pecies　of　militia；　who　had　no　conception　of　a　camp　as　their　only　home。　If　a　battle　was　lost；　they　dispersed　to　save　themselves；　and　look　out　for　the　safety　of　their　families；　if　won；　they　went　back　to　their　glens　to　hoard　up　their　booty；　and　attend　to　their　cattle　and　their　farms。　　This　privilege　of　going　and　coming　at　pleasure；　they　would　not　be　deprived　of　even　by　their　chiefs；　whose　authority　was　in　most　other　respects　so　despotic。　　It　followed　as　a　matter　of　course；　that　the　new…levied　Highland　recruits　could　scarce　be　made　to　comprehend　the　nature　of　a　military　engagement；　which　compelled　a　man　to　serve　in　the　army　longer　than　he　pleased；　and　perhaps；　in　many　instances；　sufficient　care　was　not　taken　at　enlisting　to　explain　to　them　the　permanency　of　the　engagement　which　they　came　under；　lest　such　a　disclosure　should　induce　them　to　change　their　mind。　　Desertions　were　therefore　become　numerous　from　the　newly…raised　regiment；　and　the　veteran　general　who　commanded　at　Dunbarton　saw　no　better　way　of　checking　them　than　by　causing　an　unusually　severe　example　to　be　made　of　a　deserter　from　an　English　corps。　　The　young　Highland　regiment　was　obliged　to　attend　upon　the　punishment；　which　struck　a　people；　peculiarly　jealous　of　personal　honour；　with　equal　horror　and　disgust；　and　not　unnaturally　indisposed　some　of　them　to　the　service。　　The　old　general；　however；　who　had　been　regularly　bred　in　the　German　wars；　stuck　to　his　own　opinion；　and　gave　out　in　orders　that　the　first　Highlander　who　might　either　desert；　or　fail　to　appear　at　the　expiry　of　his　furlough；　should　be　brought　to　the　halberds；　and　punished　like　the　culprit　whom　they　had　seen　in　that　condition。　　No　man　doubted　that　General　　would　keep　his　word　rigorously　whenever　severity　was　required；　and　Elspat；　therefore；　knew　that　her　son；　when　he　perceived　that　due　compliance　with　his　orders　was　impossible；　must　at　the　same　time　consider　the　degrading　punishment　denounced　against　his　defection　as　inevitable；　should　he　place　himself　within　the　general's　power。　　＇See　Note　10。Fidelity　of　the　Highlanders。＇
  When　noon　was　well　passed；　new　apprehensions　came　on　the　mind　of　the　lonely　woman。　　Her　son　still　slept　under　the　influence　of　the　draught；　but　what　if；　being　stronger　than　she　had　ever　known　it　administered；　his　health　or　his　reason　should　be　affected　by　its　potency？　　For　the　first　time；　likewise；　notwithstanding　her　high　ideas　on　the　subject　of　parental　authority；　she　began　to　dread　the　resentment　of　her　son；　whom　her　heart　told　her　she　had　wronged。　　Of　late；　she　had　observed　that　his　temper　was　less　docile；　and　his　determinations；　especially　upon　this　late　occasion　of　his　enlistment；　independently　formed；　and　then　boldly　carried　through。　　She　remembered　the　stern　wilfulness　of　his　father　when　he　accounted　himself　ill…used；　and　began　to　dread　that　Hamish；　upon　finding　the　deceit　she　had　put　upon　him；　might　resent　it　even　to　the　extent　of　cutting　her　off；　and　pursuing　his　own　course　through　the　world　alone。　　Such　were　the　alarming　and　yet　the　reasonable　apprehensions　which　began　to　crowd　upon　the　unfortunate　woman；　after　the　apparent　success　of　her　ill…advised　stratagem。
  It　was　near　evening　when　Hamish　first　awoke；　and　then　he　was　far　from　being　in　the　full　possession　either　of　his　mental　or　bodily　powers。　　From　his　vague　expressions　and　disordered　pulse；　Elspat　at　first　experienced　much　apprehension；　but　she　used　such　expedients　as　her　medical　knowledge　suggested；　and　in　the　course　of　the　night　she　had　the　satisfaction　to　see　him　sink　once　more　into　a　deep　sleep；　which　probably　carried　off　the　greater　part　of　the　effects　of　the　drug；　for　about　sunrising　she　heard　him　arise；　and　call　to　her　for　his　bonnet。　　This　she　had　purposely　removed；　from　a　fear　that　he　might　awaken　and　depart　in　the　night…time；　without　her　knowledge。
  〃My　bonnetmy　bonnet；〃　cried　Hamish；　〃it　is　time　to　take　farewell。　　Mother；　your　drink　was　too　strongthe　sun　is　upbut　with　the　next　morning　I　will　still　see　the　double　summit　of　the　ancient　Dun。　　My　bonnetmy　bonnet；　mother；　I　must　be　instant　in　my　departure。〃　　These　expressions　made　it　plain　that　poor　Hamish　was　unconscious　that　two　nights　and　a　day　had　passed　since　he　had　drained　the　fatal　quaigh；　and　Elspat　had　now　to　venture　on　what　she　felt　as　the　almost　perilous；　as　well　as　painful；　task　of　explaining　her　machinations。
  〃Forgive　me；　my　son；〃　she　said；　approaching　Hamish；　and　taking　him　by　the　hand　with　an　air　of　deferential　awe；　which　perhaps　she　had　not　always　used　to　his　father；　even　when　in　his　moody　fits。
  〃Forgive　you；　mother！for　what？〃　　said　Hamish；　laughing；　〃for　giving　me　a　dram　that　was　too　strong；　and　which　my　head　still　feels　this　morning；　or　for　hiding　my　bonnet　to　keep　me　an　instant　longer？　　Nay；　do　YOU　forgive　ME。　　Give　me　the　bonnet；　and　let　that　be　done　which　now　must　be　done。　　Give　me　my　bonnet；　or　I　go　without　it；　surely　I　am　not　to　be　delayed　by　so　trifling　a　want　as　thatI；　who　have　gone　for　years　with　only　a　strap　of　deer's　hide　to　tie　back　my　hair。　　Trifle　not；　but　give　it　me；　or　I　must　go　bareheaded；　since　to　stay　is　impossible。〃
  〃My　son；〃　said　Elspat；　keeping　fast　hold　of　his　hand；　〃what　is　done　cannot　be　recalled。　　Could　you　borrow　the　wings　of　yonder　eagle；　you　would　arrive　at　the　Dun　too　late　for　what　you　purpose　too　soon　for　what　awaits　you　there。　　You　believe　you　see　the　sun　rising　for　the　first　time　since　you　have　seen　him　set；　but　yesterday　beheld　him　climb　Ben　Cruachan；　though　your　eyes　were　closed　to　his　light。〃
  Hamish　cast　upon　his　mother　a　wild　glance　of　extreme　terror；　then　instantly　recovering　himself；　said；　〃I　am　no　child　to　be　cheated　out　of　my　purpose　by　such　tricks　as　these。　　Farewell；　mother！　each　moment　is　worth　a　lifetime。〃
  〃Stay；〃　she　said；　〃my　dear；　my　deceived　son；　run　not　on　infamy　and　ruin。　　Yonder　I　see　the　priest　upon　the　high…road　on　his　white　horse。　　Ask　him　the　day　of　the　month　and　week；　let　him　decide　between　us。〃
  With　the　speed　of　an　eagle；　Hamish　darted　up　the　acclivity；　and　stood　by　the　minister　of　Glenorquhy；　who　was　pacing　out　thus　early　to　administer　consolation　to　a　distressed　family　near　Bunawe。
  The　good　man　was　somewhat　startled　to　behold　an　armed　Highlander；　then　so　unusual　a　sight；　and　apparently　much　agitated；　stop　his　horse　by　the　bridle；　and　ask　him　with　a　faltering　voice　the　day　of　the　week　and　month。　　〃Had　you　been　where　you　should　have　been　yesterday；　young　man；〃　replied　the　clergyman；　〃you　would　have　known　that　it　was　God's　Sabbath；　and　that　this　is　Monday；　the　second　day　of　the　week；　and　twenty…first　of　the　month。〃
  〃And　this　is　true？〃　　said　Hamish。
  〃As　true；〃　answered　the　surprised　minister；　〃as　that　I　yesterday　preached　the　word　of　God　to　this　parish。　　What　ails　you；　young　man？are　you　sick？are　you　in　your　right　mind？〃
  Hamish　made　no　answer；　only　repeated　to　himself　the　first　expression　of　the　clergyman；　〃Had　you　been　where　you　should　have　been　yesterday；〃　and　so　saying；　he　let　go　the　bridle；　turned　from　the　road；　and　descended　the　path　towards　the　hut；　with　the　look　and　pace　of　one　who　was　going　to　execution。　　The　minister　looked　after　him　with　surprise；　but　although　he　knew　the　inhabitant　of　the　hovel；　the　character　of　Elspat　had　not　invited　him　to　open　any　communication　with　her；　because　she　was　generally　reputed　a　Papist；　or　rather　one　indifferent　to　all　religion；　except　some　superstitious　observances　which　had　been　handed　down　from　her　parents。　　On　Hamish　the　Reverend　Mr。　Tyrie　had　bestowed　instructions　when　he　was　occasionally　thrown　in　his　way；　and　if　the　seed　fell　among　the　brambles　and　thorns　of　a　wild　and　uncultivated　disposition；　it　had　not　yet　been　entirely　checked　or　destroyed。　　There　was　something　so　ghastly　in　the　present　expression　of　the　youth's　features　that　the　good　man　was　tempted　to　go　down　to　the　hovel；　and　inquire　whether　any　distress　had　befallen　the　inhabitants；　in　which　his　presence　might　be　consoling　and　his　ministry　useful。　　Unhappily　he　did　not　persevere　in　this　resolution；　which　might　have　saved　a　great　misfortune；　as　he　would　have　probably　become　a　mediator　for　the　unfortunate　young　man；　but　a　recollection　of　the　wild　moods　of　such　Highlanders　as　had　been　educated　after　the　old　fashion　of　the　country；　prevented　his　interesting　himself　in　the　widow　and　son　of　the　far…dreaded　robber；　MacTavish　Mhor；　and　he　thus　missed　an　opportunity；　which　he　afterwards　sorely　repented；　of　doing　much　good。
  When　Hamish　MacTavish　entered　his　mother's　hut；　it　was　only　to　throw　himself　on　the　bed　he　had　left；　and　exclaiming；　〃Undone；　undone！〃　　to　give　vent；　in　cries　of　grief　and　anger；　to　his　deep　sense　of　the　deceit　which　had　been　practised　on　him；　and　of　the　cruel　predicament　to　which　he　was　reduced。
  Elspat　was　prepared　for　the　first　explosion　of　her　son's　passion；　and　said　to　herself；　〃It　is　but　the　mountain　torrent；　swelled　by　the　thunder　shower。　　Let　us　sit　and　rest　us　by　the　bank；　for　all　its　present　tumult；　the　time　will　soon　come　when　we　may　pass　it　dryshod。〃　　She　suffered　his　complaints　and　his　reproaches；　which　were；　even　in　the　midst　of　his　agony；　respectful　and　affectionate；　to　die　away　without　returning　any　answer；　and　when；　at　length；　having　exhausted　all　the　exclamations　of　sorrow　which　his　language；　copious　in　expressing　the　feelings　of　the　he