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Then he recalled the command of the mys terious female, not to leave the Highlands until he should again see, her. But so long a time had elapsed since she visited him, that he had nearly begun to despair of her fulfilling her pro mise. He remembered how she had employed Miss Malcolm's beloved name as a spell to ensure his obedience to her will. But might she not have used it for a nefarious purpose? Her cautions, now verified by circumstances, forbade him to give such an interpretation to her words.

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He was much perplexed by these reflections; but the result of them was, that however unpleasant he now felt his residence at Lochandhu, from the disagreeable idea of submitting, to re ceive the hospitality of an undoubted robber, as well as from motives of personal apprehension, he determined to postpone his departure at least for a day or two... , tod

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CHAPTER XI.

-This house is but a butchery;

Abhor it, fear it, do not enter it.

SHAKESPEARE.

He rose in the morning rather before the usual breakfast hour, to fulfil his declared intention of grouse-shooting, and descended to the parlour, where he found Mrs Macgillivray. Her eyes and her fingers were busily employed about some work, and before she observed him, he had time accidentally to notice that she was beginning to unpick the letters marked on a shirt, and these he distinctly saw were S. H. M. She no sooner perceived him, than she started up in manifest confusion, and sweeping together the shirts, and India handkerchiefs that were lying on the table beside her, huddled them all into her apron, and exclaiming, “Eh, Maister Oakenwold, my gude

man's sarks are nae seams for the parlour when ye are there!" she scuttled out of the room.

If any part of the circumstantial proof had been wanting, this woman's employment was sufficient to convince him of the justice of his suspicions. He resolved, however, to appear perfectly unconscious of them, at least for the present.

When the Lady returned, therefore, he threw out some indifferent remarks about the weather, and then carelessly mentioned his intention of shooting. Mrs Macgillivray called to Mary to get breakfast, saying to Amherst that her husband had gone early that morning on business, and adding, "As ye're gaun to the muirs, Mr Oakenwold, I'se warrant ye'll be glad to get away betimes, so we'll no wait for him."

Amherst had a successful day's sport, and having largely loaded O'Gollochar's game-bag, they were both returning homewards towards evening, when he happened to observe an eagle soaring aloft. As he eyed it, he saw it swoop suddenly down upon something lying at the base of a range of high cliffs, about half a mile from the path they were pursuing. As it did not rise again, he thought he had now a chance of getting a shot at

the king of birds, which he had very frequently in vain attempted before.

Having drawn his small shot, and put ball into his gun, he sent O'Gollochar home with his burden, and began to make a wide circuit, concealing himself by such banks and hollows as lay in his way. But notwithstanding all his care, the wily bird disappointed him, by rising long before he could come within proper distance, and mounting with broad and vigorous wing to the summit of the cliff, it settled there, and sat as if looking down upon him in derision, and bidding him defiance. Very much baulked, he approached the object the animal had pounced upon, and found that it was a sheep that appeared to have recently fallen from the cliff.

Seeing that he had not the smallest chance of reaching the monarch of the skies, even with ball, whilst he occupied his present lofty throne, he hastily turned his steps in the direction O'Gollo char had taken. But long before he had got into what was to him terra cognita, the night fell so dark that he mistook his road. He was not at first aware of this, however, and having gained a great extent of wood, where he thought he was well

acquainted with the way, he entered it confidently, but soon found himself embarrassed, and became convinced, when too late, that he had taken a wrong direction.

After wandering for a long time through trackless thickets, he was at last gladdened by the appearance of a light that glimmered through the foliage, and he scrambled towards it with the hope of finding some one who could put him on his

way.

On his nearer approach, he found that the light proceeded from the interior of a hovel formed of sods, on a foundation of dry stones. It stood not far from the edge of a bank overhanging a deep ravine, through which a stream held its course. The door was more than half a-jar, and he listened for voices from within, but all was silent. He advanced and knocked, but his appeal was unattended to; he repeated his signal, and, as he still had no answer, he ventured to enter.

A wood-fire was burning on the earthen-floor, as if somebody had been recently there; but seeing no one within, he was about to leave the place, with the idea that, by following the course of the stream, he would soon arrive at the great

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