthepeopleheworkedamong,thehidingpriestsandJacobites,theDisarmingAct,thedress,andmanyothercuriositiesofthetimeandplace.Heseemedmoderate;blamingParliamentinseveralpoints,andespeciallybecausetheyhadframedtheActmoreseverelyagainstthosewhoworethedressthanagainstthosewhocarriedweapons.

           ThismoderationputitinmymindtoquestionhimoftheRedFoxandtheAppintenants;questionswhich,Ithought,wouldseemnaturalenoughinthemouthofonetravellingtothatcountry.

           Hesaiditwasabadbusiness.“It’swonderful,”saidhe,“wherethetenantsfindthemoney,fortheirlifeismerestarvation.(Yedon’tcarrysuchathingassnuff,doye,Mr.Balfour?No.Well,I’mbetterwantingit.)Butthesetenants(asIwassaying)aredoubtlesspartlydriventoit.JamesStewartinDuror(that’shimtheycallJamesoftheGlens)ishalf-brothertoArdshiel,thecaptainoftheclan;andheisamanmuchlookedupto,anddrivesveryhard.Andthenthere’sonetheycallAlanBreck—”

           “Ah!”Icried,“whatofhim?”

           “Whatofthewindthatblowethwhereitlisteth?”saidHenderland.“He’shereandawa;hereto-dayandgoneto-morrow:afairheather-cat.