fluttering　free　in　the　wind；　in　despite　of　the　laws　which　had　suppressed；　under　severe　penalties；　the　use　of　the　national　garb　and　all　the　appurtenances　of　Highland　chivalry。　　For　all　this；　her　eager　imagination　was　content　only　to　allow　the　interval　of　some　days。
  From　the　moment　this　opinion　had　taken　deep　and　serious　possession　of　her　mind；　her　thoughts　were　bent　upon　receiving　her　son　at　the　head　of　his　adherents　in　the　manner　in　which　she　used　to　adorn　her　hut　for　the　return　of　his　father。
  The　substantial　means　of　subsistence　she　had　not　the　power　of　providing；　nor　did　she　consider　that　of　importance。　　The　successful　caterans　would　bring　with　them　herds　and　flocks。　　But　the　interior　of　her　hut　was　arranged　for　their　reception；　the　usquebaugh　was　brewed　or　distilled　in　a　larger　quantity　than　it　could　have　been　supposed　one　lone　woman　could　have　made　ready。　Her　hut　was　put　into　such　order　as　might；　in　some　degree；　give　it　the　appearance　of　a　day　of　rejoicing。　　It　was　swept　and　decorated；　with　boughs　of　various　kinds；　like　the　house　of　a　Jewess　upon　what　is　termed　the　Feast　of　the　Tabernacles。　　The　produce　of　the　milk　of　her　little　flock　was　prepared　in　as　great　variety　of　forms　as　her　skill　admitted；　to　entertain　her　son　and　his　associates　whom　she；　expected　to　receive　along　with　him。
  But　the　principal　decoration；　which　she　sought　with　the　greatest　toil；　was　the　cloud…berry；　a　scarlet　fruit；　which　is　only　found　on　very　high　hills；　and　these　only　in　small　quantities。　　Her　husband；　or　perhaps　one　of　his　forefathers；　had　chosen　this　as　the　emblem　of　his　family；　because　it　seemed　at　once　to　imply；　by　its　scarcity；　the　smallness　of　their　clan；　and；　by　the　places　in　which　it　was　found；　the　ambitious　height　of　their　pretensions。
  For　the　time　that　these　simple　preparations　of　welcome　endured；　Elspat　was　in　a　state　of　troubled　happiness。　　In　fact；　her　only　anxiety　was　that　she　might　be　able　to　complete　all　that　she　could　do　to　welcome　Hamish　and　the　friends　who　she　supposed　must　have　attached　themselves　to　his　band；　before　they　should　arrive　and　find　her　unprovided　for　their　reception。
  But　when　such　efforts　as　she　could　make　had　been　accomplished；　she　once　more　had　nothing　left　to　engage　her　save　the　trifling　care　of　her　goats；　and　when　these　had　been　attended　to；　she　had　only　to　review　her　little　preparations；　renew　such　as　were　of　a　transitory　nature；　replace　decayed　branches　and　fading　boughs；　and　then　to　sit　down　at　her　cottage…door　and　watch　the　road　as　it　ascended　on　the　one　side　from　the　banks　of　the　Awe；　and　on　the　other　wound　round　the　heights　of　the　mountain；　with　such　a　degree　of　accommodation　to　hill　and　level　as　the　plan　of　the　military　engineer　permitted。　　While　so　occupied；　her　imagination；　anticipating　the　future　from　recollections　of　the　past；　formed　out　of　the　morning　mist　or　the　evening　cloud　the　wild　forms　of　an　advancing　band；　which　were　then　called　〃Sidier　Dhu〃　（dark　soldiers）；　dressed　in　their　native　tartan；　and　so　named　to　distinguish　them　from　the　scarlet　ranks　of　the　British　army。　　In　this　occupation　she　spent　many　hours　of　each　morning　and　evening。
  CHAPTER　IV。
  It　was　in　vain　that　Elspat's　eyes　surveyed　the　distant　path　by　the　earliest　light　of　the　dawn　and　the　latest　glimmer　of　the　twilight。　　No　rising　dust　awakened　the　expectation　of　nodding　plumes　or　flashing　arms。　　The　solitary　traveller　trudged　listlessly　along　in　his　brown　lowland　greatcoat；　his　tartans　dyed　black　or　purple；　to　comply　with　or　evade　the　law　which　prohibited　their　being　worn　in　their　variegated　hues。　　The　spirit　of　the　Gael；　sunk　and　broken　by　the　severe　though　perhaps　necessary　laws；　that　proscribed　the　dress　and　arms　which　he　considered　as　his　birthright；　was　intimated　by　his　drooping　head　and　dejected　appearance。　　Not　in　such　depressed　wanderers　did　Elspat　recognise　the　light　and　free　step　of　her　son；　now；　as　she　concluded；　regenerated　from　every　sign　of　Saxon　thraldom。　　Night　by　night；　as　darkness　came；　she　removed　from　her　unclosed　door；　to　throw　herself　on　her　restless　pallet；　not　to　sleep；　but　to　watch。　　The　brave　and　the　terrible；　she　said；　walk　by　night。　　Their　steps　are　heard　in　darkness；　when　all　is　silent　save　the　whirlwind　and　the　cataract。　　The　timid　deer　comes　only　forth　when　the　sun　is　upon　the　mountain's　peak；　but　the　bold　wolf　walks　in　the　red　light　of　the　harvest…moon。　　She　reasoned　in　vain；　her　son's　expected　summons　did　not　call　her　from　the　lowly　couch　where　she　lay　dreaming　of　his　approach。　　Hamish　came　not。
  〃Hope　deferred；〃　saith　the　royal　sage；　〃maketh　the　heart　sick；〃　and　strong　as　was　Elspat's　constitution；　she　began　to　experience　that　it　was　unequal　to　the　toils　to　which　her　anxious　and　immoderate　affection　subjected　her；　when　early　one　morning　the　appearance　of　a　traveller　on　the　lonely　mountain…road；　revived　hopes　which　had　begun　to　sink　into　listless　despair。　　There　was　no　sign　of　Saxon　subjugation　about　the　stranger。　　At　a　distance　she　could　see　the　flutter　of　the　belted…plaid　that　drooped　in　graceful　folds　behind　him；　and　the　plume　that；　placed　in　the　bonnet；　showed　rank　and　gentle　birth。　　He　carried　a　gun　over　his　shoulder；　the　claymore　was　swinging　by　his　side　with　its　usual　appendages；　the　dirk；　the　pistol；　and　the　SPORRAN　MOLLACH。　　＇The　goat…skin　pouch；　worn　by　the　Highlanders　round　their　waist。＇　　Ere　yet　her　eye　had　scanned　all　these　particulars；　the　light　step　of　the　traveller　was　hastened；　his　arm　was　waved　in　token　of　recognitiona　moment　more；　and　Elspat　held　in　her　arms　her　darling　son；　dressed　in　the　garb　of　his　ancestors；　and　looking；　in　her　maternal　eyes；　the　fairest　among　ten　thousand！
  The　first　outpouring　of　affection　it　would　be　impossible　to　describe。　　Blessings　mingled　with　the　most　endearing　epithets　which　her　energetic　language　affords　in　striving　to　express　the　wild　rapture　of　Elspat's　joy。　　Her　board　was　heaped　hastily　with　all　she　had　to　offer；　and　the　mother　watched　the　young　soldier；　as　he　partook　of　the　refreshment；　with　feelings　how　similar　to；　yet　how　different　from；　those　with　which　she　had　seen　him　draw　his　first　sustenance　from　her　bosom！
  When　the　tumult　of　joy　was　appeased；　Elspat　became　anxious　to　know　her　son's　adventures　since　they　parted；　and　could　not　help　greatly　censuring　his　rashness　for　traversing　the　hills　in　the　Highland　dress　in　the　broad　sunshine；　when　the　penalty　was　so　heavy；　and　so　many　red　soldiers　were　abroad　in　the　country。
  〃Fear　not　for　me；　mother；〃　said　Hamish；　in　a　tone　designed　to　relieve　her　anxiety；　and　yet　somewhat　embarrassed；　〃I　may　wear　the　BREACAN　＇That　which　is　variegatedthat　is；　the　tartan。＇　at　the　gate　of　Fort…Augustus；　if　I　like　it。〃
  〃Oh；　be　not　too　daring；　my　beloved　Hamish；　though　it　be　the　fault　which　best　becomes　thy　father's　sonyet　be　not　too　daring！　Alas！　　they　fight　not　now　as　in　former　days；　with　fair　weapons　and　on　equal　terms；　but　take　odds　of　numbers　and　of　arms；　so　that　the　feeble　and　the　strong　are　alike　levelled　by　the　shot　of　a　boy。　　And　do　not　think　me　unworthy　to　be　called　your　father's　widow　and　your　mother　because　I　speak　thus；　for　God　knoweth；　that；　man　to　man；　I　would　peril　thee　against　the　best　in　Breadalbane；　and　broad　Lorn　besides。〃
  〃I　assure　you；　my　dearest　mother；〃　replied　Hamish；　〃that　I　am　in　no　danger。　　But　have　you　seen　MacPhadraick；　mother？　　and　what　has　he　said　to　you　on　my　account？〃
  〃Silver　he　left　me　in　plenty；　Hamish；　but　the　best　of　his　comfort　was　that　you　were　well；　and　would　see　me　soon。　　But　beware　of　MacPhadraick；　my　son；　for　when　he　called　himself　the　friend　of　your　father；　he　better　loved　the　most　worthless　stirk　in　his　herd　than　he　did　the　life…blood　of　MacTavish　Mhor。　　Use　his　services；　therefore；　and　pay　him　for　them；　for　it　is　thus　we　should　deal　with　the　unworthy；　but　take　my　counsel；　and　trust　him　not。〃
  Hamish　could　not　suppress　a　sigh；　which　seemed　to　Elspat　to　intimate　that　the　caution　came　too　late。　　〃What　have　you　done　with　him？〃　　she　continued；　eager　and　alarmed。　　〃I　had　money　of　him；　and　he　gives　not　that　without　value；　he　is　none　of　those　who　exchange　barley　for　chaff。　　Oh；　if　you　repent　you　of　your　bargain；　and　if　it　be　one　which　you　may　break　off　without　disgrace　to　your　truth　or　your　manhood；　take　back　his　silver；　and　trust　not　to　his　fair　words。〃
  〃It　may　not　be；　mother；〃　said　Hamish；　〃I　do　not　repent　my　engagement；　unless　that　it　must　make　me　leave　you　soon。〃
  〃Leave　me！　　how　leave　me？　　Silly　boy；　think　you　I　know　not　what　duty　belongs　to　the　wife　or　mother　of　a　daring　man？　　Thou　art　but　a　boy　yet；　and　when　thy　father　had　been　the　dread　of　the　country　for　twenty　years；　he　did　not　despise　my　company　and　assistance；　but　often　said　my　help　was　worth　that　of　two　strong　gillies。〃
  〃It　is　not　on　that　score；　mother；　but　since　I　must　leave　the　country〃
  〃Leave　the　country！〃　　replied　his　mother；　interrupting　him。　　〃And　think　you　that　I　am　like　a　bush；　that　is　rooted　to　the　soil　where　it　grows；　and　must　die　if　carried　elsewhere？　　I　have　breathed　other　winds　than　these　of　Ben　Cruachan。　　I　have　followed　your　father　to　the　wilds　of　Ross　and　the　impenetrable　deserts　of　Y　Mac　Y　Mhor。　　Tush；　man！　　my　limbs；　old　as　they　are；　will　bear　me　as　far　as　your　young　feet　can　trace　the　way。〃
  〃Alas；　mother；〃　said　the　young　man；　with　a　faltering　accent；　〃but　to