gstatt for the express purpose of examining every boat
that might arrive from the Long Island. He certainly neglected this duty
as far as Miss Macdonald's boat was concerned, possibly out of
complaisance to her hostess, Lady Margaret, possibly because the young
lady's careless demeanour disarmed all suspicion.

The situation was a most anxious one for Miss Macdonald; she had to
carry on an easy flow of chat with a young officer while all the time
she could think of nothing but Betty Burke sitting on her box on the
shore. Every moment was precious and nothing was being done.

At last, during dinner, she managed to confide the whole situation to
Kingsburgh, and while she kept the lieutenant engaged, the latter left
the room and sent for Lady Margaret to speak to him on business. (He was
her husband's factor, and there was nothing to excite remark in his
wanting a private talk with her.) On learning the news she for a moment
lost her head, and screamed out that they were undone. But with much
sense and kindness Kingsburgh reassured her, saying that if necessary he
would take the Prince to his own house, adding, with a touch of his
characteristic chivalry, that he was now an old man, and it made very
little difference to him whether he should die with a halter round his
neck or await a death which could not be far distant.

As for the immediate future, the first idea that occurred both to Lady
Margaret and Kingsburgh was, 'Let us send for Donald Roy.' This Donald
was a brother of the Macdonald of Belshair who had visited the Prince at
Coridale. He had been 'out' with the Prince's army, and was now living
with a surgeon near Mugstatt, trying to recover from a serious wound in
his foot received at Culloden. This Donald must have been a good fellow,
popular, and liked by all; for even in those dangerous times he seems
to have lived on an intimate footing with the very militia officers who
were sent to search for hidden Jacobites.

No man could have been more suited for Kingsburgh's purpose than Donald.
Not only was he sensible, honourable, and brave, but as an acknowledged
Jacobite he had less to lose if discovered, and as a young and amiable
man his person could not fail to be acceptable to the Prince.

On his arrival he found Kingsburgh and Lady Margaret walking up and down
the garden. 'O Donald!' cried the lady, 'we are undone for ever!' After
much rapid, anxious talk, the three agreed that the safest place for the
Prin