The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-03-17


and threatened could have made for
tune by betraying him.
On that first day, as soon as the col
lops were ready, Cluny gave them with
his own hand q squeeze Of lemon for
he was well supplied with luxuries) and
babe US draw in to our meal.
They" said he, meaning the collops,
"are such as gave his royal highness in
this very house, batting the lemon juice,
for at that time we were glad to get the
meat and never flashed for kitchen. In
deed there were mair dragons than
lemons in my country in the year forty
SIX"
We were no sooner done eating than
Cluny brought out an old, thumbed,
greasy pack of cards, such as you may
find in mean inn, and his eyes bright
ened in his face as he proposed that we
should fall to playing.
Now this was one Of the things had
been brought up to eschew like disgrace.
To be sure l might have pleaded my
fatigue, which was excuse enough; but
thought it behooved that l should bear
testimony. Unjust have got very red
in the face, but 1 spoke steadily, and
told them had no call to be a judge of
! others, but for my own part it was
matter in which had no clearness.
Cluny stopped mingling the cards.
"What in the deil's name is thisY' says
he. "What kind of Whiggish, canting
talk is this, for the house of Cluny Mac
| pherson?"
"Sir," said I, Il am very wearied, and
what's more, as you are a man that
likely has sons of your own, may tell
you it was promise to my father"
"Sae nae MAR, sac nae mair," said
| Cluny, and pointed me to bed of heather
in the corner Of the cage. For all that
he was displeased enough, looked at me
askance and grumbled when he looked
What with the brandy and the venison.
q strange heaviness had come over me,
and l had scarce lain down upon the bed
before fell into a kind Of trance in
which l continued almost the whole
time of our stay in the Cage. Some
times / was broad awake and under
stood what passed; sometimes I only
heard voices or men snoring, like the
voice of silly river, and the plaids upon
the wall dwindled down and swelled
out again, like freight shadows on the
roof. l must sometimes have spoken
or cried out, for remember 1 was now
and then amazed at being answered; yet
I was conscious of no particular night
mare, only of a general, black, abiding
horror-a horror of the place was in,
and the bed lay in, and the plaids on
the wall, and the voices, and the fire
and myself.
The barber gillie, who was doctor,
too, was called in to prescribe for me,
but as he spoke in the Gaelic under.
stood not word of his opinion, and was
too sick even to ask for translation.
knew well enough was i'll, and that
was all cared about.
paid little heed while lay in this
poor pass. But Alan and Cluny were
most of the time at the cards, and am
clear that Alan must have begun by
winning, for 1 remember sitting up and
seeing them hard ut it, and great gilt
tering pile Of as much as sixty or a
hundred guineas on the table. 1t looked
strange enough to see all this wealth in
| %
growing trees. And even then I
thought it seemed deep water for Alan
to be riding, who had no better battle
horse than agreen purse and macter of
five pounds.
The luck it seems changed on the
second day. About noon was awakened
as usual for dinner, and as usual re-
fused to eat, and was given dram with
some bitter infusion which the barber
had prescribed. The sun was shining in
at the open door of the Cage, and this
dazzled and offended me. Clunv cat at
the table, biting the pack Of cards.
Alan had stopped over the bed, and had
his face close to my eyes, to which,
troubled as they were with the fever,
it seemed of the most shocking bigness.
He asked me for loan of my money.
What for?" said I.
"Oh, just for loan," said he.
But why?" repeated. II don't see. "
SHOOT, Davidw said Alan. "Ye would
nae grudge me loang'
I would, though, if 1 had had my
senses! But all thought Of then was
to get his face away, and handed him
my money.
On the morning of the third day, when
we had been forty-eight hours in the
Cage, l awoke with a great relief of
spirits, very weak and weary indeed, but
seeing things of the right size and with
their honest, everyday appearance. /
had mind to eat, moreover, rose from
bed Of my own movement, and as soon
as we had breakfasted stepped to the
entry of the Cage and sat down outside
in the top of the wood. It was gray
day. with cool, mild air, and sat in a
dream all morning, only disturbed by
the passing by of Cluny's scouts and
servants coming with provisions and re-
ports, for as the coast was at that time
clear you might almost say he held court
openly.
When returned he and Alan had laid
the cards aside and were questioning a
gillie, and the chief turned about and
spoke to me in the Gaelic.