CHAPTER XIX: Fugitives.
For three weeks Ronald and Malcolm remained in hiding in the hut amongthe hills. Every two or three days Malcolm went down to the village andbrought back food. He learned that the remains of the army at Ruthven hadentirely dispersed, the prince himself seeing the hopelessness of anylonger continuing the struggle. Terrible tales of slaughter anddevastation by Cumberland's troops circulated through the hills. The dukehad fixed his headquarters at Fort Augustus, and thence his troopsravaged the whole country of the clans lately in insurrection. Villageswere burned, cattle slaughtered, women subjected to the grossest insultand ill treatment, and often wantonly slain, and the fugitives among themountains hunted like wild beasts, and slain as pitilessly wheneverovertaken.
Ronald's arm was healing fast. Youth and a good constitution, and thecare and attention of Malcolm, aided perhaps by the pure mountain air,did wonders for him. The splints had proved efficacious, and althoughthey had not yet been taken off, Malcolm was confident that the injurywould be completely repaired. One morning Malcolm had left but half anhour for the village when he returned.
"The enemy are in the village," he said. "I can see clouds of smokerising in that direction. We had better be off at once. They will bescouring all the hills here, as they have done elsewhere, and we hadbetter get out of the neighbourhood."
There was no packing to be done, and taking with them what remained ofthe food Malcolm had last brought, they started on their way. They madefirst for the spring from which they had drawn their water, and thenfollowed the little stream on its way down the hill, as it flowed in theopposite direction to the village. An hour's walking took them into theforest.
"Before we go further let us have a consultation," Malcolm said. "We aresafe now from pursuit, and had better settle upon what course we intendto adopt. Shall we make for Glasgow, and lie hid there until things blowover a little; or make for the isles, and stay there until we get achance of being taken off by some French ship? That is what they say theprince has done; and indeed as there would be no chance of his getting aship on the east coast, and all the Lowlands are against them, he iscertain to have made for the isles. The Clanranalds and most of the otherislemen are loyal to him, and would receive and shelter him. Skye ishostile, but elsewhere he will be safe, and would move from island toisland or get across to the mainland by night if the pursuit became toohot. What do you say, Ronald?"
"I would not try Glasgow unless as a last resource, Malcolm; you areknown to many there, and as I was there as one of the prince's officerson two occasions I might easily be recognized. You may be sure that thereis a very strict lookout for fugitives, and every stranger who enters atown will be closely examined. After some time, when Prince Charles andthe principal chiefs and the leaders will either have escaped across thewater or been hunted down, things will calm down; but at present we mustnot try to pass through the Lowlands."
"At any rate we cannot try to do so till your shoulder is completelyhealed, and you can use your arm naturally; but I do not think that wehad better try and cross to the isles just at present. If Prince Charlesis there, or is believed by the English to be there, the search will beso keen that every stranger would be hunted down; and although theHighlanders might risk imprisonment and death for the prince himself,they could not be expected to run the same risk for anyone else. If theprince escapes it will be because the whole population are with him, andevery man, woman, and child is trying to throw the pursuers off thescent. No, I think we should be safer in Edinburgh itself than in theisles. We will make a shift to live as we can for a month or so; by thattime I hope you will be able to use one arm as well as the other, and wewill then boldly go down into the Lowlands in our old characters as twodrovers."
"That will be the best plan, no doubt," Ronald agreed; "the difficultywill be the getting over the next month."
"We shall manage that," Malcolm said; "fortunately you have still gotsome money left."
"Yes, I have over fifty pounds; it was lucky I was able to draw it, as wereturned north, from the man I left it with at Carlisle."
"Yes, and you wanted to give it back to the treasury," Malcolm said, "andwould have done it if I had not almost quarrelled with you about it,saying that it had been given you for a certain purpose, that you hadcarried out that purpose, and had, therefore, a right to it, and that youwould be only looked upon as a fool if you offered to pay it back.However, there it is now, and lucky it is you have got it. However hardthe times, however great the danger, a man will hardly starve in Scotlandwith fifty pounds in his pocket; so now we will turn our faces west, andmake for the head of one of the lochs; there are plenty of fish to be hadfor catching, and with them and a little oatmeal and a bottle or two ofwhiskey we can live like lords."
They walked for some hours, and stopped for the night in the hut of ashepherd, who received them hospitably, but could give them but littlefood, his scanty supplies being almost exhausted, for, as he told them,"the hills are full of fugitives, and those who come all cry for meal; asfor meat, there is no want of it. Men won't starve as long as there aresheep and cattle to be had for lifting them, and at present there aremore of these than usual in the hills, for they have all been driven upfrom the villages lest they should fall into the hands of the troopers;but meal is scarce, for men dare not go down to the villages to buy, andwe only get it when the women bring it up as they have a chance."
In the morning the shepherd gave them directions as to the way theyshould take, and a few hours later they came down upon the head of one ofthe many deep inlets on the western coast. A small fishing boat stood onthe shore, but they dared not descend into this, but made their way tothe point where, as the shepherd had told them, a stream which flowedfrom a mountain tarn some miles inland made its way down into the sea.
The banks were thickly wooded for some two miles from its outlet; beyondthat was a moorland covered with heather. They determined to encamp nearthe upper edge of the wood, and at once set to with their swords to cutdown branches and construct a hut. This was completed before dusk, andMalcolm then started for the village on the seashore. Ronald besought himto be most careful.
"There is likely," he said, "to be a party of soldiers in every villageround the coast, for they will know that all the chiefs and officerswould be making for the sea. The clansmen have only to remain in thehills until this persecution dies out, and then go quietly home again;but for the leaders the only hope is escape by sea."
"I will be careful, lad," Malcolm said. "I shall not enter the village,but will hang about in its outskirts until I come across someone, andwith plenty of money in my pocket it is hard if I cannot manage to get abag of meal and a net, even if the place is full of English soldiers."
Three hours later Malcolm returned laden with a sack containing fortypounds of meal, a jar with two gallons of whiskey, and a net.
"There," he said as he entered; "we can do for a month now, if needs be.There is a party of militia in the village, and I hear the whole coast isclosely watched, and there are a number of English cruisers among theislands."
"How did you get the things?"
"I waited till a woman came down with a bundle of faggots, and told herwhat I wanted. She said at first it was impossible; but when I said I wasprepared to pay well she altered her tone, and said she would send herhusband out to me. He soon came, and after some bargaining he agreed tobring me out the things I wanted for three pounds, and here they are. Isee you have got a fire alight, so we will make some cakes at once. Ihave brought a griddle and two horns with me."
The next morning they set to work to fish. The net was stretched acrossthe lower end of a pool, and they then stripped and waded in, splashingand throwing stones as they went. It was just up to their necks in thedeepest parts, shallowing to two feet below. When they reached the netthey found two fine salmon caught there, and carrying these ashore theysplit one and placed it above the fire. The net was then removed, and inhalf an hour they were sitting down to a breakfast of grill
ed salmon andhot oatmeal cakes, which Ronald thought the most delicious repast he hadever tasted.
For three weeks they remained at this spot. They were not always alone,being sometimes joined for a day or two by other fugitives, who, likethemselves, were wandering near the sea coast seeking escape. Theseseldom stayed long, for it was felt unsafe to keep in parties of morethan two or three at the utmost. Some of the fugitives were in wretchedcondition, having been wandering among the moors and forests for weeks,and as the fishing was very successful, Ronald and Malcolm were able togive them at parting a good supply of smoked salmon, and a portion ofmeal, of which Malcolm from time to time brought a fresh supply up fromthe village.
The people there knew little of what was passing in the outer world; butfrom the conversation of the soldiers they were sure that Prince Charleshad so far escaped capture, and an opinion began to prevail that he hadsucceeded in making his escape by sea, in spite of the vigilance of theEnglish cruisers.
By the end of the three weeks even Malcolm admitted that Ronald's woundwas completely cured. Two large blue scars showed where the bullet hadpassed through, and beneath this could be felt a lump where the brokenbone had knitted together, and this would in time become as strong as therest of the shoulder. Malcolm's splints had done their duty, and the eyecould detect no difference between the level or width of the twoshoulders. Ronald could move his arm freely in all directions, and,except that he could not at present venture to put any strain upon thearm, he might be considered as perfectly cured. They determined,therefore, to continue their way. In the first place, however, it wasnecessary to procure other clothes, for Ronald was still in uniform, andalthough Malcolm's attire was not wholly military, it yet differedmaterially from that of a countryman.
"We shall have to get other clothes when we get south," Malcolm said;"for a Highlander's dress would be looked upon with as much suspicion inGlasgow as would that uniform of yours. But until we get down to theLowlands the native garb will be the best."
Accordingly he paid another visit to the village, and with the utmostdifficulty persuaded the man he had before dealt with to bring him twosuits of clothes, such as were worn by the fishermen there. In these,although Malcolm's small stock of Gaelic would betray them at once forother than they seemed to the first clansman who might address them, theycould pass muster with any body of English troops they might meet by theway.
Before starting they caught and smoked as many salmon as they couldcarry, as the fishermen of the coast were in the habit of exchanging fishfor sheep with their inland neighbours. They cut each a short pole, andslung some fish at each end, and then placing it on their shoulder,started on their way. They kept along the hillside until they struck thetrack--for it could scarcely be called a road--leading from thevillage into the interior, and then boldly followed this; for thedifficulty of travelling across the hilly and broken country was so greatthat they preferred to run the slight extra risk of keeping to the road,feeling certain that for the first day's march at least their appearanceand the fish they carried would answer for themselves with any body oftroops they might meet.
Of this, however, they did not think there was much chance. Theauthorities would have long since learned the futility of hunting thefugitives among the hills, and would be confining their efforts to thesea coast. They were now at a considerable distance from the scene of thebloody persecutions of Cumberland and Hawley, and although in other partsof Scotland severe measures might be adopted against known adherents ofthe Stuarts, it was among the Highland clans only that savage andwholesale massacres were being carried into effect.
Occasionally in the course of the day's walk they met with clansmenpassing along the road. These generally passed with a brief word ofgreeting in Gaelic. One or two who stopped to speak recognized at once byMalcolm's accent that the wayfarers were not what they pretended to be;but they asked no questions, and with a significant smile and anexpression of good wishes went on their way.
At the village where they stopped, after a long day's journey, the sameline of conduct was observed towards them. The inhabitants guessed atonce that they were in disguise; but the edicts against those whoassisted fugitive insurgents were so severe that none made any open signof their recognition. They paid for their night's lodging and food with aportion of their fish, which they were indeed glad to get rid of.
The next day they resumed their journey, and towards sunset arrived at avillage where they saw a party of English cavalry, who had apparently butjust arrived. The men were cleaning their horses, and an officer wassitting on a bench in front of the principal house in the village; for hehad already made a close inspection of every house in the village, andthe angry faces of the women and the sullen looks of a few men there wereabout showed how they resented the disturbance of their households.
It was too late to retreat, and Malcolm and Ronald walked boldly to thepublic house in the centre of the village. The officer at once rose andwalked across to him.
"Who are you?" he asked; "and where do you come from?"
Malcolm shook his head and said in Gaelic:
"I do not understand English."
"What fools these people are!" the officer exclaimed. "Ho, within there!"
The landlady came to the door.
"Do you speak English?"
"I speak a little," the woman said.
"Just ask these men who they are and where they come from."
The woman asked the question in Gaelic, and Malcolm replied:
"We are, as you see, fishermen, and we come from Huish."
As he spoke there was a slight change in the woman's face; but it passedaway, and she translated Malcolm's answer to the officer.
"But that is forty miles away," the officer said. "What do they do withtheir fish at this distance from their home?"
The question being put in Gaelic by the woman, Malcolm replied that owingto the boats being seized by the soldiers, and trade being at astandstill, they could no longer make a living at home, and weretherefore on their way to Glasgow to ship as sailors. They were carryingtheir fish with them to pay for their food and lodging on the way.
The story was probable enough, and the officer's suspicion was allayed.
"They are fine looking fellows, both of them," he said to himself as hereturned to his bench. "Father and son, I suppose. The young one wouldmake a strapping soldier. Like enough he was at Culloden. However, thankgoodness, I have no grounds for suspecting or detaining them. I am sickof this brutal business of fugitive hunting. We are officers and notbutchers, and this slaying of brave men who have met us fairly in battleis a disgrace to the British name."
Ronald and Malcolm followed the woman into the house.
"I am ready to buy some of your fish," she said in a loud tone of voicein Gaelic, "for there will be many to feed this evening; as my house isfull of soldiers I cannot take you in, but if you like you can sleep inthat shed over there. I can cook one of your fish for you, and let youhave some black bread; but that is all I can do. Now, how much do youwant for the fish?"
Malcolm named a low price, and the woman took three or four of thelargest. For these she offered him the price he had asked. He glancedround, and seeing that they were not overlooked, he shook his head.
"We don't want money," he said. "We are well provided. Many thanks forkeeping our secret."
The woman nodded, and without another word the two went out and sat downon a stone bench outside until the landlady brought out a platter with afish and some black bread. This they ate where they sat. Malcolm thenwent in to get some tobacco, and returned with his pipe alight, and satwith Ronald watching with apparent interest the operations of thesoldiers until night closed in. Then they retired to the shed thelandlady had pointed out, and found that a large bundle of freshlygathered rushes had been shaken out to form a bed. Carrying in theirpoles with their now diminished load of fish, they closed the door andthrew themselves down upon the rushes.
"That has passed off well," Malcolm said. "To
morrow we will only go amile or so out of the village, and stop in the first wood we come to, andgo on at night. Thirty miles will take us close down to Dumbarton, andthere we must manage to get some fresh clothes."
"We shall be able to leave our poles behind us," Ronald said, "and thatwill be a comfort. Although my load of fish was not nearly as heavy asyours, still carrying it on one shoulder was no joke, and I shall beheartily glad to get rid of it."
"I shall not be sorry myself," Malcolm said; "but there will be nooccasion to waste the fish. We shall be up and away long before thesoldiers are stirring, and we may as well hand them over as a present tothe landlady."
This was done, and at an early hour in the morning they were upon theroad again. After an hour's walking they stopped in a wood till eveningand then continued on their way until they reached Dumbarton, where theythrew themselves down beside some boats drawn up upon the shore, andslept till the morning.
They then boldly entered the town, and as their garb was similar to thatof the men who brought down the fish caught at the villages on the coast,no attention whatever was paid to them. They had no difficulty inpurchasing the clothes they required, and carrying them out of the townthey changed in the first retired spot they reached, and, as two Lowlanddrovers, tramped on to Glasgow. With their bonnets pulled well down overtheir eyes they entered the town. They had little fear of discovery, fornone would be likely to recognize in Ronald the gaily dressed youngofficer of Prince Charles.
As to Malcolm, he felt safe from molestation. He was, of course, known tomany drovers and others, but they would not concern themselves with whathe had been doing since they last saw him, and even had they noticed himwhen he was there with Ronald, would not denounce an old comrade. Hewent, therefore, boldly to the little inn where he had been in the habitof staying when in the city.
"Ah, Malcolm, is that you, man?" the landlord said as he entered. "Ididna think o' seeing you again. I thought it likely ye were laying stiffand stark somewhere out on the muirs. Eh, man, you are a foolish fellowto be mixing yourself up in the affairs of ithers."
"I have done with it now, Jock, for good and all," Malcolm said, "and amgoing back to my old trade again."
"I think you are a fule to come back here so soon. There's mony a onemarked ye as ye rode in behind that young officer of the prince's, and ifthey denounce you now they would soon clap you in between four walls."
"Hoots, man!" Malcolm laughed; "who would trouble themselves about a bodylike me!"
"There are bleudy doings up i' the Highlands," the landlord said gravely,"if a' they say is true."
"It is true, Jock, more shame to them; but they wouldn't do in Glasgowwhat they are doing there. They are hunting down the clansmen like wildbeasts; but here in the Lowlands they will not trouble themselves to askwho was for King George and who was against him, except among those whohave got estates they can confiscate."
"May be no," the landlord replied. "Still, Malcolm, if you will take myadvice you won't show yourself much in the streets, nor your friendeither," he added significantly. "You may be safe, but the citizens aresmarting yet over the requisitions that were made upon them, and yourfriend had best keep in his room as long as ye stay here."
Malcolm nodded.
"He will be careful, Jock, never fear. We shall be off again as soon aswe get a chance. I will leave him here while I go down the town and findwhether there is a herd starting for England. If there is we will go withit; if not, I shall try and get a passage by sea."
Malcolm could not hear of any drove of cattle going south. The troubleshad, for the time, entirely put a stop to the trade. After it was dark hewent to Andrew's. His brother's face expressed both pleasure and dismayat seeing him.
"Right glad I am to see you have got safely through it all, Malcolm, butyou must be mad to show yourself here again at present. But how is theboy? We have troubled sorely over him. I trust that he too has comesafely through it?"
"Safe and sound, Andrew, save that he had a bullet through his shoulderat Culloden; but he is tight enough again now."
"And what have you been doing ever since?"
"Curing his shoulder and fishing;" Malcolm briefly related theiradventures since Culloden.
"And is he with you here in Glasgow, Malcolm? Surely you are not madenough to bring him here, where he is known to scores of people as one ofthe rebel officers!"
"He is here, sure enough," Malcolm said, "and safer than he has been forsome time. It is nearly two months since Culloden, and people arebeginning to think of other things, except in the Highlands, where thosefiends Cumberland and Hawley are burning and slaying. Ronald is dressedlike a drover, and no one is likely to recognize him. However, he willremain within doors. And now, brother, I want you to take us a passage inthe next vessel sailing for London. If I go to a shipper he may askquestions, and like enough it may be necessary to get passes signedbefore we can go on board."
"Certainly it is," Andrew said. "A strict lookout is kept to prevent therebel leaders from escaping, and no captain of a ship is permitted totake a passenger unless he is provided with a pass, signed by amagistrate, saying that he is a peaceable and well known person."
"But just at present we are both peaceable persons, Andrew, and we cancertainly claim to be well known citizens."
"It is no joking matter, Malcolm, I can tell you," Andrew said irritably;"but of course I will see what I can do. And now I will put on my bonnetand come with you and have a chat with Ronald. It will not do to bringhim here tonight, but we must arrange for him to come and see Janetbefore he sails. I shall not tell her anything about it till he is readyto start, for you know she is very particular, and I am afraid I shallhave to say what is not quite true to get the order. I can sign itmyself, but it must have the signature of the provost too."
So saying he took his cap and accompanied Malcolm to the lodging.
"Stay here a moment, Andrew," Malcolm said when he arrived within a fewyards of the little inn. "I will see that there is no one drinkingwithin. It wouldna look well to see a decent bailie of the city goinginto a liquor shop after dark. It will be best for me to fetch him outhere, for I doubt there's any room where you could talk without fear ofbeing overheard."
Ronald, who was sitting with his cap pulled down over his eyes as ifasleep, in a corner of the room, where three or four drovers were smokingand talking, was called out by Malcolm.
"I am right glad to see you again," Andrew Anderson said heartily. "Janetand I have passed an ill time since the battle was fought. Elspeth haskept up our hopes all along. She said she was sure that you were alive,quite downright sure; and though neither Janet nor I have much faith insuperstitions, the old woman's assertions that she should assuredly knowit if you were dead did somehow keep up our spirits. Besides, I had faithin Malcolm's knowledge of the country, and knew you were both famous forgetting into scrapes and out of them, so I thought that if neither bulletnor sabre had stretched you on the moor of Culloden you would manage towin your way out of the trouble somehow. However, I think you are prettysafe here. The bloody doings of Cumberland have shocked every Scotchman,and even those who were strongest against the Stuarts now cry shame, andso strong is the feeling that were the prince to appear now with ahandful of followers I believe the whole country would rise in hisfavour. So deep is the wrath and grief at the red slaughter among theHighlands there would not be many Scotchmen found who would betray afellow Scot into the hands of these butchers. I will make inquirytomorrow as to what ships are sailing, and will get you a passage in thefirst. There may be some difficulty about the permit; but if I can't getover it we must smuggle you on board as sailors. However, I don't thinkthe provost will ask me any questions when I lay the permit before himfor his signature. He is heart and soul for the king, but, like us all,he is sick at heart at the news from the North, and would, I think, shutan eye if he saw a Jacobite making his escape. And now, lad, I must begoing back, for the hour is getting late and Janet does not know why I amaway. Come to us tomorrow ev
ening as soon as the shop closes. Janet andElspeth will be delighted to see you, and we will have a long talk overall that you have gone through."
On the following evening Ronald and Malcolm presented themselves atAndrew's and were received with delight by Elspeth and Mrs. Anderson. Thelatter had, while the rebellion appeared to have a chance of success,been its bitter opponent, and had spoken often and wrathfully against herhusband's brother and Ronald embarking in such an enterprise; but withits overthrow all her enmity had expired, and she would have been readyto give assistance not only to them, but to any other fugitive trying toescape.
"I have good news for you," Andrew said, when the first greetings wereover. "A vessel sails in the morning, and I have taken passages for youin it; and what is more, have brought your permits. I went to the provostand said to him, 'Provost, I want you to sign these permits for twofriends of mine who are wanting to go up to London.'
"'Who are they?' said he.
"'They are just two drover bodies,' I said. He looked at me hard.
"'One question, Andrew. I know how you feel just at present. You are aloyal man like myself, but we all feel the same. I will sign your permitfor any save one. Give me your word that neither of these men is CharlesStuart. I care not who they may be beside, but as a loyal subject of KingGeorge I cannot aid his arch enemy to escape.'
"'I give you my word, provost,' I said. 'One is--'
"'I don't want to know who they are,' he interrupted. 'I had rather notknow. It is enough for me that you give me your word that neither of themis Charles Stuart,' and he took the pen and signed the permit. 'Betweenourselves,' he went on, 'I shall be glad to hear that the misguided youngman is safe across the water, but as Provost of Glasgow I could lend himno help to go.'
"'They say he has got safe away already,' I said.
"'I think not, Andrew; the coast has been too closely watched for that.The young man is hiding somewhere among the isles, among the Clanranaldsor Macdonalds. I fear they will have him yet. I dread every day to getthe news; but I hope beyond all things, that if they do lay hands on himit will be through the treachery of no Scot.'
"'I hope not, provost,' I said. 'They haven't got over throwing it in ourteeth that we sold King Charles to Cromwell.' So we just shook hands andsaid goodbye, and here is the permit."
They spent a long evening talking over the past.
"I wonder if I shall ever see you again, Ronald!" Mrs. Anderson said,with tears in her eyes, as they rose to say goodbye.
"You need nor fear about that, Janet, woman," her husband said. "Ronaldand Malcolm aye fall on their legs, and we shall see them back again liketwo bad pennies. Besides," he went on more seriously, "there will be anend of these savage doings in the north before long. Loyal men inScotland are crying out everywhere against them, and the feeling inEngland will be just as strong when the truth is known there, and youwill see that before long there will be a general pardon granted to allexcept the leaders. Fortunately Ronald and Malcolm are not likely to bein the list of exceptions, and before a year is up they will be able tocome back if they will without fear of being tapped on the shoulder by aking's officer."
"I shall come back again if I can, you may be sure," Ronald said. "Ofcourse I do not know yet what my father and mother's plans may be; butfor myself I shall always look upon Scotland as my home, and come back toit as soon as I have an opportunity."
"You do not intend to stay in the French army?"
"Certainly not. After the treatment my father has received I have noinclination to serve France. The chief reason why Scotchmen have enteredher service has been that they were driven from home, and that theylooked to France for aid to place the Stuarts on the throne again. Nowthat the time has come, France has done nothing to aid, and has seen theStuart cause go down without striking a blow to assist it. I considerthat cause is lost for ever, and shall never again draw my sword againstthe House of Hanover. Nor have I had any reason for loving France. Afterliving in a free country like Scotland, who could wish to live in acountry where one man's will is all powerful--where the people arestill no better than serfs--where the nobles treat the law as made onlyfor them--where, as in my father's case, a man may not even marryaccording to his own will without incurring the risk of a life'simprisonment? No, I have had enough of France; and if ever I get theopportunity I shall return to Scotland to live."
The next morning early Ronald and Malcolm embarked on board a ship. Theirpermits were closely scrutinized before the vessel started, and athorough search was made before she was allowed to sail. When theofficers were satisfied that no fugitives were concealed on board theyreturned to shore, and the vessel started on her voyage for London.
CHAPTER XX: Happy Days.
On arriving in London, after ten days' voyage, Ronald and Malcolmobtained garments of the ordinary cut. The one attired himself as anEnglish gentleman, the other in a garb suitable to a confidentialattendant or steward, and after a stay of two or three days they madetheir way by coach down to Southampton.
Here they remained for a week, and then effected a bargain with thecaptain of a fishing lugger to set them on shore in France. As the twocountries were at war this could only be done by landing them at night atsome quiet spot on the French coast. The lugger cruised about a couple ofdays, and then, choosing a quiet night when there was a mist on thewater, she ran in as closely as she dared, then the boat was lowered, andMalcolm and Ronald were rowed to shore and landed a few miles south ofBoulogne.
When it was light they made their way to a village; here but fewquestions were asked them, for many refugees from Scotland and Englandwere crossing to France. As they had been well provided with funds byAndrew they posted to Paris, and on arriving there put up at the innwhere they had stopped on the occasion of their first visit.
"We must be careful," Malcolm said, "how we stir out until we know howthings stand. The first thing to do is to find out whether the regimentis still in Paris."
This they were not long in doing, as their host was able to inform themat once that it had left the capital several months before, and oncomparing dates they found that its departure had followed within a dayor two that of their own flight from Paris.
"It was no doubt meant as a punishment," Ronald said, "on Colonel Humefor acting as my second in that affair with the duke. I hope that nofurther ill befell him."
His mind was set easy on this score by the news that Colonel Hume hadaccompanied his regiment. On asking after Marshal Saxe they learned thathe was away on the frontier, where he had been carrying on the war withgreat success, Antwerp, Mons, Namur, and Charleroi all having beencaptured.
The king was in person with the army. This being the case Ronald saw thatit was of no use remaining in Paris, as he was without friend orprotector there, and he dared not rejoin his regiment until he learnedwhether the king's anger was as hot as ever. He therefore started at oncewith Malcolm and travelled down to La Grenouille.
It was a joyful meeting between him and his parents, who were in thegreatest anxiety respecting him, for although he had written severaltimes, communication was uncertain owing to the war, the only chance ofsending letters being by such French vessels as arrived at Scottish portsafter running the gauntlet with English cruisers. Some of these had beencaptured on the way back, and only two of Ronald's letters had arrivedsafely. The last of these had been written a few days after the battle ofFalkirk, and Ronald had then stated that he no longer had any hope of thefinal success of the expedition. They had received the news of the defeatat Culloden, and had since passed nearly three months of painfulsuspense, relieved only by the arrival of Ronald himself. He found hismother looking well and happy; his father had somewhat recovered from hisrheumatism, and looked a younger man by some years than when he saw himlast.
"He will recover fast now," the countess said; "but he has worried aboutyou night and day, Ronald. I hope that you will stay with us for a time.We have seen so little of you yet."
Ronald learned that a few days after his f
light an officer had appearedat the chateau with the royal order for his arrest, and it was from himthat his parents had first learned the news of his duel with the Duke ofChateaurouge and its result.
"I could hardly believe my ears, Ronald," his father said; "to think thatmy son, scarce a man yet, should have killed in fair fight one of thefirst duellists in France. It seemed almost incredible. Malcolm told methat you were a first rate swordsman, but this seemed extraordinaryindeed. The officer remained here for three days, and then, convincedthat you had not made in this direction, left us. A day or two afterwardswe received the letter you wrote us from Nantes, saying that you werestarting for Scotland with the prince. I grumbled sorely over myrheumatism, I can tell you, which prevented my drawing my sword once morefor the Stuarts; but it was no use my thinking of it."
"No, indeed," the countess said; "and I can tell you, Ronald, that had hebeen ever so well I should not have let him go. After being separatedfrom one's husband for sixteen years one is not going to let him run offto figure as a knight errant at his pleasure."
"Your friend Colonel Hume wrote to us," the colonel said with a smile athis wife's word, "giving us details of the duel, and speaking of yourconduct in the highest terms. He said that at present the king wasfurious; but that he hoped in time he would get over it. Colonel Hume hadseen Marshal Saxe, who had promised on the first opportunity to speak tothe king, and to open his eyes to the character of his late favourite,and to tell him of the attempts which the duke had made to prevent theroyal orders for our release being carried out, and to remove you byassassination. Two months ago he wrote again to us from Antwerp, whichhad just fallen, saying that Marshal Saxe had bid him tell us that theking was in a much more favourable disposition, and that he had taken theopportunity when his majesty was in a good humour to tell him the wholecircumstances of your journey with the orders for our release, and thatin consequence the king had made other inquiries respecting the lateduke, and had acknowledged that he had been greatly deceived as to hischaracter. At the same time, as your name had been by the king's orderremoved from the list of officers of the Scottish Dragoons immediatelyafter the duel, he recommended that should you return to France youshould not put yourself in the king's way or appear at all in public forthe present.
"'The marshal,' Colonel Hume wrote, 'has made your affair a personalmatter, and he, as is his habit in war, will persevere until he succeeds.His reputation and influence are higher than ever, and are daily rising;be assured that when the campaign is over, and he reaps all the honoursto which he is entitled, he will push your claim as before.'"
In the first week in October the suspense from which they had suffered asto the fate of Prince Charles was relieved by the news that on the 29thof September he had safely landed at the little port of Roscoff nearMorlaix. He made his way to Paris, and Ronald, accompanied by Malcolm,took horse at once and rode there to pay his respects to the prince, andcongratulate him on his escape. The prince received him with great warmthand cordiality, and from his own lips Ronald learned the story of hisadventures.
He had, eight days after Culloden, embarked for the cluster of islets towhich the common name of Long Island is applied. After wandering fromplace to place and suffering greatly from hunger, he gained South Uist,where his wants were relieved by Clanranald. The English, suspecting orlearning that he was there, landed two thousand men on the island, andcommenced an active search for him. He must have been detected had notFlora Macdonald--stepdaughter of a captain in a militia regiment whichformed part of the troops who had landed--upon being appealed to byLady Clanranald, nobly undertaken to save him.
She obtained from her stepfather a passport to proceed to Skye with amanservant and a maid. Charles was dressed in female clothes, and passedas Betty Bourk, while a faithful Highlander, Neil M'Eachan, acted as herservant. They started at night in an open boat, and disembarked in Skye.Skye was ever a hostile country, as its chief, Sir Alexander Macdonald,who had at first wavered, was now a warm supporter of the Hanoverians,and was with the Duke of Cumberland. Nevertheless Flora appealed to hiswife, Lady Margaret, a daughter of the Earl of Eglinton, and informed herthat her attendant was Prince Charles in disguise. Lady Margaret noblyresponded to her appeal. Her own house was full of militia officers, andshe intrusted Charles to the charge of Macdonald of Kingsburgh, herhusband's kinsman and factor, who took the party to his house.
The next day Charles took leave of Flora Macdonald with warm expressionsof gratitude, and passed over to the Isle of Rasay, in the disguise of amale servant. Thence he made his way to the mainland, where on landing hewas compelled to lie in concealment for two days cooped up within a lineof sentries. After many dangers he took refuge in a mountain caveinhabited by seven robbers, who treated him with the greatest kindness,and supplied his wants for the three weeks he remained with them. Aftermany other adventures he joined his faithful adherents Cluny and Locheil,who were in hiding in a retreat on the side of Mount Benalder, and herehe lived in comparative comfort until he heard that two French vesselsunder the direction of Colonel Warren of Dillon's regiment had anchoredin Lochnanuagh.
Travelling by night he made his way to that place, and embarked on the20th of September, attended by Locheil, Colonel Roy Stuart, and about ahundred other fugitives who had learned of the arrival of the Frenchvessels. It was almost precisely the spot at which he had disembarkedfourteen months before. A fog concealed the vessel as she passed throughthe British fleet lying to intercept her, and they reached Roscoff aftera nine days' voyage.
Such was the tale which Prince Charles told to Ronald. He had afterCulloden entirely recovered his high spirits, and had borne all hisfatigues and hardships with the greatest cheerfulness and good humour,making light of hunger, fatigue, and danger. Ronald only remained twodays in Paris, and then returned home.
In October the campaign of Flanders ended with the complete defeat ofPrince Charles of Lorraine at Rancaux, and Marshal Saxe returned toParis, where he was received with enthusiasm by the population. The royalresidence of Chambord was granted him for life, and he was proclaimedmarshal general of the king's armies. A fortnight later Colonel Lesliereceived a letter from him, saying that he had received his majesty'scommand that he with the countess and his son should present themselvesin Paris, and that he was happy to say that the king's disposition wasmost favourable. They set off at once. On their arrival there they calledupon Marshal Saxe, who greeted the colonel as an old friend, and refusedto listen to the warm expression of gratitude of Leslie and the countess.
"Say nothing about it, madam," he exclaimed. "Your son won my heart, andI was only too glad to be of service to him and my old comrade here. Whatis the use of a man winning victories if he cannot lend a helping hand tohis friends!"
The next day they went down to Versailles, where Marshal Saxe presentedthem to the king in a private audience. Louis received them graciously.
"I fear, countess, that you and your husband have been treated with someharshness; but our royal ear was deceived by one in whom we hadconfidence. Your husband and yourself were wrong in marrying without theconsent and against the will of your father, and such marriages cannot bepermitted; but at the request of Marshal Saxe, who has done so much forFrance that I cannot refuse anything he asks, I have now consented topardon and overlook the past, and have ordered my chancellor to preparean order reinstating you in all the possessions and estates of thecountess, your mother. I hope that I shall often see you together withyour husband and son, both of whom have done good service as soldiers ofFrance, at my court; and now that I see you," he said with a gracioussmile, "I cannot but feel how great a loss our court has suffered by yourlong absence from it."
Upon leaving the king's private chamber and entering the great audiencehall Colonel Hume came up and grasped the hand of his old friend, and wasintroduced by him to his wife; while many of the courtiers, who wereeither connections or friends of the family of the countess, alsogathered round them, for the news that she was restored to royal favourhad sp
read quickly. The countess knew how small was the real value ofsuch advances, but she felt that it was best for her husband and son'ssake to receive them amicably. For a few weeks they remained in Paris,taking part in the brilliant fetes which celebrated the success of theFrench arms, and they then retired to the handsome chateau which was nowthe property of the countess.
Here they lived quietly for two years, making occasional visits to Paris.At the end of that time Ronald received a letter from Andrew Anderson, towhom he had written several times since his return to France. He told himthat he had just heard that Glenlyon and the rest of the property whichhad been confiscated after the rising of 1715 was for sale. It had beenbestowed upon a neighbouring chief, who had been active in the Hanoveriancause. He was now dead without leaving issue, and his wife, an Englishlady, was anxious to dispose of the property and return to England.
"I do not know whether your father is disposed to buy back his estates,"Andrew wrote, "but I hear that a general amnesty will very shortly beissued to all who took part in the insurrection, saving only certainnotorious persons. The public are sick of bloodshed. There have beenupwards of eighty trials and executions, besides the hundreds who wereslaughtered in the Highlands. Besides this, thousands have beentransported. But public opinion is now so strong, and persons of allshades of politics are so disgusted with the brutal ferocity which hasbeen shown, that it is certain government will ere long be compelled topass an act of amnesty. In the meantime, if it should be your father'swish to purchase the property, I can buy it in my name. The priced askedis very low. The income arising from it is stated to be about fourhundred a year, and four thousand pounds will be accepted for it. Iunderstand that as the late owner took no part in the insurrection, andjoined the Duke of Cumberland when he came north, the property is in goodcondition and the clansmen have escaped the harrying which befell allthose who sided with Charles Stuart."
Ronald at once laid the letter before his father, who, after reading itthrough, passed it, without a word, to the countess.
"You would like to return to Scotland?" she asked quietly, when she readit. "Do not hesitate to tell me, dear, if you would. It is no matter tome whether we live there or here, so long as I have you and Ronald withme."
Colonel Leslie was silent.
"For Ronald's sake," she went on, "perhaps it would be better so. You areboth of opinion that the cause of the Stuarts is lost for ever, and he isdetermined that he will never again take part in any rising. He does notcare again to enter the French army, nor, indeed, is there any reason whyScotchmen should do so, now that they no longer look for the aid of theKing of France to set the Stuarts on the English throne. I myself have noties here. My fifteen years of seclusion have separated me altogetherfrom my family, and although they are willing enough to be civil now, Icannot forget that all those years they did nothing towards procuring ourliberty. The king has so far given way that he has restored me mymother's estates, but it was only because he could not refuse MarshalSaxe, and he does not like French lands to be held by strangers;therefore I feel sure, that were I to ask his permission to sell myestates and to retire with you to Scotland he would at once grant myrequest."
"No, Amelie, it would not be fair to accept your generous offer."
"But it would be no sacrifice," she urged. "I have little reason to loveFrance, and I can assure you I should be just as happy in your country asin my own."
"But it would be exile," the colonel said.
"No more exile than you and Ronald are suffering here. Besides, I supposewe should get as many comforts in Scotland as here in France. Of courseour estates here will fetch a sum many times larger than that which wouldpurchase Glenlyon, and we need not live all our time among the mountainsyou tell me of, but can go sometimes to Edinburgh or even to London. Evenif you did not wish it, I should say it would be far better to do so forRonald's sake. You have lived so long in France that you may have becomea Frenchman; but it is not so with Ronald."
It was not until two or three days later that the discussion came to anend and the countess had her way. Colonel Leslie had resisted stoutly,but his heart beat at the thought of returning to the home of his youthand ending his days among the clansmen who had followed him and hisfathers before him. Ronald had taken no part whatever in the debate, buthis mother read in his eyes the delight which the thought of returning toScotland occasioned him. As soon as this was settled they went to Paris,and as the countess had foreseen, the king was pleased at once to givehis consent to her disposing of her lands on his approval of thepurchaser.
No difficulty was experienced on this score, as a noble whose landsadjoined her own offered at once to purchase them. As soon as this wasarranged instructions were sent to Andrew to purchase not only theGlenlyon property, but the other estates of its late owner.
In due time a letter was received from Andrew saying that he had arrangedfor the purchase of the whole for the sum of thirteen thousand pounds,and the money was at once sent over through a Dutch banking house. Veryshortly afterwards, at the end of 1747, the act of general amnesty waspassed, and as Ronald's name was not among those excluded from itsbenefits they at once prepared to return to Scotland. The journey wasfacilitated by the fact that shortly after the passing of the act, peacewas concluded between England and France.
Accompanied by Malcolm, Colonel Leslie, the countess, and Ronald sailedfor Scotland. The colonel and his wife remained in Edinburgh while Ronaldand Malcolm went to Glasgow, where Andrew had in readiness all the paperstransferring the estates purchased in his name to Colonel Leslie, whoshortly afterwards journeyed north with his wife and son and tookpossession of his ancestral home amid the enthusiastic delight of theclansmen, who had never ceased to regret the absence of him whom theyconsidered as their rightful chief.
There is little more to tell. Colonel Leslie lived but a few years afterreturning home, and Ronald then succeeded him as Leslie of Glenlyon. Hehad before this married the daughter of a neighbouring gentleman, andpassed his time between Glenlyon and Edinburgh, varied by an occasionalvisit to London.
The countess never regretted her native land, but, happy in the affectionof her son and daughter in law and their children, lived happily withthem until nearly the end of the century. Malcolm remained the faithfuland trusty friend of the family; and his brother and his wife wereoccasionally persuaded to pay a visit to Glenlyon, where their kindnessto Ronald as a child was never forgotten. Happily the rising of '45 wasthe last effort on behalf of the Stuarts. Scotland accepted the decisionas final, and the union between the two countries became close andcomplete. Henceforth Scotchmen went no longer to fight in the armies ofFrance, but took service in that of their own country, and more than oneof Ronald's grandsons fought stoutly in Spain under Wellington.
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