fe　assisted　him　heroically；　charging　his　piece　from　time　to　time；　and　as　they　were　in　possession　of　a　post　that　was　nearly　unassailable；　he　might　have　perhaps　escaped　if　his　ammunition　had　lasted。　　But　at　length　his　balls　were　expended；　although　it　was　not　until　he　had　fired　off　most　of　the　silver　buttons　from　his　waistcoat；　and　the　soldiers；　no　longer　deterred　by　fear　of　the　unerring　marksman；　who　had　slain　three　and　wounded　more　of　their　number；　approached　his　stronghold；　and；　unable　to　take　him　alive；　slew　him　after　a　most　desperate　resistance。
  All　this　Elspat　witnessed　and　survived；　for　she　had；　in　the　child　which　relied　on　her　for　support；　a　motive　for　strength　and　exertion。　　In　what　manner　she　maintained　herself　it　is　not　easy　to　say。　　Her　only　ostensible　means　of　support　were　a　flock　of　three　or　four　goats；　which　she　fed　wherever　she　pleased　on　the　mountain　pastures；　no　one　challenging　the　intrusion。　　In　the　general　distress　of　the　country；　her　ancient　acquaintances　had　little　to　bestow；　but　what　they　could　part　with　from　their　own　necessities；　they　willingly　devoted　to　the　relief　of　others；　From　Lowlanders　she　sometimes　demanded　tribute；　rather　than　requested　alms。　　She　had　not　forgotten　she　was　the　widow　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　or　that　the　child　who　trotted　by　her　knee　might；　such　were　her　imaginations；　emulate　one　day　the　fame　of　his　father；　and　command　the　same　influence　which　he　had　once　exerted　without　control。　She　associated　so　little　with　others；　went　so　seldom　and　so　unwillingly　from　the　wildest　recesses　of　the　mountains；　where　she　usually　dwelt　with　her　goats；　that　she　was　quite　unconscious　of　the　great　change　which　had　taken　place　in　the　country　around　her　the　substitution　of　civil　order　for　military　violence；　and　the　strength　gained　by　the　law　and　its　adherents　over　those　who　were　called　in　Gaelic　song；　〃the　stormy　sons　of　the　sword。〃　　Her　own　diminished　consequence　and　straitened　circumstances　she　indeed　felt；　but　for　this　the　death　of　MacTavish　Mhor　was；　in　her　apprehension；　a　sufficing　reason；　and　she　doubted　not　that　she　should　rise　to　her　former　state　of　importance　when　Hamish　Bean　（or　fair…haired　James）　should　be　able　to　wield　the　arms　of　his　father。　　If；　then；　Elspat　was　repelled；　rudely　when　she　demanded　anything　necessary　for　her　wants；　or　the　accommodation　of　her　little　flock；　by　a　churlish　farmer；　her　threats　of　vengeance；　obscurely　expressed；　yet　terrible　in　their　tenor；　used　frequently　to　extort；　through　fear　of　her　maledictions；　the　relief　which　was　denied　to　her　necessities；　and　the　trembling　goodwife；　who　gave　meal　or　money　to　the　widow　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　wished　in　her　heart　that　the　stern　old　carlin　had　been　burnt　on　the　day　her　husband　had　his　due。
  Years　thus　ran　on；　and　Hamish　Bean　grew　upnot；　indeed；　to　be　of　his　father's　size　or　strength；　but　to　become　an　active；　high…　spirited；　fair…haired　youth；　with　a　ruddy　cheek；　an　eye　like　an　eagle's；　and　all　the　agility；　if　not　all　the　strength；　of　his　formidable　father；　upon　whose　history　and　achievements　his　mother　dwelt；　in　order　to　form　her　son's　mind　to　a　similar　course　of　adventures。　　But　the　young　see　the　present　state　of　this　changeful　world　more　keenly　than　the　old。　　Much　attached　to　his　mother；　and　disposed　to　do　all　in　his　power　for　her　support；　Hamish　yet　perceived；　when　he　mixed　with　the　world；　that　the　trade　of　the　cateran　was　now　alike　dangerous　and　discreditable；　and　that　if　he　were　to　emulate　his　father's　progress；　it　must　be　in　some　other　line　of　warfare　more　consonant　to　the　opinions　of　the　present　day。
  As　the　faculties　of　mind　and　body　began　to　expand；　he　became　more　sensible　of　the　precarious　nature　of　his　situation；　of　the　erroneous　views　of　his　mother；　and　her　ignorance　respecting　the　changes　of　the　society　with　which　she　mingled　so　little。　　In　visiting　friends　and　neighbours；　he　became　aware　of　the　extremely　reduced　scale　to　which　his　parent　was　limited；　and　learned　that　she　possessed　little　or　nothing　more　than　the　absolute　necessaries　of　life；　and　that　these　were　sometimes　on　the　point　of　failing。　　At　times　his　success　in　fishing　and　the　chase　was　able　to　add　something　to　her　subsistence；　but　he　saw　no　regular　means　of　contributing　to　her　support；　unless　by　stooping　to　servile　labour；　which；　if　he　himself　could　have　endured　it；　would；　he　knew；　have　been　like　a　death's…wound　to　the　pride　of　his　mother。
  Elspat；　meanwhile；　saw　with　surprise　that　Hamish　Bean；　although　now　tall　and　fit　for　the　field；　showed　no　disposition　to　enter　on　his　father's　scene　of　action。　　There　was　something　of　the　mother　at　her　heart；　which　prevented　her　from　urging　him　in　plain　terms　to　take　the　field　as　a　cateran；　for　the　fear　occurred　of　the　perils　into　which　the　trade　must　conduct　him；　and　when　she　would　have　spoken　to　him　on　the　subject；　it　seemed　to　her　heated　imagination　as　if　the　ghost　of　her　husband　arose　between　them　in　his　bloody　tartans；　and　laying　his　finger　on　his　lips；　appeared　to　prohibit　the　topic。　　Yet　she　wondered　at　what　seemed　his　want　of　spirit；　sighed　as　she　saw　him　from　day　to　day　lounging　about　in　the　long…skirted　Lowland　coat　which　the　legislature　had　imposed　upon　the　Gael　instead　of　their　own　romantic　garb；　and　thought　how　much　nearer　he　would　have　resembled　her　husband　had　he　been　clad　in　the　belted　plaid　and　short　hose；　with　his　polished　arms　gleaming　at　his　side。
  Besides　these　subjects　for　anxiety；　Elspat　had　others　arising　from　the　engrossing　impetuosity　of　her　temper。　　Her　love　of　MacTavish　Mhor　had　been　qualified　by　respect　and　sometimes　even　by　fear；　for　the　cateran　was　not　the　species　of　man　who　submits　to　female　government；　but　over　his　son　she　had　exerted；　at　first　during　childhood；　and　afterwards　in　early　youth；　an　imperious　authority；　which　gave　her　maternal　love　a　character　of　jealousy。　She　could　not　bear　when　Hamish；　with　advancing　life；　made　repeated　steps　towards　independence；　absented　himself　from　her　cottage　at　such　season　and　for　such　length　of　time　as　he　chose；　and　seemed　to　consider；　although　maintaining　towards　her　every　possible　degree　of　respect　and　kindness；　that　the　control　and　responsibility　of　his　actions　rested　on　himself　alone。　　This　would　have　been　of　little　consequence；　could　she　have　concealed　her　feelings　within　her　own　bosom；　but　the　ardour　and　impatience　of　her　passions　made　her　frequently　show　her　son　that　she　conceived　herself　neglected　and　ill…used。　　When　he　was　absent　for　any　length　of　time　from　her　cottage　without　giving　intimation　of　his　purpose；　her　resentment　on　his　return　used　to　be　so　unreasonable；　that　it　naturally　suggested　to　a　young　man　fond　of　independence；　and　desirous　to　amend　his　situation　in　the　world；　to　leave　her；　even　for　the　very　purpose　of　enabling　him　to　provide　for　the　parent　whose　egotistical　demands　on　his　filial　attention　tended　to　confine　him　to　a　desert；　in　which　both　were　starving　in　hopeless　and　helpless　indigence。
  Upon　one　occasion；　the　son　having　been　guilty　of　some　independent　excursion；　by　which　the　mother　felt　herself　affronted　and　disobliged；　she　had　been　more　than　usually　violent　on　his　return；　and　awakened　in　Hamish　a　sense　of　displeasure；　which　clouded　his　brow　and　cheek。　　At　length；　as　she　persevered　in　her　unreasonable　resentment；　his　patience　became　exhausted；　and　taking　his　gun　from　the　chimney　corner；　and　muttering　to　himself　the　reply　which　his　respect　for　his　mother　prevented　him　from　speaking　aloud；　he　was　about　to　leave　the　hut　which　he　had　but　barely　entered。
  〃Hamish；〃　said　his　mother；　〃are　you　again　about　to　leave　me？〃　But　Hamish　only　replied　by　looking　at　and　rubbing　the　lock　of　his　gun。
  〃Ay；　rub　the　lock　of　your　gun；〃　said　his　parent　bitterly。　〃I　am　glad　you　have　courage　enough　to　fire　it？　　though　it　be　but　at　a　roe…deer。〃　　Hamish　started　at　this　undeserved　taunt；　and　cast　a　look　of　anger　at　her　in　reply。　　She　saw　that　she　had　found　the　means　of　giving　him　pain。
  〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃look　fierce　as　you　will　at　an　old　woman；　and　your　mother；　it　would　be　long　ere　you　bent　your　brow　on　the　angry　countenance　of　a　bearded　man。〃
  〃Be　silent；　mother；　or　speak　of　what　you　understand；〃　said　Hamish；　much　irritated；　〃and　that　is　of　the　distaff　and　the　spindle。〃
  〃And　was　it　of　spindle　and　distaff　that　I　was　thinking　when　I　bore　you　away　on　my　back　through　the　fire　of　six　of　the　Saxon　soldiers；　and　you　a　wailing　child？　　I　tell　you；　Hamish；　I　know　a　hundredfold　more　of　swords　and　guns　than　ever　you　will；　and　you　will　never　learn　so　much　of　noble　war　by　yourself；　as　you　have　seen　when　you　were　wrapped　up　in　my　plaid。〃
  〃You　are　determined；　at　least；　to　allow　me　no　peace　at　home；　mother；　but　this　shall　have　an　end；〃　said　Hamish；　as；　resuming　his　purpose　of　leaving　the　hut；　he　rose　and　went　towards　the　door。
  〃Stay；　I　command　you；〃　said　his　mother〃stay！　　or　may　the　gun　you　carry　be　the　means　of　your　ruin！　　may　the　road　you　are　going　be　the　track　of　your　funeral！〃
  〃What　makes　you　use　such　words；　mother？〃　　said　the　young　man；　turning　a　little　back；　〃they　are　not　good；　and　good　cannot　come　of　them。　　Farewell　just　now！　　we　are　too　angry　to　speak　together　farewell！　　It　will　be　long　ere　you　see　me　again。〃　　And　he　departed；　his　mother；　in　the　first　burst　of　her　impatience；　showering　after　him　her　maledictions；　and　in　the　next　invoking　them