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Chapter 25
Butwhetherbecausehewasaverygooddoctor,orIaveryyoung,strongman,Ilaybedriddenfornomorethanaweek,andbeforeamonthIwasabletotaketheroadagainwithagoodheart.
AllthistimeAlanwouldnotleavemethoughIoftenpressedhim,andindeedhisfoolhardinessinstayingwasacommonsubjectofoutcrywiththetwoorthreefriendsthatwereletintothesecret.Hehidbydayinaholeofthebraesunderalittlewood;andatnight,whenthecoastwasclear,wouldcomeintothehousetovisitme.IneednotsayifIwaspleasedtoseehim;Mrs.Maclaren,ourhostess,thoughtnothinggoodenoughforsuchaguest;andasDuncanDhu(whichwasthenameofourhost)hadapairofpipesinhishouse,andwasmuchofaloverofmusic,thistimeofmyrecoverywasquiteafestival,andwecommonlyturnednightintoday.
Thesoldiersletusbe;althoughonceapartyoftwocompaniesandsomedragoonswentbyinthebottomofthevalley,whereIcouldseethemthroughthewindowasIlayinbed.Whatwasmuchmoreastonishing,nomagistratecamenearme,andtherewasnoquestionputofwhenceIcameorwhitherIwasgoing;andinthattimeofexcitement,IwasasfreeofallinquiryasthoughIhadlaininadesert.YetmypresencewasknownbeforeIlefttoallthepeopleinBalquhidderandtheadjacentparts;manycomingaboutthehouseonvisitsandthese(afterthecustomofthecountry)spreadingthenewsamongtheirneighbours.Thebills,too,hadnowbeenprinted.
