Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-09-07
KIDNAPPED,
BEING MEMOIRS OF THE ADVENTURES OF DAVID
BALFoUR IN THE YEAR l751.
BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE DEATH OF THE RED FOX.

prevailed on to take me, for he was one
of his flock; and in this way | saved
long days travel and the price of the
TWO public ferries ! must otherwise have
passed.
1t was near noon before we set out;
dark day, with clouds. and the sun shin
ing upon little patches. The sea was
here very deep and still, and had scarce
Il wave upon it; so that | must put the
water to my lips before l could believe
it to be truly salt. The mountains on
either side were high, rough and bar
rem, very black and gloomy in the shadow
of the clouds, but all silver-laced with
little watercourses where the sun shone
upon them. It seemed hard country,
this of Appin, for people to care as much
about as Alan did.
There was but one thing to mention.
\ little after we had started, the sun
ShOne upon little moving ciump OF scar
let close in along the waterside to the
north. II was much of the same red as
soldiers coats; every nov and then, too,
there came little sparks and lightnings.
as though the sun had struck upon bright
steel.
asked my boatman what it should be;
and he answered he supposed it was
some Of the red soldiers coming in
from Fort William into Appin, against
Well, it was sad sight to me;
and whether il was because of my
thoughts of Alan. or from something
prophetic in my bosom, although this
was but the second time I had seen
King Georges troops, / had no good
will TO them.
At last we came so near the point of
land at the entering in of Loeb Leven
that | begged to be set on shore. My
boatm2r (WhO was an honest fellow and
mindful of his promise to the catechist)
would fam have carried me on to Bala-
,,,Is u, IrrY 10 fol-
farther from my secret destination,
insisted, and was set on shore at last
under the wood of Lettermore Tor Let
tervore, for / have heard it both Ways
in Aian's country of Appin.
This was a wood of birches grow
that Oyerhung the loch. 1t had many
openings and ferny dells and a road
or bride track ran north and south
through the midst of it, by the edge of
which where was spring. l sat down
TO eat some oat bread of Mr.. Hender-
lands and think upon my situation.
Here | was not only troubled By a cloud
of singing nidges, but far more by the
doubts Of my mind. What | ought to
do, why / was going to join myself with
an outlaw and q would-be murderer like
Alan whether | should not be acting
more like a man of sense to tramp back
to the south country direct, by my
own guidance and at my own charges,
and what Mr.. Campbell or even Mr..
Henderland would think of me if they
should ever learn my folly and pre-
sumption; these were the doubts that
now began TO come in on me stronger
than ever
AS | was SO sitting and thinking, a
sound Of men and horses came to me
through the wood and presently after,
at turning Of the road, | saw four
travellers come into view The way was
in, flyiS art 60 1O11Ob nd n that
they came single and led their horses
by the reinS. The first was a great,
red-headed gentleman, of an imperious
and flushed face, who carried his hat
in his hand and famed himself. for he
was in a breathing heat The second,
by his decent black garb and white
wig, | correctly took to be lawyer.
The third was a servant, and wore some
part of his clothes in tartan, which
showed that his master was Of High
land family, and either an outlaw or
else in singular good odor with the gov
elnment, since the wearing Of tartan
was against tEe act. If | had been
better yersed in these things, | would
lave known the tartan to be of the
Argyle Cor CampbelD colors. This
servant had a good sized portmanteau
strapped on his horse, and net of lem
ons Ito brew punch with hanging at
the saddle-b0w; as was often enough
the custom with luxurious travellers in
that part of the country.
AS for the fourth. who brought up
the tail, i had seen his like before, and
knew MIN at once to be a sheriff's Off
Ger.
| had no sooner seen these people COM
ing than l made up my mind (for no
reason that l can telD to go through
With my adventure; and when the first
came alongside Of me, | rose up from
the bracken and asked him the way
10 AUcharn
He stopped and looked at me, as I
thought little oddly; and then, turning
to the lawyer, "Mungo, said he, there's
many man who would think this more
of Il warning than two pyats. Here
am | on my road to Duror on the job
We ken; and here is young lad starts
up out of the bracken. and speers If /
am on the way to Aucharn.'
"Glenure," said the other, this is an
i'll subject for jesting."
These W0 had now drawn close up
and were gazing at me, while the two
followers had halted about a stonecast
in the rear.
And what seek We in Aucharn?' said
Colin Boy Campbell of Glenure; him
they call the Red Fox; for he it was I
had stopped.
1.-THE man that lives there" says I.
James of the Glens?" says Glenure.
musingly and then to the lawyer: rs
he gathering his people. think ye?"
Anyway, says the lawyer we snail
do better to hide where we are and let
the soldiers rally us.
IF you are concerned for me-" said I,
Il ana neither of his people nor yours,
but an honest subject of King George,
owing no man and fearing no man"
why, very well said, replies the
factor. "But Ii | may make so bold as
ask what does this honest man so far
from his country. and why does he come
seeking the brother of Ardshel? | have
power here, I must tell you. | am kings
factor upon several of these estates, and
have twelve files Of soldiers at my back"
Il have heard a waif word in the coun
Ivy said /, little nettled, that you
were a hard man to drive
He still kept looking at me- as if in
doubt
We'll" said he, at last, your tongue
is bold, but am no unfriend to plain
ness. If ye had asked me the way to
the door Of James Stewart on any other
day but this, [ would have set We right
and hidden We Godspeed. But today
oh AEliDra9' and hn tupOqd again tO