of the road, and the tired state of their animals would admit. Hamish, notwithstanding the length of the journey, trotted on before, with as much alacrity as he did the first minute they set out. Amherst expressed his surprise to Lochandhu.

"Why, the fellow has got his foot on his native soil now," replied he,-"his pace is mended by it, and I'll warrant he would run down a horse ere he would tire."

While they were yet speaking, a rustling was heard among the branches of the underwood, and a tall, athletic, and very handsome man in the Highland garb, sprang into the middle of the path. He was fully armed, with dirk and pistols in his belt, carried a long gun, and was followed by seven or eight men, dressed and accoutred in a similar, though somewhat inferior manner. One of these was the very man who had so earnestly eyed the young Englishman's purse at Macphie's. Amherst was startled by the sudden appearance of this formidable party, but he was relieved, by observing that Lochandhu considered them as friends.

Well, Alexander," said he familiarly, addressing the apparent leader, " all going well, I

hope?" and then turning round towards Amherst, and addressing him in parenthesis, " a half brother of mine, Mr Oakenwold. After the roebucks, I see, Sandy."

The man, whose face wore an expression that gave Amherst no very favourable opinion of him, glanced a keen side-look at him from under his brows, and then began to talk to his brother in Gaelic, walking by his horse's side as he rode slowly on. Meanwhile, the others, after staring at the stranger, fell into the rear of the line of march, where they maintained a broken whispering conversation in the same language, occasionally stretching their heads forward to catch up the words falling from the two brothers. Amherst, as he rode so singularly attended, could not help comparing himself in his own mind to a prisoner of war, taken, under a strong guard, into the enemy's country. From the frequent sly and sinister looks he from time to time observed Alexander Macgillivray stealing over his shoulder at him, he was convinced that the brothers were talking about him, and though he did not understand their language, he could perceive from their manner towards each other, as well as

from the tone of their voices, that they were not agreed on the subject they were discussing. On the part of Alexander there were long, eager, and even violent expostulations, at least such Amherst judged them to be, by the gesticulations used to enforce them, whilst they were received, on the other hand, by Lochandhu, with great apparent coolness, and with a few short words, accompanied by a shrug, or a shake of the head, or a whirl of the arm, or, at most, by an energetic slap on his leathern cased thigh, all which, however, Amherst could easily interpret into decided, though temperate negation.

After accompanying them for a good mile or two, in this way, without the least cessation in their dialogue, Alexander Macgillivray sprang up a gravel bank that rose over the road, speaking all the while he mounted, and halting on the top of it, he, with outstretched hand, continued to address his brother, raising his voice, as Lochandhu, with his head half-turned round, walked his horse slowly on; and it was not until the laird was nearly beyond hearing, that he waved his attendants to follow him, and disappeared into the thickets.

"He is a violent fellow, Sandy," said Lochandhu, as Amherst joined him. "You must know, Mr Oakenwold, he is only my natural brother, though, in his presence, I chose to give him rather a more respectable appellation. He is not a bad fellow in the main; but, as I said before, hot and violent, as such merry-begottens are often apt to be. He is gone to look for deer with these lads. But for all I could say to him about the state of the wind, I couldn't get him advised to take the right cast, or the proper stand."

Amherst reflecting within himself that the rhetoric seemed to have been all exerted on the other side, and that the monosyllabic replies of Lochandhu but ill accorded with this account of their conversation, was as little satisfied with this voluntary explanation, as with that he had obtained from him about Macrory in the morning. But the train of thought it excited was speedily snapt, by his companion soon afterwards exclaiming

"Mr Oakenwold, I may now almost venture to congratulate you on the safe termination of

your journey, for yonder twinkles a light in the house of Lochandhu."

Amherst was by no means sorry to hear this, for the night had already closed in.

""Tis but an humble dwelling, compared to those you have been accustomed to in your own country, and even since you came to Scotland," continued he, after they had emerged from the deep bed of a brook. "But," added he, "it is fortunate that you won't think the worse of it after your last night's lodging. Such as it is, however, I trust that you will be at home in it, and that when you find things not comfortable, or not quite to your liking, you will for my sake believe, that for your sake they would be better, if the owner could afford it. But, stay, we are just almost at the door. You may dismount if you please, and Hamish will show your man to the stables with the horses, and afterwards to the kitchen-fire, where, I daresay by the time he has done up his beasts, he will be right glad of a snug corner. In the meanwhile, permit me to

show

your way." They now alighted on a piece of soft natural grass near the door, and Amherst followed Lochandhu into the house.