Part 7 (1/2)

I told her how enius

”And what do you call the name of it?” she asked

”I do not know the real name,” said I ”I just call it Alan's air”

She looked at me directly in the face ”I shall call it David's air,” said she; ”though if it's the least like what your namesake of Israel played to Saul I would never wonder that the king got little good by it, for it's but melancholy music Your other na to hear your tune again you are to ask for it by ave”Why that, Miss Grant?” I asked

”Why,” says she, ”if ever you should co speech and confession to that tune and sing it”

This put it beyond a doubt that she was partly informed of my story and peril How, or just how uess It was plain she knew there was soer in the name of Alan, and thus warned me to leave it out of reference; and plain she knew that I stood under soed besides that the harshness of her last speech (which besides she had followed up immediately with a very noisy piece of music) was to put an end to the present conversation I stood beside her, affecting to listen and adhts I have always found this young lady to be a lover of the mysterious; and certainly this first interviewI learned long after, the hours of the Sunday had been well employed, the bank porter had been found and examined, my visit to Charles Steas discovered, and the deduction made that I was pretty deep with James and Alan, and most likely in a continued correspondence with the last Hence this broad hint that was given me across the harpsichord

In the er misses, as at aover the close, cried on her sisters to coain” The whole family trooped there at once, and crowded one another for a look The hither they ran was in an odd corner of that rooave above the entrance door, and flanked up the close

”Come, Mr Balfour,” they cried, ”cos round the close-head these last days, alith soillies, and yet seems quite a lady”

I had no need to look; neither did I look twice, or long I was afraid shedown upon her from that chamber of music, and she without, and her father in the sa for his life with tears, andhis petitions But even that glance set me in a better conceit ofladies They were beautiful, that was beyond question, but Catriona was beautiful too, and had a kind of brightness in her like a coal of fire As much as the others cast me down, she lifted me up I remembered I had talked easily with her If I could make no hand of it with these finetheir own fault My ehtened with a sense of fun; and when the aunt shters unbent to me like a baby, all with ”papa's orders” written on their faces, there were times when I could have found it in my heart to smile myself

Presently papa returned, the sairls,” said he, ”I ain; but I hope you have been able to persuade hiratified to find hi compliment, and I was led away

If this visit to the family had been meant to soften my resistance, it was the worst of failures I was no such ass but what I understood how poor a figure I hadtheir jaws off as soon as my stiff back was turned I felt I had sho little I had in ed for a chance to prove that I had soerous

Well, I was to be served tome was of a different character

CHAPTER VI-UMQUILE THE MASTER OF LOVAT

There was a e's study, whom I distasted at the first look, as we distaste a ferret or an earwig He was bitter ugly, but seeentleman; had still manners, but capable of sudden leaps and violences; and a serous when he so desired

The Advocate presented us in a familiar, friendly way

”Here, Fraser,” said he, ”here is Mr Balfour e talked about Mr David, this is Mr Simon Fraser, e used to call by another title, but that is an old song Mr Fraser has an errand to you”

With that he stepped aside to his book-shelves, and made believe to consult a quarto volume in the far end

I was thus left (in a sense) alone with perhaps the last person in the world I had expected There was no doubt upon the terms of introduction; this could be no other than the forfeited Master of Lovat and chief of the great clan Fraser I knew he had led his men in the Rebellion; I knew his father's head-rey fox of the mountains-to have fallen on the block for that offence, the lands of the family to have been seized, and their nobility attainted I could not conceive what he should be doing in Grant's house; I could not conceive that he had been called to the bar, had eaten all his principles, and was now currying favour with the Govern Advocate-Depute in the Appin murder

”Well, Mr Balfour,” said he, ”what is all this I hear of ye?”

”It would not becoe,” said I, ”but if the Advocate was your authority he is fully possessed of ed in the Appin case,” he went on; ”I ae; and fronitions I can assure you your opinions are erroneous The guilt of Breck is manifest; and your testimony, in which you admit you saw hi”

”It will be rather ill to hang him till you catch hily leave you to your own impressions”

”The Duke has been informed,” he went on ”I have just come from his Grace, and he expressed hireat nobleman he is He spoke of you by naratitude beforehand in case you would be led by those who understand your own interests and those of the country so much better than yourself Gratitude is no empty expression in thatof my name and clan, and the damnable exa of ood Duke; he has intervened for e; and here I aain and so King George's ene and barefaced insult to his Majesty”