The Washington times., 1912-06-25

duke. ITO apprehend this
pretender by English soldiery
and under martial law is too great an
honor for a man in whose veins there Is
nothing but whisky. Also. such an act
would put upon the incident an impor-
tance which we do not wish to confess
before the chieftains Of the North. We
VIII arrest him, my dear major, as we
would q vagrant, a street roysterer, a
drunken tinker who, is like to disturb
crown, and dignity.
"There!' said he, rising, ''let us con-
slider the Jacobite scheme nipped in the
bud. Let us dismiss 1t from our minds.
and tomorrow you will witness the
gathering OF the clans. 1t is an annual
event-an idea of my own for welding
the chains of friendship between my
own idea!"
How does 1t succeed?" Fitzwilliam
asked, eaten with sudden curiosity.
"Succeed?" echoed the duke, a little
Of course At present the chieftains
of the North do not pay their respects
as they should, but their clans are dis
banded and many of the Stuarts and
are in Argyll. These, attend the annual
gathering. You will see them tomor-
row, and you may profit by your OBJ
servations. You will have an oppor-
I stand toward them, and to reflect
upon the latter improba bality of a ia
cobite rising succeeding. l dine at noon
on Sundays" he concluded abruptly as
a great bell changed through the castle.
So Fitzwilliam remained over night as
a guest of the Duke Of Argyll. in the
Campbell stronghold. In the early dawn
of the next day the major was awak-
ing out of the window, he saw group
of Macleans assembled on the drive be-
fore the castle, their pipers blowing
Justify.
approach of another band of Highland
ers (of another sept, their pipes also
raised in a pibroch. Five minutes later
there were four different groups before
playing four different clan marches. 1t
was observation-disclosures like what
he'll he'll might be i It T. bIew ley up and all the
Fitzwilliam felt a pang of fear at the
horrible sound. 1t somehow suggested
the turbulent spirit which might drive.
he noticed with elatlon was that the
pipers of each group tried to outvie the
others. and the eyes that glared over
inflated cheeks were filled with jealousy,
clan jealousy which lost Culloden for
the Stuart cause
Presently the duke appeared. He
shook hands With the leader Of each
by arrival. He was also careful to give
precisely two shakes to each and to
pay exactly the same com pliment in
the same number of words to each lead
er. Any divergence from this rule would
have provoked ill-feeling and a quarrel
-bloodshed, perhaps-after a days
sulking.
Fitzwilliam dressed and went down to
the big dining-room where he had sat
at the board with the duke on the pre-
vious day. The duke was drinking a
health (and return health) with eac ch
and every leader of each and every
clan-sept. Already, Fitzwilliam noted
the dukes face was flushed and his
words somewhat thick. But the major
and accorded the duke his sympathy.
1t was warm work so soon after break
fast
BY 10 o'clock about 1000 clansmen be-
sides the 1000 Campbells Of Argyll, had
assembled in the park, and by 10 o'clock
to be brief about an unpleasant TRUTH
the Duke Of Argyll was feeling the ef-
feets of his many compulsory potations
Now one of the set rules of this
gathering was that, after the duke had
greeted each sept individually, he must
mount his horse, review the entire en-.
semble in the park, and make a speech
The dukes charger was brought uI
before the castle. Argyll came unstead
lily down the steps with a Highlander or
each side of him (ostensibly an escorD
and attempted to mount. He put his
realizing the ludicrous position thi!
mounting would bring him into, HI
walked to the other side Of the horse
and put his right foot in the left stir
rup
II required tact to get his grace into