animal kept his eye upon him, and, turning round, made a furious bound at him. The spectators But the lad had the good

thought he was gone. sense and coolness to throw himself, very adroitly, at full length flat upon the ground, before the creature could reach him. The stag stood over him, occupied in defending himself from the dogs, but every now and then attempting to gore the

man.

Amherst ran to his assistance, hastily chose a position whence he could shoot without the risk of injuring the prostrate Highlander, and calling to him to be still, fired. The ball hit the hart right between the horns, and the distance being short, it penetrated to the brain. He sprang high into the air, and fell with a tremendous plunge into the pool far below. A shout of applause followed, and some of the men ran down a bank to intercept the floating body. The poor fellow, whose rashness had so nearly proved fatal to him, came up to Amherst, and, embracing his knees, broke forth in a torrent of thankful acknowledgments, which, however, being in Gaelic, would have been lost upon his preserver, had not his eyes and his expressive actions alone been sufficiently intelligible.

And now the shots from the Highlanders, scattered on the sides of the hills, burst on the ear like the independent firing of riflemen, awakening a thousand echoes; and several deer were brought down, as they attempted to pass between the men. The clamour of the people and of the dogs was excessive and continued, until the last of the animals was seen scouring over the brow of the mountain.

A large fire was now kindled near the huge stones where Amherst and Lochandhu had first stationed themselves;-the Highlanders came in from all quarters, and the dead game was collect ed. The deer were quickly paunched, and one of them was selected for immediate use. With this the stoutest youths began to make trials of their strength, vying with each other who should most adroitly and expeditiously wrench out the animal's joints. The cooking was equally speedy and inartificial. The flesh was cut up into steaks, broiled upon the fire, and greedily swallowed by. the hungry fellows around, in the black and smoking state in which it came from the embers,-and then washed down with large potations of aquavitæ.

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Amongst those who appeared, when the whole party assembled, was Alexander Macgillivray, with whom Amherst had not met since the night of his arrival at Lochandhu. He was accompa nied by the same attendants who formed his' party upon that occasion, Amherst and he coldly recognised each other, by distant salutation. The rest of the Highlanders were young men, who, at Lochandhu's request, had very willingly come to assist him in the sport. To these he behaved liberally in the division of the spoil.

Lochandhu, with his usual politeness, addressed Amherst, expressing a hope that he had been pleased with the sport of the day. Amherst declared himself highly gratified; but at the same time added, that he should have more pleasure in shooting a single deer by his own individual exertions, than in the murder they had committed by thus surrounding the whole herd, and slaying them like sheep; and he signified his intention of making such an attempt before leaving the country.

The legs of the deer being tied together with twisted birch-twigs, and hoisted on poles, each carried by two men, the whole party returned down the glen. When they reached the bothy

where their horses had been left, and while some of the attendants were in the act of putting the saddles upon them, Amherst was surprised by some one pulling his skirt. and perceived the Highlander saved, standing behind him.

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He looked round, whose life he had There were others

near; and the man seemed to wish to communicate some private information. He spoke some words of Gaelic in an under tone; and whilst he did so, he looked timidly about him, as if afraid of being observed. Amherst's face showed him that he had not been understood. The Highlander looked unhappy. His features betrayed extreme anxiety; and thinking that he was not perceived by any one near him, he whispered Amherst again in broken English,—

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"Tak him care o' hersel'; tak him care o' yon man!" and as he said so, he threw a side look to wards Alexander Macgillivray, turning his thumb in the direction where he stood, and then ins stantly moved away. dusdem Amherst was a good deal surprised with this caution. He had taken an unaccountable dislike 4509 to Lochandhu's natural brother, from the first moment he beheld him; and now that he look!

ed at him again, he thought he perceived a certain low cunning, and a cast of villany in his down-looking and unsteady eye, which assured him, if there was any reality in the danger his monitress had warned him of, it must be from this very man that it was to be apprehended. At all events, he resolved to be on his guard against him.

The horses being ready, the party proceeded on their route homewards. Amherst remarked, that during the greater part of the way, Alexander Macgillivray, who was on foot, slunk sullenly along in the rear, whispering from time to time with one of his own people,—a man who had the appearance, and partly the dress of a Lowlander, and who was of very unprepossessing physiognomy. Lochandhu himself rode in the van, talking loudly and merrily to the Highlanders around him, with whom he seemed to be very popular.

When they had reached the valley of the Spey, the men broke gradually off in different directions; and the party diminished, till Lochandhu and his brother, and their attendants, were all that remained. Alexander Macgillivray now came up